Dr. John is emblematic of New Orleans, a musicians whose sound encapsulates the chaotic, beautiful soundscape of the city: blues, boogie-woogie, jazz, as well as more modern iterations in the form of rock 'n' roll and funk. Here, at the 2014 edition of the Baloise Session festival in Switzerland, he pays tribute to another artist whose name is inseparable from NOLA, the cradle of jazz and the place where American music was born: Louis Armstrong.
Though he starts with his own enduring standard, the song that made his name back in 1973, "Right Place, Wrong Time," Dr. John soon moves onto pieces from his 2014 album, Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch, his grand salute to the man who made the world fall in love with jazz. On the repertoire are several of Satchmo's classics ("What A Wonderful World," "When You're Smiling"), which Dr. John turns inside out, adding groove and funk to the hallowed melodies.
The concert marks a beautiful experience for all those interested in cultural history and the cocktail of modern music that came tumbling out of Louisiana a hundred years ago. Dr. John is joined by a fantastic cast of groove-hardened musicians including Cuban-American jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and esteemed trombonist and musical director, Sarah Morrow.
