Deacon John Moore Deacon John's Jump Blues CD

"The premise here is '50s and '60s New Orleans jump blues led to rock 'n' roll. Forget the premise, or argue about it if you'd prefer. The reality is this disc, built around the considerable talents of guitarist/vocalist Deacon John Moore and a slew of high-powered friends, is a smoking, cooking, rollicking effort packed with powerful Crescent City blues, R&B and rock 'n' roll.It doesn't hurt that the Deacon played guitar on many of the hits that came out of Cosimo Matassa's legendary New Orleans recording studio. And it certainly helps that Moore is joined in this labor of musical love by the likes of Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Wardell Quezergue, the Zion Harmonizers, Teedy Boutté, Henry Butler, Amadee Castenell, a fat horn section and the best rhythm players in New Orleans. From 'Jumpin' in the Morning' through 'Going Back to New Orleans' the CD turns the spotlight on classic sounds. Those sounds are so soulful, so, well, jumping, that nostalgia need not figure in." -Jim Beal Jr., San Antonio Express-News"The album showcases vocalist/guitarist Deacon John Moore, one of the great lights of the Big Easy music scene for more than 40 years. . . . Special moments include Teedy Boutté's vocal on 'Piece of My Heart,' the classic jump-blues numbers 'Jumpin' in the Morning' and 'Hook, Line and Sinker/Go On Fool,' and the Zion Harmonizers' gospel tune 'Jesus Is on the Main Line.' An excellent history project." -Phillip Van Vleck, Billboard"the music, from the 1950's and 1960's, still puts the New Orleans roll in rock 'n' roll." -Jon Pareles, New York Times"the most important New Orleans CD released so far in the new millennium." -Jeff Hannusch, offBEAT". . . the heart and soul of the music and the musicians that once rocked out of the streets of the French Quarter. . . 'Jumping In The Morning' is as hot an opener as you will find in any genre." -Michael Flynn, BluesWax"Deacon John's Jump Blues. . . feels like a classic New Orleans band operating at the peak of its powers."-Keith Spera, The Times-Picayune, New Orleans"He's leapt into jump blues with a New Orleans accent and beat that makes the music swing even more than it did originally." -Nick Spitzer, American Routes

Personnel includes: Deacon John (vocals, guitar); The Zion Harmonizers (vocals), Amadee Castanell (tenor saxophone); Allen Toussaint, Henry Butler, DR. John (piano); Chris Severin (bass); Shannon Powell, Herlin Riley (drums).
The music here is really from the movie -- in this case a concert DVD and a documentary feature film. The fuss isn't so much about Deacon John himself -- a New Orleans legend, but barely known elsewhere -- but about the music itself: the jump blues so popular in the late '40s. However, Deacon John has a lexicon of major New Orleans names helping him out. The venerable Dr. John plays piano on several tracks, with another legend, Allen Toussaint, featured elsewhere. Wardell Quezergue, associated with Big Easy music for decades, provides the band charts. The musicians bring a springy rhythmic sensibility that could only come from one town. Deacon John himself (who played rhythm guitar on Lee Dorsey's "Working in a Coal Mine") is a more than adequate singer. He has a '50s quality to his voice, ideal for this music, soulful without ever being raw. When he turns over the mike to the Zion Harmonizers for a fiery a cappella "Jesus on the Mainline," they tear the house down in the finest '50s-style gospel. Teddy Boutté's version of "Piece of My Heart" is inspired by Erma Franklin's original rather than the overblown Janis Joplin cover for a piece of soulful glory. Two Dave Bartholomew tunes offer a doff of the cap to the marvelous Fats Domino, and Dr. John shows the inimical genius of the late Professor Longhair on "Tipitina." It all closes, as it should, with a jump version of "Going Back to New Orleans." So this is more than a jump blues record. Really, it's a celebration of the history of Crescent City music and, as such, it's pure pleasureLiving Blues (9/03, pp.49-50) - "...Deacon's voice soars over the opening cut....A timeless collection of songs that continues a living, breathing tradition..."