Trax
By Bliss 12/24/2009
ALLEN TOUSSAINT, The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch):
(4 stars out of 5)
Legendary New Orleans R&B standard-bearer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Toussaint hitched up with SoCal uber-producer Joe Henry for this instrumental jazz foray. Backed by blue-ribbon guests like pianist Brad Mehldau, saxophonist Joshua Redman and guitarist Marc Ribot, the “Southern Knight” tackled the songbooks of jazz titans like Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Django Reinhardt, and elegantly proved himself their equal. allentoussaint.com.
VARIOUS ARTISTS, Fire in My Bones: Raw + Rare + Otherworldly African-American Gospel [1944-2007] (Tompkins Square):
(4.5 stars out of 5)
This exceptional three-disc set’s strength lies in its magnetic fervor and diversity. Recognizable names dot the credits (Precious Bryant, Snooks Eaglin, Marie Knight, Rev. Louis Overstreet), but most of the rough recordings, are delivered by unknowns. There are few bum tracks and several gems, including casket-maker/sanctified blues shouter Boyd Rivers’ “Fire Shed in My Bones,” Rev. Roger L. Worthy & His Sister Bonnie Woodstock’s Pops Staples-influenced “Get Back Satan,” Rayborn Brothers Quintet’s funky “Walk With Me” and Joe Townsend’s eerie blues “If I Could Not Say a Word.” Musically compelling. tompkinssquare.com.
MADNESS, The Liberty of Norton Folgate (Yep Roc):
(3.5 stars out of 5)
The ’80s Brit hit-makers emerged from the festival circuit with this expertly crafted, theatrical song cycle that seasons their good-time vibe with rue within a pop/2-tone framework. Inspired by a bohemian area of London, it’s Madness’ first album of original material since 1999’s “Wonderful,” and it’s a meaty one. There are no obvious hits like “Our House,” but then this is no lame retread of bygone glories. Standouts include the poignant “Forever Young,” “On the Town” and “Clerkenwell Polka.” madness.co.uk.
JOE PURDY, Last Clock on the Wall (Mud Town Crier):
(3 stars out of 5)
Beloved by Hotel Café tastemakers (and “Lost” fans), Purdy takes listeners to a zone of heightened melancholy and yearning — a romantic otherworld with its own other-side-of-the-mirror logic, where Purdy’s in perpetual search of connection. He rarely wails beyond the midtempo range, but those with a taste for Nick Drake and Ryan Adams should find much to appreciate in “Clock”’s rolling melodies, rootsy instrumentation and introspective travelogues. joepurdy.com.
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