A Love Letter to New Orleans

From a tribute to a club, to a tribute to a city – all in one night. That’s our folk club.

The Last Beer gave us a nostalgic paean to traditional folk music. John Boutté and Paul Sanchez talked of a city, sang of a city, shared their love of city. The exquisite and soulful version of “City of New Orleans” introduced the theme – not a train disappearing but a city rebirthing.

Sanchez and Boutté – ambassadors. Sanchez is from the Irish Channel of New Orleans, a tough area around the docks – at least, it was when Paul was a boy. Is that where he learned his cool half-smile demeanor – watchful, stoic, suave – a Paul Newman with a guitar that can somehow capture the rhythm of both funeral band and jazz club as well as support the magnificent voice of John Boutté?

John Boutté is from Tremé – just north of the French Quarter – rather Creole genteel, according to Paul, (the internet advises taking a taxi, if you go after dark) but also the heart of the musical district in New Orleans. No wonder the Tremé produced Boutté, the personification of kinetic energy with an astounding voice that stretches effortlessly from sublime jazz, to virtuosic soul, to heart-breaking blues, and back up again to gloriously uplifting gospel.

The Irish Channel and Tremé proceeded to give the club an unforgettable cultural tour of the city they love: “A Stew Called New Orleans” provided a recipe for a mixing pot of a city with an adjuration to not “forget to bring your greens.” “Marie Laveau Voodoo Queen” invoked steamy heat and a fiery sing-and-repeat that had this reserved, Canadian club entranced. “Door Poppers” was an eyeful and a salute to nosey neighbours and the versatility of English in melding to any cultural context.

Besides songs that seemed to touch at the very heart of New Orleans – the most poignant being “Louisiana 1927” as a reminder of Hurricane Katrina - the night featured some songs that highlighted Boutté’s rising star: “Tremé Song” will be the music for the upcoming HBO series “Tremé,” set to premiere on April 11, 2010. Similarly John’s “Hey God” was named by offBEAT Magazine as the Best Song of 2009.

Although the evening was a short course in culture, the truly “eye poppin” part was the singular musicianship of John with his voice and Paul with his guitar. The club is indeed fortunate to attract such stellar professionals.