Some recordings are a pure joy to hear. The French Preservation Hall New Orleans Jazz Band specializes in music that at its best is a bit delirious. The group consists of JP Alessi on alto and tenor, trombonist Philippe De-Smet, pianist Emile Van Pelt, banjoist Siphan Upravan, bassist Brian Turnock, and drummer JP Roeland. As is apparent throughout their exhilarating new release Live In Belgium, this sextet does not need a trumpet, a resume filled with famous names, or a New Orleans home address.
Alessi’s musical role models are Capt. John Handy and Emanuel Paul, De-Smet sometimes reminds one of Jim Robinson, and the rhythm section at times could pass for George Lewis’ sidemen. And yet the group is creative within the New Orleans tradition and does not copy their predecessors.
No further analysis is really needed other than to say that it will be difficult for listeners to hear these performances of such songs as “Over The Waves,” “Rebecca Boogie” (a wild riff-filled uptempo blues), “The Old Rugged Cross,” “Emanuel Paul Boogie,” and “Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet” and not smile. De-Smet and Alessi put plenty of personality into their playing, the rhythm section (with drummer Roeland contributing some colorful bombs) is solid, the band (unlike some of the 1960s revival groups) is always in tune, and the ensembles are full of happiness.
The French Preservation Hall New Orleans Jazz Band
Live In Belgium
Upbeat URCD 340
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Since 1975 Scott Yanow has been a regular reviewer of albums in many jazz styles. He has written for many jazz and arts magazines, including JazzTimes, Jazziz, Down Beat, Cadence, CODA, and the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, and was the jazz editor for Record Review. He has written an in-depth biography on Dizzy Gillespie for AllMusic.com. He has authored 11 books on jazz, over 900 liner notes for CDs and over 20,000 reviews of jazz recordings.
Yanow was a contributor to and co-editor of the third edition of the All Music Guide to Jazz. He continues to write for Downbeat, Jazziz, the Los Angeles Jazz Scene, the Jazz Rag, the New York City Jazz Record and other publications.
