Rock ’n’ roll pioneer Fats Domino, 85, was honored Wednesday at his home by New Orleans Jazz Orchestra founder Irvin Mayfield and keyboardist Davell Crawford. .... Domino’s ascendancy began in 1949 with his million-selling recording of
“The Fat Man.” By the early 1960s, he had racked up 35 Top 40 records
including the No. 1 hits “Ain’t That a Shame,” “Blueberry Hill” and
“Blue Monday.”
My relationship with Fats goes back a long time, to the early 1950s, when we jitterbugged or slow danced to his music. Fats' recordings remain in my music collection today, and I listen fairly often. Congratulations, Fats. The gold records, No. 1 hits, and honors are well-earned and well-deserved.
"The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra won for the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album the debut CD Book One at the 52nd Grammy Awards. The album was composed and arranged by Irvin Mayfield, Artistic Director and founder of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra - and good friend to our diocese [the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana]. Book One explores post-Katrina stagnation, the ongoing financial crisis, and falling in love.
Mayfield and Ronald Markham CEO and president of the 20-piece orchestra accepted the award and thanked the City of New Orleans, members of the orchestra and past jazz greats Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Jelly Roll Morton and Danny Barker. 'This Grammy award demonstrates that jazz is alive and resides in New Orleans,' said Mayfield, adding that 'the musicians in the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra took original compositions and created timeless music.'
Book One was recorded live at Christ Church Cathedral in November 2008 for the Cathedral's annual 'All the Saints' concert. The concert was originally commissioned after Hurricane Katrina and was hailed as the cultural reopening of New Orleans. Each year the performance includes elements of the original along with new music composed by Mayfield. Congratulations to everyone involved!"
If you like big band jazz, go to Amazon to listen to snippets of the tracks. If you like what you hear, you may want to buy the album. I already have the album and recommend it highly. It's good, quite good.
My New Year's gift for those of you who are not glued to the TV watching football is this video which shows Irwin Mayfield, Jr. of New Orleans, playing "Amazing Grace" on the Elysian Trumpet, which was hand-built by David Monette.
This stunning instrument has been created to honor the memory of all who perished due to Hurricane Katrina. Its design celebrates the rich musical and cultural heritage of New Orleans and the sounds of our Jazz legends. Jazz has been the heart of this city since the days of marching bands and Louis Armstrong. Today this indigenous music is more important than ever. The cultural strength of Jazz moves us from disaster to a new beginning celebrating our history and giving us the inspiration and blessing of the many that have gone before us. Monette, along with nationally known artist and goldsmith Tami Dean have been collaborating for nearly 25 years
The video was made at Christ Church Cathedral at the Eucharist at which Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefforts-Schori presided and preached during the meeting in New Orleans of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church. The service was beautiful, but this performance by Irvin Mayfield, Jr. was outstanding and quite moving. Here's what I wrote the day after:
The trumpet produced the sweetest sound I have heard come out of a horn - ever. And I have heard many trumpets. Mayfield played the most magnificent "Amazing Grace" that I have been priveliged to hear. Two such superlatives, one after the other, may be hard to believe, but they are true. I was crying during his performance. What heart! What an instrument!
Trust me that you do not get the full effect of the sound in the video. You had to be there.
