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I wrote this with my Brother Steve Sanders, Who's a long time WGN Chicago TV News Anchorman/ Broadcast journalist, 6 time Emmy Winner, and great guitarist, We Spent the late 60s and much of the 70s living in Louisiana and became immersed in it's great musical culture, cuisine, and the "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler" of the people there. I was living in Vancouver at the time I started working on this one, perhaps I was missing this part of my life.
Our family moved to the deep south in Mississippi, 1953, when I was 2 years old, where the Blues and African American culture was a large part of my upbringing. My father worked often in Louisiana and took us to New Orleans whenever possible. The Music of New Orleans was like nothing I'd ever heard, and still resonates in all that I do.
Gumbo not only represents the melting pot of cuisine but the fusion of cultures,
nationalities, and our history, of Spain, France, Africa, Caribbean, Creole. A musical celebration of our diversity. A friend of mine, in my university days, took me to visit her Cajun French family in South Louisiana, and to hear some amazing cajun Zydeco music in Mamou. When I decided to do an Americana CD, I knew it wouldn't be complete without featuring my Louisiana Roots.
This track was such a joy to put together, with my good friend, and pedal steel guitarist virtuoso, Bruce Kaphan, who is engineer, and production advisor on so many decisions. Bruce and I go back to the 80s, in the House band at the Saddle Rack, San Jose, Ca. His credits include Bob Dylan, Cheryl Crow, Chris Isaak, David Byrne, Jewel, Black Crows, and much more.
The musicians here are from all over the planet, but come together like we are in the same funky zydeco juke joint on the Bayou
Ray Legere, Mandolin, (Canada music hall of fame and Fiddle Champ of French Eastern Canada, who also plays some sizzling fiddle on this CD)
David Ziegler, Fiddle (From our band, "The Saddle Rack Riders" at the Saddle Rack, San Jose)
Emily Mann, Fiddle, is a Big Sur, CA native with her heart in the music of the Appalachian mountains. She grew up immersing herself in a variety of traditional music styles at music camps and is a fluid and well rounded musician as a result.
Hans Georg Gutternigg HG, Tuba, We have toured Germany Austria together since the 90s, with the New Ohr Linz Dixie band, He's a great arranger, composer, and knows more about the early jazz music of New Orleans than anyone I know. Really adds some Tremé, Dirty Dozen street parade brass to this track. HG is now with Russkaja, one of the top festival bands in Europe and Russia. He's also doing the trombone and Tuba, as part of the New Orleans Brass band on "When Ash Wednesday Comes Around"
Randy "Da Bones Man" Seppala. Washboard, We met at a gig I did in Clarksdale Mississippi at the Hambone Gallery, and Juke Joint, I set up a remote recording rig, and captured him doing his great rhythm. Such a great addition.
The vocal improvs you hear are from Sista' Monica Parker, from Santa Cruz, California, who passed away in 2014, Parker was at the height of her career as a performer specializing in Chicago blues and Southern African-American gospel. Her burgeoning popularity in blues festivals up and down the West Coast had led to success across the country and, indeed, into Europe where she had traveled and performed widely. I was fortunate to find a sample library she created, which seemed like it was pre-destined for this track, which carries the Love, soul and spirit of "Big Mama", when she shouts "We 'bout to put it in the crock pot"
JLS, Lead and Background vocals, piano, Alto and Tenor Saxophone, accordion, drum and other programming.
lyrics
Take a few Crawfish, Red Beans
Better put on some rice
Throw it in a big pot, one bite,
you gotta go back twice
All that mojo in the country
folks sho' be gettin' hungry
She got love in the mix
and I got's to get my fix
I got only one addictions
that's big mama's kitchen
She been cookin' all mornin' til the afternoon
Ya'll better get down here soon
Gotta have me some Big Mama's gumbo, yeah
Laissez les bons temps roulét,
Gonna be a good day
Gotta have me some big mama's gumbo, yeah
Somethin' good in every bite
It's gonna be a good night
We got zydeco on the radio
and the washboard be clickin'
when that gumbo starts to thicken
Alligator tastes like chicken
Okra tomatoes and hambone
Everything be home grown
black eyed peas, candied yams
baby that's who I am
Been wined and dined in Paris
With an uptown million-heiress
but the sweetest one I cherish
way back home in the swamp
Chorus
Well it aint from New Orleans
Ain't creole
Straight from the bayou
and it's sure got soul
Well they boil it down in Lafayette
Way down in Thibodaux
Way down in Breaux Bridge
And even in Monroe,
Big Mama's Gumbo
credits
from Tweakin' Some Twang,
track released October 15, 2018
John Lee Sanders, Vocal, Piano, Accordion, Drum Programming
Background vocals, Keyboards
Ray Legere, mandolin
Emily Mann, Fiddle
David Ziegler, Fiddle
Bruce Kaphan, Pedal Steel Guitar
Randy "Da Bones Man" Seppala, Washboard
Vocal Improvs, Sista Monica Parker
HG Gutternigg, Tuba
Peter Booras, Drums
Multi-instrumentalist, Composer, Saxophone, Guitar, Piano, vocalist, and Emmy nominated composer, he has evolved a
complex musical gumbo, with the flavors of Americana, Rock, Gospel, Pop, Jazz, R&B, Soul, Country, classical, with a deep love of the traditions, and culture of New Orleans....more
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