Track Listing

1. It's Your Voodoo Working - Charles Sheffield
2. Door Poppin' - Carol Fran, Clarence Hollimon
3. African Gumbo - James Booker
4. Ti Na Na - Clifton Chenier
5. It Ain't the Same Thing - Johnny Adams
6. Lead Me On - Lynn August
7. Voodoo - The Neville Brothers
8. Piano Roll - Eddie Bo
9. I'm Coming Home - Rockin' Dopsie & the Zydeco Twisters
10. Festis Believe in Justice - Rockie Charles
11. Louisiana - Percy Mayfield
12. Nine Pound Steel - Snooks Eaglin

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #52714 in Music
• Released on: 2000-01-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Labels run the inherent risk of trivializing or marginalizing a region's music when they attempt to create a compilation. And yet Putumayo, which has made a musical-lifestyle name for itself by producing a bundle of these types of collections, does itself mighty proud with Louisiana Gumbo. Drawing from various statewide sources and time periods, Gumbo celebrates rather than appropriates. Merging blues, jazz, Cajun, and Creole influences along with country-inflected rock, R&B, and piano in the styles of boogie-woogie and fast-pumping Ferriday chording, this group of selections is a magnificent representation of some of Louisiana's smartest and tastiest offerings. From zydeco king Clifton Chenier to ivory tickler James Booker and Tipitina regulars the Neville Brothers, Gumbo is served up dirty, dark, and delicious. Husband-wife duo Carol Fran and Clarence Hollimon rear back to holler and hammer through "Door Poppin'," Eddie Bo puts bad-ass funk and swing to "Piano Roll," and Johnny Adams's "It Ain't the Same Thing" is as fine as swamp-rompin' R&B gets. --Paige La Grone

Customer Reviews

Terrific
This is a wonderful collection of blues, soul and R&B and zydeco from New Orleans and the bayous of Louisiana. And a great introduction to lesser known artists who really deserve to be heard, like Charles Sheffield. But of course there are also the well known artists, such as the Neville Brothers and Clifton Chenier. This album is guaranteed to get your feet tapping. The 24 page booklet includes an essay about Louisiana and it's music, and a page devoted to each song and it's artist, and photos.

What a 'sleeper' !
I don't remember buying this CD, but I certainly remember the first time I played it. It is a fantastic collection of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco. Particularly like 'Festis', but really all of it is good.

As Good As It Gets....
Hot & Spicy, Tasty & Fulfilling.....just what gumbo is supposed to be! First heard in a little local boutique, I was shakin my shimmie from the first song on and just HAD to buy it! Makes me wish I were strollin down d'bayou or scoffing up some of Tipatina's finest right now. I've bought several copies to give as gifts (some weren't all that excited until they gave it a listen; now those people are turning others onto it). I've given a couple other zy CD's a try but like the man says, "It ain't the same thang".......buy it and enjoy the Big Easy in your own easy chair.