Album Review: Shannon Powell - Powell's Place

Shannon Powell 

Powell's Place

**** out of *****

The newest offering from Tipitina's Record Club is a reissue of Shannon Powell's debut solo album, Powell's Place. The gorgeous peach vinyl brings the hard to find release to a larger audience as the drummer unites a cross section of Crescent City players for a jazzy/funky affair. 

After Hurricane Katrina devastated the city, Preservation Hall owner, Powell's Place producer/keys player and long time friend of Powell's, Ben Jaffe encouraged Powell to come back to town and record a long time coming solo record. Jaffe figured if the city's musical pillars returned, others would follow and things could start to try to get back to 'normal'. Powell agreed and along with Jaffe brought in both young and old artists to record with.

Powell is on drums and vocals, Jaffe is on keys for "Hindustan" and "Lord Lord Lord", along with the core band of Jason Marsalis xylophone, Todd Duke guitar, Larry Sieberth piano, and Roland Guerin bass with others hoping onboard to help out. The album opens with a version of the Benny Goodman tune "Airmail Special" which really showcases Marsalis percussion as Powell supports on drums while piano and guitar accents color the scene. 

"Lord Lord Lord" uses spiritual chanting with strong vocals from Powell as Jaffe adds digital keyboard bleeps before the title track finds the percussion leading the charge as Powell and Marsalis take over and move this exhilarating jazz focused number forward.  A version of Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington's "The Nearness For You" is also a highlight as the smoky mellow instrumental ballad is a gem, conjuring up a hot summer night in New Orleans. 

Less successful is Powell's spin around the old timey torch song "Taking A Chance on Love", but things improve to start the B-side as "Your Are My Sunshine" gets a classic New Orleans R&B treatment with jazz accents including Powell's scat singing. "The Way You Look Tonight" drops some energetic modern jazz as the bass line is frantic with the band only pausing for Powell's drum breaks, which are crisp and super impressive.  

"Liza Jane" is a mashup of modern/classic with grooving chanting, deep drums and rich brass from Lucien Barbarin and Daniel "Weenie" Farrow. "Hindustan" brings on Corey Henry and Kid Merv Campbell for bopping brass while album closer "I Wanna Know What Love Is" is a stunner. Jane Harvey Brown takes over lead vocals, singing in Spanish, as the groove changes to a sultry Latino vibe as the players settle in and get down with style. 

A strong showing top to bottom from all involved, especially band leader Powell who sings, plays amazingly diverse drums and brings a sense of joy to all the musicians that helped create Powell's Place.   

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