charlie gabriel – New Orleans Musicians

Today’s hymn and choir is brought to you by Kyle Roussel, a composer and multi-instrumentalist who plays with the cultural staple and beloved institution known as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Thank you for joining me on this journey. I cannot help but reminisce on my Sunday morning experiences of getting a Bloody Mary and attending mass in Treme’ or the notorious Saint Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. Kyle Roussel’s new album, Church of New Orleans, reminds me of this. And now please rise…

Our service today begins with the song “Daylight” (remix feat. Jamison Ross), a bright and angelic blend of gospel, R&B, harmony, and an infectious joie de vivre. I am immediately reminded of my first Jazzfest Experience as a young, curious soul venturing into magical musical grounds. Wandering into a sea of music amongst the serene landscape, I reached the gospel tent, a calliope of audio bliss. This smaller but impactful stage held the true spirit of unity and creative celebration. Coming full-circle, it captures everything I love about the city: its culture, spiritualism, diversity, creativity, resilience, and the mantra to celebrate not for what we have but for what we have not. “Daylight” is that jam, that song in the morning that you never knew you needed until its big band sound grabs you from the depths and propels you into a spiritual euphoria. I can’t help but get so many great vibes from this song, ranging from Motown soul, Treme’ funk, gospel serenade, and a warm Fertile Crescent shout of faith and progression.

The appeal of Kyle Roussel’s masterpiece, Church of New Orleans, is that it continues to evolve and inspire. As we reach the second song from the album entitled “Don’t Wait” (featuring the hometown trombone extraordinaire Mr. Glen David Andrews), we hear a second line style funky beat accompanied by a tuba and a reed organ. The two are backed by upbeat percussion and follow together with short stabs as Kyle delivers the word.

Our service continues with the song “I Can Do Anything”, featuring the legendary singer Aaron Neville with an adorable cameo toward the end. Kyle’s experience and creativity as a composer shine effortlessly on this beautiful track that embodies and celebrates what I love about New Orleans. This track is exemplary of that sound with its own cultural gumbo of soul.

And now ladies and gentlemen, join hands for the melodies of Mr. Kyle Roussel and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, as the jazz swings an instrumental beauty entitled “Pickles”. A sweeping piano piece played by Kyle presents itself as a mix of Chopin, Jelly Roll Morton, and Stevie Wonder in a cosmic masterpiece all his own. A delightful piano boogie whisks me away with funky rhythmic beats and soul that could only be conjured in a special cloud painted by pure imagination. I suddenly feel my anxiety dissolve into a blue sky above Bayou St. John, as Mr. Roussel’s hypnotizing piano illuminates this gospel. A star-studded, reimagined composition treads waters into heavenly, uncharted melody.

We break into a jazzy gospel organ sermon for the next song, “Changes”, which features the beautiful stylings of John Boutte. The lyrics strike me to my core as the chorus triumphantly sings “Everybody wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change themselves”. It is as beautiful as it is haunting, a reminder of how far we think we have come as people while so far behind in our unity.

“Sankofa” brings the album back to the mix of lush Caribbean and indigenous New Orleans Congo Square rhythms. Kyle once again provides us with an audible historic timeline of musical influences, spicing up the song. It’s a celebration of culture and R&B, reminiscent of a Skull & Bone Gang vibe. Adding to the rich layered musicianship is a strong harmony vocal session bellowing like a riverboat matinee’.

The following track is titled “Close to Me”. A tribal groove sets us into the mood right off the get-go, followed by sweeping keyboard harmonies. Some of the production reminds me of old school Stevie Wonder and Hall & Oates. This composition delivers a silky bass line and mesmerizing vocals by Zigaboo Modeliste and Quiana Lynell, respectively, and will leave you in a blissful trance. This album is a much-needed breath of fresh air in every creative sense.

Next up is “When I Feel Your Energy Moving Me”. The vocals really stand out in this one. Complementing the lyrical style is a symphonic crescendo and Sade feel.

“Nothing is Impossible” features Tracci Lee and an undeniable dance swagger in a collective of heavenly arrangements. The message is that nothing is impossible if you believe. This chorus hits hard as a wake-up call to seize the day, love all, and be in the moment.

“African Gumbo” does not stop short at packing a fine collective of musical brilliance simmered into a well-cultivated Roux. This is a generational work of art many decades in the making, featuring work of the legendary George Porter Jr. & Charlie Gabriel of New Orleans royalty.

The final song in our service is titled “True”. I will say this, this album has me in the pew alone, but also with so much love in my heart that I do not feel an absence in my spirit. Instead, I feel a drive to continue to be a good soul while I am in a waking life. Times are hard but when I hear this organ ring out and Miss Irma Thomas singing that angelic praise, I feel a little more blessed. I don’t have much, but I feel rich in the wealth of music that Kyle Roussel and Miss Irma Thomas provide. This should be the soundtrack to the lives of myself and everyone.

Church of New Orleans is a wonderful journey no matter what your musical tastes seek beyond the surface. The beauty of this album is its ability to capture the wide array of musical influences that New Orleans has embodied over time. Sometimes people might say to me, “You don’t sound like you’re from New Orleans”. I always smile and point them to albums like these. Because I then reply, “New Orleans does not sound like me, it sounds like this”. Of the many themes contained within this album, two stand out, our local history of New Orleans’ global musical influences, and a worldwide celebration of joy and harmony. Both feel so prevalent in his work. At times, the album delivers a strong brass and rhythm section that gets to the boogie without wasting a beat. It is a prime example of polished song crafting that both gets you dancing in the street on a Saturday night and dancing in church the next morning on Sunday. Lord knows I’ve stumbled into mass half hungover, feeling it, and joining into the congregation of my sadness regaled. It is a prayer sent and received that we never knew existed, a dance and soul that forever changes our hearts. The Church of New Orleans is that album that ignites the candle, making sense of mysticism and unity with every note played, every word sung, every moment spent. This photo of a moment, this tip of the hourglass, Church of New Orleans confirms a magnum opus for Mr. Kyle Roussel. I wish both him and all of you a blessed day. Go in peace.

Author: Ryan McKern

Editor: David Trahan

Neworleansmusicians.com

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On a hot and humid New Orleans afternoon, we reminisce of seasons past; musical gatherings and triumphs of old seeping into the wonder and fantasy of young adventure and philosophical starscapes. A treasured plethora of moments recalled through sight, sound, and mind, perhaps delving into that of an older era known to many only through media nostalgia. A summer serenade among the dew drops in. And a perfect twilight ventures into the French Quarter; love and light guiding the way through stoic backdrops of jazz legacy. Preservation and rich tradition bellows from all corners of the Crescent City. With these roots forging into the new, Charlie Gabriel’s solo album, 89, is a trip back in tribute, but also a look forward into the noir and divine majesty of one of music’s most cherished legends in the genre. To further encapsulate the auditory experience that is 89, let us first look back into the mythos and iconic story of Mr. Gabriel.

Clarinetist, saxophonist, and flutist Charlie Gabriel is a fourth-generation jazz musician from New Orleans. Raised in a classically trained musical family that emigrated from Santo Domingo in the 1850’s, Gabriel began playing clarinet professionally with the Eureka Brass Band when he was eleven years old. During World War II his father, clarinetist and drummer Martin Manuel “Manny” Gabriel often sent his son on gigs. Charlie himself became a prominent member of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in 2009. I would be remiss in my journalism if I did not mention that Mr. Gabriel is a very accomplished chess player and has a wonderful video with the Preservation Hall band leader Ben Jaffe. The two have a wonderful interview and casual conversation over a chess match, which is available on the Preservation Hall YouTube page.

The opening track, “Memories of You”, paints the rainy southern landscape of beauty in solitude. Guitar harmonies and saxophone jazz serenades sparkle this uplifting noir opus that is the album 89, capturing a mixture of crisp guitar jazz theoretics and perfect brass rings compels the mind and soul throughout the album.

Following this is “Chelsea Bridge”, a 1941 compositional Jazz standard classic by Billy Strayhorn. This rendition is celebratory of its creation and displays the range and vibrato of Mr. Gabriel’s voice.

The album’s single is accompanied by a music video. “I’m Confessin’” showcases a sharp-dressed Mr. Gabriel being chauffeured around New Orleans. It also depicts behind the scenes of the writing and recording of 89, and beautiful glimpses of chess games, and bandmates laughing and hanging out. It’s a wonderful glimpse into the creative life of one of music’s most treasured geniuses.

Following the slow, heavenly tones of “I’m Confessin’” is the soothing noir love letter sounds of “The Darker It Gets”, an original song written by Charlie. The tune opens with beautifully strummed jazz chords by the record’s guitarist Joshua Starkman, with Ben Jaffe adding some walking swing dynamics on the upright bass. Charlie Gabriel’s smooth and soothing vocals warm up the mix. As I sit and listen, I am transported mentally to another time; rainy gas lantern-lit streets of New Orleans’ historic district and music clubs with black tie dress codes. A tenor sax solo brings out the sun in our adventure through a wonderful world created by Mr. Gabriel. Heard in the lyrics Charlie sings, “the darker it gets the better I see, the hidden place that’s inside of me.”

The next song on the album is “Stardust”. The 1947 Hoagy Carmichael classic brings the feel and love of the original version while adding a bit of flavor that can only come from New Orleans. Charlie has stated that of the Jazz songs he picked for this album, he never plays them the same way twice. A seasoned player in the game, he exudes musical creativity in a natural and inspiring way.

“Three Little Words” is a shift in sound as we get vibes of flamenco Jazz, cuban beats, tiki lounge, and a beautiful brass solo that will get every fan of music to the dance floor. The song was written by Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar, and published in 1930. The song would go on to receive fame when it was recorded by Duke Ellington on August 26^th, 1930. The musicianship and arrangement on this cover puts further emphasis on how versatile and deep the love of the genre’s history remains. The production on 89 is bright and vibrant while also feeling intimate, and gives the listener a front row ticket to the show.

At 91, Charlie Gabriel is still touring, and playing at Preservation Hall. I had the opportunity to see his performance in Jackson Square for French Quarter Fest in 2023. And without a doubt, he is on top of his game. An in-depth, unique audio experience, 89 is a glimpse into the mind and joy of an artist like no other. Should you choose to listen, 89 will illustrate a stand-out moment in time, as well as cement Charlie as a staple in Jazz. Pick up the chess match and listen to 89 for an amazing adventure.

Author: Ryan McKern

Neworleansmusicians.com