NEW ORLEANS SESSIONS

Blue Moon Marquee. Bigtone Records.

It’s a tall order for any person or group to fully capture the New Orleans feeling, vibe, and impact on the music industry, past and present.

But that hasn’t stopped many groups from trying.

The latest entry comes from far outside the Big Easy with this new release from Blue Moon Marquee, the core of which is a well-regarded duo from Western Canada’s British Columbia.

Guitarist/vocalist A.W. Cardinal and standup bassist/vocalist Jasmine “Badlands Jass” Colette, who are originally from Alberta, won a JUNO Award this year — sort of like Canada’s version of a Grammy — with their fourth album, Scream, Holler & Howl, which also swept the 2023 Maple Blues Awards, including Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Acoustic Act of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year.

They carried that momentum over with their recording of New Orleans Sessions, an album that does a deep dive into the Crescent City’s impressive musical archive, starting with their version of a Memphis Minnie classic, “Black Rat Swing,” followed by “Ain’t Goin Down,” their updated version of the song, “Ain’t Goin Down to the Well No More” that was written and performed by the late Huddie William Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly.

You get the idea. Much of the material comes from before World War II or into the 1920s. Perhaps the most recognizable song is “Saint James Infirmary,” popularized by Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and others.

Though recorded in only two days with a solid cast of New Orleans musicians, this album isn’t so much about a trip down memory lane as it is bringing some of the forgotten songs from yesteryear back to life with a new dance tempo. Cardinal’s vocals include an unmistakable growl, to boot.

It’s fun. Just don’t think of it as the ultimate collection of New Orleans songs.

First Published November 6, 2024, 11:09 p.m.