Dr. John
's
Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch
is a collection of songs by and associated with fellow New Orleanian
Louis Armstrong
, one of the handful cats who put jazz on the map in the early years of the 20th century. Finely arranged by trombonist and co-producer
Sarah Morrow
, all of these 13 tracks feature guest stars and a great band.
goes right to the heart of
Armstrong
's music, opening with "What a Wonderful World," with a vocal intro by
the Blind Boys of Alabama
and trumpeter
Nicholas Payton
as a soloist. It's an illustration of just how much he "enjoys screwing with a good song." Though the song is oft-covered, this is likely the very first time it's been done as pure NOLA funk, with drummer
Herlin Riley
popping all over backbeat. "Mack the Knife," with
Mike Ladd
and
Terence Blanchard
, may start with a monster syncopated jazz-funk vamp, but the seeming distance in the exchange between the two vocalists feels unbridgeable. "Tight Like This" done with a slow, Afro-Cuban groove, features with
Telmary
Arturo Sandoval
. Unfortunately,
is all but absen and the tune suffers for it. "I've Got the World on a String" is a swinging, bluesy duet with
Bonnie Raitt
, with
Pancho Sanchez
dropping a sweet undercurrent of conga. "Gut Bucket Blues," a punchy, swaggering funk number, features a killer horn break from
Payton
. "Dippermouth Blues" is a driving, fat, front-line horn number, starring
James "12" Andrews
, while "Sweet Hunk O' Trash" is a wonderful duet with
Shemekia Copeland
that recalls thegood-natured back and forth that
Billie Holiday
displayed on their 1949 version. His distorted RMI keyboard solo takes it to -- and over -- the margin.
Anthony Hamilton
's vocal on "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" is smooth as silk atop a soulful, contemporary jazz chart. It's followed by two selections with
the McCrary Sisters
. The first "That's My Home," is an easy R&B stroll with
Wendell Brunious
on fluegelhorn. "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" is a stirring trad gospel arrrangement with
Ledisi
as
's duet partner. "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" is gorgeous NOLA souled-out R&B with
Blanchard
. The closer, "When You're Smiling" is a greasy second-line read with
the Dirty Dozen Brass Band
that sends this set out romping. Though a couple of cuts fall short of the mark, and the set may have a few too many guests,
Ske-Dat-De-Dat
is a solid tribute to
. It does take chances and almost always pulls them off thanks to
's signature blend of musical imagination, wit, and savvy cool. ~ Thom Jurek