Preservation Hall Hot 4 With Duke Dejan

• Artist: Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• Rating:
• Release Date: January 27, 2004
• Type: Instrumental
• Genre: Jazz

Review

One of three initial releases for the Preservation Hall Recordings label, The Preservation Hall Hot 4 with Duke Dejan, recorded in 1996, is an engaging listen that centers around the vocals of the legendary founder of the Olympia Brass Band, Harold "Duke" Dejan. Spotlighting the bare essentials of what makes Preservation Hall the preeminent New Orleans band, the group is paired down to trumpeter/vocalist Wendell Brunious, guitarist/vocalist Don Vappie, pianist Thadeus Richard, and bassist Benjamin Jaffe. Aged jazzer Dejan has a rough but still melodic voice, soaked in tradition that works perfectly on such tasty standards as "I'm Alone Because I Love You" and "Basin Street Blues," in which he humorously ad-libs, "Now Basin Street used to be a good location. Right next door to that fillin' station. That's where you'd get your good stuff. You'd get your oil, you'd get your grease and hear the woman say, 'Aw daddy, would ya come in please?'" However, it's Brunious, with his Louis Armstrong-cum-Clifford Brown trumpet style that brilliantly updates Preservation Hall's traditional roots. He and Vappie also take some compelling and joyful vocal turns on "Corrina, Corrina" and "Ain't She Sweet," respectively. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Corrina, Corrina	Traditional	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(5:13)
I'm Alone Because I Love You	Joe Young	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(4:58)
Oh, Lady Be Good	George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(3:55)
I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)	Al J. Neiburg, Ellis Reynolds, Doc Daugherty	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(4:24)
Ain't She Sweet	Milton Ager, Jack Yellen	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(4:10)
Red Wing	Kerry Mills, Thurland Chattaway	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(4:19)
Basin Street Blues	Spencer Williams	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(4:46)
Dinah	Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young, Harry Akst	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(5:01)
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams	Harry Barris, Billy Moll, Ted Koehler	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(4:50)
If I Had My Life to Live Over	Henry Tobias, Moe Jaffe, Larry Vincent	Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Duke Dejan	(3:08)

Credits

Thadeus Richard (Group Member), Benjamin Jaffe (Group Member), Wendell Brunious (Trumpet), Harold Dejan (Vocals), Adam Ayan (Mastering), Shannon Brinkman (Photography), Gary Cananzey (Packaging), David Cohen (Graphic Design), Benjamin Jaffe (Bass), John McCusker (Photography), Thadeus Richard (Piano), Don Vappie (Group Member), Wendell Brunious (Group Member), Don Vappie (Guitar), Duke Dejan (Performer), Benjamin Jaffe (Executive Producer), Howard Lambert (Coordination), Steve Reynolds (Engineer)