Previously, Windham Hill Records released
Bluesiana Triangle, a jazz trio album by drummer
Art Blakey, pianist
Dr. John, and reed man
David "Fathead"
Newman.
Blakey passed away in 1990, but in the spring of 1991,
Dr. John and
Newman organized this second Bluesiana session, featuring trombonist
Ray Anderson, drummer
Will Calhoun, bassists
Essiet Okon Essiet and
Jay Leonhart (on different tracks), and percussionist
Joe Bonadio. The resulting music again justifies the name, blues played in a funky Louisiana style with plenty of room for extended jazzy soloing. Though much of the material was written by
Dr. John and he does sing occasionally, this is not a conventional
Dr. John vocal album. It does contain some excellent playing, however.
–
William Ruhlmann, Rovi