Amadee Castenell & Johnny Adams - Heart & Soul of New Orleans

Like so many other great studio musicians, Amadee Castenell is someone you’ve heard but probably never heard of. Born and raised in New Orleans, he’s recorded with everyone from Professor Longhair to Paul McCartney to Fats Domino to Albert King. You’ve heard him on LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” and if you check the credits for the Neville Brothers’ “Fiyo On The Bayou” you’ll see his name there, too. Hyena Records recently released “Right Place, Right Time: Live at Tipitina's,” Dr. John’s performance during Mardi Gras in 1989, and guess who was playing tenor sax with the Doctor? You can pretty much name any great recording artist from NOLA and chances are Amadee’s recorded with him or her. Back in the mid seventies to early eighties he was a member and musical director of Chocolate Milk, a huge regional band whose sound was pure New Orleans funk. Highly recommended is their greatest hits CD from Razor & Tie. If you attend the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, you can count on seeing him every year, playing with Dave Bartholomew or Wanda Rouzan, or Marva Wright or with his own combo – as a matter of fact, here’s a cool bit of Jazz Fest trivia – the guy leaning against the wall in the official Jazz Fest poster of 1985, looking like the coolest man alive, is none other than Amadee himself. The thing that distinguishes Amadee from a million other sax players, the thing that keeps people from Paul Simon to Robbie Robertson to Billy Joel to Boz Scaggs to Bonnie Raitt to Dolly Parton to Don Henley to Wynton and Branford Marsalis and so many more asking him to play with them, is his tone, and his tone comes from his soul; from his heart. You can hear it in the three selections here, one from his first CD, “Amadee,” the others from his album “Sax Dreams.” Both discs were produced by the legendary Allen Toussaint, in whose band Amadee is a perennial member – pick up a copy, they’re both on NYNO Records. Amadee is currently touring with the aforementioned Mr. Toussaint and Elvis Costello – if you’re going to Jazz Fest this year in New Orleans, or if you’re fortunate enough to have them coming to your town, that’s a show you will surely want to check out.




One artist that Amadee recorded with had a voice that could melt the coldest heart. That man was Johnny Adams. Also born in the Crescent City, he was known as the “Tan Canary” for his extraordinary, soulful set of pipes. Although he had been recording since the sixties, Johnny really hit his stride and revitalized his career when he began recording for Rounder Records in 1984. The 12 albums he released on Rounder (including 3 compilations) are filled with breathtaking vocals and fantastic instrumentation, courtesy of New Orleans’ finest musicians. Johnny died of cancer in 1998, but I was blessed to hear him in one of his last performances, singing duets with Aaron Neville in the gospel tent at Jazz Fest. Even at the end of his life, the man could bring an audience to tears. I’m proud to own all of his Rounder CDs and while every one is worth buying, I’ve limited my selections for the blog to three tracks from two of his best. Two songs are from his tribute the great Percy Mayfield, “Walking on a Tightrope:” “The Lover and the Married Woman” (That fabulous tenor sax solo that opens the song? None other than Amadee Castenell!) and a jaw-dropping version of “You’re In For a Big Surprise.” From his album “Room with a View of the Blues” I chose his interpretation of the great Gladys Knight song, “Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye).” Johnny Adams fans will quite rightly point out that while these songs and their albums are prime, they may not even be his best – check out also Johnny’s soulful and loving tribute to the great Doc Pomus, “The Real Me.”
Sit back and enjoy two of music’s hidden treasures, Amadee Castenell and Johnny Adams. As always, left click on title and you will be taken to a download page.

Amadee Castenell - Amacasino

Amadee Castenell - Mumbo Gumbo

Amadee Castenell - Would You Be My Sweetie

Johnny Adams - The Lover and the Married Woman

Johnny Adams - You're In For A Big Surprise

Johnny Adams - Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)


Next time: The many moods of everyone's favorite crooner... Keith Richards?