Champion Jack Dupree may have been one of the most prolific blues pianists of all time. The tune Walkin’ Blues, recorded for King Records in 1955 was by far and away his most successful venture into the rhythm and blues charts. This tune can be found on Dupree’s 28 track collection called Walkin’ Blues: The Very Best of Champion Jack Dupree. That is saying a lot but, “the very best of” claim might be right, with guests like George “Harmonica” Smith, Mickey Baker and Brownie McGhee playing alongside Champion Jack on this great album.

James Booker is another hugely influential New Orleans’s pianist. Booker was a true musical genius and a lot of other things as well. He could play anything and play it better than just about anybody. I dropped a nickel and played Booker’s take on the blues standard Saint James Infirmary. I pulled this from a 1992 Rounder reissue entitled, Resurrection of Bayou Maharajah.

Nicholas Payton uses his trumpet to write a love letter to his hometown on his 1995 Grammy award winning album, Gumbo Nouveau. A native of the Broodmare section of the city, the 37 year-old Payton recorded fresh interpretations of some old New Orleans standards on this Verve release, recorded while he was in his early twenties. The track I selected, When The Saints Come Marching In is a familiar tune of course, but I guarantee you never heard this song sound anything like this before.

Snooks Eglin, the idiosyncratic genius of the guitar, recorded a 1992 album on Black Top Records called Teasin’ You. This album has been re-issued on Hepcat Records and includes two bonus tracks. The song Travelin’ Mood, like the rest of the album, features some of Eglin’s best guitar playing of his career.

A very young Irma Thomas recorded a lot of sides for Imperial and Minit records between 1962 and 1966. Kent has re-issued these sides on the album, Time is on My Side. This includes the title track later made famous by the Rolling Stones as well as the tune, I Haven’t Got Time to Cry. These recordings helped to make Irma Thomas the undisputed Soul Queen of New Orleans.

Mother-In-Law is a 30 song collection of hits by one of the early pioneers of rock and roll, Ernie K-Doe. These Minit label recordings include the title track but I chose one of my favorite Allen Toussaint compositions sung by Ernie K-Doe entitled, A Certain Girl.

Backatown is the first major label (Verve) release by Trombone Shorty. Verve is the world renowned jazz label but, the young Trombone Shorty goes beyond that tradition to include elements of rock and roll, funk, soul and hip hop into his music. I chose the song Hurricane Season from this eclectic album.

The Rebirth Brass band’s 1989 album, Feel Like Funkin’ It Up on Rounder Records is an irresistibly fun album. The record includes the title track as well as dancin, marchin’ thang shakin’ music from start to finish. I chose the song Do Whatcha Wanna (Part 2).

Walter “Wolfman” Washington is a funky blues guitarist. He played in Lee Dorsey’s band and spent years as the guitarist for Johnny Adams while he was launching his own solo career. His second album on the Rounder label entitled Out of the Dark was released in 1988 and includes a very soulful reading of the Buddy Johnson tune Save your Love for Me.

Smiley Lewis may be one of the most underappreciated and overlooked musicians ever to come out of New Orleans. Lewis is a great songwriter and singer who cut one great side after another during the decade of the 50’s. His recordings (all of the Imperial, Okeh, Deluxe and Loma) labels are pulled together on the 4 disc box set entitled Shame, Shame,Shame. There is a lot to choose from here but I selected one of my favorites, Blue Monday.