Big Chief Monk Boudreaux – Bloodstains & Teardrops
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux – Bloodstains & Teardrops
Format: CD
Label: Whiskey Bayou Records
Release: 2021
Release date: May 21, 2021
From Jamaica to the Swamp!
‘Bloodstains and Teardrops’ by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux will be released May 21, 2021 on Tab Benoit’s Whiskey Bayou Records.
Boudreaux is the oldest living Mardi Gras Indian Chief, the elder of elders in a tradition dating back to the 1880s. He is a cultural hero, recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Award, and a well-loved American musical legend.
His vast discography includes many records with the Golden Eagles, collaborations with Anders Osborne, Galactic, John Gros and 101 Runners.
For this project he traveled to Jamaica and back, finding his Reggae groove with the local musicians before returning to Louisiana to finish the record.
Monk had never been to Jamaica before. He and manager Rueben Williams went to Jamaica with guitarist Damon Fowler and spent a week looking around Kingston, driving up into the hills to see Bob Marley’s grave and recording with a reggae band and a toasting-style backup vocalist at Tad’s International Limited studio.
The six songs Monk cut there reflected the inspiration he got from being in Jamaica and seeing the parallels to his New Orleans home.
On his journey from the island to the swamps he is joined by a plethora of music legends including Tab Benoit, Michael Doucet, and Johnny Sansone as well as Jamaican and Louisiana musicians.
Back in Louisiana, co-producer Tab Benoit cut additional material at his studio to complete the album. But the lines between blues, swamp music and reggae become blurred as Monk develops his songs.
Many of the songs recorded in Benoit’s studio have a strong Blues element, mixing guitars, fiddle, organ and harmonica with Boudreaux’s signature vocals.
Choo Choo is a classic train song theme propelled by Sansone’s insistent harmonica. Kingston Blues is a hard-driving slow blues with searing lead guitar over a powerful organ riff. On Bending Knee has a driving feel with Sansone’s third position harmonica over the minor guitar and fiddle.
Indian Blues is a one-chord vamp reminiscent of John Lee Hooker’s style, slide guitar fills and solos alternating with Michael Doucet’s bowed fiddle.
Track Listing:
01. Bloodstains & Teardrops
02. Should’ve Been A Preacher Man
03. Mr.Okra Man
04. Choo Choo
05. Kick Me Down
06. Blues, Blues, Blues
07. Kingston Blues
08. On Bended Knees
09. Blue Mountains
10. Indian Blues
Joseph “Monk” Boudreaux – Vocals & Tamborine
Tab Benoit – Guitar, Drums, Keyboards
Damon Fowler – Guitar
Eric Johanson – Guitar
Jason “Welsh Bass” Welsh – Bass
Corey Duplechin – Bass
Michael Doucet – Fiddle & Guitar
Johnny Sansone – Harmonica & Guitar
Ali Meek – Backup Vocals
Wayne “Unga Barunga” Thompson – Drums
