Eureka Log

Jazz at Preservation Hall: The Eureka Brass Band features New Orleans street parade jazz with bristling horns, sousaphone, and two marching drummers. Trumpeter Percy Humphrey leads an ensemble notable for the presence of saxophonist Emanuel Paul and Percy's brother, Willie, who blows some of the best clarinet he ever recorded. What makes this an unforgettable listening experience is the dual trombone action supplied by Albert Warner and Oscar "Chicken" Henry. Tailgate trombone is almost always fun, but these two seem to have discovered some sort of harmonic convergence, as two trombones, in unison glissando with a slight burr, deliver an almost intoxicating thrill. The best example of this effect occurs in "Take Your Burden to the Lord," while "Panama" allows the 'bones to interact with the saxophone in marvelous ways. A gem of an album, certainly among the finest extant examples of classic Crescent City jazz as played in the early '60s.