New Orleans Suspects

Live At The Hamilton

Independent

The New Orleans Suspects have released three studio albums their latest being 2016’s “Kalidscoped” on Louisiana Red Hot Records. Like many New Orleans bands they are known mostly for their live performances. This set was recorded at The Hamilton in Washington, D.C. on December 30^th & 31^st.

The New Orleans Suspects include some of their cities finest. CR Gruver, keyboards and vocals played with ex-Meter Leo Nocentilli; Jake Eckert, guitar and vocals, spent ten years with The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and is also a former member of The Larry Carlton Band; Jeff Watkins, sax and vocals, worked twelve years with James Brown; “Mean” Willie Green, drums, spent thirty-five years with The Neville Brothers; and Eric Vogel, bass, from the band Groovesect.

Gruver states “the band wanted to capture a moment in time, showing our growth since our last record.”  He adds “the Hamilton is a fantastic room with…very little sound bounce back, making it ideal for a live recording”.

The seven song set is representative of their live performances only included this time are special guests The Bonerama Horns; the three trombonists are Mark Mullins, Craig Klein and Greg Hicks.

The Suspects open with Buddy Miles’ “Them Changes” written and first recorded by Miles; it was the title track to his 1970 album.  The Suspects have been playing together since 2009 so they are crisp and tight. They are joined by Bonerama to complete the production.

Their songs are usually written by Eckert and Watkins; or by Gruver. The Suspects reprise three songs. “Get It Started” the lead track off of “Kalidiscoped”; while both “Yo Flambeaux!” and “Pocketful of Grits” appeared on the bands second studio recording “Ouroboros”. They also include a new song “Workin’ My Way Back Home”.

The band closes with a medley of two songs from another New Orleans institution Little Feat; both “Spanish Moon” written by Lowell George and “Skin It Back” are from the 1974 album “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now”.  Once again they are joined by Bonerama.

This set clocks in at over sixty minutes of pure New Orleans fun as The New Orleans Suspects carry on their cities traditions. Play it loud.

Richard Ludmerer

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