Harmonica, Accordion, and Singer/Songwriter. Johnny Sansone's arsenal for his new release Watermelon Patch. He's not only multi-instumental, but also multi-styled. The record bounces between zipped-tight zydeco and stuck-in-the-mud blues. Including a cast of all-star New Orleans musicians. This record's got a great muggy summer-night-in-a-swamp texture.
Johnny Sansone has traveled a long Blues path before reaching New Orleans. The Crescent City is where American Music comes together and Sansone has gotten it together for another great CD. As a follow-up to his last CD Crescent City Moon, (a local NOLA favorite) he leaves no doubt in your mind that this is the music of Louisiana. Think Of Me hits the ground running as Johnny's accordion is plucked up first for some real Zydeco. Watermelon Patch is a rockin' title cut with Johnny's dirty harp leading the way. Reminds me of John Hiatt. Jon Cleary the English/New Orleanean piano player lays down the rock and roll ivories just right.
Look At Us Now swings back to a standard R&B groove. Sweet harp solo. Quagmire calls out the chromatic harmonica and a smoky mambo groove. Greasy Gravy meets Tito Puente. Comin' For Sure is a straight forward Zydeco groove along with the next cut Mon Fleur. This cut is my favorite Zydeco cut on the CD. Simple and snappy. Joe Cabral of the Iguannas gets off a swinging sax solo. Grab a breath and your sweetheart for The Bridge. I can see all of the peoples at Johnny's shows polishing the belt buckles on this one. The kind of tune that makes you forget about the band playing and makes you hug your baby harder. But that doesn't last long.
Sansone dives into the mud with Pig's Feet And Tailmeat. This is some lowdown, drunk 'n nasty harmonica Blues propelled by the rhythm of Rick Olivarez on guitar, Dave Ranson on bass, and Kenneth Blevins on drums. My favorite cut on the CD. His chromatic harp digs deep into the swill. The little break they have is like pulling your boots out of the mud. You're gonna need a shower after this one. Civilized City keeps it in the gutter and features Gatemouth Brown's piano player, Joe Krone. Straight ahead real blues. Lovelinetakes ya down to the Quarter with a funky second-line groove. The horn section of Cabral, fellow Iguanna Derek Huston, and trumpeter Duke Heitger give this cut a neat twist to the standard R&B horn line.
Johnny gets almost rockabilly on Upside of Lowdown. Stink Bait justifiably is in the vein of Pigs Feet and Tailmeat. Muddy nasty harmonica Blues. Fishcamp Blues if I had to name it. Neutral Ground closes the CD. In New Orleans, neutral ground refers to the grassy median on the wide streets. As an adopted son of the Big Easy, Sansone has stood on neutral ground and looked around and givin' us the best of what he's seen.
