New Orleans R&B Blues
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New Orleans R&B Blues is blues-based rhythm and blues with rolling piano, sax riffs, second-line accents, shuffle backbeats, and vocals that balance blues feeling with danceable pop hooks. The productions often sound compact and lively: handclaps, horns, triplet piano, snare snap, and a relaxed groove that made sad lyrics move like party records.
History
The style flourished in the studios of Cosimo Matassa and on labels such as Imperial, Specialty, Ace, Minit, Instant, and Aladdin, with local session bands transforming blues into early rock and roll and national R&B hits. Fats Domino, Smiley Lewis, Lloyd Price, Shirley & Lee, Earl King, Huey "Piano" Smith, and Guitar Slim made New Orleans R&B Blues one of the engines of 1950s popular music. It influenced rock and roll, swamp pop, soul, ska and Jamaican R&B listening, New Orleans funk, and later roots-R&B revival.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Ain't That a Shame — Fats DominoSpotifyYouTube
- I Hear You Knocking — Smiley LewisSpotifyYouTube
- Lawdy Miss Clawdy — Lloyd PriceSpotifyYouTube
- Let the Good Times Roll — Shirley & LeeSpotifyYouTube
- Come On — Earl KingSpotifyYouTube
- Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu — Huey "Piano" SmithSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- John Broven, Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans
- Jeff Hannusch, I Hear You Knockin'
- AllMusic
- Specialty and Imperial Records discographies