Search - Mem Shannon :: Live: A Night at Tipitina's

Melanchony, Minor Key Grooves

Tony Sclafani | 02/09/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mem Shannon

Live: A Night at Tipitina's

NBM



By Tony Sclafani



When taxi driver-turned-bluesman Mem Shannon released "A Cab Driver's Blues" in 1995, he earned a reputation as a songwriter who told stories by carefully observing the lives of others. On "Live: A Night at Tipitina's," the New Orleans-based singer-songwriter turns the spotlight on himself with a powerful new song called, "All I Have," a first-person account of dealing with the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.



According to record company information, Shannon left town before the hurricane for a pragmatic reason: he can't swim. His return to the decimated city apparently inspired "All I Have," which has him sifting through the rubble of his old home and telling an unnamed female companion about the significance of each item. The matter-of-fact realism of the piece is underscored by his band, The Membership, which back him with a melancholy, minor key groove.



There are other highlights on this CD, which was recorded live during Mardi Gras 2007 at the legendary Crescent City club. On "Payin' My Dues," Shannon gets to show off his spindly guitar style; "Forget About Me" shows his jazzy side. And the 13-minute reworking of the title track of Shannon's "I'm From Phunkville" CD really brings the funk.



The problem with having a song as intense as "All I Have" on a CD is that it can't help but overshadow the other songs. Listeners won't be able to easily shake off their first listen of "All I Have," but with repeated listenings, all of "Live: A Night at Tipitina's" will start to shine.



Originally published in the issue 54 of Hittin' the Note.

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