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Gary Edwards & Sound of New Orleans Records |
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Sunday, 05 February 2006 07:36 |
Gary Edwards & Sound of New Orleans Records
By John Sinclair
The story of Sound of New Orleans Records starts more than 30 years ago with a young man named Gary Edwards, who was working as a sound system operator in New Orleans when he was contracted to provide amplification for four small stages at a two-day jazz festival in Congo Square.
There were more performers there than audience members, but everyone involved agreed that this was truly a magical event, and what was to become the world-renowned New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was actually underway.
It was at this first JazzFest that Gary Edwards had the pleasure of meeting the legendary Sherman Washington, leader of The Zion Harmonizers. They began a relationship there that would last to the present day and bring the young sound man into the world of recording and representing New Orleans artists for engagements on stages all over the world.
From this humble encounter has grown a world-class catalogue of recordings on the Sound of New Orleans label by a plethora of first-rate Crescent City artists, including the Zion Harmonizers, Tommy Ridgley, Carole Fran, Treme Brass Band, Placide Adams, The Mighty Chariots, Algiers Brass Band, Beau Bassin Cajun Band, Warren Ceasar & The Creole Zydeco Snap Band, Casa Samba and David & Roselyn.
Gary Edwards and Sound of New Orleans Records continue to explore the beautifully diverse musical universe of Louisiana with productions in progress by the great Eddie Bo, Rockin' Dopsie Jr. & The Zydeco Twisters, The Bayou Renegades Mardi Gras Indians, Frisson Cajun Band, The Gospel Dedicators, L. J. Hamilton, Steve Giarantano and contemporary bluesman Kipori Woods.
Gary's first Sound of New Orleans production was undertaken in 1972 when he recorded the all-star Storyville Jazz Band Frog Joseph, Teddy Riley, Otis Basson, Ellis Marsalis, George and Bob French in a Baton Rouge studio.
After working as stage manager of the Blue Room of the Fairmont Hotel for several years, Gary decided to step up his recording activities and eventually established his own Sound Of New Orleans studios on Canal Boulevard, where he does most of his own production work.
The company's guideline has always been to allow the artists to express themselves freely, Edwards points out. This freedom sometimes requires more work, but it has also led to the creation of some very interesting music.
Sound of New Orleans also represents the performance services of many of the groups that appear on the label as well as other New Orleans performers, specializing in sending groups overseas to perform at hundreds of foreign concerts and festivals
. The Sound of New Orleans catalog clearly reflects its proprietor's passionate interest in the whole many-splendored spectrum of authentic Louisiana music. His initial involvement with the Zion Harmonizers resulted in a series of highly successful gospel music projects with outstanding Crescent City groups like the Heavenly Stars, Melody Clouds, New Orleans Spiritualettes, Mighty Chariots, Cor-Hendricks Singers and the Bemiss Brothers.
Gary's initial adventure with the Storyville Jazz Band led to encounters with other traditional jazz players like Placide Adams, the Bayou Jazz Band and the Regal Jazz Band. SONO has also documented some of the most vital ensembles in the contemporary brass band movement, including the all-star Treme Brass Band's Big Fat Woman album, Lord, Lord, Lord by the Algiers Brass Band, the Mahogany Brass Band, Coolbone and the High Steppers Brass Band, whose Sixth Ward Jam became a neighborhood classic.
In the early 1990s Gary Edwards teamed up with New Orleans R&B giant Tommy Ridgley to produce How Long?, the album that revived Tommy's recording career. Other SONO R&B and blues recording projects include Choices by the Marc Adams/Tracey Griffin Project, Let It Shine by Tara Darnell, Bourbon Street Blues by Charles Jacobs, and albums by Carole Fran, Selwyn Cooper, J.B. Davis, Stevie ( Mr. Boogieman ) Franco and G.G. Shinn, whose You Can Never Keep a Good Man Down was long overdue.
Gary also developed a strong taste for Cajun and Zydeco music from outstate Louisiana, producing fine releases by Warren Ceasar (The Crowd Pleaser) and the Beau Bassin Cajun Band. He recorded New Orleans street singers David & Roselyn playing Gospel Music from the Streets of New Orleans and Casa Samba's Afro-Brazilian Fantasy.
Gary Edwards natural curiosity and many musical contacts keep him on top of the New Orleans scene. He works closely with the artists he produces for SONO and often offers crucial tie-ins to rewarding performance opportunities in Europe and around the world. One of SONO's most important functions is providing its artists with CDs to sell on their tours, enabling them to augment their fees with product sales and maximum exposure for their music.
Gary still maintains his sound system as well, working with promoters and community music presenters to serve their sound reinforcement needs. One of his favorite projects is doing sound for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival's Jazz Workshop program, which offers free musical performances by JazzFest artists to students in the city's schools.
Sound of New Orleans Records is e beautiful example of how far a dedicated music lover with energy, vision and determination can go. Gary Edwards has slowly but surely created a catalog of world-class recordings that both document and help further develop the music of our indigenous artists, and he's had a ball in the process.
Looking forward to even more fun in the future, Gary Edwards and Sound of New Orleans Records continue to advance under the banner of the unofficial Louisiana motto: Let the Good Times Roll!
New Orleans
March 11, 2003
(c) 2003, 2006 John Sinclair. All Rights Reserved.
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