Oh, My Nola

Performer: Harry Connick Jr.
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel: Harry Connick Jr. (vocals, piano, organ); Charles "Ned" Goold, James Greene (alto saxophone); Jerry Weldon, Mike Karn (tenor saxophone); Dave Schumacher (baritone saxophone); Roger Ingram (trumpet, flugelhorn); Derrick Gardner (trumpet); Neal Caine (bass instrument); Arthur Latin (drums, percussion). Along with the Marsalis brothers, Harry Connick Jr. is one of the best known late-20th-century musicians associated with New Orleans. OH, MY NOLA is Connick's letter of love and hope to the city post-Katrina, and he spins through the Big Easy's songs and styles with a spirit that is equal parts nostalgia, heartbreak, and celebration. Naturally, there is a healthy dose of old school jazz and swing here, with treatments of "Hello Dolly" and "Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey?" that do their best to conjure the ghost of Louis Armstrong strolling down Decatur. Connick does spry, spirited versions of the Allen Toussaint classics "Working in a Coal Mine" and "Yes We Can," keeping the feel brash and funky, while his originals (which are explicitly about New Orleans) blend surprisingly well with these gems. It's Connick's way of adding his name to the legacy, a gesture that gives the set a personal, poignant touch.

Entertainment Weekly (p.74) - "Connick oozes love for his hometown, sings with swing, and reels off barrelhouse piano runs that 'd make the late N'awlins genius Professor Longhair proud." -- Grade: B- Down Beat (p.59) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he band sounds great....Connick is an engaging performer with obvious entertainment chops..."

Harry Connick, Jr. is an accomplished singer, pianist, and actor who emerged in the late 1980s as a Sinatra-style crooner for a new generation. As a musician, his influences include bebop, New Orleans jazz, and big-band swing. His score for the film WHEN HARRY MET SALLY brought him national acclaim and an Oscar. He subsequently appeared in a number of films, and made forays into pop music.

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