Kermit Ruffins: Big Easy (2002)

C. MICHAEL BAILEY,

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...

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Published: September 19, 2002

In the Vernacular...

Big Easy offers a couple of surprises but for the most part is the status quo (and a fine one at that) of what we have come to expect from Kermit Ruffins. A homegrown product of New Orleans, Ruffins represents the local journeyman musician in a town full of journeyman musicians. Ruffins is neither a great trumpet player nor a great singer. In that, he does represent all that is good about traditional New Orleans Jazz. He is cognizant of the gravity of the canon, as he strolls through "Tiger Rag," Palm Court Strut," "On The Sunny Side of the Street" (with revamped lyrics), and "Basin Street Blues." in all of these, Ruffins provides is unique, rough-around-the-edges vocals. Ruffins is not afraid to take chances. The big surprise of the disc comes on Ruffins’ instrumental take on War’s "The World is a Ghetto," where the trumpeter’s horn tells a dire tale of want. "Stardust" is a real treat as presented by Ruffins as he infuses the Carmichael lyrics with a solid sincerity, the same sincerity that hangs on every piece of this music like the humidity on the street signs of the French Quarter.

Track Listing: Tiger Rag; Skokiaan; When I Die; Wake Up Nessie; Palm Court Strut; Stardust; On The Sunny Side Of The Street; Breakfast, Lunch, And Dinner; Big Easy; The World Is A Ghetto; Basin Street Blues; One Life; Skokiaan. (Total Time: 73:53).

Personnel: Kermit Ruffins

Record Label: Basin Street Records
Style: Dixieland/New Orleans/Swing

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Kermit Ruffins Related

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Date	Venue	Tickets
May23	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
May24	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
May25	Hyatt Regency New Orleans, LA	buy
May26	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
May27	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
May28	Worldwide CD Release Day! Worldwide
May29	Lafayette Square New Orleans, LA
May30	WYES TV New Orleans, LA
May31	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun02	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun03	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun04	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jun06	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Jun07	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun08	Tipitinas Uptown New Orleans, LA
Jun09	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun10	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun11	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jun13	Jazz In The Park - Louis Armstrong Park New Orleans, LA
Jun14	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun15	Little Gem Saloon New Orleans, LA
Jun16	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun17	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun18	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jun20	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Jun21	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun22	Little Gem Saloon New Orleans, LA
Jun23	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun24	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun25	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jun27	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Jun28	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun29	Little Gem Saloon New Orleans, LA
Jun30	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul01	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul02	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jul16	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jul18	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Jul19	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jul21	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul22	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul23	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jul28	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul29	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul30	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Aug01	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Aug02	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Aug03	Island View Casino Gulfport, MS
Aug04	Satchmo Summerfest New Orleans, LA
Aug05	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug06	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Aug08	Highline Ballroom New York, NY	buy
Aug11	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug12	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug13	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Aug15	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Aug16	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Aug18	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug19	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug21	Sweetwater Music Hall Mill Valley, CA
Aug22	Brick and Mortor San Francisco, CA
Aug23	Brick and Mortor San Francisco, CA
Aug25	The New Parish Oakland, CA
Aug26	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug27	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Aug29	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Aug30	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA