History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues: Jazz, Blues & Creole Roots, Vol. 1: 1921-1949

A case could be made for New Orleans as the most important city for popular music in America. It is, after all, the birthplace of jazz, of funk, and arguably even rock & roll, and there's no denying the influence of the city's famous second-line parade drumming rhythms on pop music, or the city's unique style of shuffling boogie piano playing -- the list of New Orleans "uniques" could go on for awhile. This two-disc, 69-track set (the first of a two-volume series spotlighting New Orleans R&B) covers the years 1921 to 1949 and includes such timeless early jazz and blues sides as Jelly Roll Morton's "Maple Leaf Rag," Louis Armstrong's "St. James Infirmary," King Oliver's "Black Snake Blues," Champion Jack Dupree's "Junker Blues," Rabbit Brown's "James Alley Blues," and many other enduring gems from the rich musical history of the city of New Orleans. ~ Steve Leggett