Dear Louis

Trumpeter Nicholas Payton's heartfelt tribute to the great Louis Armstrong, Dear Louis, might instead be better titled Dear New Orleans. That's because, despite the renditions of various Armstrong-related tunes that make up the disc's 13 tracks, this is more of an extended love letter to the cascade of musical styles that make up the city of Armstrong's (and Payton's) birth. Aside from swinging renditions of tunes such as Armstrong's "Potato Head Blues" and the bluesy "Tiger Rag" that one might expect from an Armstrong tribute, there's also a generous helping of rollicking Dr. John-style New Orleans shuffle, and Mac "Dr. John" Rebbenack himself makes that link plain by lending his signature vocal style to spirited versions of "Mack the Knife" and "Blues in the Night," where he's joined by Dianne Reeves. Any Louis Armstrong tribute, of course, has to feature some fireworks in the trumpet department, and Payton delivers some searing solos on "Tiger Rag," "Tight Like This," and elsewhere that do justice to King Louis while still charting their own path. For all the hoopla over Armstrong after Ken Burns's Jazz, Payton's Dear Louis is far from an attempt to cash in on rote renditions of Armstrong classics. It is instead an impressive outing that honors Satchmo's diversity and innovation by showcasing some of Payton's own. --Ezra Gale