Music Sound

The blues have been an important part of New Orleans, USA music since the earliest years of the 20th century. Buddy Bolden's band was noted for playing blues before 1906, and white bands are documented as playing the blues here at least by 1908. New Orleans jazz is heavily inflected with the blues, as exemplified by Louis Armstrong.

The phrase New Orleans blues is sometimes used to refer to a type of blues or R&B music that is characterized by extensive use of piano and horn sections, complex rhythms and celebratory lyrics. The lazy, plodding rhythms are perhaps most distinctive of all of Louisiana blues.

Artists in this style include:

Johnny Adams
James Booker
Sugar Boy Crawford
Champion Jack Dupree
Snooks Eaglin
Guitar Slim, Jr.
Guitar Slim
Earl King
Smiley Lewis
Professor Longhair
Tommy Ridgley
Tuts Washington
Katie Webster