At the Foot of Canal Street

Album Review

The Canal Street that John Boutté is referring to in this album's title isn't the one that runs through Lower Manhattan — it is the Canal Street of New Orleans, where he grew up. Boutté is not an easy singer to categorize; parts of this superb CD (which was recorded in 1998 and released in 2001) are pure Crescent City soul, but other parts of it are vocal jazz or African-American gospel. Boutté, whose influences range from Sam Cooke and Aaron Neville to Little Jimmy Scott, is a convincing soul singer on "Sisters," the title song, and Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." But he is equally believable — and equally expressive — as a torchy jazz singer on "The Masquerade Is Over," the Gershwin standard "Someone to Watch Over Me," and Luiz Bonfa's "Manha de Carnaval" (which is listed as "Black Orpheus" in the credits and is also known as "A Day in the Life of a Fool"). Meanwhile, Boutté favors African-American gospel (as opposed to white country-gospel or modern Christian R&B) on "Didn't It Rain" and "Just a Little While to Stay Here." As unpredictable as this album is, Boutté never comes across as unfocused or confused. Boutté genuinely appreciates a variety of music, and his eclectic nature serves him well on this impressive, consistently rewarding CD.