Over a million people displaced for months as a result of "...a litany of mistakes, misjudgments, lapses and absurdities all cascading together, blinding us to what was coming and hobbling any collective effort to respond"... "If this is what happens when we have advance warning, we shudder to imagine the consequences when we do not."—This scathing evaluation of the response to Hurricane Katrina came from Capitol Hill, not the displaced citizens throughout the Gulf Coast (whose many first-hand reports and pleas fell on deaf ears). In the 600-plus-page congressional report aptly titled "Failure of Initiative" the committee uses words like "ineffective," "clueless" and "detached" to describe those placed in charge of protecting and providing aid to our citizens. Tragically for the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, they felt the full impact of these adjectives.
Included in the approximately 275,000 homes destroyed by Katrina were those of "The Blues Queen of New Orleans" Marva Wright and the musicians featured on After the Levees Broke, set for U.S. release in May of 2007 on AIM International. As can be imagined, the album was a long time coming. Putting your life back together comes first.
When I say ‘I lost everything,’ I mean everything—every stick of furniture, every piece of clothing. I don’t even have a photograph of my mother and father anymore. The reason After the Levees Broke is so important is first of all to show people that I’m back and still singing. Secondly, I want to draw attention to New Orleans and what happened here. Nobody can fully appreciate the devastation until they come here and see it for themselves. —Marva Wright
Recorded both in Australia on her most recent tour and in her hometown, After the Levees Broke is, as expected, a very emotional recording. So much so that Wright couldn’t bring herself to write about the storm or any of the resulting tragedies. Her long-time bassist, Benny Turner stepped in to write both "The Levee is Breaking Down" (track #1) and "Katrina Blues" (track #2). The opening track sings a bitter first-hand account of the flood and the cries for help from the rooftops... "I’m standin’ here wavin’ but he passed right over me... I know he can see me!"
In addition to Katrina inspired songs, there are also plenty of great blues tunes and some eclectic covers. "Bluesiana Mama 07" (track #8) is bound to be a classic with sharp lines like, "Some folks are built like this and some built like that... But the way I’m built—don’t you call me fat. I’m built for comfort. I ain’t built for speed. I got everything, yes I do. All a good man needs." Bruce Hornsby and Willie Nelson classics both get the Marva treatment. Beloved New Orleans musician/composer Allen Toussaint also has a guest spot on piano.
Featuring a host of established New Orleans musicians the first Marva album since Katrina offers both heart wrenching tunes and light-hearted looks at the blues. A proper ambassador for New Orleans, The ‘Blues Queen’ keeps her head up and her outlook positive while belting out the blues for her beloved Crescent City.
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Included in the approximately 275,000 homes destroyed by Katrina were those of "The Blues Queen of New Orleans" Marva Wright and the musicians featured on After the Levees Broke, set for U.S. release in May of 2007 on AIM International. As can be imagined, the album was a long time coming. Putting your life back together comes first.
Recorded both in Australia on her most recent tour and in her hometown, After the Levees Broke is, as expected, a very emotional recording. So much so that Wright couldn’t bring herself to write about the storm or any of the resulting tragedies. Her long-time bassist, Benny Turner stepped in to write both "The Levee is Breaking Down" (track #1) and "Katrina Blues" (track #2). The opening track sings a bitter first-hand account of the flood and the cries for help from the rooftops... "I’m standin’ here wavin’ but he passed right over me... I know he can see me!"
In addition to Katrina inspired songs, there are also plenty of great blues tunes and some eclectic covers. "Bluesiana Mama 07" (track #8) is bound to be a classic with sharp lines like, "Some folks are built like this and some built like that... But the way I’m built—don’t you call me fat. I’m built for comfort. I ain’t built for speed. I got everything, yes I do. All a good man needs." Bruce Hornsby and Willie Nelson classics both get the Marva treatment. Beloved New Orleans musician/composer Allen Toussaint also has a guest spot on piano.
Featuring a host of established New Orleans musicians the first Marva album since Katrina offers both heart wrenching tunes and light-hearted looks at the blues. A proper ambassador for New Orleans, The ‘Blues Queen’ keeps her head up and her outlook positive while belting out the blues for her beloved Crescent City.
<- Back to Projects
Copyright ©2008 
Katrina Blues