Track of the week: St James Infirmary Blues by TRIAD feat. Shenel Johns

She turned to the crowd around her And these were the words she said … let him go, god bless him Such drama, huh, in the telling of the New Orleans classic words tweaked 'n' all known to many jazz lovers going way back to the 1920s and Louis …

Published: 29 Mar 2024. Updated: 28 days.

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She turned to the crowd around her

And these were the words she said

… let him go, god bless him

Such drama, huh, in the telling of the New Orleans classic words tweaked 'n' all known to many jazz lovers going way back to the 1920s and Louis Armstrong and his Savoy Ballroom Five's 1929 released version. Shenel Johns' vocal take from TRIAD - let him go, god bless him (into the great spirit world that is) is surely part of the real meaning of this classic combination of mortuary, the bar room milieu ''where the usual crowd was there'' and deep, deep revenge. The murdering protagonist still claims possession of her formerly beloved's soul in this fine rendering, a Marie Laveau like atmosphere even descends if you want to run the voodoo down a little given a bit of poetic licence as such image making is without being too fanciful possible. Shenel takes the tempo way down after the initial marimba punctuated build up, Dom and on mistily evocative in the trumpet line and some deftly layered accordion flavouring. Shenel Johns, top. Read a full album of the album-of-the-week from which 'St James Infirmary Blues' is drawn also called TRIAD here

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Maurice El Médioni has died

Le Monde and Libération report the death on Monday of the Algeria born composer Maurice El Médioni who has died in Israel aged 95, Known for an Arab-Andalusian-swing-latin hybrid style first developed as a Jewish teen growing up in the Algerian …

Published: 28 Mar 2024. Updated: 29 days.

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Le Monde and Libération report the death on Monday of the Algeria born composer Maurice El Médioni who has died in Israel aged 95, Known for an Arab-Andalusian-swing-latin hybrid style first developed as a Jewish teen growing up in the Algerian city of Oran he was influenced by a wide range of music.

El Médioni was part of a soul of Algiers story told in the documentary El Gusto about an orchestra of Muslim and Jewish musicians torn apart by war 50 years ago who reunited for a special concert to play their beloved Chaabi music.

Creator of a style known as ''PianOriental'' there were elements of boogie-woogie, rumba, raï and Jewish Andalusian music in the unique blend.

El Médioni also featured as a guest on raï icon Khaled's Don Was produced Yah-Rayi on tracks such as 'Mani Hani'. El Médioni influenced musicians beyond Algeria and France where he lived for many years including English pianist Nikki Yeoh whose Cafe Oran themed project gigged in London last year. Legendary Late Junction broadcaster Max Reinhardt was among many paying tribute online writing on X formerly Twitter ''#RestinPianoriental Ya Muallem play me a song. Thanks for the joy.''