Various Artists - The Cosimo Matassa Story

I recently made a comment that I’ve been infatuated with New Orleans soul music, blues, jazz, or whatever you want to call it. I got The Cosimo Matassa Story box set for Christmas last year-it’s a bargain if you have to fund for it yourself-which highlights a nice chunk of the New Orleans sound, as documented by one Cosimo Matassa.

Think of Cosimo like the Sam Phillips of New Orleans; anyone that you can think of in Nawlins’ music spent some time in back of the Matassa family grocery story and let Cosimo twiddle the knobs.

Jake over at Glorious Noise thought I should pick 21 favorites for a compilation or an iPod playlist. But let me say that going old school is probably the most economical way here. That Cosimo Matassa box set goes for around $25 with free shipping and it features 120 songs and there ain’t a dud in the mix.

Little Richard, Fats Domino, Guitar Slim, Professor Longhair, and a cast of other recognizable performers and songs are packed in this compilation.

Matassa was recently recognized for his outstanding contributions by his hometown of New Orleans, but my feeling is that this recognition may need to be widened in scope to a more national level. The natural suggestion would be membership into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since Cosimo did manage to capture one of the first rock and roll songs of all time.

You’d think entry would be logical, but the Hall has proven to be anything but logical.
Matassa still resides in the Crescent City, but time is a precious commodity for someone born in 1925.

If pressed, I could probably come up with my 21 favorite New Orleans song from that big bag, but again, I’d start with picking up the entire package.

1.) Little Richard “Rip It Up”
2.) Fats Domino “Walkin’ To New Orleans”*
3.) Professor Longhair “Tipitina”
4.) Clarence “Frogman” Henry “Ain’t Got No Home”
5.) Guitar Slim “The Things That I Used To Do”
6.) Lloyd Price “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”
7.) Bobby Charles “See You Later, Alligator”
8.) Smiley Lewis “I Hear You Knocking”
9.) Little Richard “Long Tall Sally”
10.) Jimmy Beasley “Little Coquette”
11.) Shirley & Lee “Let The Good Times Roll”
12.) The Spiders “21 (3x7=21)”
13.) H.A.W.K. “I Yi”
14.) Clarence Garlow “New Bon Ton Roulay”
15.) Ray “Baldhead” Byrd “Rockin’ With Fes”
16.) James Wayne “Agreeable Women”
17.) Dave Bartholomew “Who Drank My Beer (While I Was In The Rear)”
18.) Sugar Boy snd the Cane Cutters -"Joc-a-mo"
19.) Allen Toussaint “Soul Sister”*
20.) Smiley Lewis “Down Yonder (We Go Ballin’)”

* Selections not on The Cosimo Matassa Story.