New Orleans Suspects released their third full-length studio recording, Kaleidoscoped, on CD and vinyl in September on Louisiana Red Hot Records to rave reviews and substanial airplay on blues radio. 

New Orleans Suspects brings together some of the best, most highly respected players in New Orleans including; “Mean” Willie Green on drums (Neville Bros.); Jeff Watkins on saxophone (James Brown Band, Joss Stone Band); Jake Eckert on guitar/vocals (Dirty Dozen Brass Band);  CR Gruver on keyboards and vocals (Polytoxic, Outformation) and Charlie Wooton (Royal Southern Brotherhood) on bass guitar.

Kaleidoscoped takes a variegated look at roots music, funk and traditional New Orleans music through a colorfully distorted lens, creating a sound described as “psychedelic funk.”  The 8 tracks include a plethora of special guests including:  Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett of Little Feat; Golden Commanche “Big Chief” Juan Pardo; and more. The opening tracks, “Let’s Get it Started” and “Cocaine Jane” feature Jeff Watkins and Grammy Award ® winner Jake Eckert at the peak of their powers of studio wizardry.  On these tracks, they utilize Tower of Power horn veterans as well as a Leslie speaker cabinet and newer, electronic effects to great advantage.  The album sequencing devolves into twisted looks at such traditional Louisiana genres as Cajun swamp pop (“You Got the Fire” and “Creole Hannah”), Mardi Gras Indian Funk (“Round Up Dem Suspects,” with call and response led by Pardo), plus a trip through a pastiche of Southern rock, Dr. John-style R&B and traditional jazz.  A slight outlier of a track, “Dixie Highway” was written by Paul Barrere for Little Feat; he and Fred Tackett add guitar/vocals and mandolin, respectively, for a New Orleans feel the listener might imagine Little Feat having searched for, but never located. 

For more information: 
http://www.neworleanssuspects.com/
http://louisianaredhotrecords.com/