Euphonic Gumbo by Julie Benko (Club44 Records)
A (musical) note on the gumbo
“What we play is life.”
-Louis Armstrong
How did a nice Jewish girl from Connecticut end up steeped in the sounds of New Orleans? Simple: I visited... and fell madly in love. The music, the spirit, the ghosts, and the joy all pulled me deeper down the rabbit hole.
Euphonic Gumbo is my love letter to the Crescent City. We stirred in a little of everything: the syncopated strut of early jazz, the spice of a Cajun fiddle, the echo of folk ballads, Jelly Roll Morton’s “Spanish tinge,” and, of course, nods to the great piano “professors” famous for making the ivories dance. It’s music that honors both life and death, mischief and memory, Disney dreams and Longfellow laments.
This album is a celebration, a second line, a reverent revelry. A party, plain and simple.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Julie
Tracklist
| 1. | Down In New Orleans Medley (Bourbon Street Parade/Go To The Mardi Gras/Basin Street Blues) | |
| 2. | Ticklin' Time (Let The Good Times Roll/Tipitina) | |
| 3. | The Lakes of Pontchartrain | |
| 4. | Funky Fête (Iko Iko/Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing) | 3:07 |
| 5. | Ma Belle Evangeline | |
| 6. | Pretty Baby | |
| 7. | Don't You Come Home, Bill Bailey! | |
| 8. | St. James Infirmary | |
| 9. | J'ai Passé Devant Ta Porte | |
| 10. | Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? (Live at Birdland) | |
Credits
Club44 Records
Julie Benko Vocals
Jason Yeager Piano, Hammond Organ (1, 2), Celeste (6), Arrangements
John Manzari Vocals (8), Tap Dance (4, 8)
Andy Warren Trumpet, Flugelhorn (3)
Linus Wyrsch Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone (2, 4)
Evan Arntzen Tenor Saxophone (10)
Ron Wilkins Trombone
Michael O’Brien Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass (2, 4)
Jay Sawyer Drums
Sasha Papernik Accordion (5, 9)
Gabe Terraciano Violin (9)
Justin Poindexter Guitar (9), Banjo (9)
Jim Caruso Announcer (1, 10)
Photography by Kevin Alvey
Produced and Arranged by Julie Benko & Jason Yeager
Executive Producers: Mike and Julie Frakes
Tracks 1-9 recorded on June 12th, 2025 at Samurai Hotel Recording Studio, Astoria, NY
Recording Engineer: David Stoller
Assistant Engineer: Grady Bajorek
2nd Assistant Engineer: Dylan Simon
Hammond organ recorded by Peter Karl at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY
Track 10 recorded on February 10, 2025 live at Birdland Jazz Club, New York, NY
Mixed and Mastered by Dave Darlington, Bass Hit Recording, New York, NY
A&R Director Joel Lindsey
Art Director Mary Alice Lovelace
Artwork and Design by Jack Browning, DJB Design
License
All rights reserved.Recommendations
Julie Benko has become one of New York’s most captivating new voices in jazz and theater alike. Best known for her star-making turn as Fanny Brice in Broadway’s Funny Girl revival, Benko also appeared on Broadway in Harmony, Fiddler on the Roof, and Les Misérables. Offstage, her “delightful” (Variety) recordings have established her as a singular voice in jazz, cabaret, and the American Songbook.