In the liner notes of this CD, John Rankin writes “it is not a New Orleans album in every sense.” What I think he means is that to those for whom New Orleans is only an adjective, it is not a New Orleans album.  But New Orleans is a place, not an adjective, and John Rankin’s music comes from his life in the place where he has played and taught guitar for the past 30 years or so. This CD is no less “New Orleans” than are the cracks in the sidewalks that Mr. Rankin walks.

John Rankin is a guitar player, whereas most of the rest of us are merely guitar owners. This all-instrumental recording demonstrates a wide variety of guitar styles, tones, and techniques. The emotions on the tunes range from meditative (”Looking Back”) to comical (”Django Djingle”) to romantic (”Danza Brazilera”) to deep and low down. “Blue Thundercloud” is something like Clint Eastwood somehow transformed into a single song - powerful stuff.

If you have ever tried to get away with playing “Cissy Strut” on a dreadnought acoustic guitar, you will be impressed by this arrangement with the DADGAD alternate tuning. Rankin makes Leo Nocentelli’s funky guitar licks his own while keeping the true spirit of the song - not a easy thing to do. 

The tones of these songs seem thoughtfully planned. The resonator guitar on “St. Thomas” sounds as proper as a steel drum on this tropical tune. With an added piece of plastic in the strings near the bridge of his guitar he gets the exact sound he is looking for. The guitar synth on “Cycle” gives that one piece a Pat Metheny feel.

The title tune, “Last in April First in May” is presumably about Jazz Fest which is held on the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May. He is accompanied by Jesse Boyd (bass) and Michael Skinkus (percussion), and who better to play on a song about jazz fest.  Among the three of them there must be 70+ Jazz Fest performances.

My favorite track is “The Dream Palace,” a gypsy jazz duet performed with clarinet player Tom Fischer. Perfect.

John Rankin’s music is important to New Orleans, the place.  Whatever quality is has that excludes it from New Orleans, the adjective, needs to be given its due.

You can buy this CD at CD Baby.

You can buy more of John Rankin’s MP3’s at iTunes Store Music