Names like Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Allen Toussaint, Earl King, and Dr. John a.k.a. Mac Rebennack come to mind when talking about hit songs emanating from New Orleans. Over the past few years, however, the biggest hits from a Big Easy songwriter have come from the pen of Jim McCormick.
When I first heard of this project, I wondered if it would ever happen! Getting some of the best songwriters and musicians in New Orleans to record an album together, putting their talents on tracks and their egos on the side, would be no easy feat. But Spencer Bohren, Jim McCormick, Alex McMurray and Paul Sanchez a.k.a. the Write Brothers managed to put together "First Flight" this winter. I've listened to every track, note and word and offer this as my humble opinion.
French Quarter Fest 2015 dished up a perfect Friday afternoon (April 10) for the four New Orleans songwriters -- Spencer Bohren, Jim McCormick, Alex McMurray and Paul Sanchez -- who team up as The Write Brothers band.
The Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage, set on the New Orleans riverfront, proved an intimate, acoustically satisfying setting for a show where the lyrics were as important as the foursome's energetic guitar arrangements. But this setting was so much better than that: a sweeping view of Algiers Point and the Mississippi River, which put most stadium light shows to shame. It...
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
Jim McCormick is sitting in his Metairie living room late at night channel surfing. He stops at the George Harrison documentary, watches for a while, drifting in and out of half-sleep. Gradually, the bearded George morphs into Jesus and reaches out from the TV set to command McCormick: “You will form a band…a band of brothers. You will call it…the Righteous Brothers, scratch that, that name’s taken…make it the Right Brothers, but spelled W-R-I-T-E…”
Formed in 2014, the Write Brothers are Spencer Bohren, Jim McCormick, Alex McMurray and Paul Sanchez, four of New Orleans’ finest songwriters who have traveled very different roads to becoming critically and commercially acclaimed tunesmiths and performers. With over a century’s worth of experience between them, the Write Brothers have rendered songs in the genres of rock, folk, blues, country, and rhythm and blues. These four distinct voices find common ground in their love of songwriting and of performing. Their debut album, First Flight (Threadhead Records), is available now.
Spencer Bohren played with rock, country and blues bands throughout the western US before moving to New Orleans in the the mid-1970s. Since 1984 he has performed over one hundred concert tours in nearly every country on the European continent. He’s made 16 albums which are available at SpencerBohren.Com and continues to tour Europe and the US regularly as a musician, educator and storyteller.
Jim McCormick recently celebrated two #1 songs on the Billboard country charts: Jason Aldean's “Take A Little Ride,” which spent 3 weeks in the top position, and Brantley Gilbert's "You Don’t Know Her Like I Do." McCormick’s songs also have been recorded by Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Jamey Johnson, Randy Travis, Ronnie Milsap, and many others. He is a staff songwriter at BMG Chrysalis, and his album, the Middle of the River, is available on iTunes or at jimmcormicksongs.com
Guitarist and singer Alex McMurray has been writing and performing music professionally in New Orleans for 25 years. Past and current bands include Tin Men, The Valparaiso Men's Chorus, Royal Fingerbowl, 007, Debbie Davis and the Mesmerizers and Happy Talk Band. He has released three CDs of his own music, and has worked as a sideman with Paul Sanchez, Johnny Sansone, Ingrid Lucia, "Papa" John Gros, Lynn Drury and many others. He spent six months performing sea shanties as "Cap'n Sandy" at Tokyo DisneySea. Awards include a 2014 Big Easy award for best Roots Rock and 2010 Big Easy award for Album of the Year. He was seen and heard on the HBO series "Treme" several times. He is currently keeping busy with his many projects, including "The Write Brothers.
In January of 2010 Off Beat Magazine awarded Paul Sanchez three Best of The Beat Awards: Songwriter of The Year, Best Song of The Year, Best Folk/Rock Album for Stew Called New Orleans, his duet record with friend and collaborator John Boutte. In April of that same year Gambit Weekly awarded him Best Roots Rock Performer at The Big Easy Awards. Sanchez has written songs for Darius Rucker of Hootie and The Blowfish, The Eli Young Band, and Irma Thomas. Paul resides in the Treme neighborhood with his wife Shelley, where he sings and breathes everything New Orleans.
These hi-res photos are available for download and publication. Click to view and download. Credit: Elsa Hahne.
Dig the Write Brothers while sipping a Mint Julep in the gardens. $10.
Had a great time here last time. Looking forward to playing in this beautiful spot. Hey Cathe!
A beautiful old dance hall. Amazing sound and vibe. Should be a good night.
Our first time in ol' B.R....high hopes!
The Bros are very proud to have been invited to the Ogden After Hours series.
| 3:20 |
Cup Full of Soul
|
1
|
| 3:03 |
Broken Lines
|
2
|
| 3:15 |
Lost Eskimo
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3
|
| 3:47 |
Too Many Times
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4
|
| 3:41 |
New Orleans
J. McCormick
|
5
|
| 6 |
Jet Black and Jealous
P. Sanchez
|
3:09 | |
| 7 |
The Ballad of Lito Benito
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2:33 | |
| 8 |
Losin' You
S. Bohren / J. McCormick / P. Sanchez
|
2:57 | |
| 9 |
Wedding Day
A. McMurray
|
5:09 | |
| 10 |
Borrowed Time
S. Bohren
|
5:29 | |
| 11 |
We'll Be Together Again
|
3:40 |
- Jim McCormick, New Orleans, 2015
produced by Mark Bingham
Engineered by Chris George and Daniel Majorie
Mixed by Mark Bingham
Mix assistant: Albert Fish
Mastered by David Gasser at Airshow Mastering, Boulder, CO
Andre Bohren - drums, percussion, keyboard
Dave Pomerleau - acoustic bass
