HUGH LAURIE SET TO RELEASE DEBUT
NEW ORLEANS BLUES ALBUM “LET THEM TALK”
Available September 6 On Warner Bros. Records
LOS ANGELES – Hugh Laurie will release his debut album LET THEM TALK on September 6 on Warner Bros. Records. A glorious celebration of New Orleans blues, LET THEM TALK unites Laurie’s musical talent with a very personal selection of standards and lost blues classics performed with his band of renowned musicians and some very special guest stars. The album will be available at all physical and digital retails outlets for a suggested list price of $18.98 (physical) and $11.99 (digital).
Produced by Joe Henry and recorded at sessions in Los Angeles and New Orleans, LET THEM TALK sees Laurie on vocals and piano heading a team of musicians whose previous collective credits include work with artists as varied as Greg Allman, Solomon Burke, Robert Plant, kd lang, T-Bone Burnett, Alison Krauss, and John Legend. Together, they interpret and revive songs originally recorded by New Orleans blues legends such as Lead Belly, Robert Johnson, Ray Charles, and Memphis Slim.
LET THEM TALK also features collaborations with the “Soul Queen of New Orleans” Irma Thomas and Sir Tom Jones on the little known “Baby, Please Make A Change.” Thomas also leads the vocals on “John Henry,” while Laurie’s lifelong hero Dr. John provides a momentous collaboration on “After You’ve Gone.” Another legend, the producer, musician, and songwriter Allen Toussaint, contributes horn arrangements throughout.
“In my imagination, New Orleans just straight hummed with music, romance, joy, despair; its rhythms got into my gawky English frame and, at times, made me so happy and sad, I just didn’t know what to do with myself,” said Laurie. “I love this music as authentically as I know how, and I want you to love it too. If you get a thousandth of the pleasure from it that I’ve had, we’re all ahead of the game.”
For more information, please visit www.hughlaurieblues.com
For clips of Laurie discussing and recording the album, please visit www.youtube.com/HughLaurieBlues
HUGH LAURIE – LET THEM TALK
Track Listing (with original artists)
1. Saint James Infirmary (Louis Armstrong / Snooks Eaglin)
2. You Don’t Know My Mind (Lead Belly)
3. Six Cold Feet (Leroy Carr)
4. Buddy Bolden’s Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)
5. Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho (Sister Rosetta Tharp)
6. After You’ve Gone (Bessie Smith /Fats Waller)
7. Swanee River (Ray Charles / Dr. John)
8. The Whale Has Swallowed Me (J.B.Lenoir)
9. John Henry (Memphis Slim / Snooks Eaglin)
10. Police Dog Blues (Blind Blake)
11. Tipitina (Professor Longhair)
12. Winin’ Boy Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)
13. They’re Red Hot (Robert Johnson)
14. Baby, Please Make A Change (Mississippi Sheiks)
15. Let Them Talk (James Booker)
THE BAND
Hugh Laurie (vocals, piano)
Jay Bellerose (drums)
David Piltch (bass)
Greg Leisz (guitar, dobro, mandolin)
Patrick Warren (keys)
Kevin Breit (guitar, tenor, mandolin)
With horns arranged by Allen Toussaint
GUEST VOCALISTS
Dr. John – on “After You’ve Gone”
Irma Thomas – on “John Henry” and “Baby, Please Make A Change”
Sir Tom Jones – on “Baby, Make A Change”