If there's one thing PJ Morton is going to do, it's put on for his hometown of New Orleans. The man named a song and a whole album after the city, after all, and dropped an all-New Orleans Bounce mixtape. PJ has also shown love to the women of The Big Easy on his 2008 single "New Orleans Girl" featuring Trombone Shorty, which he remixed in 2016 with a bounce version (on said mixtape) that we premiered on these very pages. Now Morton revisits the song yet again with an updated version for the soundtrack to the forthcoming documentary Take Me To The River: New Orleans.
PJ gets an assist from fellow NOLA representers Cheeky Blakk and Rebirth Brass Band for the latest edition of "New Orleans Girl," and they go big as they go home. With these three acts in the mix, the celebratory song sounds like a full-blown second line. Morton's soulful R&B, Cheeky's hip-hop bounce and Rebirth's signature brass band sound blend beautifully on this musical love letter.
Everyone's synergy can also be seen in the "New Orleans Girl" music video, which takes us right into the middle of the song's recording session. We get to be a fly on the studio wall as the artists record this fresh take. The clip brings to mind other times that PJ Morton has invited cameras into the studio when making Gumbo Unplugged and The Piano Album.
This update of "New Orleans Girl" is taken from the Take Me To The River: New Orleans album, which will feature new recordings from other hometown musical heroes such as Dr. John, Big Freedia, The Neville Brothers, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and more. Take Me To The River: New Orleans is the sequel to director/producer Martin Shore's original Take Me To The River documentary that focused on the rich musical legacy of Memphis, Tennessee. According to press materials, this new film will "celebrate the musical history, heritage, legacy, culture and influence of New Orleans and Louisiana" and the region's impact on World music.
Get the party started with PJ Morton, Cheeky Blakk and Rebirth Brass Band when you press play on the "New Orleans Girl" audio and video below. Stick around to watch two featurettes from the recording session and the film's trailer. Stay tuned for the release of the Take Me To The River: New Orleans soundtrack on April 29th and the roll-out of the documentary in theaters to follow. Keep up on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
