John Boutté
Encyclopedia
John Boutté is an American
jazz
singer based in New Orleans, Louisiana
, who has been active since the mid 1990s. He is known for diverse music style that goes beyond jazz to R&B
, gospel
, Latin, and blues
. He is the younger brother of the jazz and gospel singer Lillian Boutté.
Creole
family in New Orleans. Exposed to the local culture such as Mardi Gras parades
and jazz funeral
s since childhood, Boutté also grew up listening to R&B music of Stevie Wonder
, Marvin Gaye
and the like. He played trumpet and cornet in marching bands in his junior high and high school days. During this time, he also formed an a cappella
group and sang on the streets.
Boutté studied business at Xavier University and after he graduated, he joined the U.S. Army
where he stayed for the next four years. When he returned, he started to work for a credit union instead of entering into the music industry. When he met Stevie Wonder
, he started to seriously consider becoming a professional singer. Wonder acknowledged his talent and recommended him to pursue career in music. He soon joined Lillian on her tour to Europe, and his professional career started.
He was featured on Lillian's live album
, Gospel United, released in 1994. In 1993, he released an album under his own name titled Through the Eyes of a Child.
He was the featured guest vocalist on Cuban group Cubanismo!'s Mardi Gras Mambo, recorded in New Orleans.
In the recent years, Boutté has been working with ex-Cowboy Mouth
guitarist and singer, Paul Sanchez
which led to a collaborated effort Stew Called New Orleans released in 2009. Boutté was also featured on John Scofield
's 2009 album, Piety Street
, singing the lead on three tracks.
Singers Tricia Boutté (Sister Teedy) and Tanya E. Boutté are John's nieces.
Boutté's "Treme Song" on his Jambalaya album is the theme song
of HBO's series, Treme
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer based in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, who has been active since the mid 1990s. He is known for diverse music style that goes beyond jazz to R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, Latin, and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
. He is the younger brother of the jazz and gospel singer Lillian Boutté.
Biography
Boutté was born into a 7th Ward7th Ward of New Orleans
The 7th Ward is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is geographically the second largest of the 17 Wards of New Orleans, after the 9th Ward.-Boundaries and geography:...
Creole
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
family in New Orleans. Exposed to the local culture such as Mardi Gras parades
New Orleans Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a Carnival celebration well-known throughout the world.The New Orleans Carnival season, with roots in preparing for the start of the Christian season of Lent, starts after Twelfth Night, on Epiphany . It is a season of parades, balls , and king cake parties...
and jazz funeral
Jazz funeral
Jazz funeral is a common name for a funeral tradition with music which developed in New Orleans, Louisiana.The term "jazz funeral" was long in use by observers from elsewhere, but was generally disdained as inappropriate by most New Orleans musicians and practitioners of the tradition...
s since childhood, Boutté also grew up listening to R&B music of Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and the like. He played trumpet and cornet in marching bands in his junior high and high school days. During this time, he also formed an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group and sang on the streets.
Boutté studied business at Xavier University and after he graduated, he joined the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
where he stayed for the next four years. When he returned, he started to work for a credit union instead of entering into the music industry. When he met Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, he started to seriously consider becoming a professional singer. Wonder acknowledged his talent and recommended him to pursue career in music. He soon joined Lillian on her tour to Europe, and his professional career started.
He was featured on Lillian's live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, Gospel United, released in 1994. In 1993, he released an album under his own name titled Through the Eyes of a Child.
He was the featured guest vocalist on Cuban group Cubanismo!'s Mardi Gras Mambo, recorded in New Orleans.
In the recent years, Boutté has been working with ex-Cowboy Mouth
Cowboy Mouth
Cowboy Mouth is a rock band based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Their name usually means "One with a loud and raucous voice". The nucleus of the band formed in the 1990s, and they have become a powerhouse live act whose performances have been likened to "a religious experience."Some of their most...
guitarist and singer, Paul Sanchez
Paul Sanchez
Paul Sanchez is a New Orleans-born and based American guitarist and a singer-songwriter. Sanchez is best known as one of New Orleans' finest song writers and was also founding member of the New Orleans band Cowboy Mouth. Sanchez was a guitarist and one of the primary singers and songwriters for the...
which led to a collaborated effort Stew Called New Orleans released in 2009. Boutté was also featured on John Scofield
John Scofield
John Scofield , often referred to as "Sco," is an American jazz guitarist and composer, who has played and collaborated with Miles Davis, Dave Liebman, Joe Henderson, Charles Mingus, Joey Defrancesco, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Pat Martino, Mavis Staples, Phil Lesh, Billy Cobham,...
's 2009 album, Piety Street
Piety Street
Piety Street is a studio album by jazz musician John Scofield. It was recorded in New Orleans with local musicians including Meters bassist George Porter, Jr. and Jon Cleary....
, singing the lead on three tracks.
Singers Tricia Boutté (Sister Teedy) and Tanya E. Boutté are John's nieces.
Boutté's "Treme Song" on his Jambalaya album is the theme song
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
of HBO's series, Treme
Treme (TV series)
Treme is an American television drama series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer that premiered on April 11, 2010 on HBO. It takes its name from Tremé, a neighborhood of New Orleans...
.
Albums
- 1993: Through the Eyes of a Child (Dinosaur)
- 1997: Scotch and Soda
- 1998: Friends
- 2001: At the Foot of the Canal Street (Valley EntertainmentValley EntertainmentValley Entertainment is a United States music distributor and independent record label based in New York City. The company was founded in 1996 by Barney Cohen, president and CEO. In 2001, they acquired the prestigious back catalogue of space, ambient, and New Age music from Hearts of Space Records...
) - 2003: John Boutté & Uptown Okra / Carry Me Home (Boutteworks)
- 2003: Jambalaya (Bose)
- 2007: John Boutté and Conspirare (Independent)
- 2008: Good Neighbor (Independent)
- 2009: John Boutté and Paul Sanchez / Stew Called New Orleans (Threadhead)
Guest appearances
- 1994: Lillian Boutté with Gospel United / Live at Odense Koncerthus (Gospel United Production)
- 2000: Cubanismo / Mardi Gras Mambo (Rykodisc)
- 2002: Doc Houlind Ragtime Band meets John Boutte / Live At FEMO (Music Mecca)
- 2008: Paul Sanchez / Exit to Mystery Street (Threadhead)
- 2009: Glen David Andrews / Walking Through Heaven's Gate (Threadhead)
- 2009: John Scofield / Piety Street (Universal Classics)
- 2009: Tom McDermott / New Orleans Duets (Rabadash)
- 2009: Doug CoxDoug CoxDoug Cox is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and music programmer, and is currently signed to Toronto's NorthernBlues Music.He is well known for his skills on the dobro and slide guitar...
& Salil Bhatt / Slide To Freedom 2 (NorthernBlues MusicNorthernBlues MusicNorthernBlues Music is a Canadian independent record label, which specializes in blues music. The label was established in 2001, and a number of its artists and albums have since been nominated for and won Blues Music Awards...
) - 2010: GalacticGalacticGalactic is a funk and jazz jam band from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.-Origins and background:Originally formed in 1994 as an octet and including singer Chris Lane and guitarist Rob Gowen, the group was soon pared down to a sextet of: guitarist Jeff Raines, bassist Robert Mercurio,...
/ YA-KA-MAY
External links
- John Boutte, New Orleans Jazz Vocalist (Official site)
- [ Biography on Allmusic]