PJ Morton teases all-star New Orleans album with new single/video

March 11, 2022: Today Petaluma Records released the official video for “New Orleans Girl” featuring PJ Morton, Cheeky Blakk, and Rebirth Brass Band. The new recording is the fifth single unveiled from the upcoming soundtrack release Take Me To The River: New Orleans.The music video for “New Orleans Girl” features footage taken from the forthcoming feature documentary film Take Me To The River: New Orleans, which celebrates the undeniable musical history, heritage, legacy, culture, and influence of New Orleans and Louisiana. The album and film feature new recordings from The Neville Brothers, Big Freedia, G-Eazy, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Snoop Dogg, Dumpstaphunk, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, William Bell, Ani DiFranco, Donald Harrison, Ledisi, Galactic, the late Dr. John, and many more (full tracklisting below). 

Take Me To The River: New Orleans follows director Martin Shore’s 2014 award-winning film Take Me To The River, which documented the musical influence of Memphis. “Memphis told the American music story. New Orleans is a story of how World music was created,” says Shore on his decision to document New Orleans.

The deluxe soundtrack release is a true collaboration that celebrates the melting pot that is the musical DNA of NOLA. From traditional jazz to Second line, From Rhythm and Blues to Hip Hop and Rap, from Funk/Soul to Rock and Roll, the producers of this wholly unique and unprecedented project have paired legendary legacy musicians with the rising stars of the 21st Century to create a historic musical collaboration unlike any that has come before. The album features brand new recordings of the final performances from the Neville Brothers and one of the last studio sessions with Dr. John as well as all new collaborative performances from a range of great New Orleans artists. The music of New Orleans is a wholly unique worldwide collaboration, and Take Me To The River: New Orleans gives the viewer an insightful historical perspective of how global influences shaped, and continue to shape, a musical quilt that formed the music of this extraordinary city. 

On April 29, 2022, the Take Me To The River: New Orleans soundtrack will be released on CD, deluxe vinyl set featuring 2 LPs and a large format 60 page book, and digital album via Petaluma Records. The documentary Take Me To The River: New Orleans will open exclusively at The Broad Theater in New Orleans on April 22, and will then continue to roll out in select theaters nationwide.

The Take Me To The River: All-Stars band will perform at the House of Blues in New Orleans on May 5, kicking off the second weekend of The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The ensemble is made up of North Mississippi Allstars brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson, Galactic bassist Robert Mercurio, and Joe Ashlar who is known for his work with Dr. John. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will serve as the special guest for the evening, and the performance will also feature Ivan Neville, George Porter Jr., Ian Neville, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Anjelika "Jelly" Joseph, and Walter “Wolfman” Washington.