Released in 1960 on Coral Records, Pete Fountain At The Bateau Lounge stands as a remarkable live document — the clarinetist's first small-club recording, and an astonishing fourth album in just five months. Captured on location at Dan's Bateau Lounge on Bourbon and Toulouse Streets in New Orleans, the record captures Fountain at his most natural and unguarded, playing the music he loved on the storied streets that shaped him.
Fountain and his band were performing four shows a night, six nights a week at the time of the recording, and the tightness of the ensemble reflects the value of that relentless schedule. The lineup — featuring drummer Jack Sperling and pianist Merle Koch — locks into an easy, swinging groove throughout. Highlights include a deeply felt reading of the traditional "Deep River," a swinging take on "I've Found a New Baby," and an original composition called "Creole Gumbo," co-written by Fountain, Koch, and arranger Bud Dant — a riff tune steeped in the spirit of New Orleans.
The pressing itself is a faithful sonic portrait of the evening. Listeners have praised the tight performances and quality of the microphone placement, noting that the recording avoids tape oversaturation even in the louder passages. Whether you're a longtime devotee of traditional New Orleans jazz or a newcomer looking for an authentic introduction to one of the Crescent City's greatest clarinetists, At the Bateau Lounge delivers warmth, spontaneity, and the unmistakable feeling of a great jazz night in full swing.
Released in 1960 on Coral Records, Pete Fountain At The Bateau Lounge stands as a remarkable live document — the clarinetist's first small-club recording, and an astonishing fourth album in just five months. Captured on location at Dan's Bateau Lounge on Bourbon and Toulouse Streets in New Orleans, the record captures Fountain at his most natural and unguarded, playing the music he loved on the storied streets that shaped him.
Fountain and his band were performing four shows a night, six nights a week at the time of the recording, and the tightness of the ensemble reflects the value of that relentless schedule. The lineup — featuring drummer Jack Sperling and pianist Merle Koch — locks into an easy, swinging groove throughout. Highlights include a deeply felt reading of the traditional "Deep River," a swinging take on "I've Found a New Baby," and an original composition called "Creole Gumbo," co-written by Fountain, Koch, and arranger Bud Dant — a riff tune steeped in the spirit of New Orleans.
The pressing itself is a faithful sonic portrait of the evening. Listeners have praised the tight performances and quality of the microphone placement, noting that the recording avoids tape oversaturation even in the louder passages. Whether you're a longtime devotee of traditional New Orleans jazz or a newcomer looking for an authentic introduction to one of the Crescent City's greatest clarinetists, At the Bateau Lounge delivers warmth, spontaneity, and the unmistakable feeling of a great jazz night in full swing.
