Imbued with the spirit of his mentor, the late, great Johnny Adams, this is the 12th studio release and NOLA Blue debut for Gregg Martinez, aka Mac Daddy, the multi-octave Creole vocalist who has been performing for more than forty years now. Dubbed by some as the “White Teddy Pendergrass,” you’ll hear echoes of the iconic soul singers like Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Luther Vandross and others in his approach and the material itself. Martinez sung at Percy Sledge’s funeral. These days, Martinez remains mostly a regional treasure purveying what he terms “Louisiana Swamp Pop” – a genre indigenous to Cajun country and the eastern border of Texas – a melding of New Orleans R&B, country, and French influences. In his earlier years, Martinez toured on worldwide stages and had a seven-figure Philly soul recording deal. Few have the combination of his limitless vocal range and natural gifts for both rollicking tempo and aching R&B balladry. For this writer, Johnny Adams was the pinnacle, so this comparison does not come lightly. It’s rather amazing that this talented singer is not more widely known outside his region; maybe this release will begin to change that.
These thirteen tracks were recorded by Grammy-winning engineer Tony Daigle with a full horn section and special guests that include Sonny Landreth, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., and Charlene Howard. The album title speaks the language of Creole, adding to his mystery as the “maqereau” (a man the Creole believe has an unusual power over women) by conjuring the collection of songs into his “Magic Charm” and then spelling it out as his “Mojeaux.” Despite that kind of terminology, you will recognize many of these tracks, beginning with the opening Ray Charles “I Believe To My Soul.” If you’ve never heard Martinez before, you’ll be struck by his vocal chops immediately. Only a few singers such as Gregg Allman or Van Morrison would tackle this tune. Soul segues to blues as Martinez then delivers a dripping gospel-like take on Freddy King’s “Same Old Blues.” Then, proving that he’s not the least bit intimidated by the classic soul men such as Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, he plunges into the mega-hit “You Left the Water Running,” fueled by sax solos from Muscle Shoals Horns’ own Ronnie Eades. He covers in stunning fashion the Canadian A.M. radio hit “Wildflower,” with a Neo-Soul approach.
The middle of the album features three songs in collaboration with Grammy-winning songwriter and guitarist Tony Goulas beginning with “This House,” a pulsating R&B dance tune, followed by a duet for the 1972 Stax hit, “Starting All Over Again.” It’s here that Mac Daddy diverges from the classic soul to deliver his brand of Louisiana swamp pop, inviting Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. (accordion) and his brother Anthony (washboard) from the Zydeco Twisters along with slide great Sonny Landreth for his own “Eva Delle.” Goulas’ hit song “Just Day Gone” with its solid bed of horns and passionate vocals, one of the best among so many strong ones, concludes this delightful sequence.
Martinez proves crooner on his own touching ballad “Moonlight & Magnolias” sandwiched in between two classic soul hits, Clarence Carter’s punchy “Snatching It Back” and the huge hit for Tyrone Davis “Can I Change My Mind.” In an album where practically every track is a highlight, the zenith is arguably reached with Swamp Pop star Charlene Howard duetting with Mac Daddy on “Don’t Pull Your Love,” from the Sam & Dave catalog. As you listen, it’s easy to tell that Howard is a bit younger compared to the more controlled Mac Daddy, as she overreaches on some of her vocals, but her range alone is amazing. He closes appropriately with Randy Newman, who penned so many songs about Louisiana, opting for “Marie,” in the endearing balladeer mode accompanied just by piano and strings.
Martinez is one of the best singers we have today. The term Swamp Pop alone relegates him to his region. Listen and you’ll likely agree that he’s not only one of the best blue-eyed soul singers but one of the best soul singers, period.
