Listening to American Routes the other night, the PBS radio show whose studios lie smack dab in the middle of the French Quarter, I heard this gem of a song (Nick Spitzer, the host, is temporarily running the show from Lafayette). Entitled “The Lost Souls (of Southern Louisiana)”, it’s basically a 14 minute suite laid out similarly to a traditional New Orleans funeral. Starting out dirge-like, it finishes off with a rhythmic fury of percussion. It has three sub parts: Cortege, Do I Have to Go, and Mourning Ma.

Set aside 14 minutes of your life and take a listen to some New Orleans brass band action courtesy of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band: The Lost Souls (of Southern Louisiana) (mp3)

• From ‘Open Up: Whatcha Gonna Do for the Rest of Your Life?’ (1991) – check it out on Amazon.
• Official Site of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.