No one sounded quite like Raymond Burke. He's clearly heard all of the great clarinetists from Leon Roppolo on down, and absorbed a bit from each of them. He had a beautiful dark tone that was pure New Orleans. This album was produced by Joe Mares, one of the legends in New Orleans music. He built a small recording studio in his shop and entertained his jazz friends when the day's work was done. He produced records for national companies, then started the Southland label; he ran it for thirty years and produced 41 albums before he sold the label to George Buck of GHB/Jazzology. This session includes ten unissued tracks from Southland sessions from 1960 and 1958 - two were recorded for broadcast at Dan's Pier 500, a popular Bourbon Street club best known as one of Al Hirt's first gigs, and one recorded in the famous French Quarter studio run by Cosimo Matassa, who was best known for recording most of the great sides by Fats Domino.
