Let them talk

Let them talk
Hugh Laurie studio album
Publication (s)	May 9, 2011
Label (s)	Warner Bros. Records
Format (s)	CD , download
Genre (s)	blues
Title (number)	16
running time	55:57
production	Joe Henry
chronology - Let them talk Didn't It Rain ( 2013 )

Let Them Talk is the debut album by English actor Hugh Laurie , released on April 29, 2011, and featuring 15 classic gospel, blues and jazz standards. The album was produced by Joe Henry and recorded in Hollywood and New Orleans in the summer and fall of 2010. Allen Toussaint took care of the wind arrangements .

In addition to Hugh Laurie (vocals, piano, guitar) play a. a. Kevin Breit (guitar) and Greg Leisz (mandolin), Levon Henry (tenor saxophone), David Piltch (double bass), Patrick Warren (keyboards), Craig Eastman (violin), Robby Marshall (clarinet) and Jay Bellerose (drums). In some of the pieces the vocals are performed by special guests Tom Jones (“Baby, Please Make A Change”), Irma Thomas (“John Henry” and “Baby Please Make A Change”) and Dr. John ("After You Have Gone") taken over.

Some of the Let Them Talk tracks were premiered in March 2011 in a small club in New Orleans. Laurie appeared on the BBC2 television show Later with Jools Holland on April 24th and performed at the Union Chapel in London and at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival before the album was released in late April.

Track list

#	title	length
1.	St. James Infirmary	6:25
2.	You don't know my mind	3:39
3.	Six cold feet	4:55
4th	Buddy Bolden 's Blues	3:12
5.	Battle of Jericho	3:47
6th	After you've gone	4:09
7th	Swanee River	2:43
8th.	The Whale Has Swallowed Me	3:37
9.	John Henry	3:34
10.	Police Dog Blues	3:33
11.	Tipitina	5:06
12.	Winin 'boy blues	2:59
13.	They're red hot	1:11
14th	Baby please make a change	4:57
15th	Let them talk	4:10

reception

“The record is an excellent genre pearl. [...] Laurie takes care of the cradle of the blues in New Orleans with love and passion. [...] Conscientiously and, in the best sense of the word, authentically old-fashioned, he celebrates a sound image with Canadian musician buddies that even deserves respect from the most pinched Reich general misgivings from the Quengelecke of self-appointed music police, if they don't have Van Gogh's ear for music. "

- laut.de

“The emphasis with which Laurie advocates these songs is immediately likeable. He really seems to love it and has gotten deep into the matter over the course of many years of studying this music. This is also supported by the extremely tasteful selection of songs [...]. When you consider how far he would have to be from these songs thanks to his origins and his status as a Hollywood star, it is remarkable how convincing he brings them over. He benefits from his clever choice of producers. Joe Henry has produced great albums by Allen Toussaint and Aaron Neville and is considered an expert on music from New Orleans. He has a clever approach to the fact that Laurie is not a music professional: Together with studio cracks like Jay Bellerose and Greg Leisz, he sets up a safety net under Laurie, which effectively stages Laurie's singing and piano playing. The musicians play rather cautiously in order not to overshadow Laurie, but effective enough to make the album sparkle musically. "

- Johannes Waechter : Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin

To the notorious question why he as an actor has now also devoted himself to music, Hugh Laurie answers: “I've broken an important rule of art, music, and career paths: actors are supposed to act, and musicians are supposed to music . That's how it works. You don't buy fish from a dentist, or ask a plumber for financial advice, so why listen to an actor's music? The answer is - there is no answer. If you care about pedigree then you should try elsewhere, because I have nothing in your size. "

Chart placements

Charts	Highest position
Germany	8th
Austria	1
Switzerland	4th
United Kingdom	2

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Hugh Laurie in an interview: “I'm not blind and I still have both legs” . Süddeutsche Zeitung magazine . April 14, 2011. Archived from the original on April 17, 2011. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2011. 
2. ↑ LET THEM TALK . Amazon.com . Retrieved May 7, 2011.
3. ↑ Hugh Laurie plays first ever blues gig . The Guardian . March 23, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
4. ^ Hugh Laurie chats to Jools Holland . BBC2 . March 24, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
5. ^ "Let Them Talk" by Hugh Laurie . laut.de . April 29, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
6. ↑ Johannes Waechter: Hugh Laurie in an interview: “I am not blind and I still have both legs” . Süddeutsche Zeitung magazine . Archived from the original on April 17, 2011. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 8, 2011. 
7. ↑ Booklet for the CD, p. 3.
8. ↑ Chart placements: DE ( Memento of the original from April 12, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , AT , CH