Doug Daniels, a New Orleans showman of the first order who goes by the name of Phat2sday – you know, that holiday they call Mardi Gras in French -- has the most amazing luck. First, he records this CD’s opening track, “One Day I’m Going to Lose 100 Pounds.” Then, The Discovery Channel, not having heard the track, comes knocking at his door. How would he like to appear on their Health Cops show as a candidate for a televised weight-loss program?

One hundred lost pounds later, he’s not only getting married on TV, but he’s getting married on Fat Tuesday no less! Hard to beat that for a story, isn’t it?

But it captures the irrepressible spirit of this eclectic artist who writes some great original tunes celebrating the eccentric life of The Big Easy, mixes second-line rhythms with an easy going hip-hop overlay, and even nails a sentimental audience favorite like Fats Domino’s classic “Blue Monday” to a tee. How can you argue with a guy who writes songs like “(It Ain’t Over) ‘Till the Fat Man Sings” or “All I Want for Christmas is a Funky Brass Band.”

And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s got some of the Crescent City’s finest funk musicians playing behind him, or that he’s got the hip-hop brass band Coolbone guesting on a couple of tracks. Combined with Phat2sday’s great gift for narrative, there’s not a track on this totally entertaining CD that’s not fun AND funky.

On this outing, you get a fresh Crescent City musical take and insider’s travel guide to the real-deal New Orleans all in one.