V: Disney does New Orleans
Source: Variety
And Randy Newman does (most of) the music:
Dr. John sings the opening number, "Down in New Orleans," which Newman hesitates to describe except to agree that "it sounds of the place and of the period. Bessie Smith could have done something like it.
"I thought they'd ask me to do it," Newman adds about the vocals, "but they wanted Dr. John's voice. They had us doing a part, an otter or some kind of animal that was going to be the narrator. I think he beat me out for the part of the otter."
Newman mines the rich musical history of southern Louisiana: a bluesy ballad for Tiana, the princess of the title; zydeco for firefly Ray and a country waltz for his love Evangeline; a gospel number for mystical Mama Odie; and Preservation Hall-style jazz influences throughout the score. Another famous New Orleans native, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, plays several solos.
The film is called "The Princess and the Frog."
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