An American favorite for his award-winning role in the hit TV series House, the versatile British actor Hugh Laurie showcases his musical side in an atmospheric personal odyssey filmed on location in New Orleans.
Defying simple categorization, Laurie finds his greatest satisfaction and inspiration from the mixture of blues and jazz that grew out of New Orleans at the beginning of the last century. He was inspired as a teenager by hearing blues great Professor Longhair’s “Tipitina.” Let Them Talk is Laurie’s very personal journey into the heart and soul of that music: “Here I am in the French Quarter playing with all these amazing musicians. This may be about as good as it gets. In fact, this may be what heaven is like.”
Laurie sings a wide selection of tunes, accompanying himself on piano or guitar, and backed by some of the town’s top-flight musicians. He refuses to pigeonhole his selections. “There are only two categories: good and bad. Those are the only things that matter.”
Throughout the hour, there are intimate performances and rehearsals with blues legends Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas, known as the “Soul Queen of New Orleans,” as well as another fellow traveler from Great Britain similarly inspired by this uniquely American music, Sir Tom Jones.
