Chris Belleau is a bluesman from Cajun country. That means he’s got blues, jazz and straight up Baton Rouge in his soul and in his music. Of the eight tunes here, he wrote six, and they’re all first-rate and all show off various aspects of this superb musician’s palette.

“Blues Is On The Rise” is a medium tempo piece that captivates. He sings, “Always played straight from the heart/never played any other way/when he lifted up his horn/always blew the club away.” He blows a fine harp and shares horn duties with saxophonist Jon Smith. The follow-up, “Hold the One Who Cares” has a groove that reminds of Freddy Fender, which is to say an impeccable vocal and a beautifully written number. Here, our hero sings “open up your eyes and see the one who loves you. Again, on time harp and accordion from Belleau along with Nelson Blanchard’s piano.

“Bienville Blues” is a jazzy instrumental that highlights Belleau’s flawlessly swinging trombone on a post-bop delight that features trombone, tenor and Mike Esneault’s perfect piano.

“The Healer” is all about that New Orleans groove. Opening with a tambourine and Hammond B3 from Blanchard, then trombone and tenor, Belleau sings, “We live in a world/of broken hearts and lies.” “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” the Charles Mingus classic, is performed wonderfully, with horns and electric piano. “When You’re Smiling”, the Louis Armstrong version, reminds a bit of Harry Connick, Jr. “The Treater” is bluesy with a hint of Louisiana in the mix. “Swamp Fever” is a classy jazz piece with a gorgeous trombone that could have worked for Sinatra along with a superb saxophone.

This is an enormously talented man on trombone, harmonica, and accordion. He has a soothing vocal quality and, outside of the Mingus and Armstrong, wrote the diverse tunes here. Chris Belleau deserves to be on a major blues label. Or should it be jazz? Such a lovely dilemma.

Recommended: “Hold The One Who Cares,” “The Healer,” “The Treater.” As well as all the other tunes.