NolaFunk Lagniappe

Home of the Groove's "Keeping An Eye On Merry Clayton"

Before the end of the year is upon us, there's time for one more installment on a New Orleans female R&B artist. One of my favorite New Orleans vocalists,Merry Clayton(whose birthday will be here soon), is a special case for several reasons. While she has roots in the city, she has remained an outsider during the course of her career, never recording there. The only work she has done with a New Orleans producer that I know of was when she sang back-up on Allen Toussaint's first solo album, which was cut in LA. Having anaccomplished career spanning over four decades, Clayton has worked with some of the biggest names in the music business and earned their respect, but has never realized the kind of success that would make her name instantly recognizable to the general public. Of course, had that been the case, you wouldn't be reading about her here. . . .

Grayson Capps & The Stumpknockers: Rott 'N' Roll

Some albums stun us slow, taking us more like the rising heat of a great kiss than a frying pan to the head. Until you let 'em in, let 'em have their way with you a bit, you may not realize what you're holding. In many respects, this description fits the entire career of Grayson Capps but never more so than Rott 'N' Roll (Hyena Records), a singer-songwriter driven future classic that roasts one with deliberate, charcoal intensity. The first Capps album credited to Grayson and his longtime salt of the earth band, The Stumpknockers, hangs together with the post-journeyman mastery of Creedence Clearwater Revival's Cosmo's Factory or John Prine's Bruised Orange, with the added virtue of greater emotional heft than either of those revered records and the palpable embrace of a delightful group chemistry that infuses and elevates every little element.

Full of $5 dollar whores, cornbread, sock monkeys and folks caught forever in shadow, Rott 'N' Roll firmly establishes Capps as one of the preeminent musical blacksmiths currently swinging a hammer.

Future of Music Coalition's "New Orleans Done Right"

If you ever make it to New Orleans, we highly recommend you visit the Mother-in-Law Lounge, the former home of and now tribute to Ernie K-Doe. Ernie's widow Antoinette K-Doe tells the story of how she waited out Katrina for days in the second floor of the lounge before she got airlifted out of the building still flooded in six feet of water, but you wouldn't know it from seeing the new tiki bar in the back and the Christmas decorations alight.

Kermit Ruffins single "Christmas Time Is Here"

Kermit Ruffins just released a single, "Christmas Time Is Here". It is a tease for a full length Christmas record coming in late 2009. Pick it up on your favorite digital platform, or order it online from http://www.basinstreetrecords.com/.

NPR's Song of the Day features "Jon Cleary: Setting A 'Groove' On Fire"

A simple countdown: "One, two / You know what to do." Nimble fingers glissando down the keys and launch into New Orleans-flavored funk. This pyrotechnic pianist sings, too, with just the right mix of mellow and sharp in his voice, reinventing King Floyd's 1971 soul classic "Groove Me." While the original bumped along at a mid-tempo pace, Jon Cleary sets the song on fire.

In Memoriam: The Great Earl Palmer

The brilliant Tremé-born drummer Earl Palmer passed on Friday, September 19 at the age of 83 in Los Angeles. Palmer's contribution to rhythm and blues and rock and roll as a session drummer is incalculable. He was the ultimate sideman who contributed the back-beat that made the star of the recording session shine. Palmer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

Earl Palmer was born in the Seventh Ward in Tremé on October 24, 1924. His childhood resembled the childhood of others in his neighborhood: hanging out at the neighborhood spots, playing ball on Claiborne under the oaks, second-lining at funerals and watching Zulu on Mardi Gras.

BackTalk with Sonny Landreth

I received Sonny Landreth’s new album, Beyond the Reach, with mixed emotions. On one hand, it’s great to see Landreth keeping company with such acknowledged guitar heavyweights as Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler, and singers including Jimmy Buffett and Vince Gill, but there’s something about the sleek, stripped down sound of his guitar riding a bass and drums that’s hard to improve upon.

The Meters, Very Funky

Had dinner with a friend the other night and we got around to talking about George Porter who in my opinion is one of the funkiest bass players alive. I’ve had a love affair with his playing for a long time, not to say I haven’t enjoyed watching him play too. My friend was in New Orleans recently working on a music project where George Porter was the bass player. I have to admit I was extremely jealous. It’s been some time since I’ve seen him perform, and I’ve never been in a recording session with him.

Big Over-detailed Guide to New Orleans Record Stores

Well crap, looks like Antigravity just printed their "record store issue" about a month after I started working on mine, got frustrated and got lazy. Whatever, I think I can outdo them.

When visiting other places I always google for some good guide of where I should shop for music in the area and often I come up empty-handed. Well, it turns out New Orleans actually already has a few of these, but some are out of date or biased. Well, I'll be biased too, but as long as I update this blog I'll update this page. Not that I know how long I'll update this blog.

Review: Bonerama @ Funk Fest III

In the self-proclaimed music capitol of the world there seems to be no shortage of musicians performing and interacting together in Austin, Texas. But when one music capitol of the world is invaded by musicians from another music capitol of the world (say, New Orleans for example), it’s safe to bet you’ll see some firepower. Or more aptly, funkpower as was displayed over the weekend at FunkFest III at the Parish on 6th Street in downtown Austin. Two nights of hard-hitting raw funk that leaned heavy on the grooves of today’s Austin and New Orleans best in funk brass and jam music including Stanton Moore Trio, The Greyhounds ftr Topaz, Flyjack and T-Bird & The Breaks. Headlining FunkFest III Saturday night was New Orleans’ new brand of horn heavy sounds, Bonerama who by all accounts either have a lot of trombones in the band or spend too much time online.

see also: Stanton Moore Trio/Greyhounds @ FunkFest

Music DVD Review: Christian Scott - Live At NewportThe New Orleans tradition continues.

Over one hundred years after the Crescent City had given the world cornetist and jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden kicking off an amazing string of brass legends from Louis Armstrong to Wynton Marsalis to Terence Blanchard, another ground-breaking trumpet player from this storied city has emerged in the last few years. His name is Christian Scott.

Live Music Dominates New Orleans Nightlife

New Orleans is known as the birthplace of jazz, an honor the city prides itself in. From dim lit jazz clubs lining the city streets to its annual Jazz and Heritage Festival, New Orleans is a great American music city. Jazz isn’t the only music being created in the Big Easy though. Many music clubs and venues offer an eclectic mix of blues, gospel, hip hop, rock and more.