NolaFunk Lagniappe

Ponderosa Stomp to take over New York's Lincoln Center in July

Chris Granger / Times-Picayune Archive

The Ponderosa Stomp, the annual celebration of "lost" legends of R&B, soul and rock 'n roll between Jazz Fest weekends, decamps to New York in July for three concerts at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Stomp founder Ira "Dr. Ike" Padnos and his crew have previously staged Stomp-style concerts in the Big Apple, but never before in such a prestigious venue. The Lincoln Center Web site notes that the three Stomp shows are devoted to "showcasing living history and thriving art, exposing new talent, reviving careers, and praising the unsung heroes who planted the very roots of American music."

"The Get Down" on July 16 focuses on soul and R&B. "Best Dance In Town" on July 17 spotlights rockabilly. The July 19th show is a tribute to New Orleans arranger Wardell Quezergue featuring Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack, the Dixie Cups, Jean Knight, Meters drummer Zigaboo Modeliste, Robert Parker, Dorothy Moore, Tammy Lynn, Tony Owens, Michael Hurtt and Quezergue himself.

Home of the Groove's "Let's Hear More From Snooks. . . Aw-rite?"

I've been burning up what few brain cells I have left trying to remember the first time I sawFird 'Snooks' Eaglin, Jr. perform live. This lack of specifics has much more to do with my age (and maybe what I was drinking back then) than with the impact of his performance, I'm sure.

Fortunately for me, I got to see him play often in New Orleans. So, his always entertaining, go-for-it gigs have all blurred into one big stream of consciousness memorial funfest, making it hard to sift out that one show that got me started. I know it was in the early 1980s, more than likely at Jazzfest; but, whatever the venue and exact date, I immediately became a fan of that extraordinary man, as have so many others who caught his shows out at the fairgrounds racetrack or in a local club, such as the Rock 'n Bowl. Over the years, people would call me when I was doing radio in Memphis, saying they'd been to New Orleans and were knocked out by a guitar player and singer named Snooks - best music they heard; and I have gotten similar comments since I've been doing the blog. He had that effect. As noted here and elsewhere, Snooks passed away on February 18th, just prior to Mardi Gras, at the age of 73. Another of New Orleans' unique voices and talents has slipped away.

Morning 40 Federation's last gig: an eyewitness account...

The final show was at One Eyed Jack’s, a popular venue for the band. I’ve spent the past two New Year’s Eves watching them there, the past two Halloweens at DBA, and two Voodoo Fests at some tent… I don’t know – I was drunk. Blues tent? Gospel tent? Neither really seems appropriate. 40’s tent.

I arrived at Jack’s around midnight and the opening act had yet to come on. I selected my favorite spot: front row, center stage. I sat there with my Pabst Blue Ribbon and my double shot of tequila like a cop on a stake out. I didn’t care how long it was going to take- I was going to get what I came here for.

Dragon Smoke | 02.26.09 | Santa Cruz

While Dragon Smoke's lineup has shifted in the past, the current quartet - Ivan Neville (keys, vocals), Eric Lindell (guitar, vocals) and Galactic's Stanton Moore (drums) and Robert Mercurio (bass) - has gelled over the past couple years, and it showed at Moe's. "This is supposed to be a fun band for us," quipped Neville during the first set, and the syncopated pleasure of their union showed in their eyes and limbs and spread readily to the audience. While this could be a showcase for jam vehicles full of wicked solos, they seemed more interested in cohesion, playing to songs rather than riffs and showing enjoyable restraint when each took the spotlight. I'm as big a fan of a good groovy cutting contest as the next funkateer but I'm more impressed when four salty dogs like this harness their super powers for music with slightly less slop. Their previous gigging has produced a small but tasty catalog with a few originals (I think) and primo covers such as Dyke & The Blazers' "Let A Woman Be A Woman, Let A Man Be A Man," Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round In Circles" and James "Sugar Boy" Crawford's beloved Mardi Gras fave "Iko Iko" (originally titled "Jock-A-Mo" for you trivia buffs). Regardless of the platform, what's obvious is how much they dig these occasional gatherings, a fact that hummed in every note, stage glance and even between sets as the quartet warmly chatted with anyone who extended a hand.

M.V.N.P-Live At Tipitina's: "THE WEEKEND MIX"



I've been wanting to share this one for ahwile. In short, this is one of the single greatest New Orleans moments I have ever experienced. The scene is New Year's weekend, 2003. I had been in New Orleans a few days already, spent New Year's Eve at the House Of Blues with Jon Cleary, experienced parades, fireworks, food, drink, and the usual Crescent City spontanaiety that keeps you on your toes. This was a truly incredible week that was coming to a close. I had one more night of music.



The show was billed as M.V.N.P..

The lineup:



Drummers extraordinaire Stanton Moore & John Vidacovich
Bass- George Porter Jr.
Keys- Ivan Neville

With Special Guest-Cyril Neville


Listen: The Life and Times of Irvin Mayfield



Big Easy Music Awards

The Big Easy Foundation announces its music awards nominees for 2009

Kermit Ruffins' Livin’ a Tremé Life



Coming April 28th.


Buckwheat Zydeco’s Alligator Records Debut, Lay Your Burden Down, Set for May 5 Release, Celebrates Band’s 30th Anniversary!

Alligator Records has set a May 5, 2009 release date for LAY YOUR BURDEN DOWN, the stunning label debut from American musical legend Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Jr. and his band, Buckwheat Zydeco. The New York Times says, “Stanley ‘Buckwheat’ Dural leads one of the best bands in America. A down-home and high-powered celebration, meaty and muscular with a fine-tuned sense of dynamics…propulsive rhythms, incendiary performances.” The Louisiana vocalist, accordion and organ master recorded the new CD at Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana with Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) producing (as well as leading the horn section). Buckwheat Zydeco celebrates its 30th anniversary with the new CD and a lengthy tour, beginning with a Main Stage appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 2, 2009.

Live Review: New Orleans Indie Rock Fest II

While many may know New Orleans as the birthplace of jazz, the funkiest city on earth, and the “chocolate city” (thanks to C. Ray, our douchebag of a mayor), many don’t think of it as the home to one of the most progressive indie scene in the US. Well, there’s something new brewing down here in the delta, and the New Orleans Indie Rock Collective is busy stirring up the pot. The NOIRC is a one-of-a-kind, grass organization that fosters the development of and creates awareness about the burgeoning NOLA indie music scene. And they actually get shit done (collectively)… unlike our local bureaucrats! Apart from producing kickass compilation albums featuring the local talent, they host a biannual showcase. Last weekend (March 5th-7th), I attended the second New Orleans Indie Rock Fest to sample the cookin’ from the underground.

2009 Jazz Fest poster featuring Allen Toussaint created by New Orleans artist James Michalopoulos

New Orleans artist James Michalopoulos was the artist chosen to create the 2009 Jazz Fest poster. The poster, which will be sold online and at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, features Allen Toussaint.

Thelonious Monk Institute to graduate its first New Orleans class

Kathy Anderson / Times-Picayune Archive

As Davy Mooney's two-year tenure in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance draws to a close, the guitarist is looking forward to sleeping again.

Mooney landed one of seven slots in the prestigious graduate-level jazz education program in 2007, the year the institute moved from the University of California, Los Angeles to Loyola University in New Orleans. It's been a whirlwind ever since.

NolaFunk Lagniappe

Second Line Social's Mardi Gras feature on Brass Bands

As promised, and in celebration of Mardi Gras, here is my secret little treasure. I have been on the hunt for Brass Band 45s for several years now. Needless to say, there aren't very many. There is a far more extensive library on LP, but even then, it is hard to find the really good stuff. I was first exposed to this music in the mid-90's by a roommate who had the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's Voodoo LP (which by the way has a fantastic version of Bobby Wommack's "It's all over now" w/ Dr. John on the vocals). The initial pull for me was the instrumental brass sound of Dixieland jazz basically "funked" up. The modern Brass Band style has come to incorporate the groovier elements of soul, funk and blues musics, while staying rooted in the early jazz traditions. It is not uncommon nowadays to hear a Brass Band do a cover of a Gap Band song, followed by a gospel traditional, like "I'll fly away". It wasn't until the late 70s and throughout the 80's that Brass Bands adapted to modern music like this. As far as my research has taught me, there is really only 1 band who were the pioneers and trendsetters in this area. That band was Harold Dejan's Olympia Brass Band. To this day, there is no Brass Band who has been so influential to not only Brass Bands, but to New Orleans' jazzy, soulful history.

Dejan's Olympia Brass Band -
Mardi Gras In New Orleans

Dejan's Olympia Brass Band -
It Ain't My Fault

Dirty Dozen Brass Band -
Feet Can't Fail Me Now

Rebirth Brass Band -
Do Watcha Wanna

Hot 8 Brass Band -
Sexual Healing

Floyd Anckle & Majestic Brass Band -
Hey Pocky-A-Way

Chris Rose talks about Mardi Gras with Zulu's 'Mr. Big Stuff'

He is best known as a high-profile lawyer around town -- civil and criminal courts. Stephen Rue is also a budding filmmaker, having worked three years so far on a Hurricane Katrina documentary set for release in time to commemorate the fifth anniversary.

The 48-year-old Metairie native is the former King of the Knights of Jayson (2006) and he rode in Endymion for 13 years. But now he is in for the ride of his life: Rue is Mr. Big Stuff for the 100th anniversary Zulu parade on Fat Tuesday.

Facing down fate, forging a destiny: The Hot 8's Terrell 'Burger' Batiste

It is beyond question that in the New Orleans music community, The Hot 8 Brass Band has suffered more than its fair share of tragedy. In the 14 years that they've been together, they have lost four members by way of violent killings - one member was killed by the NOPD in broad daylight in full view of a crowd. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding devastated the city, swallowing up their worldly possessions and dispersing throughout the country the tight-knit community that anchors and inspires their creative expression.

On Mardi Gras, a new big chief will hit the streets in 7th Ward

The city's newest big chief stapled sky-blue, custom-dyed quills onto the right side of his crown from a package labeled "right." Then he moved to the other side, using a bag labeled "left," which held quills from a bird's left side.

For the center, he chose an even quill that bent neither right nor left. Then he gently broke its curve, so that it stood erect at the crown's top.

It takes years to learn how to get a crown just right. Especially a big chief's crown like this, which Jermaine Cooper Bossier plans to debut on Mardi Gras morning with his new Mardi Gras Indian tribe, the 7th Ward Creole Hunters.

Rob Wagner Trio, Snug Harbor, 2/14/09

Following a set from jazz great Ellis Marsalis (whose weekly Snug shows are a must for anyone visiting the Big Easy), saxophonist Rob Wagner joined by drummer Simon Lott and bassist Jesse Morrow took to the stage, began warming up, and, without much notice, set off on a far reaching journey.

Henry Butler - PiaNOLA Live

The eight-time WC Handy Piano Player of the Year, Henry Butler returns to the wax in a soaring tribute to his home city of New Orleans. In his first purely solo performance, this live set is a collection of eleven live recordings over recent years. Covering pop, R&B, soul, blues, and jazz; Butler searches for answers and questions about the Hurricane Katrina tragedy from every perspective. This is a resounding tribute to the musical spirit of the Crescent City and Butler is surely ranked amongst its legendary purveyors.

Probably a little hard to access for some because of both the length and the arching textures and rolls and flourishes that Butler takes liberty to demonstrate on such classics as "Basin St. Blues," Ernie K-Doe's "Mother-in-Law," Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Somethin' You Got," "You Are My Sunshine," "Tipitina," Billy Preston's "Will It Go 'Round In Circles," and "Ol' Man River." As you can see, this is mostly a covers record but their subject matter purely encompass Butler's vision of his home and also have enough spacing in them for Butler to demonstrate his virtuosity.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band Cuts New Album!

That's right, ladies and gentlemen. A brand-new Preservation Hall Jazz Band CD is in the works. Here in New Orleans, we've had the pleasure of enjoying performances from the full touring lineup of our world-famous group for several weekends running while they put down the tracks for this exciting new album. Recorded right here in the performance space at Preservation Hall, this album is shaping up to be a beautiful representation of our amazing new lineup at their finest. We can't tell you what songs will appear on the finished product yet, but we can tell you who's playing them!

Long Live The [Morning 40] Federation!

Ladies and Gentlemen, if you hadn't heard, this past Friday marked the final show of downtown New Orleans beloved Morning 40 Federation. They were our friends. They were our family. AND THEY ALWAYS WILL BE!!! Ten long years of debauched entertainment later, they're going on indefinite hiatus. Have we seen the last of The Bywater's Best? Unlikely. But until we meet again...