The annual springtime avalanche of new New Orleans music did not
disappoint this year, as artists hustled to release new products in time
for the New Orleans Jazz Fest. The following is an alphabetical overview of notable new releases this season.
Theresa Andersson, Street Parade, Basin Street Records | Review
The New Orleans-by-way-of-Sweden singer, songwriter and violinist
orchestrates another collection of lush, sometimes ethereal pop.
Glen David Andrews, Live at Three Muses, GDA Music Group
The charismatic trombonist and singer sought to capture the energy of
his live shows by recording a typically eclectic, sweaty set of
gospel/blues on Frenchmen Street.
Tab Benoit, Legacy: The Best of Tab Benoit, Telarc
Drawn from the south Louisiana guitarist's previous releases, this
collection includes his takes on songs by Otis Redding, Screamin' Jay
Hawkins, Buddy Miller and his pals in Louisiana LeRoux.
Mia Borders, Wherever There Is, Independent
The blues/rock/soul singer, guitarist and songwriter considers
"Wherever There Is" to be her first full-length, full-blown album.
John Boutte, All About Everything, Independent
The bantamweight gospel and jazz singer, best known for "Treme Song,"
covers classics by Leonard Cohen ("Hallelujah") and Billy Strayhorn
("Lush Life") alongside new or little-known compositions by Allen
Toussaint, Alex McMurray and Paul Sanchez.
Evan Christopher, Clarinet Road Vol. III: In Sidney's Footsteps, STR Digital Records
The adventurous jazz clarinetist continues his "Clarinet Road" series with a set inspired by Sidney Bechet.
Jon Cleary, Occapella,Fhq Records | Review
The ever-tasteful funk and R&B keyboardist and singer reimagines
songs from the Allen Toussaint catalog. Highlights include a spooky
"Southern Nights," a solo piano "Fortune Teller" and the a cappella
title track.
Debbie Davis, It's Not the Years, It's the Miles, Threadhead Records
The Pfister Sister and an extensive musical cast that includes her
husband, bassist and sousaphonist Matt Perrine, cover songs by local
tunesmiths Alex McMurray -- he wrote the title track -- and Paul Sanchez
and recording engineer Mark Bingham. Davis and pianist Bobby Lounge
tear up the 1920s-era blues "Trouble in Mind." She and Perrine also
arrange covers of songs by Amy Winehouse ("You Know I'm No Good"), the
Beatles ("Things We Said Today") and Irving Berlin ("You'd Be
Surprised").
Kristin Diable, Kristin Diable & the City, Speakeasy Records
One of the city's stars-in-waiting, Diable deploys a sensuous, smoky
voice on a crisply produced set of languid Americana music, all of it
written by her.
Ani DiFranco, Which Side Are You On?,Righteous Babe Records
An adopted New Orleanian, DiFranco steps out on a typically engaged
program informed by such locals as Cyril and Ivan Neville, Derrick Tabb,
Mark Mullins, Matt Perrine and her husband/producer, Mike Napolitano.
Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Twenty Dozen, Savoy Jazz
The 35-years-young Dirty Dozen kicks brass on original compositions,
Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music" and such standards as "Paul Barbarin's
Second Line," "E-Flat Blues" and "When the Saints Go Marching In."
Dr. John, Locked Down, Nonesuch | Review
Dr. John is reborn courtesy of "Locked Down" producer Dan Auerbach,
best known as the Black Keys' guitarist. Auerbach assembled a simpatico
young band and persuaded Dr. John to play only keyboards -- no piano.
The result is the best Dr. John album in years.
Galactic, Carnivale Electricos, Anti- Records | Review
The forward-thinking nouveau funk band transports Carnival music from
Brazil to New Orleans -- including guest Al Johnson's classic "Carnival
Time" -- back to the future with loops, samples and other sound
effects.
Gypsyphonic Disko, NOLAphonic Vol 2, Independent
The second release by Galactic saxophonist Ben Ellman's side project
is another mash-up of Eastern European gypsy music and New Orleans
bounce rap.
Hurray for the Riff Raff, Look Out Mama, Born to Win
The country/folk/Americana ensemble deploys acoustic guitars, fiddle,
harmonica, piano, bass and drums in support of former street singer
Alynda Lee Segarra's come-hither contralto. "What's Wrong With Me?"
sounds like a lost slow dance beamed in from a 1962 prom.
The Iguanas,Sin to Sin,PFAM
The city's long-running Latin/rhythm & blues dance band breaks a
multiyear recording hiatus to range from the nimble sax and cantina
groove of "Oye Mi Cumbia" to the rocked-out electric guitars of "Waiting
for My Gin to Hit Me."
Little Freddie King, Chasing Tha Blues, MadeWright Records
King's latest audio journal features tales of misadventure set to his
rough-hewn style of electric blues guitar, with accompaniment from his
road-tested band and guest guitarist Greg Schatz.
Joe Krown, Exposed, Independent
The keyboardist steps away from his trio for an album of solo piano.
He covers the Big Three of New Orleans piano -- Professor Longhair,
James Booker and Allen Toussaint -- but mostly ruminates on original
material.
Eric Lindell, I Still Love You, Sparco Records
A brand-new collection from the prolific roots rock, blues 'n' boogie
guitarist and songwriter, anchored by Marc Adams' piano and organ and
Brad Walker's tenor saxophone.
Tom McDermott & Meschiya Lake, Live at Chickie Wah Wah, Independent
McDermott, a fluent and versatile pianist, and Lake, an equally
versatile singer who can range well beyond her hot jazz base, capture
their weekly duo gig on record.
Anders Osborne, Black Eye Galaxy, Alligator Records
Osborne's addiction and recovery continue to provide fodder for his
amped-up guitar explorations, including the spacey, seven-plus minute
"Mind of a Junkie."
Papa Grows Funk, Needle in the Groove, Independent
Allen Toussaint and Better Than Ezra bassist Tom Drummond split
production duties on the dependably funky PGF's latest, and most
consistent, original album.
Nicholas Payton, Bitches,In + Out Records
The jazz trumpeter abandons his signature sound and instrument to try
singing R&B, with decidedly mixed results. The synthesizer,
programmed beats and distorted voice of "By My Side" makes for a tough
opening; Ne-Yo has nothing to fear. "Bitches" was originally available
only as a download, but is now out on CD. Cassandra Wilson and Esperanza
Spalding guest.
The Revivalists, City of Sound, Independent | Review
Galactic's Ben Ellman produced this poised and polished second album from the city's preeminent next-generation rock band.
Paul Sanchez & Colman DeKay, Nine Lives: A Musical Story of New Orleans, Threadhead/Mystery Street Records
Populated by scores of local musicians, the full 39-song, two-CD
edition of the musical based on author Dan Baum's acclaimed New Orleans
odyssey "Nine Lives" is now available.
Soul Rebels, Unlock Your Mind, Rounder Records
The Rebels are still a brass band at heart, but also rap or sing on
several songs. They brass up originals and covers of the Eurythmics'
"Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" and Lee Dorsey's "Night People." Cyril
Neville and Meters guitarist Leo Nocentelli guest.
Various artists, Treme: Music from the HBO Original Series, Vol.2, Rounder Records
Consisting of songs recorded live for the TV show, the second volume
of "Treme" music features the Hot 8 and Rebirth brass bands, Jon Cleary,
the Subdudes, the Radiators, the Iguanas, John Boutte, Tom McDermott,
Kermit Ruffins, and Steve Riley paired with Steve Earle. Catch some of
the cast and crew will be signing CDs and DVDs Sunday at 4 p.m. in the
Book Tent.
Various artists, Ingrid Lucia Presents New Orleans Female Vocalists, American Brat Collaborations
Ingrid Lucia, Kristin Diable, Margie Perez, the Pfister Sisters,
Linnzi Zaorski, Sarah Quintana, Trisha Boutte, Sophie Lee, Meschiya
Lake, Vanessa "Gal Holiday" Niemann and Alexandra Scott, among others,
contribute original recordings.
Dr. Michael White, Adventures in New Orleans Jazz, Vol. 2, Basin Street Records
On his latest "Adventure," the traditional jazz clarinetist takes on
such nontraditional fare as the Turtles' "Happy Together," Janis
Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" and Hank Williams' "Jambalaya."
Kipori Woods, Blues Gone Wild, Louisiana Red Hot
Skip the cover of "Meet Me with Your Black Drawers On." The original
material that follows better showcases the fireworks the local blues
guitarist is capable of detonating.
Of all the great music that's come out of Louisiana - jazz, zydeco, Cajun - it's surprising New Orleans has never had more influence in the rock world. There ha...ve been some middling national acts (Better Than Ezra, Cowboy Mouth), some great metal (Pantera, Zebra), and a few one-hit wonderboys that wouldn't even make a good pub quiz question.
In the last few years, that's been changing - especially since Hurricane Katrina. The city's DIY approach to recovery has been applied to the local music scene as well, with great results. Theresa Andersson's one-woman acoustic performances (taped in her kitchen) have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube. Just this month, New Orleans' top power-pop combo, Generationals, were named to the New York Times' "Nifty 50" list of upcoming national talent.
These are just two of the artists spotlighted in EAR TO THE GROUND: NEW ORLEANS, a collection curated by the staff of Gambit, New Orleans' alt-weekly paper. We still love our jazz and our brass bands, but this collection is like wandering off Bourbon Street and going deep into the neighborhoods where the people live and play. Enjoy!
Meet southern Louisiana's Of Montreal or Dirty Projectors. The Lafayette quartet sends rainbow waves of shining Afro-beat, sing-along psychedelics and colorful dance-pop, all wrapped around mountains of smiling guitars and electronics and the playful harmonies of vocalists Taylor Guarisco and Teddy Lamson. (Alex Woodward)
The one man in One Man Machine, Bernard Pearce, is the perfect mascot for this new age of New Orleans music: he's both challenging and rewarding, gregarious and scarily intense. "Get My Sound," the title track from his 2008 debut, offers a typically narcotized haze of psychedelic texture, brass-band exuberance and unbridled funk. (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
The latest effort from the veteran punks (read: Red Beards, Big Baby, Faeries, Hatchback) is another reliably brilliant notch in the members' belts. Lovey Dovies genuflects at the altar of '90s indie rock, recalling shoegaze with pop hooks and loud, loud, loud rock 'n' roll, à la Sebadoh, Sonic Youth, and Dinosaur Jr. (Alex Woodward)
Trumpet-for-hire Michael Girardot takes center stage with this nascent quartet and proves his singing voice is just as impacting as his instrument's. The lead-off track from the band's 2009 debut, Hey Kid, "Rocketship" veers from searing guitars and synthesizers into a mellifluous vocal base jump. (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
The psychedelic thrash duo bounces from light-hearted head-bobbing gymnastics to total sonic explosions, sometimes in the same breath. Drummer Sean Hart and vocalist/guitarist Chris Rehm take their cues from their noise-pop contemporaries, as well as pop deconstructionists Animal Collective and the ear-destroying duo Lightning Bolt. (Alex Woodward)
Songs by this Ruston-cum-New Orleans quintet play out more like movements in a rollicking psych-rock sonata. The opener of its debut EP, Old Books (Park the Van), "Rainbows" is all moody melody: angelic vocals and keyboard and guitar arpeggios raining down on shimmering cymbals for seven dramatic minutes. (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
With a busker's aesthetic and the pull of a pied piper, Grand Rapids, MI, transplant Murrell entrances using only a reedy, windswept voice and feathery guitar work. "Watching the Clouds" is his "Long and Winding Road," a player-piano backing track and soft gospel chorus lending a lush, dreamlike quality to this '70s soft-rock crush. (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
Micah McKee's whiskey-caked growl carries the fire of New Orleans music, performed none better than by these old souls in new bodies. A brass duo and perfectly in-the-pocket rhythm swim against reverb, guitars, and keys, all bursting with melancholy and joy - barstool blues and a chorus in concrete heaven. (Alex Woodward)
These Seattle transplants shacked up in the Bayou St. John neighborhood and turned into New Orleans music fanboys. Warm soul now punctuates the garage rock trio's approach to classical pop - all the fuzzy melodies and psychedelic hooks of the Kinks and Zombies for punk-rockers. (Alex Woodward)
Swedish-born songstress Andersson metamorphosed on 2008's Hummingbird, Go! (Basin Street) from roots-rocking fiddler to wings-spreading pop seraph. "Birds Fly Away" shows off her proficiency with recording pedals, layering handclaps, girl-group harmonies and drums, and pizzicato plucking - all played and looped by Andersson. (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
This is the shift from the southern sludge of the likes of Down and Eyehategod. Thou revels in Black Sabbath worship and doom-like drone, preaching from the pits of the bayou. Sharing thrones in both Baton Rouge and New Orleans, the band rules a demon world of crushing, low-end obliteration and endless riff dirges. (Alex Woodward)
Big Ship performs the songs for when the music stops. It's apocalyptic folk, the stuff you'd expect the Bywater septet - all brass, banjos, accordions, and other miscellany — to glean from rotten streets and the gloom of lifeless neighborhoods, capturing a decayed city better than any post-Katrina bluesman. (Alex Woodward)
Music teacher Michael Patrick Welch co-opted the derogatory handle awarded him by some pupils, so it's no surprise that his "Hurricane Party" is the ultimate Katrina deflator: a nostalgic New Wave intro, funky Of Montreal falsettos, and the ne plus ultra of Dirty Coast refrains ("There should at least be a fuckin' beach"). (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
BBM has been quietly churning out quality pop-rock without much flash for the better part of the past decade. Led by singer/guitarist Dave Fera and supported by a cast that reaches 11, the band is at its best on "Had Enough," whose staccato strings and forlorn tones give way in the last minute to a heartbreaking, hair-raising finish by Fera. (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
Singer-songwriter John Michael Rouchell's 2008 song-a-week recording project blossomed in 2009 into a superior live act, with a performing polish and kinetic prickle that's unmatched in New Orleans outside of jazz circles. Slick showcase "Misery Runs" glides by on group-shouted hooks, a wistful brass bridge and galloping percussion. (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
This six-piece ska powerhouse started building its empire in high school. Now twenty-somethings, the crew (West Bank born and raised), grew up with a steady diet of jazz, reggae, and hardcore punk, and thrives with constant tours, sweat ethic, and a DIY attitude. (Alex Woodward)
With a strong dose of '60s nostalgia, this sunshining pop-rock outfit smothers bright, fuzzy riffs over doo-wop country-folk, with the happy psychedelics of the Elephant 6 collective and the current indie-pop sensibilities of the Apples in Stereo, The Shins, and Olivia Tremor Control. (Alex Woodward)
Stalwarts of the local rock scene, Rotary Downs broke out in 2007 with Chained to the Chariot, which balanced pop appeal and the band's spacey experimentalism. "Indian Summer," the first single from the group's as-yet-untitled 2010 album, pushes the former even further with four-alarm guitars and a transformative "ba-ba-ba-ba-ba" vocal bridge. (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
Sepia-tone soul butts up against Casiotone pop on Generationals' 2009 debut, Con Law (Park the Van), whose songs sound not just like they came from different bands, but different eras. Consider "Faces in the Dark" the time machine: a shuffling Spoon strum, bubbly Motown bass, and a lovely, loping Brill Building chorus. (Noah Bonaparte Pais)
This year’s Saints have prompted a number of artists to record their own Saints song, so Carlo Nuccio – who wrote and recorded the original “Who Dat” more than 25 years ago – has returned with “Glory Bound,” an update of the song. The song features the return of Aaron Neville, who sang the song the first time around, and Theresa Andersson, along with Ivan Neville, Jon Cleary, Matt Perrine, Barry Foulon, Shamarr Allen, Joe Cabral, Ben Schenck, Jimi Burtchaell, Alex McMurray, Paul Sanchez, Derrick Freeman and Rob Schafer. The song will be available soon on iTunes, but here’s a preview in honor of tonight’s game.
I'm back from Jazzfest and lots of recaps to follow. In the meantime, here's Groovescape's second weekend preview...
Here we go again… The second weekend of Jazzfest 2009 kicks off tomorrow. Are you ready for the home stretch? You know we are! Between the hours of 11:00am and 7:00pm each day, roughly 60 artists will be letting it all hang out at the Fair Grounds. Among them are: Theresa Andersson, the Meter Men, Emmylou Harris, John Scofield & the Piety Street Band, Beau Soleil avec Michael Doucet, Zachary Richard, Dr. John, John Mayhall, Allen Toussaint, Neil Young, Buddy Guy, the Neville Brothers and many, many more. While it may me impossible to catch every set, there’s certainly more than enough talent going around to fill your soul. Just as we did last week, we’ve compiled a list of our top 10 picks for each day of the Fest. Continue reading for information on the artists, stages, dates and times…
SC: I read where you called your music “Fish Head” music. Could you explain the concept behind this term?
EV: You know, we wanna be together for around 30,000 years and became a new geologic era on the planet and call it the “Era of the Fish Head Band” or the “The Radiocraphine Period” of life on the planet, but we’re gonna have to see. Trying to go for the geologic thing is kinda ambitious. Maybe that answer was a cock-eyed spirit of what Fish Head is all about. I’m the main writer, and I concocted something for you right there. That’s what Fish Head is all about: an imaginative play.
For years, the Houma guitarist's Voice of the Wetlands organization has advocated for the restoration of Louisiana's coast. To promote the cause, Benoit and his all-star band performed during the recent Democratic and Republican national conventions -- just as Hurricane Gustav slammed his hometown.
For an encore, the lingering effects of Hurricane Ike nearly scuttled this weekend's Voice of the Wetlands Festival, Benoit's annual party with a purpose in Houma.
"Hold On, Help Is On the Way" (Davis/Tyler/Parker) G. Davis & R. Tyler, Parlo 102, 1966
"Hold On, Help Is On the Way" has long been on my short list of favorite instrumentals from New Orleans - not funk, just a classy, intensely hip mover and groover. I'd even venture to say it's one of the great R&B instrumentals, period. On it,George Davisgets a chance to let his guitar chops run free, at least for a little over two minutes of concentrated bliss. In the 1960s, his signature licks and solos graced a number of New Orleans records - the most well-known of which was Robert Parker's"Barefootin'". But, this virtuoso single is his only known solo outing from the old days. He shied away from being the front man, not even using his full name on the record, and giving his partner and friend, Red Tyler, co-billing on the A-side, though Red only had a supporting role on sax. Still, it was really George's show.
At its most baeorge porter, home of the groove, irvin mayfield, quintron and miss pussycat, radiators, susan cowsill, tab benoit, theresa andersson, voice of the wetlandssic, the title is reinforced by the cover art, which shows the New Orleans-born saxophonist standing in a seemingly limitless expanse of water representative, perhaps, of the floodwaters that covered much of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Take it to another level - the song is actually a 19th-century spiritual, and although Phillips' version is instrumental, he said some versions of the lyrics directed escaping slaves to the stations of the Underground Railway.
Take the historical connotations of the lyrics another step and there's a tie-in to Phillips' life after Katrina. Phillips didn't go north to escape slavery, but conditions in the flooded city caused him to leave New Orleans and rebuild his life in Portland, Ore. - thanks to the Portland Jazz Festival and Azumano Travel.
"That Jazz Life" documentary featuring Irvin Mayfield and Ronald Markham (CEO of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra)
Malone, singer/pianist Ed Volker, guitarist Camile Baudoin, bassist Reggie Scanlan and drummer Frank Bua have gotten through 30 years and counting. As evidenced by the three decades of audio odds and ends collected on "Wild & Free" (Radz Records), the Radiators have remained remarkably true to their unique identity as a Big Easy Little Feat.
They have issued nearly as many live albums as studio albums, indicative of their priorities. The stage is where they shine. They've supplied the soundtrack for everything from hometown Mardi Gras bacchanals to funky throwdowns in such un-funky locales as the St. Paul, Minn., theater where Garrison Keillor broadcasts "Prairie Home Companion."
The Storyville Stompers is a brass band that plays traditional New Orleans music, the kind that jazz and Dixieland are based on. They are known for their performances at Mardi Gras, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, The French Quarter Festival and numerous other national and international celebrations.
When they are around, everything else stops.
The band parades on foot through the streets of the city with a drum major leading as only a New Orleans drum major can, with a lively step and the waving parasol that that has become a legendry part of the New Orleans tradition.
For decades, the bands have renewed their sound in tandem with changes in popular culture. In the 1970s, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band shepherded funk and soul sounds into the tradition. The Rebirth Brass Band followed in the 1980s, and then the New Birth Brass Band, to name just the most prominent.
When Pete helped found the Hot 8 in 1995, a new generational change was afoot. New Orleans is a strong hip-hop city, with its own local "bounce" style, and the home to artists like Master P and Lil' Wayne; the Hot 8 sound makes room for rapped segments and staccato hip-hop beats, while sticking to classic brass-band instrumentation.
The original cast of the John Sinclair Radio Show was reunited at last on a bright Saturday afternoon at The Dolphins coffeeshop, and we celebrated with a program of terrific music, most of it from New Orleans, by Rockin’ Jake, Cyril Neville, Ivan Neville, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Rockie Charles, Guitar Slim Jr., Ironing Board Sam, Little Freddie King, Coco Robicheaux, Shannon McNally, and Bobby Charles.
His trombone playing was powerful and amazing as always, but man, something about his trumpet solos last night. 80+ years of trumpet playing, from Louis to Wynton, burst from Troy's horn in small, but brilliant, doses.
Fans have another chance to be dazzled by Theresa Andersson's live show this summer. After wrapping up a tour in Sweden, she will return this August for an extensive U.S. tour. With her toes turning knobs, as her hands strum guitar or bow a violin, and she sings with a charismatic smile that belies her intense concentration, Theresa Andersson's performances are little masterpieces of functional choreography.
I have photographed the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, both casually and on assignment, for over 20 years and it’s always a joy. These photos reflect my tastes (and this year, some weather conditions), which always run to the blues, jazz and roots end of the spectrum.
...the hoarse musician can barely hear my response above the din at BJ's, the downtown New Orleans bar where he's drinking at 4 p.m. on a Monday afternoon. He and his bandmates in the Morning 40 Federation emerged from the storied Ninth Ward almost a decade ago, and have since made a cottage industry out of daytime boozing: Their moniker refers to the habit of downing a 40-ounce beer at dawn, and all their slovenly horn-rock songs are about getting effed up, New Orleans–style. As in: thoroughly. As in: The last time they hit town, Scully puked on his monitor mid-set at Mercury Lounge.
Morning 40 Federation plays Mercury Lounge July 4 & Bar Nine July 5
The Democratic National Convention will step out to a decidedly Big Easy beat.
The 6,000 delegates expected to attend the Aug. 24 welcoming party at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver will groove to the Voice of the Wetlands All-stars featuring guitarist Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, Irma Thomas and Marva Wright, plus three of the four original Meters, the Soul Rebels Brass Band and the Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians.
Later that night, the same musicians are to perform during a private after-party at Denver's Fillmore Auditorium hosted by Friends of New Orleans, a non-profit, non-partisan Washington D.C. organization that advocates on behalf of New Orleans, and coastal restoration.
The Voice of the Wetlands All-stars are also performing Sept. 1 at a Friends of New Orleans, party during the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. Former Congressman Billy Tauzin and actor and FONO board member John Larroquette will host both the Denver and Minneapolis events, which New Orleans, community radio station WWOZ (90.7 FM) plans to broadcast live.
The VOW All-stars include Benoit, Cajun bandleader Waylon Thibodeaux, drummer Johnny Vidacovich, guitarist Anders Osborne, harmonica player Jumpin' Johnny Sansone, Mardi Gras Indian Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, bassist George Porter Jr. and percussionist Cyril Neville.
In Denver, the All-stars will be augmented by Thomas, Wright, Austin pianist Marcia Ball, saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr., Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, trombonist "Big" Sam Williams, sousaphonist Kirk Joseph, trumpeter James Andrews and singers Lauren Barrett and Mary McBride.
Additionally, Porter, guitarist Leo Nocentelli and drummer Zigaboo Modeliste of the Meters are expected to perform with Walter "Wolfman" Washington and other special guests.
We were told not to miss Henry Butler, he of the psychotic, off-the-hook right hand. He was playing in the New Orleans tent, which was dark, dust-free and nearly people-free, which provided a respite to what was going on just outside. Mr. Butler is one of the most celebrated pianists in a town – New Orleans — that has its share. He can do anything and often does, opening with a riff on Debussy or at least what sounded like one, and then vamping his way into “Let It Roll.” His hands did very different things and then came together and did precisely the same thing, with sparks nearly coming out when his paws collided. I watched a kid next to me spaz out during one of his more remarkable riffs, clicked my tongue in judgment and then found myself doing something similar five minutes later. The guy can go.
"On my to-do list for the first night was a visit to the new Somethin‚ Else stage, a venue dedicated to showcasing traditional New Orleans music, with the inaugural performance by the Soul Rebels brass band. The entry fee was a mandatory $5 donation, with proceeds going to charities that help out New Orleans musicians; for that small fee, less than a bottle of beer at the festival, you can enjoy music in an air-conditioned environment (and as far as I'm concerned, the only difference between Heaven and Bonnaroo is that Heaven has better air conditioning)."
The Bonnaroo folks did an amazing job on the Somethin' Else tent, with the appearance of a real New Orleans club. Let's say that if Tipitina's and the Maple Leaf had a baby, this is what it would look like. Of course, it didn't hurt that it was also air conditioned! I spent most of the weekend in there and truly felt like I never left New Orleans!
When Dr. John's Gris-Gris hit the rock underground in 1968, it wasn't certain whether its master of ceremonies had landed from outer space, or just been dredged out of hibernation from the Louisiana swamps. The blend of druggy deep blues, incantational background vocals, exotic mandolin and banjo trills, ritualistic percussion, interjections of free jazz, and Dr. John's own seductive-yet-menacing growl was like a psychedelic voodoo ceremony invading your living room. You could be forgiven for suspecting it of having been surreptitiously recorded in some afterhours den of black magic, the perpetuators of this misdeed risking life-threatening curses for having exposed these secret soundtracks to the public at large.
Flag Boy Slim of the Creole Wild West - Westbank 2008
Finally, a band we can all agree on. They make fairly straightforward, country-informed rock music featuring plainspoken vocals, guitar-based instrumentation and regular time signatures, which, theoretically, should place the band squarely in the crosshairs of Quint Davis and Co.
Sean Penn told us that he had bio-diesel busses waiting at the festival to drive anyone who wanted to come with him to New Orleans and that we'd be volunteering and meeting various groups and listening to speakers on the way. He promised to feed us and pay for our camping and told us that we would work hard but have fun.
"Volunteerism is the ultimate party and on that note I'm going to say something I have not said in 28 years, 'Hey buds, let's party!'"
I turned to Aim and shrugged my shoulders, "Why not?" She replied, "Let's go!" Just like that our decision was made. We had accepted the ultimate dare, and we were going to New Orleans with Sean Penn!
Here we go again… The second weekend of Jazzfest 2009 kicks off tomorrow. Are you ready for the home stretch? You know we are! Between the hours of 11:00am and 7:00pm each day, roughly 60 artists will be letting it all hang out at the Fair Grounds. Among them are: Theresa Andersson, the Meter Men, Emmylou Harris, John Scofield & the Piety Street Band, Beau Soleil avec Michael Doucet, Zachary Richard, Dr. John, John Mayhall, Allen Toussaint, Neil Young, Buddy Guy, the Neville Brothers and many, many more. While it may me impossible to catch every set, there’s certainly more than enough talent going around to fill your soul. Just as we did last week, we’ve compiled a list of our top 10 picks for each day of the Fest. Continue reading for information on the artists, stages, dates and times…
