Upcoming: Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars @ le poisson rouge

Upcoming: Marco Bevenevento's Fat Tuesday Tribute to James Booker feat Johnny Vidacovich

Nolafunk Fat Tuesday Party!

Marco Benevento's Tribute to James Booker

w/ Johnny Vidacovich & Andy Hess + special guests

Tuesday February 12 @ Brooklyn Bowl

Tix/Info

This Thursday: Voice of the Wetlands @ Highline Ballroom

Upcoming: Voice of the Wetlands All Stars return to Highline Ballroom

In Pictures: Second Weekend of Jazzfest 2010 (& Daze Between)

By Dino Perrucci Photography 7th Ward Creole Hunters - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/29/10 North Mississippi Allstars w/Roosevelt Collier & Big Sam Williams - Tipitina's, New Orleans 4/29/10 John Gros - Carrolton Station, New Orleans 4/29/10

Big Chief Donald Harrison Jr. - New Orleans 4/28/10 Railroad Earth - Tipitina's, New Orleans 4/28/10

Johnny Vidacovich - d.b.a. New Orleans 4/27/10 June Yamagishi & George Porter Jr - d.b.a. New Orleans 4/27/10 Livingston Leo - Mimi's in the Marigny, New Orleans 4/27/10 New Orleans Social Club - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/30/10 Jon Batiste - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/30/10 Irma Thomas - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 5/1/10 Galactic - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 5/1/10

In Pictures: Johnny Vidacovich @ Blue Note

By Dino Perrucci Photography

Johnny Vidacovich - The Blue Note, NYC 1/13/10



Johnny Vidacovich - The Blue Note, NYC 1/13/10

NolaFunk Lagniappe

Walter "Wolfman" Washington and the Roadmasters, Maple Leaf, 1/2/09

With 2009 just getting under way, I thought that I’d devote my first show of the year to catching my favorite act of 2008, Walter “Wolfman” Washington. Whether he’s rolling with his band, the Roadmasters, or knocking around with his friends, Joe Krown and Russell Batiste, there’s absolutely no comparison to the Wolfman’s tight, funky rhythm & blues.

Home of the Groove's 2008 YEAR END CD REVIEWS

As you can see, I've been taking a brief break from music posting here on da blog, but not from my behind the scenes vinyl pursuits. Stay tuned for more from the HOTG archives, coming real soon as Carnival season fires up. But, now, once again (may be the last time, I don't know) I come to you with a stack of CDs by my side. It's time for my annual list of some of the mainly Crescent City music in the digital domain I bought this year. With a few exceptions, the funk quotient is high on all. I do this list mainly to give props and support to the local musicians who still are putting out exceptional music - since most of the rest of the year, we groove to the drums of distant decades, focusing on records long past their prime. Most of these CDs came out in '08, although a few are '07 vintage - still recent. . . in geezer-time. You may note that the majority were independently released by the bands themselves, which is commendable, since record companies are part of the problem - but availability can be limited. It's up to you to dig down and support New Orleans and Louisiana musicians and help insure their survival. Make the effort, invest in as many of their CDs or downloads as you can. Experience the artists live whenever you get a chance. You'll reap the rewards.

Rotary Downs To Play Cannes!

Rotary Downs

You know that proud feeling when one of your own "makes good"? We're riding that vibe with word that Rotary Downs will perform a showcase at MIDEM, the world's largest music conference, which takes place in Cannes, France!

Allen Toussaint to perform his greatest hits with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra

During the New Orleans Songwriters Festival's culminating concert Dec. 6 at the House of Blues, Allen Toussaint sat alone at the piano and teased "Southern Nights" into a 10-minute, stream-of-consciousness narrative of childhood trips to the country.

Irma Thomas, Kermit Ruffins and more shined along with the newly reopened Mahalia Jackson Theater

New Orleans music does not require the dank air of a nightclub or the muddy fields of the Fair Grounds to thrive. On Thursday night it translated just fine in the tony environs of the glittering, newly refurbished Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts.

Good News From New Orleans!

Regular readers will be familiar with FMC's efforts to help New Orleans musicians, like our annual Artist Activism Camp and benefit concert, where artists from around the country come together to discuss best practices for advocacy and play a show to help NOLA musicians still struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

One such musician, Al "Carnival Time" Johnson, just got great news. As of December 29, the New Orleans R&B and Mardis Gras legend has brand new digs, courtesy Habitat for Humanity. Al lost everything in Katrina, including his longtime dwelling in the Lower Ninth Ward. Now he can finally come home. This was a long time coming, and represents the hard work and generous support of individuals and groups like Sweet Home New Orleans — a non-profit that helps Big Easy artists get back to their neighborhoods and communities.

Download A Song, Help Build A Home In New Orleans

I know there are plenty of you out there who may have forgotten that the city of New Orleans still needs your help and the good people of New Orleans still need homes. One man who has not forgotten is Josh Charles.

Josh was in the process of making New Orleans his home when Katrina devastated that great city. He was forced to get on one of the last buses out of the city and into Houston. A brilliant piano player who has studied and played with Dr. John, Wynton Marsalis and The Meters, Charles was scheduled to hit the recording studio the day after Katrina roared through town, claiming lives and flooding homes and businesses. Three months after the storm, Josh made that return trip to begin his scheduled recording with Dr. John's band and found people displaced, heartbroken, and hungry. Troubled by images that will never leave him, he wrote "Healing Time"

Savor the sound of the Crescent City

New Orleans without music? That's like Venice without canals -- and just as hard to imagine. Music weaves New Orleans' past with its present, and the infinite jazz variations -- from the ethereal warble of classic Dixieland to the tuba-powered street funk of brass bands -- serve as a soundtrack to this storied city.

New Orleans music sounds sweeter today, and here's why: In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, few were certain the streets would resound as they once did.

It's not that clubs flooded and venues were wiped out -- many were on high ground and survived just fine -- but the rising waters took out much of the city's affordable housing and its tourism industry. That uncertain future made it unclear whether pass-the-hat musicians and hardworking club regulars would be able to regain their footing in the city.

But several groups took the lead to ensure that musicians would still have a home in New Orleans. Locally revered nightclub Tipitina's earmarks its proceeds to help musicians return to town and to put musical instruments back into the flooded schools.

Funkify Your Life Part 1: Eric Lindell/Bonerama, Tipitina's

Sometimes there’s just no fighting it. Funk – it slips up on you. Its power is mind absorbing and its pulse, body moving, and sometimes your being just craves it. At that point, there’s no escape; you ease into the groove, yielding yourself and your psyche to the rhythm. Recently, I felt a bit funk depraved. And there’s no excuse for that in New Orleans. So, I set out on a funk fueled weekend and caught some of the Crescent City’s finest: Eric Lindell, Bonerama, The Trio (featuring Johnny Vidacovich, George Porter Jr., John Gros, and special guest Kirk Joseph), and PBS (Porter Batiste Stoltz).

Funkify Your Life Part 2: PBS/The Trio, Howlin' Wolf,

When it comes to funk, it comes in waves. And when it hits you, you ride it out. So that’s just what I did. After, diving into the best Bonerama and Eric Lindell had to offer, I was ready to ride the weekend out at the Howlin’ Wolf with the avant-garde grooves of The Trio and the power-funk jams of PBS.

The Trio, anchored by bassist George Porter Jr. and drummer Johnny Vidacovich and supplemented by an open invitation to a number their fellow brothers-in-arms, is at its core a group dedicated to the soul of improvisation. Both institutions in their own rights, longtime compatriots Porter and Vidacovich are dedicated to upholding the spirit of the city they call home. Over the years, the have laid it down in the streets of the Crescent City like few before them, and today, their presence is as strong as ever. When they get together, all conventions are set aside; they converse without inhibition, musically exploring the grooves that unite them.

Upcoming: Robert Walter Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich & James Singleton

ROBERT WALTER TRIO Featuring: Sp. Guests JOHNNY VIDACOVICH + JAMES SINGLETON 2008-10-03 11:30PM Doors @ 11PM $15.00 Advance $18.00 Day of Show Soul jazz organist Robert Walter built a reputation as one of America’s heaviest jazz-funk crossover musicians. He earned international acclaim for his work with the Greyboy Allstars, who were credited with bringing the 60s/70s soul jazz sound to a modern jamband audience. Robert Walter toured extensively in the U.S. and Europe for the past 15 years with the Greyboy Allstars and his own ensemble 20th Congress. His new album, Cure All, is available now from Palmetto Records. Robert wrote this collection of originals with a couple of players in mind -- drummer Johnny Vidacovich and bassist James Singleton. The Robert Walter Trio will be touring in support of the recent release, so keep an eye on the show listings. Robert wrote this collection of originals with drummer Johnny Vidacovich and bassist James Singleton in mind. Johnny is an elder statesman in New Orleans. He taught many of the local drummers and has been a fixture of the music scene there all his life. James Singleton has an intimate and extensive affiliation with the New Orleans music scene and a member of Astral Project, a fixture there since 1978. UPDATE: In Pictures Robert Walter Trio - BB King's, NYC 10/3/08

NolaFunk Lagniappe

Creole Wild West: A panel and performance by legendary Indian tribe




Johnny Vidacovich's road to recovery

In a city laden with renowned drummers, Vidacovich is iconic. As a boy, older musicians picked him up "to go play music" -- labels, he thus learned, were best ignored. His animated, idiosyncratic style is rooted in New Orleans street beats, but is highly adaptable and expressive.

He's ignited stages around the globe and appeared on more than 250 recordings. His modern jazz ensemble Astral Project, founded in 1978, released its sixth studio album, "Blue Streak," during the 2008 Jazzfest.

His influence extends deep into the next generation. Galactic's Stanton Moore, World Leader Pretend's Arthur Mintz and jazz-funk-hip-hop drummer Kevin O'Day all studied in his house. Former student Brian Blade -- whose credits include Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones and Wayne Shorter -- adorns the July cover of Modern Drummer magazine and cites Vidacovich's influence in the accompanying interview.

Rebirth Brass Band | 06.13 | SF

The fact that colossal bands have been born and bred in New Orleans is no secret, but those that have stayed after Hurricane Katrina aren't as common. It's a city built under sea level with streets full of charm, gravesites above ground and "Fishwater" dumping through sloshing gutters. But, it is also a city of devastation that has displaced many musicians. One band that has stayed pre, post and in the face of more potential hurricanes is the Rebirth Brass Band. In essence, Rebirth represents what New Orleans was, and what she is now. They deserve credit when you hear big horns and think of New Orleans.

Chris Rose: 60-Second Interview with Carlo Nuccio

The people and places in the Royal Fingerbowl pantheon seem so down and out.

Anyone who has been through the trials and tribs of being a severe boozer and hanging out in bars as much as Alex and I have will encounter some pretty seedy characters. And they're hard not to recognize and pen a song about. I mean, there are certain things you can pick up from hanging out in a bar and seeing somebody fall off his stool.

Letter from the Soul Rebels' Manager

Looking out from the stage the crowd looked like a sea of people
hypnotized by the power of the Soul Rebels music. They had never seen
anything like it before. The head music critic in the country came up
to us after the show almost in tears and speechless to tell us it was
the most incredible music he has ever seen come to Greece. In a time
when it seems the world is falling apart and people don't know what to
think of Americans anymore, it meant so much when Winston (the
trombone player) said to the crowd at the end of the concert, "We wish
you peace from New Orleans and peace from the U.S.A." We left the
stage with peace symbols in the air as the whole crowd chanted "Soul
Rebels, Soul Rebels, Soul Rebels...."

Something Else's: New Orleans singing legend Aaron Neville

"We don't argue any more than any other family," Neville says. "The worst it might be is over the order of songs on the set list." They still travel together, in one configuration or another. They are also still growing together, this time toward the Lord.

Music Review: Walter "Wolfman" Washington - Doin' The Funky Thing

"Good stuff — especially if you like to get down and a little funky with a New Orleans legend."

Music from Basin Street

Listen to this weeks musical recommendations from Basin Street.

420 New Orleans Music Show #22




John Ellis & Double-Wide: Dance Like There's No Tomorrow

"Each of the players on this album shine, both independently and as a member of the quartet, with Ellis' compositions standing up to the brilliance of his past works. If you have enjoyed previous John Ellis releases, you will surely enjoy this one."