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New Orleans Film Fest

Bounce beats

How New Orleans made hip-hop its own | by Jake Clapp THIS YEAR, THE WORLD IS CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIP-HOP,

one of the most significant cultural phenomena of the 20th century. Although there’s no exact date for the birth of hip-hop — and historians and hip-hop heads alike will forever argue about the sounds and events leading up to it — most of the world has agreed upon Aug. 11, 1973, when DJ Kool Herc publicly introduced his Merry-GoRound technique to extend a record’s percussive break. It took less than a decade for hip-hop to take a hold of New Orleans. “I think hip-hop culture began to really establish itself in New Orleans around ’82,” says Mia X. The New Orleans legend is a first-generation hiphop artist, getting her start as a teen in New York Incorporated with Mannie Fresh (page 16), DJ Wop and Denny D. Hip-hop grew out of the work of DJs first spinning, then isolating the breaks, and ultimately cutting and mixing from the disco and funk records of the time. Along with James Brown and Aretha Franklin, The Meters became go-to artists for pioneering DJs. Hip-hop’s path from its birthplace in the Northeast to New Orleans can be traced through Slick Leo Coakley (page 13). Born outside Washington, D.C., but growing up in New Orleans, Coakley traveled frequently to D.C. and New York just as hip-hop was evolving. He would eventually introduce those new DJ techniques to New Orleans through his club sets and radio shows, which in turn, influenced a new generation of artists, including Mannie Fresh, Captain Charles and DJ Ro. By the mid-’80s, DJ crews like the Brown Clowns, Rockers Revenge, Ninja Crew and New York Incorporated (page 20) were performing across the city as dance crews like the Hollygrove Creepers and Dragon Master Showcase put a New Orleans spin on breakdancing. By the mid-’80s, New Orleans rap singles started to appear, including Ninja Crews’ “We Destroy.” Gregory D would go on to work with Mannie Fresh and produce the widely popular “Buck Jump Time” a couple years later. By the ’90s, hip-hop was everywhere in the New Orleans area. From Marrero’s MC Thick to Hollygrove’s Dion “Devious” Norman, New Orleans was in the first of many creative waves in the hip-hop world — out of which, of course, came bounce music. DJ Irv and MC T Tucker dropped “Where Dey At?” in 1991.

Later that year, DJ Jimi, Devious and DJ Mellow Fellow released their competing “(The Original) Where They At?” sparking a p-poppin’ arms race in the city’s hip-hop community. Soon, artists like DJ Jubilee, Partners-NCrime and Pimp Daddy were leaving their mark on bounce, and “pussy popping” would become “twerkin’,” thanks to Cheeky Blakk’s 1994 “Twerk Something.” Early- and mid-’90s New Orleans also spawned two of the most influential record labels in the genre’s history: Bryan “Baby” Williams’ and Ronald “Slim” Williams’ Cash Money Records and Master P’s No Limit Records. By 1997, Cash Money had picked up B.G., Juvenile, Turk and Lil Wayne, who was then just 14. The next year the label signed a $30 million distribution deal with Universal Music Group, and by the end of 1999, it had four albums simultaneously in the top 20. No Limit’s 1998 run is nothing short of legendary, with releases by Soulja Slim (his debut album), Snoop Dogg, C-Murder, Silkk the Shocker, Mystikal, Mia X, Fiend, Kane & Abel and Master P — many of which sat near the top of the Billboard charts. Meanwhile, bounce was changing. In 1999, Take Fo’ Records released “Melpomene Block Party” by Katey Red, the first openly transgender rapper in bounce music. Following Katey Red came Big Freedia, Sissy Nobby, Vockah Redu and other openly LGBTQ performers carving out space in bounce. Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures scattered New Orleans rappers and producers across the country in 2005. And while many ultimately returned to New Orleans, there are many that did not or could not. New Orleans artists appropriately responded in their music, including 5th Ward Weebie’s beloved “Fuck Katrina.” Although No Limit and Cash Money (which relocated to Miami following Katrina) are now gone from the scene, a new generation of DJs and emcees have emerged over the last decade and a half. New Orleans hip-hop today is

Turk, Lil’ Wayne and Juvenile of the Hot Boys reunited with DJ Mannie Fresh during the 2015 Lil’ WeezyAna Festival. PHOTO BY ERIKA GOLDRING / THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

wide and diverse in sounds, from the deep-voiced propulsive Rob49, who has recently been gaining the most notice from the mainstream, to the alternative music made by $leazy EZ. Curren$y established his successful Jet Life Recordings label in 2009 and has become one of the genre’s most prolific and innovative producers and performers in the last decade. Meanwhile, the mainstream finally caught on to bounce. Beyonce, Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj all have incorporated bounce into their music, giving new international prominence to artists like Big Freedia and HaSizzle. The underground scene also has once again emerged as a creative force, giving rise to lyrical artists like Dee-1 and 3D Na’Tee. Truth Universal, the godfather of New Orleans’ underground hip-hop, gave an early platform to artists like Alfred Banks through his long-running open-mic at the Dragon’s Den. The community “is so diverse, and I think that can’t be said about a lot of other cities,” says Pell (page 30), who co-founded the hip-hop collective glbl wrmng. “A lot of other cities that are hubs for music, usually try to uniform their sound or convert their sound to fit into a box. Now, I feel like in New Orleans we’re witnessing a renaissance of expression from all the different corners. We’ve got 17 different wards, so we got 17 different experiences [needing] to be represented.”

The New Orleans Film Fest hits local theaters with roughly 30 narrative features and documentaries touching on everything from musical explorations in Cuba (“Musica!”) to a drama about a road trip to a drag pageant in the Philippines (“Asog”). Films with Louisiana connections include a profile of world champion pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis (“Born to Fly”), a drama about a juggalo weekend retreat gone wrong (“Off Ramp”), and a profile of a New Orleans woman released from prison despite a sentence of more than three life terms (“Commuted”). There also are nearly 100 short live action, animated and experimental films. Screening venues include Prytania Theatres, the Broad Theater and more. Screenings run Nov. 2-7, and many films are available online through Nov. 12. There’s a box office and festival hub at the CAC. Visit neworleansfilmsociety.org for tickets and information.

My Morning Jacket

After more than 20 years performing and eight albums, My Morning Jacket released a self-titled project on ATO records in 2021. The band needed no introduction for its mix of indie and Southern rock and guitarist and frontman Jim James’ distinct vocals. The Louisville band built a local following with joint performances with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. It’s back for another Halloween night show. At 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, at Orpheum Theater. Find tickets via orpheumnola.net.

PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD/ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Margaret Cho

Comedian Margaret Cho broke out in the early ’90s and soon starred in “All-American Girl,” a sitcom loosely based on her own experiences growing up in a Korean-American family. Since then, she’s done a little bit of everything, continuing to tour and appear on PAGE 27

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NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS

Hip-hop Hooray Ho, Hey, Ho, Hey, Ho, Hey, Ho

# TC OH EU N T

T H U M B S U P/ THUMBS DOWN

Hip-hop is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023. And what a 50 years it has been. What started at a back-to-school party in The Bronx in 1973 has grown into a globe-spanning culture and multibillion dollar industry. Hip-hop has come to influence everything from activist movements, education and grassroots political campaigns to branding for fashion, fast food and electronics.

THE NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE MC T TUCKER AND DJ IRV RECORDED “WHERE DEY AT?,” WIDELY CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST RECORDED BOUNCE SONGS. Rep. Steve Scalise Speaker Mike Johnson on winning the gavel. PHOTO BY ALEX BRANDON / THE AP

Juvenile has had a remarkable 2023. The New Orleans-born rapper is this year celebrating the 25th anniversary of his multi-platinum album “400 Degreez.” In the spring, Urban South Brewery released Juvie Juice, a spiked Arnold Palmer, in collaboration with Juvenile. He then took a can of his drink with him for a legendary performance on NPR’s Tiny Desk. He returned home to play the Essence Festival and has been spending the last few months playing massive shows around the country. To top it off, he’s received proclamations from Congress and the Louisiana Legislature recognizing his contributions to music.

Jeff Landry could be the least hiphop governor Louisiana has ever had — a noteworthy feat considering some of our past governors. Landry, as attorney general, opposed ending split jury verdicts; has supported a bill making public criminal records for juveniles, but only in majority-Black Louisiana cities; and has called Black Lives Matter protesters “armed thugs.”

Shreveport Republican Rep. Mike Johnson is the last man standing in weeks long fight for House speakership SHREVEPORT REPUBLICAN REP. MIKE JOHNSON WAS ELECTED SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE Oct. 25, becoming the first

Louisianan to wield the gavel in the House of Representatives and bringing an end to a nearly month-long stint in which the chamber had no leader. The 51-year-old Johnson did what fellow Louisianan – and longtime member of the House’s GOP leadership – House Majority Leader Steve Scalise could not: convince 220 of his fellow Republicans to back him for speaker. Johnson’s win capped an often surreal three-and-a-half week internal fight between various parts of the Republican Party, during which the party was unable to agree on which of their members they wanted to lead them. Johnson is a 2020 election denier who spearheaded an amicus brief from more than 100 House Republicans supporting a baseless legal challenge to President Joe Biden’s win. But unlike other election deniers in the House, Johnson is not considered a “bomb thrower” style lawmaker, in part due to his genial nature. Johnson is a devout evangelical Christian and over his career in the

state legislature and Congress has garnered a reputation as one of the few “serious” policy-minded members of the GOP’s far-right. He opposes women’s access to abortion care and pursued legislation while in the state legislature that would have undercut the civil rights of LGBTQ people in the state. What Johnson’s election will mean for Louisiana is unclear. At press time it was unclear if Scalise would remain in leadership. In the past having two members in leadership would be a huge coup for any given state – and would likely make securing federal resources and legislative help much easier. But that dynamic has collapsed in recent years as House Republicans have focused their attention on more national concerns like restricting abortion access. It’s also unclear how long Johnson will last as Speaker. The same problems that ran former Speaker Kevin McCarthy out of office will continue into Johnson’s term, including finding a compromise with Biden and the Senate on funding the government through the rest of the fiscal year. — John Stanton

The iconic 1991 track — along with DJ Jimi’s competing “(The Original) Where They At?” — laid the foundations for bounce after it became a near-instant hit, complete with a repeated command of “shake that ass” and a chant against David Duke. The song inspired a young Big Freedia — and has had a massive impact on today’s hip-hop.

C’EST W H AT

What’s your favorite New Orleans hip-hop classic?

53.3%

JUVENILE’S “BACK THAT AZZ UP”

13.4%

DA ENTOURAGE’S “BUNNY HOP”

20%

“N.O. BLOCK PARTY” BY PARTNERS-N-CRIME & DJ JUBILEE

13.3%

MASTER P’S “MAKE ‘EM SAY UGH”

Vote on “C’est What?” at www.bestofneworleans.com

Give Props to Hip-Hop

Juvenile’s Tiny Desk concert which also featured hip-hop legend Mannie Fresh along with Jon Baptiste, Trombone Shorty and members of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. SCREENSHOT FROM YOUTUBE.COM

THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF GAMBIT IS DEDICATED TO HIPHOP — and New Orleans’ unique, pivotal influence on

its history as the world-changing culture celebrates its 50th birthday. When DJ Kool Herc set up his turntables for his little sister’s back-to-school party on Aug. 11, 1973, the Jamaican-born resident of the Bronx couldn’t have known he was about to help create a new genre of music, much less a global phenomenon that would change the world as we know it. New Orleans’ place in that phenomenon cannot be overstated. The Meters, The Gaturs and Allen Toussaint are some of hip-hops’ most sampled artists. Early local pioneers like DJ Slick Leo, Mannie Fresh and Mia X took the sound coming out of New York and put a distinctive New Orleans spin on its beats, rhyme schemes and swagger. Cash Money and No Limit dominated much of the ’90s and early 2000s, and bounce has become so ubiquitous even Canadian pop singers like Drake are trying their hand at it. Although best known for its music, hip-hop culture extends far beyond its distinctive rhythms and sounds. It’s a revolutionary arts movement, an industry-disrupting fashion aesthetic, an expression of self through

dance. And just as DJs used samples and record scratching to blend funk, rock and classical to create new sounds, hip-hop has restructured all pieces of our culture to give us a completely new view of ourselves and the world. In the world of fashion, hip-hop’s influence altered everything from sneakers to couture ball gowns. Likewise, it has reshaped the art world, influencing artists like Basquiat and Banksy, forcing an appreciation for graffiti and other public art long absent in America. Hip-hop has even influenced politics. As local rapper Pell told Gambit’s Jake Clapp, hip-hop long ago became “the voice of the people.” In the 1980s and ’90s, groups like Public Enemy, NWA and Boogie Down Productions used their lyrics to fight racism, poverty and police brutality. In the ’90s, rappers like Mac Phipps chronicled the struggle against poverty and violence facing Black communities from the 7th Ward to Oakland, California.

From Tunisian MC El General’s “Rais Lebled” becoming the anthem of the Arab Spring to Belfast-based Irish language rappers Kneecap demanding a free and united Ireland, hip-hop has become a universal language of protest and change. In a way, hip-hop’s rise was inevitable. It sprang to life in a post-Jim Crow world that had grown considerably smaller, yet more filled with information and demands for change. Schools across the country desegregated, and biracial relationships became not just legal, but commonplace. Younger members of Generation X and elder Millennials became the first Americans to come of age in a world where old lines that separated Black people and white people blurred or even disappeared, at least for them. Hip-hop culture accelerated that process, slow and complicated as it may be. And, as the students of Ben Franklin showed this year when they walked out in defense of trans and gender nonconforming classmates, young people are quicker to stand up for human and civil rights. Hip-hop has done a lot in its first 50 years. We can’t wait to see what the next half a century will bring.

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IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG BEFORE THE WARM AND FUZZY JEFF LANDRY that graced

our screens as a likable everyman during the gubernatorial primary gave way to the hardright Republican ideologue who will become Louisiana’s governor on Jan. 8. One look at his transition team confirms it. Landry’s seven-member team will be advised by lead staffer Kyle Ruckert, who played a key role in Landry’s win this year. Ruckert previously worked as a top aide to then-Sen. David Vitter and went on to advise his mentor’s unsuccessful race for governor in 2015. Ruckert is now a top GOP operative whose specialty is electing hard-right conservatives. Landry’s team includes his closest political advisors and financial supporters — but only one Black person (attorney Tim Hardy, who represents petrochemical interests) and one woman: Landry’s wife Sharon. Other transition team members include four co-chairs who are mega-donors and stalwart Landry supporters: Baton Rouge contractor Lane Grigsby, a self-proclaimed “kingmaker” and hard-right GOP financier; Harvey Gulf International Marine CEO Shane Guidry, who put Landry on his company payroll and is the AG’s closest confidant; Steve Orlando, an oil services businessman and Landry neighbor who led a PAC supporting Landry; and Eddie Rispone, a contractor and Grigsby pal who lost to Gov. John Bel Edwards four years ago. Also a co-chair: former U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, who, like Rispone, lost to JBE in 2019. These appointees are not surprises. Despite how he campaigned, Landry has always been an ultra-conservative firebrand who’s not a big fan of diversity, not even within his own party. State Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell, who also ran for governor, criticized Landry for not including more women on his transition team. “This is a swing and a miss,” Hewitt tweeted.

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Governor-elect Jeff Landry with his wife Sharon, who is part of Landry’s transition team PHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

I love the hat tip to Dizzy Dean and PeeWee Reese, but I’m not sure if Landry putting his wife on the transition team even constitutes a swing. Unlike Landry and most other candidates in that contest, Hewitt issued a series of specific policy papers outlining what she planned to implement as governor. She finished a disappointing seventh in the Oct. 14 primary, but her proposals reflect a solidly conservative approach to state governance. Landry would have done well to include Hewitt on his team. He should at least suggest that Ruckert and other team members read her policy papers. As for his team’s composition, suffice it to say Landry does not subscribe to Abe Lincoln’s “team of rivals” approach to governance. That’s his prerogative as governor-elect, of course. But, considering he won the jungle primary with less than 52% of the vote, it’ll be interesting to see how — or even if — Landry reaches out to the other 48%. Landry could appoint committees focusing on key policy areas, as Edwards did eight years ago. That would give him an opportunity to include some folks with differing opinions — or at least some who aren’t C-suite insiders or worshipful ideologues. Does Landry even care about other opinions? As the Zen master says, we’ll see.

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THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO THIS MONTH, A NEW OWNER BOUGHT THE MID-CITY LANES at the corner of South Carrollton and Tulane

Many people will visit their loved ones’ graves this week for All Saints’ Day. I’d like to know more about a cemetery in the middle of an Uptown neighborhood on Valence Street. What can you tell us about it?

Dear reader,

THE VALENCE CEMETERY, OR VALENCE STREET CEMETERY, located on Valence

between S. Saratoga and Daneel streets, was established in 1867. It was designed to serve the city of Jefferson, an early suburb of New Orleans which comprised part of today’s Uptown. As a result, the cemetery was originally known as City Cemetery, or the Jefferson City Cemetery, because it was the city-owned cemetery for that area. With shops and offices clustered around Magazine Street and Napoleon Avenue, Jefferson City’s central plaza was Lawrence Square. It was also known for the slaughterhouses that once lined its riverfront. The name of the Jefferson City Buzzards, the Mardi Gras marching club founded

Valence Street Cemetery PHOTO BY ERICA SEEMANN

in 1890, is a reference to the birds known to frequent the areas around slaughterhouses. When Jefferson City was annexed into New Orleans in 1870, the name of the cemetery was changed to Valence Cemetery. As a plaque at the cemetery explains, it contains a number of old society tombs, which house the remains of society members. These include the St. Anthony of Padua Italian Mutual Benefit Society, the St. Joseph’s Sepulcher of the Male and Female Benevolent Association and the Ladies and Gentlemen Perseverance Benevolent Association.

avenues. Though the bowling alley, then located on the second floor of a strip mall, had opened in 1941, it had seen better days by the time of John Blancher’s purchase. Blancher, a former teacher and insurance agent looking for a new business venture, prayed for help during a pilgrimage to Medjugorje. He returned home and bought the bowling alley in Nov. 1988, hanging a portrait of the Blessed Mother inside. Initially, the business did not take off until the following year, Blancher mixed bowling with live music, hosting Johnny J and the Hitmen as his first musical act. Soon after, the place became known as Rock ‘n’ Bowl. According to Times-Picayune music writer Keith Spera, within a few years, lines stretched across the parking lot for Rock ‘n’ Bowl shows during Jazz Fest and on its popular Zydeco Nights. The mix of bowling and regular performers, such as Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., Amanda Shaw, Marva Wright, Kermit Ruffins and many more, made Rock ‘n’ Bowl a destination for locals and tourists. “And just like Tipitina’s and the Maple Leaf, if you had thought about it, there’s no way you could have pulled it off,” Blancher said in a 2008 T-P article. “It has to be the right assortment of characters for it to evolve.” A first-floor party venue later added by Blancher (called Bowl Me Under) was flooded by Hurricane Katrina’s federal levee failures. In 2009, Blancher moved the business to Carrollton and Earhart, buying a former Helm paint facility and adjacent building and opening the bowling alley there. It is next to Ye Olde College Inn, the iconic restaurant he and his family also purchased in 2003. In 2018, the Blancher family opened a second Rock ‘n’ Bowl in Lafayette.

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BEGINNING NNING Slick Leo Coakley opened the doors for hip-hop in New Orleans s BY JAKE CLAPP

IN THE BEGINNING, T H E R E WAS L EO. Melissa Weber, the revered DJ Soul Sister, is straightforward when describing Slick Leo Coakley’s influence on New Orleans. “If you are a Black DJ in New Orleans, or if you’re a hip-hop DJ in New Orleans, or for that matter, a dance music DJ in New Orleans, you really owe it to Slick Leo for opening up the possibility for that being a thing in clubs, in stadiums and being artistic with it,” she says. Mannie Fresh, whose name has become synonymous with New Orleans hip-hop and bounce, is just as effusive. “Everybody in New Orleans taped Slick Leo mixes, all of us, anybody who’s popping that’s around my age,” says the storied producer and DJ. “Slick Leo was our introduction to being this kind of DJ.” Coakley himself embraces the part he had in opening the doors to hip-hop in New Orleans through his work as a DJ, performing with three turntables at clubs like the Famous Disco, the Nexus and even the floor of the Superdome, and through his broadcasts on radio stations like WAIL 105. “I’m 67 years old. That’s how I get to do all 50 years of hip-hop,” he says. “That’s a phenomenon. Folks just say, ‘50 years of hip-hop,’ but I actually lived it all over the world and locally.” Much of the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop on Aug. 11, recognizing when DJ Kool Herc, playing a back-to-school party in The Bronx in 1973, introduced his Merry-Go-Round technique — using two turntables to extend a record’s percussive break — and gave birth to the foundations of hip-hop.

DJ Slick Leo Coakley and DJ Soul Sister in 2016 at Soul Sister’s Birthday Jam at Tipitina’s. Coakley credits Soul Sister for helping pull him out of retirement. PHOTO BY JOSH BRASTED / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Coakley, who had moved from Virgina to New Orleans when he was young, regularly traveled to the northeast as he grew up into a musician and DJ. He was “in the right place at the right time,” he says, to hear the pioneering new music and master the DJ techniques being innovated in places like New York and bring them back to New Orleans.

On a Saturday evening in late July, Coakley was busy behind two laptops and a DJ controller, setting an upbeat vibe for the quickly building crowd at Whiskey & Sticks on Bayou Road. In sunglasses, a bucket hat and a True Religion t-shirt, Coakley cut a thin, cool figure as he manipulated the tracks, playing what he described to Gambit as “the real

element of hip-hop, from classic to modern day.” In the first hour of his set, he leans into R&B, soul and funk, styles that underscore the backbone of hip-hop. There’s Tower of Power’s “Only So Much Oil in the Ground” and Crystal Waters’ “Gypsy Woman,” which he rolls into Rick James’ “Ghetto Life.” He then rewinds

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it back into Stevie Wonder’s “Fun Day,” keeping a beat going underneath it all. “Another fantastic Saturday at Whiskey & Sticks,” he says, using the mic to punctuate the music. You cannot separate hip-hop from the DJ, says Weber, who is a music historian and professor at Loyola University. Although Weber was too young to catch Coakley when he was playing places like the Famous Disco, the pioneering DJ has been a major influence on her own career — and Coakley credits her for bringing him out of a 10-year retirement. Weber always cautions her students about avoiding “the creation story,” she says, but “whether you agree with it or not, people have come to use this date of Aug. 11, 1973,” as the birth of hip-hop. Kool Herc is credited with introducing the concept of isolating percussive breaks from funk, soul, disco and other albums. “The way he did it was not seamless — that would be perfected later by people like Grandmaster Flash — but [he] still did it,” Weber says. “So that’s why we call Kool Herc the godfather of hip-hop. He’s a DJ. So most people today, they’re like, ‘Oh, the emcee is everything.’ In early hip-hop culture, the emcee was only there to support the DJ. The DJ was the king.” Disco culture emphasized the place where people could dance to records — particularly music created by Black and Brown artists. Coming out of that culture, a lot of the DJs instrumental in the early development of hip-hop would perform at discos and included the term in their names, like DJ Disco Wiz. “Why does a disco DJ fit into hip-hop? Because you can’t have one without the other,” Weber says. “The technology of hip-hop culture involved things like the 12-inch disco single, the machines, the disco mixer. All of that was used by what would later be called hip-hop culture.” Coakley was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C., but moved to New Orleans, his mother’s hometown, when he was 8 years old and grew up in Treme. He started learning music from an early age, picking up piano, trumpet, trombone and other instruments and playing in school bands — and at local clubs at night when he was a teenager.

a man. That’s $300 pot. I wind up being a DJ and I could easily make $300 by myself. Along with learning instruments, Coakley became enamored with turntables and audio equipment as he grew up. His older brothers would send back electronics from Vietnam while they were stationed there, and he learned how to finesse the equipment — including how to match beats, mix records and scratch.

DJ Slick Leo Coakley in 2023 at Whiskey & Sticks on Bayou Road PHOTO BY JAKE CLAPP / GAMBIT

In the 1970s, Coakley stood in a singular position in New Orleans: a musician who grew up in New Orleans but was also in tune with the sounds of New York and Washington, D.C., a DJ playing New Orleans discos, and a broadcaster working on local radio stations. “He was also what I admire, which is an individual, an artist like Grandmaster Flash,” Weber says. “[Grandmaster Flash] was a showman. He was an artist. And Leo was that for New Orleans and so huge.” Gambit this summer spoke with Coakley near hip-hop’s 50th anniversary to hear more about his work and the early development of hip-hop in New Orleans. This interview has been lightly edited.

Being related to the Barbarins, a legendary New Orleans musical family, did you feel like they had an impact on you and your music career growing up? COAKLEY: The Barbarin family had an impact on damn near everybody in the United States, starting with the Fairview Baptist Church band. I was a musician as a young [guy]. I turned disc jockey when I was like 16 years old. What led you to pursue DJ work? COAKLEY: I was playing live music for $50 a night. Back then, we’re talking in the early ’70s, I was playing with live musicians, and it was six of them and they was just paying $50

What was your ﬁrst exposure to hip-hop? COAKLEY: I was born in Virginia. I came to New Orleans when I was 8 years old in 1965. I came down here the year of [Hurricane] Betsy. That’s the first tragic moment I’ve ever had in my life. And ever since, I’ve been going back and forth because my father was a Marine up there in Quantico, Virginia, and my mother is from New Orleans. When they split, I was torn between two lovers. I was going back and forth since I was a child because of this, and I just landed in the right place at the right time. Before hip-hop, I was playing disco and R&B. Could you tell me about some of those records you were spinning when you ﬁrst started DJing in front of crowds? COAKLEY: The Bar-Kays, “You Can’t Run Away.” Donna Summer. Con Funk Shun. Elton John. Chick Corea, because I play jazz, too. Tower of Power. My influences really didn’t come from hip-hop. Hip-hop came from my influences. Coakley’s frequent trips to the East Coast intimately tied him to the pioneering DJs and new techniques of early hip-hop in an era before it had a name and was just “party music.” “Grandmaster Flash, Kurtis Blow, kids like that, we were cutting and scratching in basements in Fort Lee, New Jersey, with Sugar Hill Records,” Coakley said in a 2015 interview with Tulane’s NOLA Hiphop and Bounce Archive. “By the time I come back and forth with Grandmaster Flash, he would come to New Orleans, and we

would share mixes and share ideas.” In the 1970s, a radio school, the Broadcasting Institute of America, operated in the same building as WRNO-FM near the Causeway. Coakley enrolled in his late teens — and during a brief stint at Southern University at New Orleans — and was top of his class, he told Gambit. “I was teaching the teacher about critical antenna arrays,” Coakley says. “It’s more than just playing music. I know signal. By the time I got to radio, I didn’t need no engineer.” That opened the door for his first radio job, staying after classes and hosting a show three days a week. And at night and on the weekends, Coakley would DJ in different clubs, first at the Bottom Line and then at venues like the Nexus and most notably the Famous Disco. Could you tell me about your radio career? COAKLEY: I started in AM. It was 1230, the original WBOK. They didn’t have FM when I first started. WAIL 105 boosted my career by being an FM station. You didn’t have many FM stations back then. From there, I went to Disco 97, which is B 97 now. I did The Underground on FM 98, which was a school building on Gravier. It was underground, it was like a basement. Everybody knows what The Underground was. I did [live] shows at the Bottom Line. I did Wild Monday Nights. I did the Nexus Club. I did the Famous. And I did Chicago’s, which is now called 7140 on Downman Road. All of these clubs I played wind up giving me a live mix show from their club. Back then you didn’t just plug in computers. You had to have phone lines to go to AT&T downtown on Poydras Street. Now, can you imagine how much that would cost? Those were the analog days, and that’s the only way to get that done. What were nights at The Famous like for you? COAKLEY: The Famous Disco put New Orleans on the map. It was a wild and crazy place to be. It was sorta like The Zoo and the Palladium and Studio 54. I played Studio 54, too. And there was the Civic Theater Disco. The Civic was one of the first,

more or less, white-Black discotheques. And the DJ booth was way above the light fixtures. The Famous was playing for hundreds of people. The place is so huge, you’d have to put at least 300 to 500 people in there, even on a Wednesday night when we didn’t have a radio show, to keep it open. Coakley’s sets at the Famous were broadcast live on WAIL 105 FM. A TV show, “Live at the Famous Disco Theatre,” also aired on WDSU. Many of those popular and influential broadcasts have been lost to time, but some snippets survive online through the work of New Orleans DJ John Wicker and his SoundCloud page. It was at The Famous in 1979 that Coakley and Grandmaster Flash had a live DJ battle. “That was epic,” says Mannie Fresh, whose father, the influential New Orleans DJ Sabu, was contemporaries with Coakley. “And it wasn’t like being hometown hero, he pretty much waxed Grandmaster Flash. It was like Slick Leo sent Grandmaster Flash home packing.” Coakley, though, sees it a little differently. “I wouldn’t say I came out on top — we were personal friends,” he says. When performing live, Coakley always had three turntables in front of him. He mastered cutting tracks, pulling drum and bass and vocals from various tracks to create his mixes. “No one was doing that at that time,” Coakley says. “No one was touching the record. They would just put the needle on. No one was mixing beat to beat then.” New Orleans had a number of popular DJs at the time, like Sabu, DJ Carriere and DJ Brees, spinning funk, soul and disco, but Coakley was introducing new techniques to the city. Coakley was ahead of his time, says Mannie Fresh. “He was the dude that was programming drum machines. He had the 606 drum machine, and he used to have it on a strap, like in a case, and would walk around on the stage and play it,” he says. “He wasn’t just DJing, he was doing new stuff like we had never seen before.” Could you tell me about playing the Superdome? COAKLEY: We had this group called Sugar Hill Disco. That was the

A flyer from Polo Silk’s collection shows the lineup for the 1985 Sugar Hill Jam Festival PROVIDED PHOTO BY POLO SILK

name of the first group we started with — Mr. Gary Smith, Donald Ramsey and Steven Bargky and myself, Leo Coakley. We formed this group called Sugar Hill Disco, and we toured. But our biggest gigs were on the Superdome floor. Can you imagine a group of emcees and disc jockeys doing a concert, putting as many people into the Superdome like a normal concert was? It was incredible. We used drum machines and synthesizers to lay the tracks, and we would cut the records on top of it. That’s how hip-hop really got started. How did you see hiphop develop in the ’70s and ’80s? COAKLEY: It took a long time before marketing hip-hop on major record labels. We played all underground. I can go on and on introducing groups to hip-hop that wouldn’t have made it unless they had a disc jockey that was able to lock himself in the control room, don’t answer the phone and just go off. Coakley was that jock, he says. He would lock himself in the control room or in the DJ booth at the club,

not answer the hotline phone, and play what he wanted to play. “And I got hit with a lot of fines from the FCC until they finally let hip-hop on the air,” he says. By the time I started at WAIL 105, it was the same way. They weren’t playing hip-hop. It was street music. It was “jungle music,” they called it. It wasn’t relative to society. As a matter of fact, it was too real. Hip-hop is the story of what really went on in the hood and how the ballers and the dope dealers and the hustlers and the pimps, how they really lived their life. Hip-hop is the graffiti artists, the dancers, the B-boys — all this gelled into one. It was an artform created by street DJs and local block party DJs, and I just happened to be one of them before it was really recognized. It didn’t hit all over the world, like when hip-hop came out. But hip-hop was a lot of work because hip-hop was straight up street. Hip-hop is a culture, not music. Hip-hop is about beats. Hip-hop is really about beats and what you lay on top of them. That’s why the disc jockey was so popular back in those PAG E 2 8

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F R E S H FOCUS Before Cash Money, Mannie Fresh already left a mark on New Orleans hip-hop BY JAKE CLAPP

Mannie Fresh PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

IT’S IMPOSSIBLE T O O V E R S TAT E Mannie Fresh’s impact on hip-hop. As Cash Money Records’ in-house producer for more than a decade, his fingerprints were all over the sound coming out of New Orleans — which itself influenced the wider culture. But even before he went to work with Bryan “Baby” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams, Fresh made an indelible mark on New Orleans music. A 7th Ward native, Fresh grew up watching his father, DJ Sabu, spinning records. His parents (Fresh’s mother was a teacher) encouraged his love for music, and Fresh began collecting records and learning to program drum machines, becoming a DJ as well. As a teen in the ’80s, Fresh joined up with Mia X, DJ WOP and Denny D to form New York Incorporated, one of the city’s earliest and most formidable DJ crews. In the early years of hip-hop infiltrating New Orleans, New York Incorporated innovated in the city. “A lot of people were just blending records around that time,” Fresh says. “We were scratching records. We were creating remixes. We had the light show. We had everything that made it a production rather than just going to see a DJ. We had a show.” Fresh in the late ‘80s began working with rapper Gregory D, who had been in rival group Ninja Crew. With the Ninja Crew, Gregory D had released what’s considered one of the city’s earliest hip-hop singles, “We Destroy,” in 1986, and together with Fresh, the duo’s work became popular with New Orleans audiences — some of the first homegrown hip-hop to catch wide local attention — especially their song “Buck Jump Time.” Gambit caught up with Mannie Fresh this summer as the storied DJ was busy traveling the country for festivals and concerts celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. This interview has been lightly edited. For a full version, visit gambitweekly.com.

The cover of Gregory D and Mannie Fresh’s album ‘D Rules the World’ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE ARCHIVE PHOTO

Tell us about when you were ﬁrst exposed to hip-hop. MANNIE FRESH: My introduction to hip-hop was through my dad. My dad was a DJ, a New Orleans DJ. And just the transition from R&B to, I guess, hip-hop to me was Run-DMC. When I discovered Run-DMC, I was 50% already in on being a DJ. But when Run-DMC came along, it was like, “OK, now I know this is what I want to do.” Hearing my first RunDMC songs — there were some songs before that, but they just didn’t catch my attention like that. I think what was different about Run-DMC was that was the beginning of the drum machine. Before that, hip-hop was music-oriented, it was musicians, and it was live instruments. But (with) this new sound of the drum machine, I was like, “OK this is where I fit in.” This is my introduction to it. That’s when I knew my job was going to be related to hip-hop all the way around, from doing beats, from writing songs, from producing, DJing — all around everything. Who were some of your early inﬂuences? MANNIE FRESH: A lot of my inspiration, back again, was my dad. Watching him, seeing what a DJ does. A DJ controls the crowd for however long he’s with them. And the power to make somebody have a good day after coming home from a crummy job or just not being able to pay your rent or something like that — the DJ is the savior of all of that, to bring you back the good feelings. So that was my inspiration right there, to see like, oh, wow, if it was three hours, four hours, even 30 minutes, you control

the crowd, you control these people’s emotions, their feelings and all of that. You have the power to put them back into good spirits, good minds and send them back into the world. I saw my dad do that so many times, over and over and over again. And it takes a good DJ to do that. You’ve got to practice your craft. So my experiences came from learning you got to practice your craft. You got to be prepared. You got to know your people. You can’t have a set playlist and take that to your people. No, you got to know your people. Some of my experience came from reading the crowd, learning different cultures and learning what makes people move. And back then, when hip-hop was with my era, New Orleans was Black and white. It wasn’t no unity at all. It was just Black and white.

So, if you played for a white gig, you have to know white music. If you played a Black gig, you have to know Black music. Learning all of that prepares you for what you have to do. And slowly but surely, watching music bring Black and white together, it’s like, “Oh, shit, music is the key.” Music can resolve all of that. My era of hip-hop was all about learning and lessons. To me, hip-hop was the teacher. Slick Leo was an inﬂuence on you as well, right? MANNIE FRESH: Hell yeah. Everybody in New Orleans taped Slick Leo mixes, all of us, from me, Soul Sister, anybody who’s popping that’s around my age. We couldn’t wait for

the Famous [Disco], the things that he did on the weekends. It was on WAIL 105 FM, and it was always broadcast like Friday and Saturday night. And we would tape that every Friday and Saturday and learn his mixes. He was definitely an influence all the way, because my dad really wasn’t a hip-hop DJ. Slick Leo was our introduction to being this kind of DJ. Could you tell us about forming New York Incorporated? Y’all were only 13, 14, 15 at the time, right? MANNIE FRESH: My best friend, WOP, who was a DJ as well, Denny was his cousin, and [Denny] moved PAG E 1 9

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to New Orleans from New York. So the name was already established. There was already a crew. A lot of people are like, how did New York Incorporated come out of New Orleans? But it was really something that was originated by this guy, Denny D. It was his crew. He moved from New York to New Orleans, and he was already DJing in New York. They were already established, and they decided to make a stab at it in New Orleans. The first person they got was WOP, and WOP was like, “Hey, my cousin is looking for another DJ.” I was kind of DJing by myself, doing house parties, no crew, and really didn’t have the right people around me to get bigger gigs. And that’s what happened. I joined New York Incorporated, and the rest was history. When y’all started, what did New Orleans look like in terms of performers? MANNIE FRESH: Around that time, New Orleans had like six or seven DJ crews. You had Jam Patrol. You had Rockers Revenge. Us, of course, New York Incorporated. The Brown Clowns. We had a bunch of DJ crews. That was big in New Orleans around that time, and DJ battles were big around that time. But Denny coming from New York, he already knew how to transform and how to do scratches that none of us had seen. We used to mimic everything that he did. It was almost like a training camp, to be like, oh, you got to learn how to do this without headphones. You gotta learn how to read cues, stuff we weren’t doing because we just didn’t see it first. New York saw it first. It was definitely a good experience for me, just to learn how to read records. How did you feel New York Incorporated was setting itself different from the other crews in town? MANNIE FRESH: Our learning curve was different from everybody else. A lot of people were just blending records around that time. We were scratching records. We were creating remixes. We had

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the light show. We had everything that made it a production rather than just going to see a DJ. We had a show. And the mixes, sometimes it would be three DJs playing at one time to create a show instead of like one DJ. We actually practiced our routines to have something completely different. Where we was, it was kind of like a mega-mix. Songs on top of songs, but the blends were correct. It was almost like a band. We practiced like a band. Everybody’s timing had to be right. One person off and it throws off the whole show. What were those early crowds like? MANNIE FRESH: All of these guys that came from all of these crews, we still super, super-duper friends to this day. But it was very competitive then. It was super competitive. You wanted to win. And sometimes, it was almost like watching an old hip-hop movie, where you came and you was like, “We’re gonna shut down this other crew.” If somebody was playing somewhere else, we came to y’all’s gigs. We’d show up and be like, “Hey dude, we’re gonna shame y’all right here in front of your crowd.” So it was that competitive. You wanted to win at everything. Your work with Gregory D was inﬂuential in the late ’80s. How did y’all come to meet each other and start working together? MANNIE FRESH: Believe it or not, “Buck Jump Time” happened really on an accident. I was at Allen Toussaint’s studio, Sea-Saint. There were some guys from California who were recording in his studio, and they asked Allen, does he know anybody that knows how to scratch, because they were making a record and they wanted a DJ that could scratch. So Allen called me, and I came over there to scratch on this record. They were some dudes that I’ve never heard before, never met them. They were just some guys from California making a record.

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Q & A

MIA X

BY JAKE CLAPP

Rapper Mia X outside a recording studio at 3417 North Galvez St. PHOTO BY ELLIS LUCIA / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE ARCHIVE

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MIA X, THE STAGE NAME FOR MIA YOUNG, was born in 1970 and grew up in the 7th Ward. At 14, she joined up with Mannie Fresh, DJ Wop and Denny D to form pioneering local hip-hop crew New York Incorporated. In the early ’90s, Mia X went on to sign with Master P’s No Limit Records, where she released three solo albums, including 1998’s “Mama Drama,” which hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart. Find the full interview online at gambitweekly.com. What was your introduction to hip-hop? MIA X: I fell in love with hip-hop in 1979. My mother bought (The Sugarhill Gang’s) “Rapper’s Delight” — the 12inch — and I would play it every day. It was her record, but I would play it every day. Then in 1980, when The Sequence dropped “Funk You Up,” I was 10 years old, and at that moment I knew I was going to be a rapper. And that’s something I would tell my classmates and my teachers from 1982 to 1988. I have never told anyone that I wanted to be anything other than a rapper, ever.

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Could you tell me about New York Incorporated and some of the early artists y’all performed with? MIA X: In 1984, myself, Mannie Fresh and DJ Wop joined this DJ crew called New York Incorporated with a guy named

Denny D, who came from Queens. And we would open up for all of the major acts that came through New Orleans. Mr. Eli of Ghost Productions, who owned the bar Ghost Town, was a big promoter. He was one of the first promoters to bring hip-hop to New Orleans. So when he would bring the Rap Attack concerts, we would open up for them. Seeing people like Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J — seeing people like them and hearing artists that I would get mixtapes from New York from, that made me want to really take it seriously as a career. There weren’t many others in New Orleans doing what y’all were doing at that time, right? MIA X: No, not as far as being a DJ crew with an emcee. And we were young: We were 14-15 years old. There were several other DJ crews, like Rockers Revenge, the Brown Clowns, Jam Patrol. And DJs like Slick Leo and DJ Carriere. There were so many DJ crews playing the music and introducing New Orleans to hip-hop culture. There were a lot of emcees. They were doing a lot of things to introduce the rest of the city to the culture and give them something a little more original than what we were getting from the radio and mixtapes. I think hip-hop culture began to really establish itself in New Orleans around ’82. We were always putting our spin on it by rhyming over second lines and rhyming over [Black Masking] Indian chants. That’s what gave New Orleans a different cadence in the way we deliver our hip-hop bars. We were influenced by brass bands, jazz and by the tribal chants from the Mardi Gras Indians. You can hear it all through our music, especially in the building of what is now bounce music. What do you feel has been New Orleans’ most signiﬁcant contribution to hip-hop? MIA X: Bounce music and the originality of the cadence. Nobody approaches a beat the way we do. I think our accent has brought so much flavor to hip-hop. Our cadence, the way we ride the beat, our subject matter and, of course, bounce music — we have given hip-hop something that everybody wants to be a part of in bounce music, in the same way the founding fathers and mothers gave us that feeling, that vibe that we wanted to be a part of it. I think New Orleans changed the whole game.

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MCKINLEY “MAC” PHIPPS JR. wasn’t even 13 when he released his first album, under the name Lil Mac. Born in 1977, Phipps grew up with parents that were painters and music lovers, and his uncle introduced him to hip-hop at a young age. In 1989, Phipps worked with Gregory D and Mannie Fresh on his debut album, and after signing with No Limit released “Shell Shocked,” in 1998. The record hit No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, and Phipps became known for his lyrical abilities and complexity. But his career was cut short in 2001 when he was wrongly convicted of manslaughter by a split jury. After 21 years in prison, Phipps was granted clemency in 2021. His latest album is “Son of the City,” released last year. Check out the full interview online at gambitweekly.com Who is the ﬁrst New Orleans hip-hop artist you admired? PHIPPS: I have a perfect answer for that — Gregory D and Sporty T, which was my uncle’s best friend. Gregory and Sporty T had a group called the Ninja Crew, and they released the first rap song that I ever heard on the radio, a song called “We Destroy.” That was 1986. By living in the neighborhood, where both of these guys who have a song on the radio and were actually my uncle’s two friends, that kinda made me believe that this was something that wasn’t farfetched. Here were some guys that I saw every day, that played basketball in my neighborhood, and they had a song on the radio. So that kinda let me know that, ‘OK, they’re able to do that, then I can do it, too.’ That was my biggest inspiration as a kid. So that’s when I started taking it seriously, because I felt it was something that can really be done. You had your ﬁrst album in 1989, and then your second came out in 1998. How did you see New Orleans hip-hop

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Mac Phipps performs on the Congo Square Stage during the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

change in those 8 or 9 years? PHIPPS: The landscape of hip-hop changed with the release of bounce music. That changed the landscape of it in a major way. If I can pinpoint, I think the biggest change was made in 1992 when MC T Tucker released the first bounce songs. I think that gave New Orleans hiphop an identity. Before then, New Orleans hip-hop basically followed the style of its New York counterparts, because New York was where it was done at. I think as a hip-hop family in New Orleans, we were following their trends up until that point. Then we realized that we had something we could contribute to it, and it began to change. I think the rappers that came after that were all influenced by this new style of hip-hop in New Orleans. What do you think is New Orleans’ most signiﬁcant contribution to hip-hop? PHIPPS: Bounce. Like I said, bounce music gave New Orleans an identity in hip-hop. It clearly drew the lines and clearly defined what kind of hip-hop we did in New Orleans. Does New Orleans get the recognition it deserves for its contribution to hip hop? PHIPPS: No, I don’t think we do. In some ways we are acknowledged, but do we get the proper acknowledgement? I don’t think so. I mean this with all due respect, but New Orleans is the birthplace of music in America. Hip-hop was coined in New York, and it was given the New York swag and culture, but I believe that what eventually became hip-hop started long before its inception. And it probably started right there in Congo Square.

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A Denver taco concept comes to the Warehouse District | by Beth D’Addono

THE TACOS AT MISTER OSO ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

Street-style tacos are the restaurant’s centerpiece, and the main fillings, including proteins and the cauliflower option, are smoked. Also, the popular Mexican staples arrive unassembled, with mounds of beef birria, mojo pork, cauliflower pastor, chicken or shrimp complemented with all the accoutrements to build three hefty tacos. “We wanted something more family style, rustic, playful,” says chef Blake Edmunds. “The idea is to build your own adventure.” Edmunds is the restaurant’s opening chef from the Denver-based Culinary Creative Group (CCG). Edmunds, who admits to missing the Colorado mountains in a city set below sea level, is a longtime friend of local co-owner Billy Blatty, a new partner in CCG. The chef has been in town for months to launch Mister Oso, a concept mirroring the original in the Mile-High city. Blatty is the founder and owner of Sofia, Barcadia, Ohm Lounge and Nagomi. Mister Oso took over the Barcadia space at 601 Tchoupitoulas St. as Blatty merged his hospitality company with CCG, which has a portfolio of restaurants in Denver. Mister Oso was conceived as a casual spin-off of Senor Bear, the company’s more formal Mexican dining concept. In Denver, the restaurant was recognized by Michelin with a Bib Gourmand, the guide’s “value-formoney” award. Edmunds will travel back and forth as chef Chet Henderson takes over the kitchen here. Henderson, a corporate executive chef for CGG, has spent time in New Orleans working at Sofia. He wanted to move his family back, so heading the Mister Oso kitchen was a great fit. An electric gas-assisted smoker is central in the kitchen, designed to spark the oak that lends earthy nuance to the meats’ char. Sometimes elements like a marinade get the treatment. So does the hearty stacked Mexican pizza, a layered tostada with seasoned ground

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Parkview Tavern to lose home

LAST SPRING, ON APRIL 30, PARKVIEW TAVERN THREW A PARTY to mark the

meat and the tang of grated French Mimolette cheese, which is more complex than the usual cheddar. Edmunds adds complexity to familiar flavors, including items like guacamole. His version is informed by sikil pak, a spread usually made with ground pumpkin seeds along with tomato puree, chilies, herbs and onion. At Mister Oso, pumpkin seeds are swapped out for pistachios and sesame seeds, imbuing a nutty texture and flavor to the avocado dip. Coconut rice is prepared with Spanish bomba rice, typically used for paella. “We cook it with an egregious amount of coconut milk and butter,” Edmunds says. “Then we get a cast iron skillet ripping hot and caramelize the rice, which is topped with a Peruvian style salsa criolla.” Along with smoked meat taco platters, Mister Oso’s menu includes ceviche and salads. For drinks, there are a variety of cocktails, such as margaritas and Palomas, as well as agua frescas. The 140-seat Mister Oso includes a patio space with retractable glass and colorful, Latin-themed tropical decor

Chef Blake Edmunds and Billy Blatty at Mister Oso. PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER / GAMBIT

and a club vibe. The happy hour has drink specials and a menu of snacks, including nachos and Frito pies. This is the first of several local restaurants forthcoming from the group. A5 will be a Japanese-inspired steakhouse, set to open in early 2024, and Bohemia will be an outdoor “culinary park” on Freret Street. Blatty says he is excited to be part of a larger, hospitality enterprise. “I was drawn to their infrastructure, leadership and creativity,” he says. “They have a broader spectrum of talent than we do.” Blatty randomly met CCG founder Juan Padro and was immediately impressed with his vision. Padro’s restaurant Bar Dough was the inspiration for Sofia. Although the pandemic put the brakes on merger plans, the collaboration is finally in place. “Our friendship developed the New Orleans way,” Blatty says. “Over multiple meals and conversations and more than a few Saints games.”

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30th year of its current incarnation. Kathy Anderson, managing partner of the Mid-City bar, was hoping to use the event to announce that she and her business partner had bought the property. But that didn’t happen, and now it appears the next anniversary will be the last, at least at this address. Anderson and Parkview Tavern co-owner Mark Malhiot had been trying to buy the property from their longtime landlord, Cliff Wagner. Instead Wagner sold the property at 910 N. Carrollton Ave. to the owners of the neighboring business, Blue Oak BBQ. The lease for Parkview Tavern is up on April 30, 2024. Anderson says new lease terms she was offered were “absolutely not viable.” She has a letter from the new owners’ attorney giving notice to vacate by that date.

PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

“It’s heartbreaking,” Anderson says. “It means on May 1 all the people who called this place their home won’t have it anymore, and a bunch of great bartenders won’t have their jobs through no fault of their own.” Anderson and Malhiot still own the business Parkview Tavern and are trying to find a new property to relocate. “If it’s financially possible to do that, we will, but we can’t go in the hole to keep it,” Anderson says. “Location, price all play a huge factor going into it.” In the meantime, word of the neighborhood bar’s future has evoked much angst and acrimony from those who counted it among their neighborhood institutions. PAGE 24

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The property sold last spring, but the topic has sprung up in social media feeds after Anderson was a guest on the podcast Obligations at the Lounge, run by Ryan Scully and Howie Huber, from the Bywater bar BJ’s Lounge. Blue Oak BBQ got its start as a pop-up and opened at 900 N. Carrollton Ave. in 2016, taking over what had been Fellini’s before that longtime pizzeria closed. Co-owners Philip Moseley and Ronnie Evans have built it into a popular neighborhood restaurant. Asked to comment on their purchase and plans for the building, they responded with a prepared statement. “We are excited to have expanded our commitment to the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans. While we are disappointed that Parkview Tavern chose not to renew their lease, we are dedicated to a similar vision upon their departure.” Wagner, who sold the property, could not be reached for comment. Parkview Tavern has long roots. It has been a bar going back to the 1940s, Anderson says, and before that the building was a grocery. She and Malhiot have run it for 30 years. It’s the definition of a New Orleans neighborhood bar, embedded between the oaks and homes of its block, and ingrained in the traditions and everyday rituals of its regulars. “My family is really important for me,” Anderson says. “We have each other’s backs. I wanted to create that at Parkview Tavern, and I think that’s what we have.” Saints game days draw a devoted crowd and any given day brings a cycle of regulars, with locals stopping in for afternoon beers and restaurant workers unwinding after their shifts. Affordable drink prices are a point of pride at Parkview Tavern (a Miller High Life draft runs $3.50 these days). Regulars are forever buying each other rounds with wooden tokens redeemable any time for a beer. The culture and character of it all makes the prospect of relocating Parkview Tavern daunting. Anderson and her partner have looked at many locations but none have “checked all the boxes,” she says, for a viable price and the right location. “It’s hard to pick up and move anywhere to begin with, and we’re looking at a very small perimeter (of possible new locations) because we want to keep the Mid-City vibe,” Anderson says. “We don’t want to step into a place that’s on top of other bars, so that narrows it further.” — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

New Orleans culinary calendar

A HOST OF SPECIAL CULINARY EVENTS KICK OFF THE MONTH of November.

Here are several upcoming events. Hmong dinner at Mister Mao. Chef Yia Vang of Union Hmong Kitchen and the forthcoming Vinai in Minneapolis prepares a five-course dinner combining Hmong dishes and Louisiana ingredients at Mister Mao. The dinner is Tuesday, Nov. 7, and there are seatings at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. See 3-Course interview (p. 25) for information, and tickets at mistermaonola.com. Muffulettas San Franciso-style. New Orleans native Peterson Harter opened Sandy’s Muffulettas in San Francisco, where he serves his take on the New Orleans staple. He also offers a vegetarian version with roasted mushrooms. Harter will offer those sandwiches and sides like pickled egg salad and pimiento cheese spread at a pop-up at Turkey and the Wolf on Friday, Nov. 3. Doors open at 6 p.m. Visit turkeyandthewolf.com for details. Food Forum 2023: Pig Tales. Food historian Jessica Harris and the Historic New Orleans Collection host a day-long forum focusing on pigs, with speakers discussing barbecue, Cajun boucherie traditions, Mexican cooking in southern Texas and more. Speakers include Harris, Mark Essig, Lolis Eric Elie, Toby Rodriguez, Melissa Guerra and more. The program is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Williams Research Center. Registration is $100 via hnoc.org/foodforum. Kenji Omakase opens. Matthew Nguyen is the chef behind a new sushi pop-up, Kenji Omakase, opening at the International House Hotel on Thursday, Nov. 2. Opening night features guest chef Patrick Bouaphanh from Chicago’s Jinsei Motto, and the collaborative menu features 15 courses for $130. The second weekend will feature a 17-course menu for $150. Kenji will feature fish flown in from Japan, dry aged fish and other Japanese items. Dan “Grossy” Pelosi. New York online cooking star Dan “Grossy” Pelosi (@grossypelosi) discusses his new cookbook, “Let’s Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart and Home,” with Joy the Baker at Elysian Bar at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8. Event tickets include a copy of the book, and VIP tickets include a reception with Pelosi afterward. Tickets $45-$125 via eventbrite. com. — Will Coviello

Yia Vang Chef

By Will Coviello CHEF YIA VANG WAS BORN IN A REFUGEE CAMP IN THAILAND and moved

with his family to the U.S. when he was 5. They eventually settled in Minnesota, where his family was part of the large Hmong community there. He has two Union Hmong Kitchen restaurants in Minneapolis and will open Vinai in spring. He travels for events often and has competed on “Iron Chef.” He’ll be in New Orleans to prepare a five-course prix fixe dinner at Mister Mao on Nov. 7. For more information about Vang, visit unionkitchenmn.com. For reservations, go to mistermaonola.com.

Why did you name your restaurant Vinai after the refugee camp?

YIA VANG: Hmong people were part of the conflict in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War in northern Laos. Our people were hired out as paramilitary troops for the U.S. government. So the CIA came in with special forces and trained our people to fight for them in northern Laos. So my dad at age 13 and his brothers and family joined up and he became a soldier. They would run night missions and rescue downed U.S. pilots. There was a handshake deal between the Hmong people and the CIA that no matter what happened — win, lose or draw — “If your people fight for us, you have citizenship in America.” In 1975, when the U.S. pulled out, they left our people behind. The northern communist party who won came through in northern Laos and killed off — genocided — our people. It was about 300,000 Hmong people who lived in northern Laos at that time. About 65,000 were killed and murdered. There was this great escape from Laos to Thailand, but the Thai government didn’t want them because they had to be neighbors with Laos. So (Hmong people) escaped across the river, and there were these refugee camps set up on the Thai side. One of them was called Vinai. From 1975-1992, Vinai held about 90,000 refugees. Out of that, about 90% were Hmong. Out of that 90%, most of them ended up in the Midwest. My parents met in Vinai in ’77. They got married in ’78. I was born in ’84. We left in ’88. All my siblings were born there except my youngest brother. My mother always said to us, “Vinai is not where our story ends. It’s where

our story starts.” So there was a lot of suffering, a lot of pain. About one third of all children died by the time they were 2 because of malnutrition and no medicine. We looked at ourselves as being blessed for being able to leave. The restaurant is called Vinai as a love letter to my mom and dad. It’s the culmination of their legacy — they dedicated their lives to creating a wonderful home for us in America. The reason we call it Vinai is that so many of our Hmong brothers and sisters know that word. For the first time, for our generation, we can talk freely about what happened. That name resonates among Hmong people.

How did you get into restaurants?

V: I went into the restaurant business because I didn’t think I was good at anything else. That was my mentality. A lot of restaurant folks have that mentality. It’s like we’re a misfit bunch of kids. A year into when we started, my father got into a really bad accident. He was lying in the intensive care unit, and they weren’t sure if he was going to make it. I remember holding his hand and telling myself that if Dad passes away on that hospital bed, then no one knows who he is. Why do we always have to wait until somebody dies before we talk about them? What I tell people is that every dish has a narrative. If you follow that narrative, you can get close to the people behind the food. And once you are there, it’s not about food, it’s about people. Food is a catalyst into cultivating great relationships. For me, when I started following the foods that revitalized my soul, it led me to my mom and dad. It led me to their story. This is my ‘why.’ I feel fully dedicated to saying I want to tell their story right. It’s about these foods that they raised us on. Hmong food is not about the produce or the product. It’s a philosophy. A philosophy about a living world around us, and if we use this world, we can create some delicious dishes and gather together. When we gather together, we

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can create a community together. If you want to go strictly by flavor profile, it’s weird cousins to Vietnamese, Laotian, Thai and even Chinese, because these are the people we’ve rubbed shoulders with. What is different is our ability to immerse in whatever culture is near us. When you think of the four elements that are always on the table with Hmong food: there’s a protein, there’s rice, there’s a vegetable and hot sauce. When people say, “What’s your favorite Hmong dish?” I can’t think of one, because every dish needs to help the other. Every dish connects to another. Our mire poix, our sofrito is we have shallots, garlic, lemon grass, fish sauce, Thai chilies. Lao (cuisine) is a little funkier. Thai food is sweeter, so it’s more of the tamarind. Hmong falls in the middle.

What are you serving at Mister Mao?

(Owner) Sophina Uong said, you have free rein. I want it to reflect New Orleans. That’s why we have these boudin balls we’re going to be doing. We have fried oyster laab. We’ll hit them with some tapioca starch and cornmeal and fry the oysters and serve it with our laab seasonings. We’re going to do some really fun things. That’s what I love about doing these traveling events. I love that we can pull from whatever is there.

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O U T T O E AT C O M P L E T E L I S T I N G S AT W W W. B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M

Out 2 Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106. 8 Fresh Food Assassin — 1900 N. Claiborne Ave., (504) 224-2628; Instagram, @8freshfoodassassin — Chef Manny January’s serves lamb chops, T-bone steaks, salmon, crab cakes, deep fried ribs, fried chicken and seafood-loaded oysters. No reservations. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Acorn — Louisiana Children’s Museum, 12 Henry Thomas Drive, (504) 218-5413; acornnola.com — Blackened shrimp tacos are topped with arugula, radish, pineapple-mango salsa and cilantro-lime sauce. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$ Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream. com — This sweet shop serves its own gelato, spumoni, Italian ice, cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and more. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant.com — Gulf Drum Yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$ Banana Blossom — 500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997; 504bananablossom.com — Jimmy Cho’s Thai dishes include smoked pork belly and pork meatballs in lemon grass broth with egg, green onion, cilantro and garlic. Reservations accepted for large parties except weekends. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with a goat cheese and chardonnay cream sauce. Reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$ The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — Basin barbecue shrimp are served over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$ Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 581-3866; broussards.com — Rainbow trout amandine is served with tasso and corn macque choux and Creole meuniere sauce. Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ Cafe Normandie — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The menu combines classic French dishes and Louisiana items like crab beignets with herb aioli. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 2741850; thecommissarynola.com — The central kitchen for Dickie Brennan restaurants has a dine-in menu with a smoked turkey sandwich with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$ Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served

$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ — $11-$20 $$$ — $20-up with chicken and andouille jambalaya. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes char-grilled oysters topped with Parmesan and herbs. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse.com — There’s a seafood raw bar and dishes like redfish with lemon buerre blanc. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ Down the Hatch — 817 St. Louis St., (504) 766-6007; 1921 Sophie Wright Place, (504) 220-7071; downthehatchnola.com — The Texan burger features a half-pound patty topped with caramelized onions, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg. No reservations. Lunch, dinner and latenight daily. $$ Dragonfly Cafe — 530 Jackson Ave., (504) 544-9530; dragonflynola.com — The casual cafe offers breakfast plates, waffles, salads, coffee drinks and more. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sat. $$ El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — Sauteed Gulf fish is topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers and served with rice and string beans. The menu includes tacos, enchiladas and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar — 739 Iberville St., (504) 522-4440; 7400 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 304-4125; felixs. com — The menu includes raw and chargrilled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys and more. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Frey Smoked Meat Co. — 4141 Bienville St., Suite 110, (504) 488-7427; freysmokedmeat. com — The barbecue spot serves pulled pork, ribs, brisket, sausages and and items like fried pork belly tossed in pepperjelly glaze. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Froot Orleans — 2438 Bell St., Suite B, (504) 233-3346; frootorleans.com — There are fresh fruit platters and smoothie bowls such as a strawberry shortcake and more using pineapple, berries, citrus and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 8140 Oak St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar jack cheese, black beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$

Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The eclectic menu includes a Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, ham, cheese and pickles. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Kilroy’s Bar — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The bar menu includes sandwiches, salads and flatbreads, including one topped with peach, prosciutto, stracciatella cheese, arugula and pecans. No reservations. Dinner Wed.-Sat. $$ Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and a NOLA Style Grits Bowl topped with bacon, cheddar and a poached egg. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes filets mignons and bone-in rib-eyes, as well as burgers, salads and seafood dishes. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Luzianne Cafe — 481 Girod St., (504) 2651972; luziannecafe.com — Cajun Sunshine Beignets are stuffed with eggs, bacon, cheese and hot sauce. No reservations. Delivery available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$ Martin Wine Cellar — 714 Elmeer Ave., Metairie, (504) 896-7350; 3827 Baronne St., (504) 894-7444; martinwine.com — The deli serves sandwiches and salads such as the Sena, with chicken, raisins, blue cheese, pecans and Tabasco pepperjelly vinaigrette. No reservations. Lunch daily. $$ Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. The menu also has noodle dishes, teriyaki and more. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.Fri., dinner daily. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including chicken a la grande and baked oysters Mosca. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$ Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys, jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as seafood platters, po-boys, grilled oysters, salads and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$ Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese. The menu also includes wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, seafood pasta and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ The Original Italian Pie — 3629 Prytania St., (504) 766-8912; theoriginalitalianpieuptown.com — The Italian Pie combo includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef,

mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, black olives, mozzarella and house-made tomato sauce. No reservations. Dinner and late-night Tue.-Sat. $$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar’s menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$ Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 523-1661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary Creole menu includes crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$ Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — Black lentil vadouvan curry comes with roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and basmati rice. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. No reservations. Dinner daily. $$ Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 9343463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$ Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 8271651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, and dishes like redfish St. Charles with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $ Tito’s Ceviche & Pisco — 1433 St. Charles Ave., (504) 354-1342; 5015 Magazine St., (504) 267-7612; titoscevichepisco.com — Peruvian lomo saltado features beef sauteed with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, soy sauce and pisco, served with fried potatoes and rice. Outdoor seating available on Magazine Street. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — The menu includes beignets, flatbreads and a veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Zhang Bistro — 1141 Decatur St., (504) 8268888; zhangbistronola.com — The menu of Chinese and Thai dishes includes a Szechuan Hot Wok with a choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu with onions, bell peppers, cauliflower, jalapenos and spicy sauce. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$

PAGE 5

TV and in film, as well as getting into fashion, music, dance, podcasting and more. Daniel Webb also performs. At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, at Orpheum Theater. Find tickets via orpheumnola.net.

BriTANick

Comedy writers and actors Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney have written for “Saturday Night Live” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” They built their following doing their own sketches as early YouTube content makers, but they’ve constantly got an eye on doing live shows, including at New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade. After a breakout at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year, they’re doing more shows in the U.S., including this two-night stand at Le Petit Theatre. Local comedy group What Now? also performs. At 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, and Friday, Nov. 3. Tickets $40 via lepetittheatre.com.

Quintron & Miss Pussycat

Quintron & Miss Pussycat conjure haunting swamp music and psychedelic vibes at their annual Halloween throwdown. Also performing are Evil Sword and Donzii, and there’s food from Los Crudos. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, at the Music Box Village. Tickets $25 via musicboxvillage.com.

The Rumble

Fronted by Second Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. of the Golden Eagles, The Rumble has spent much of the last six months on the road, spreading the heavyweight word about Mardi Gras Indian funk. The band earlier this year released its first album, “Live at the Maple Leaf,” announcing with a roar of music its intent to step into a new era for New Orleans traditions while also respecting the past. The band is now working on a studio album. The Rumble plays at 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, at The Rabbit Hole. Bomb’s Ex-Lover will open and there’s a DJ set by Eliott from Earth. Tickets are $10 via rabbitholenola.com.

Alejandro Escovedo

While he got his start in punk bands in Texas, singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo blossomed later in his career combining roots music, alt country and Mexican-American influences. Rod Hodges of the Iguanas opens. At 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, and Saturday, Nov. 4, at Chickie Wah Wah. Tickets $40 via chickiewahwah.com.

‘The Road to Damascus’

In ArtSpot Productions drama, an incarcerated woman tells her granddaughter the Bible story of Saul/Paul’s conversion in a piece that reflects on the role the church played in contributing to the system of incarceration in the U.S. At 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, and Saturday, Nov. 4, at the St. Charles Center for Faith + Action. $20 suggested donation. Tickets available via artspotproductions.org.

Kevin Gates

After releasing numerous mixtapes, Kevin Gates’ debut album “Islah” topped the Billboard Rap chart and reached No. 2 on the Hot 200 in 2016. The rapper is known for his sometimes confessional lyrics. After teasing that he might release an R&B album, Gates released “Khaza” last summer. BigXthaPlug and DJ Chose also perform. At 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, at UNO Lakefront Arena. Find tickets via arena.uno.edu.

Jonathan Richman

Though he now sticks to mostly acoustic solo singer-songwriter shows, Jonathan Richman got his start performing with the Modern Lovers in the pre-punk era. Appearing in a few Farrelly Brothers movies helped propel him to wider fame. He performs at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, at Toulouse Theatre. Tickets $25 via toulousetheatre.com.

‘MJ the Musical’

Director Christopher Wheeldon explores the legacy of Michael Jackson’s music and stardom in a jukebox musical focused on the launching of the pop star’s 1992 Dangerous world tour. It packs in more than 20 songs, including “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “Thriller” and “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough.” The touring production is at Saenger Theatre Nov. 1-12. Showtimes vary. Find tickets via saengernola.com.

Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly

Singer Frankie Beverly and the funk and soul band Maze usually arrive in New Orleans in spring for Jazz Fest. The group is on tour with Cameo and Midnight Star. At 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, at UNO Lakefront Arena. Find tickets via arena.uno.edu.

27 G AMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLE ANS.COM > 1

A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M > O C TO B E R 3 0 - N O V E M B E R 5 > 2 0 2 3

MUSIC FO R CO M P L E T E M U S I C L I ST I N G S A N D M O R E E V E N T S TA K I N G P L A C E IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA, VISIT C A L E N D A R . G A M B I T W E E K LY. C O M

To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com

MONDAY 30

BAMBOULAS — Jon Roniger Band, 1:15 pm; The Melatauns, 5:30 pm; Ed Willis Blues Explosion, 9 pm BJ'SLOUNGEBYWATER— Smokehouse Brown Red Bean Blues Band, 9 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Secret Six Jazz Band, 6 pm; The Jump Hounds, 9 pm SIBERIA — The Painted Hands, mssv, Anareta, 9 pm

TUESDAY 31

BAMBOULAS — The Villians, 1:15 pm;Giselle Anguizola Quartet, 5:30 pm; Andy J. Forest Blues Band, 9 pm BLUE NILE — Bomb's Ex-Lover, 7 pm BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — Strange Roux, 9 pm MUSIC BOX VILLAGE — Quintron & Miss Pussycat, 7 pm ORPHEUM THEATER — My Morning Jacket, 8 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Rebirth Brass Band, 10 pm TOULOUSE THEATRE — The Brian Jonestown Massacre, 8 pm

WEDNESDAY 1

BAMBOULAS—JJandtheA-Oks,1:15pm; Boardwalker andthe 3 Finger Swingers, 5:30 pm;Roule and the Queen, 9 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Colin Davis and Night People, 6 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Tin Men, 6 pm GENNIFER FLOWERS' KELSTO CLUB — Phil Melancon, 7 pm TOULOUSE THEATRE — Jonathan Richman, 8 pm

THURSDAY 2

CAFE NEGRIL — Sierra Green and the Soul Machine, 10 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Zoomst + Pipin' Hot, 9 pm PEACOCK ROOM, HOTEL FONTENOT — Da Lovebirds with Robin Barnes and Pat Casey, 8 pm SANTOS — Bell Witch with Spirit Possession, 9 pm TOULOUSE THEATRE — Houndmouth, 9 pm ZONY MASH BEER PROJECT — Superdome Bodhi's - Day of the Dead, 8 pm

FRIDAY 3

BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Louis Michot Band, 9 pm

AT BLUE NILE — Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, 11 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Higher Heights Reggae Band, 10 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Hot Eight Brass Band, 10 pm HOUSE OF BLUES — Sariyah Idan, 8 pm NOLA BREWING TAPROOM — Phoush, 7 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Trixie Minx's Burlesque Ballroom, feat. Romy Kaye, 7 & 9 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Grapes of Mash, 8 pm TOULOUSE THEATRE — Houndmouth, 9 pm

SATURDAY 4

BAMBOULAS— The Jaywalkers, 11 am; Boardwalker and The 3 Finger Swingers, 2:15 pm; Johnny Maestro Blues, 6:30 pm; Paggy Prine and Southern Soul, 10 pm BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Daiquiri Queens + Jeffrey Broussard and the Night Syndicate, 9 pm BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — Amigos Do Samba, 10 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Sierra Green and the Soul Machine, 10 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Suspects, 10 pm JOY THEATER — Twista, Partners N Crime, Mia X, 8 pm KERRY IRISH PUB — Crescent & Clover, 5 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — The Nayo Jones Experience, 7:30 & 9 pm TOULOUSE THEATRE — Houndmouth, 9 pm UNO LAKEFRONT ARENA — Kevin Gates, 8 pm

SUNDAY 5

BAMBOULAS — Youse, 1:15 pm; Midnight Brawlers, 5:30 pm; Ed Wills Blues 4 Sales, 9 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Vegas Cola, 9 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Palmetto Bug Stompers, 5 pm; Treme Brass Band, 9 pm JAEGER'S SEAFOOD AND OYSTER HOUSE — Tyron Benoit Band, 3:30 pm MARIGNY OPERA HOUSE — Pardon My French!, 7:30 pm NOLA BREWING TAPROOM — The Shanks, 3 pm

SCAN FOR THE COMPLETE GAMBIT CALENDAR

PAG E 1 5

(Slick Leo Coakley)

days. It was a new phenomenon, and you had the DJ and the emcee. The emcee was born. Back then the emcee was just an announcer. That’s what changed the term emcee to a rapper. The emcee made announcements with rhythm and rhymes. We actually made tracks and made beats and made songs with turntables. You get you a hot emcee, a guy that can rap, and before you know it, that’s on records now. It became an artform. And like I said, I was at the right place at the right time. Now, as far as New Orleans, I’m sure Jubilee, Mannie Fresh, DJ Soul Sister, Mia X, they would all tell you, if it wasn’t for me opening up the doors for hiphop, there wouldn’t be no rappers in New Orleans. Tell me more about that — introducing hiphop to New Orleans. COAKLEY: I’m real vital to hip-hop down South, because it wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near the Mason-Dixon Line, because they didn’t respect that. It was “jungle music.” But little do they know that a lot of these guys were music majors and instrumentalists and just knew. I play in beat patterns and keys. Disco, funk, whatever I play, I move the keys a little bit as the music inclines. There are certain melodics in hip-hop music — well, there are certain melodics in any kind of music that forms hip-hop or dance or disco. Even though it’s been changed dramatically, the only thing that changed for me is from analog to digital. The music remains the same, whether it’s on vinyl or whether it’s on a USB drive. I never got out of hip-hop. If I can’t be a leader, I’d rather be alone. When I play hip-hop, I mean I play “Fly Like an Eagle” in hip-hop form, Ambrosia, ZZ Top, especially stuff like “Addicted to Love.” Run-DMC used Steven Tyler. Hip-hop when I was coming up, crossing over was called selling out. Well, you’re gonna sell out and put this white boy on this record, you’re gonna play country — Nelly is now doing country mixes. So hip-hop can go on and on if you’re creative. But hip-hop is really the culture and the beat and the dances. A certified swimming coach, Coakley for nearly 25 years worked for the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission. He’s still an avid swimmer. But after a while, he found it was tough to both

coach kids and hang out all night spinning records. So in the early 2000s, he took a hiatus from his DJ work. But a party in 2012, organized by a number of legendary New Orleans DJs wanting to honor Coakley for his pioneering work, pulled him back in. Could you tell me about deciding to come out of retirement? COAKLEY: They threw me a big party in 2012 — John Wicker, DJ Ro, Captain Charles, all the DJs, they said that the city wasn’t the same without me creating. They called me the godfather of hip-hop in New Orleans culture. Frank Nitti, DJ Chicken, Big Abe, Sugar Ray, DJ Soul Sister — the first time I played wax, in almost 20 years, it was on stage with DJ Soul Sister at the Hi-Ho Lounge. She invited me — and she don’t let nobody play her records. Me and Mannie Fresh are about the only people that ever touched Melissa’s table. What was the record you played? COAKLEY: I played a Rick James record with Michael McDonald. I think it was “Minute by Minute” or something like that. But it was just about two or three mixes, and I was on the turntable and she was handing me records that she wanted me to mix. And guess what? The records were different in beat pattern, but I managed. She hands me these two records and a third. I just did three mixes, and the crowd went crazy. Before you know it, it was in the newspaper, pictures, this that and the other. I would say Melissa is one of the main reasons for me — she was sad that I wasn’t doing this anymore because I was her influence. Right now, I’m doing more hip-hop and music than I ever did because I’m retired and I have time. I’ve traveled all over the country. I’ve been to Thailand. I go to London at least three times a year. I traveled on a cruise ship. I play mostly the islands, Belize, Havana, Cuba, Santiago, Trinidad, Dominican Republic, probably both sides of the Virgin Islands. I never played Puerto Rico or Haiti. I played all through Progresso, Brazil. When I started coming back, I landed this job on Carnival cruise ship, and I wound up doing that for three years until the Covid. I still wasn’t playing in the city, though, because I was a touring jock. And right now, I still tour more than I play in the city.

PAG E 1 9

(Mannie Fresh)

And they could not get the record together for nothing. The producer just kind of gave up on it. He was just like, “Bro, this is wasted money.” And he asked, “Is there any way you can get me a rapper?” The session was already paid for basically, so he was like, “Do you know any rappers?” and I was like, “Yeah, I know some rappers.” The first person I call was Denny, the dude from New York Incorporated. Denny was at work, so he couldn’t come, so I called [Gregory D], and Greg came. And so, the guy was like, “Do you know how to program a drum machine?” I was like, “Yep, I know how to program a drum machine.” He said, “This session is already paid for. Do y’all want to make a record?” and I was like “Yeah, let’s do it.” And the record was “Buck Jump Time.” So it was on somebody else’s dime because they couldn’t get it together. But this guy was just like, “I’m willing to give you all the time ‘cause it was already paid for. Y’all just go ahead and do whatever y’all want to do.” And we make the record. But we didn’t know how to put it out, didn’t know what we was gonna do with it or nothing like that. We wind up running into a guy named Brian that I knew. And Brian was like our local street drug dealer dude, but Brian had money. Brian was like, I will put the record out. And when we put the record out, of course, everything went crazy. Me and Greg was not setting out to be a group. It was just, like I said, by sheer coincidence, by accident, and it turned into Gregory D & Mannie Fresh. I just knew Greg, from being from other crews. He was with this crew called Ninja Crew, so I just knew him from being in competition with other people around the city. Reﬂecting on the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, what do you feel has been New Orleans’ most signiﬁcant contribution to hip-hop? MANNIE FRESH: It’s several things. It’s the way we walk, the way we talk, the way we move. Everything. We kind of reshaped hip-hop. Hip-hop is New Orleans right now. There’s a lot of people that think that’s an arrogant statement, but it’s not. It’s the wordplay that rappers use right now. The way people do things is based on the way it came from [New Orleans]. What kind of screwed us up, when Hurricane Katrina happened, a lot of New Orleans people moved to other places and picked up other people’s

habits. But before that, we was the most imitated culture in hip-hop. Everybody wanted to sound like they was from New Orleans. Everybody wanted to walk like New Orleans, talk like New Orleans, do beats like New Orleans. So I think our contribution is just us being authentic. For instance, the word “whoadie,” that’s New Orleans. That’s still in hiphop. It came from our branch. It’s slang words right now that are in hip-hop that, of course, young kids don’t know because they don’t really do their homework, but it’s still New Orleans. I would [also] say the way music is made. Like music is 808-driven, it’s kinda gumbo now, you got all these kinds of things that happened. The shift happened when — OK, damn, like New Orleans songs are energy. Look at how many songs are bounce influenced. And nobody will say, “Oh, that’s some New Orleans stuff.” On that note, do you feel New Orleans gets the recognition it deserves for that? MANNIE FRESH: No, not at all. Not. At. All. Not in the least bit. But we’ve always been cool with that as New Orleans folk, know what I’m saying? I mean, we’re just like, OK cool, if we can’t get you this way, we’ll get you another way. We ain’t going nowhere. And it’s weird because anybody who is a super celebrity, that’s one of the things they love about New Orleans, because we don’t bother you. We’ll say hello to you — “hi, goodbye” — and keep it moving. It’s not purposeful. We just don’t get caught up in those things. We just rather make the music. We rather do some cool stuff. It’s cool when someone’s like, “Hey let me give you seven trophies and all of this” and blah blah blah, but then it’s like, I gotta get back to work. Anything else you wanted to talk about? MANNIE FRESH: I think it’s a badass, sweet time for hip-hop. There’s so many “gold school” — I don’t say old school, I’m gonna call them gold school artists — that’s working right now and they’re making more money than they ever made in their life. I just hope that this goes on, and it doesn’t just end in 50 years and go away. I think we should keep this trend going. I love the fact I can see Grandmaster Flash and these great artists I grew up on performing now.

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Fall

BARS ARS AND AN OCKTAIL COCKTAILS issue

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ATE: ISSUE D

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o d o t t a wh

o g o t e r whe

Q & A

PELL

BY JAKE CLAPP

e e s o t o h w

New Orleans rapper Pell performed with glbl wrmng on the opening day of Jazz Fest 2023. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE KOREIN / GAMBIT

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JARED PELLERIN, AK A PELL , caught national attention in 2014 with his debut project “Floating While Dreaming,” going on to support G-Eazy and Kehlani on tour and headlining his own national tour in 2016. After a stint in Los Angeles, he returned home and co-founded glbl wrmng, a collective of New Orleans-based musicians and artists. Now 31 years old, Pell released “Floating While Dreaming II” in 2021 and is putting the final touches on the second glbl wrmng album. Check out the full interview online at gambitweekly.com. What was your introduction to hip-hop? PELL: My first introduction to hip-hop was The Box (TV channel). I think it was channel 70. They used to play music videos all day — or at least when I was watching — and I saw a couple of Cash Money videos during the great era that is Cash Money. That was my first awareness of things that were tied to local culture. I didn’t know how big Cash Money was because I was just a kid, but I was like, “Oh, this looks like streets I know in New Orleans.” I feel like that’s what made it kind of real to me. Who was the ﬁrst New Orleans hip-hop artist that you admired? PELL: [Lil] Wayne. I think there’s no way that you can’t, or at least in my generation, let me put it that way. Because he’s done so much for the landscape of not just New Orleans but hip-hop at large.

It changed the way I thought about how you could do things. His flows, the punch-line wrap, the way that things made sense, and these twisted similes and metaphors were just things that people weren’t saying. People weren’t using that creativity in the same way as Wayne was. And then this swagger, overall — just the energy, the charisma, I think, made it more than what I felt like I was listening to before, which would be a little bit more of the gangsta style. It was like, “Yeah, there’s a little bit of gangsta in here, but it’s also like, the guy is cool as fuck.”

Well, you may have just answered this, but what do you think New Orleans’ most signiﬁcant contribution to hip-hop has been? PELL: I know, right? How do you avoid saying Wayne? No Limit has done a thing, like Mystikal, and there’s also Silkk the Shocker and C-Murder. We put a lot of GOATs in the industry. There’s a lot of talent. You got Mac Phipps. Wayne has been that big of an artist — but that’s not to shy away from all the other artists that have done really amazing things, like shout out to Curren$y. There’re moments happening now with Rob49. Shout out to Stone Cold Jzzle. Shout out to glbl wrmng. $leazy EZ is having a big moment. We have a really bright future ahead. What do you think is needed to make a New Orleans musician successful in their hometown? PELL: It’s just empowering each other with information. The future is the artist becoming their own business and using that power to transform the local economy at large. I’ve seen it with glbl wrmng already. Everybody has their own skills and their own things they have to take care of for themselves. But when we come together, there’s a pool of resources that has arisen out of us understanding the business behind our music. What has hip-hop come to mean to you? PELL: It’s the voice of the people. It’s a connection that I otherwise wouldn’t feel to a lot of people. I think it’s become a universal language for how we, all of us, make magic out of thin air.

If you have been considering buying or selling but are unsure about the market, let’s talk! My personal goal is exceeding the expectations of my clients, both sellers and buyers, while guiding them in following their dream, home.

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PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE MAKING M ENDS By Frank A. Longo

ACROSS 1 “Venerable” Eng. monk 7 Place to grow cultures, for short 13 Furious with 20 “You can’t get out his way” 21 Catwoman portrayer Kitt 22 Panamanian dictator Manuel 23 Net access provider available on passenger flights? 25 “Jerry Maguire” studio 26 Petition 27 Hairy TV cousin

28 Women’s garment with an adage printed on it? 30 Video chat between people stroking their dogs and cats? 35 Sail supports 36 Gridiron divs. 37 Maiden name preceder 38 52 weeks 41 Brewpub drink, in brief 44 Burning 46 Situation creating strife within a sports squad? 50 Perfume bottle 53 Partner of Príncipe 55 Guarantee 56 Gulf ship 57 Chinese soup additive

58 Hobby 60 Touring actor representing his kingdom? 65 Broody rock genre 66 Blast stuff 67 Starting from 68 Gymnast Comaneci 70 Mild cheese 73 In days past 76 With 19-Down, toaster pastry brand 78 Ransack Oregon’s capital? 83 Locale of Baylor University 87 Time of note 88 “Laughing” scavenger 89 Big name in train travel

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3 BR, 2.5 BA. Lots of Natural Light! 1st ﬂoor has Spacious Living & Dining Rm, Upscale Kitchen with Granite & SS Appls, Crown Molding thru out. Primary Bdrm has Ensuite Bath. Nice Size Private Backyard w/ Deck. Lovely Front Porch w/ view of Downtown N.O. Centrally located w/ easy access to Uptown, Downtown, French Quarter & I-10. $299,000

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34 Come upon 82 West of “I’m No Angel” 90 Hovering ominously 94 Establish contact (with) 39 Retired NBAer Ming 84 Bruins’ Bobby 95 Give a fleet command- 40 Actress Watson 85 Piper’s cap 41 Language akin to Aleut 86 Garden dirt er new weapons? 97 Melancholy woodwinds 42 Argentina’s Eva 91 Refinery input 43 “— you clever!” 99 Immigrants’ class, 92 Lady’s title 44 High-speed train name 93 Rick’s love in in brief 45 Gas option in Canada 100 Minimally “Casablanca” 47 Alter, as a computer 102 Part of UNLV 94 Part of S&L program 103 Here, in Haiti 96 Yellow-disked blooms 48 Actress de Armas 106 Grilling place 98 Siren noise 109 Put the notation “this 49 Suffix with Marx 101 37-season means the opposite” 50 In favor of “Jeopardy!” host 51 Bit of untruth next to a word? 103 Purpose 52 In the way of 112 Junk email touting 104 Writer — de Bergerac wellness products? 54 “Son of —!” 105 1965 Yardbirds hit 57 Roald Dahl’s “fantastic” 117 It.’s continent 106 Herbivore’s meal title animal 118 Razor name 107 Heart parts 59 Sorority “O” 119 Last king of the 108 Object 61 Kansas’ capital united Sweden 110 Coleridge’s 62 Duffer’s goal and Norway “— Khan” 120 Stitched clothing line 63 Academy URL ending 111 Wet spots in deserts in the Haitian style? 64 Glass edge 112 Frozen dew 69 “You said it!” 125 Utterly foolish 113 “To be,” to Horace 71 Most wan 126 Mole’s path 114 Vinegar, e.g. 72 Yucatec speakers 127 Austria’s capital 115 — part (role-play) 128 Discount item labels 73 In the know 116 Heavy hitter 74 ESPN events 129 Nome’s state 121 Viral gene material 130 “Strut” singer Sheena 75 In base eight 122 — and outs 77 Handheld computer 123 “Hail!,” to Horace 79 Jason’s ship DOWN 124 Vardalos of “Connie 80 Luau garland 1 Lively 81 Jr. officer and Carla” 2 Worked hard 3 Soft caps 4 Person living abroad, for short 5 Youngest of the Rugrats 6 GPS guess 7 “Atlanta” actress Zazie 8 “Same here!” 9 Spanish gold 10 British “Inc.” 11 “Psst” relative 12 The Crimson Tide, to fans 13 Dadaism, to its critics 14 Typical situations 15 Grain to be crushed 16 Hazards 17 Abominable Snowman 18 Gel in a petri dish 19 See 76-Across 24 Mali neighbor 29 Dec. 24 31 Enlightens 32 No, in Berlin 33 Wise about

ANSWERS FOR LAST ISSUE’S PUZZLE: P 2

French Louis XVI Style Carved Marquetry and Parquetry Inlaid Walnut Marble Top Commode, early 20th c., H.- 34 1/4 in., W.- 43 1/4 in., D.- 20 in. Est. $800-1200

French Provincial Louis XV Style Carved Walnut Armoire, early 19th c., H.- 93 in., W.- 70 in., D.- 30 in. Est. $800-1200

Terrance Osborne (Louisiana, b. 1976), “New Orleans Sunset,” Sight H.- 21 in., W.- 47 in., Est. $2,500-4,500

IMPORTANT NOVEMBER ESTATES AUCTION

Selection of Jewelry and Gold Items

Fri, Nov. 3rd @ 10am, Lots 1 - 425 Sat, Nov. 4th @ 10am, Lots 426-900

Large Venetian Style Gilt and Gesso Polychromed Carved Wood Male Blackamoor, late 19th c., H.- 58 in., W.- 18 in., D.- 16 in. Est. $800-1,200

Full color catalog available at:

www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com

Kawasaki LTD 440 Motorcycle, 1981 Est. $1,500-2,500

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Alberta Kinsey (American/New Orleans, 1875-1952), “Magnolia Flowers,” 20th c., H.- 17 3/8 in., W.- 13 3/8 in., Est. $800-1,200

Newcomb Pottery Matte Glazed Baluster Vase, c. 1915, by Cynthia Pugh Littlejohn (American/ New Orleans, 1890-1959), H.- 4 1/8 in., Dia.- 2 3/4 in. Est. $800-1,200

Philippe Honore Pinel (French, act. 1848-1868), “Allegory of Spring,” oil on canvas, H.- 36 1/2 in., W.- 29 in., Provenance: The Durand Estate, Plaquemine (Iberville Parish), Louisiana. Est. $1,500-2,500 Jim Blanchard (American/Louisiana, b. 1955), “Rev. John Bliss Warren House [Maple Street],” watercolor on paper, H.- 19 1/2 in., W.- 17 1/2 in., Est. $2,000-$4,000

Audubon Folios, Abbeville Edition in Presentation Stand with 7 accompanying Books, Audubon, John James (1785-1851), “The Birds of America,” New York, Abbeville Press, 1985, Chest- H.- 23 1/4 in., W.- 45 1/2 in., D.- 34 3/4 in. Provenance: The Durand Estate, Plaquemine (Iberville Parish), Louisiana. Est. $5,000-$10,000

Alexander John Drysdale (American/ Louisiana, 1870-1934), “Swamp Scene with Pine Trees,” H.- 10 1/2 in., W.- 13 1/4, Est. $2,000-4,000

Continental Carved Oak Jacobean Style Twelve Piece Dining Dining Suite, 19th c., Chairs- H.- 44 1/4 in., W.- 18 in., D.- 19 in.; Table- H.- 29 3/4 in., Dia.- 50 3/4 in. Est. $5,000-10,000

Carl Kauba (Austrian/American, 1865-1922), Nude in Iron Maiden, late 19th c., a patinated bronze figure of a ‘Nuremberg Iron Maiden,’ Overall- H.- 10 3/8 in., W.- 3 1/2 in., D.- 3 1/2 in..; Figure- H.- 8 1/2 in., W.- 1 3/4 in., D.- 2 1/2 in. Provenance: Property from a Gentleman Antiquarian and Dealer, Mandeville, Louisiana. Est. $1,500-$2,500 $

Ninety-Three Pieces of Sterling Flatware, by Lunt and Gorham, including: an 85 piece set by Lunt, in the “Coronet” pattern, c. 1932, Wt.- 100.64 Troy Oz. (93 Pcs.) Est. $1,800-2,500

Ellsworth Woodward (American/Louisiana, 18611939), “Sloops Docked for Regatta,” watercolor on paper, H.- 15 1/2 in., W.- 11 1/4 in., Est. $1,000-$2,000

French Style Polychromed Mahogany Breakfront Marble Top Sideboard, 20th c., H.40 1/4 in., W.- 74 in., D.- 19 1/8 in. Provenance: Property from a Gentleman Antiquarian and Dealer, Mandeville, Louisiana. Est. $800-1,200

Pair of Large Twenty-Four Light Crystal Chandeliers, 20th c., H.- 46 in., Dia.- 46 in. Est. $5,000-10,000 Sister Gertrude Morgan (American/Louisiana, 1900-1980), “Resurrection on Dry Bones,” 20th c., H.- 11 /12 in., W.- 18 3/8 in., Est. $4,000-6,000

Group of Bronze Items

Crescent City Auction Gallery, LLC 1330 St.Charles Ave, New Orleans, La 70130 504-529-5057 • fax 504-529-6057 info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com 25% Buyers Premium Colette Pope Heldner (American/New Orleans, For a complete catalog, visit our website at: 1902-1990), “Swamp Idyl, (Louisiana Bayou Country),” 20th c., oil on canvas, sH.- 50 in., Marcel Dyf (French, 1899-1985), “Still www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com W.- 40 in., Provenance: Originally from the Life with Vase of Flowers,” 20th c., oil LA Auc Lic AB-411, 1354, 1529 collection of Al and Elsie Chittenden, New on canvas, H.- 21 /4 in., W.- 18 1/4 in., Est. $2,000-4,000

Hunt Slonem (American/ Louisiana, b. 1951), “Rudolph Valentino, ‘Latin Lover’ in Bolero,” 2007, oil on masonite, H.- 19 3/4 in., W.- 15 3/4 in., Est. $2,000-4,000

Orleans, purchased Dec. 7, 1964. Est. $3,000-$5,000

Rare Bronze Mounted Rosewood Table Clock, by Vulliamy of London, c. 1835, H.- 8 1/2 in., W.- 4 7/8 in., D.- 4 5/8 in. Est. $3,000-5,000

Noel Rockmore (American/New Orleans, 1928-1995), “Babe,” 20th c., acrylic on paper board, H.- 13 in., W.- 18 in., Provenance: Originally from the E. Lorenz “Larry” Borenstein (1919-1981) Collection, Est. $1,000-$2,000