Gambit Digital Edition: December 25, 2023 by Gambit New Orleans

December 25-31 2023 Volume 44 Number 52

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Arts focus

Juvenile

New Orleans-born rapper Juvenile has had a massive 2023. He has been celebrating the 25th anniversary of his four-time platinum album “400 Degreez” with major concerts around the country. He and Mannie Fresh, who produced and featured on “400 Degreez,” rocked NPr’s Tiny Desk with Jon Batiste, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, and other New Orleans musicians. And Juvie has received recognition from congress and New Orleans city council for his contributions to music. He caps the year with a hometown show featuring Mannie Fresh and a live band at 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, at the Saenger Theatre. Tickets start at $69 via saengernola.com.

Abstract NOLA hosts art and car event on Dec. 30 | by Jake Clapp ABSTRACT NOLA EVENTS TEND TO BE AS MUCH BIG SOCIAL EVENTS as they are

art exhibitions. The art platform, which focuses on uplifting native New Orleans culture, hosts events throughout the year, but its quarterly tentpole Art and Music experience can bring out more than 1,000 people to dance and interact with exhibitions and artists. “For us, we take pride in putting the best show on as possible,” says Kenneth Spears, who organizes Abstract NOLA with his wife, Antarah Leilani HasanSpears. “But I think for the [attendees], it’s about being in the room and being around each other. A lot of folks are walking around, talking, networking. It’s just a good party.” Abstract NOLA’s Art and Music experience events take a broad view of art by bringing together live music, visual art, interactive installations, poetry and food. earlier this year, Spears and HasanSpears partnered with auto event organizers Hot cars TV to roll in an exhibition of immaculate custom rides at the contemporary Arts center. Along with live music by Denisia, Subtweet Shawn, Paasky and rJAe, attendees could check out live painting by ceaux Young and JerkArt along with an exhibition of painting, photography and other visual pieces by Justen Williams, WavyTrillBaby, Jamal Barnes and more amid the vintage chevys and cars showing off hydraulics. The Art and Music experience again partners with Hot cars TV for its next event starting 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, at the cAc in the Warehouse District. There will be curated art installations from Jarad McKay and ronnie Martin, an exhibition of new works by Jacques Francois and Be3k, and items by Professor Dre Marley, Tyrell Shaw, Prosper Jones and Vincent Designz. The music lineup includes PartnersN-crime, The Brass-A-Holics and DJs Legatron Prime and rakim Beau. comedian Mario P hosts the event. Abstract NOLA wants to amplify that art, especially New Orleans art, isn’t strictly defined, says Hasan-Spears. “If you think of the traditional view of art, it’s a little bit stuffy and kind of stiff,” she says. “What we want to do is make it more immersive. And for our audience, to bring it on a level that feels familiar — bring the art to you and amplify the idea that, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is cool. This is something I haven’t experienced like this before.’”

Spears and Hasan-Spears, who are both native New Orleanians and artists working in music, photography and design, started Abstract NOLA in early 2016. They wanted to “preserve New Orleans culture through social engagement and events,” says Spears, and to give a platform for artists of all mediums, from music and visual arts to chefs. Their first events, the bi-weekly Art Party, brought together live music and poetry with visual arts and quickly grew to attract more and more people. They expanded to hosting a monthly outdoor concert and market series as well as private events for clients. In the last seven years, Abstract NOLA has hosted well over 150 events with more than 175 participating artists, like ceaux Young, cassie carpenters, 1985Poet, toy designer compton III and photographer Polo Silk. After the pandemic forced Abstract NOLA to pause their live events, Spears and Hasan-Spears decided to ease back the pace of their events and focus on fewer yet larger occasions, like the quarterly Art and Music experience, which brought out 1,500 people to their March event. Still, Abstract NOLA also regularly sponsors special art events. This fall, they took part in the New Orleans African American Museum incubator program and curated “Proof of Life,” an exhibition of contemporary New Orleans Black artists. Kara crowley, Devin “cyph” Dennis, Kentrice Schnexayder, Delaney George and Nesby Phips were among the artists

Abstract NOLA hosted an art exhibition and car show in March at the Contemporary Arts Center. They return to the CAC on Saturday, Dec. 30. PHOTO BY JUSTEN WILLIAMS / PROVIDED BY ABSTRACT NOLA

included in the exhibition, and a series of artist talks focused on the young, Black arts scene in New Orleans. The exhibition “is just a tip of the hat to some of these artists, and just showing the little microcosms [in the city],” Hasan-Spears says. “We have a plethora of talented artists in the city.” During this summer’s essence Festival of culture, Abstract NOLA curated an art exhibition inside Gallier Hall as part of the festival’s essence House and organized an Art and Music experience that weekend that brought out HaSizzle, Legatron Prime, raj Smoove, ceaux Young, Prosper Jones, Trenity Thomas and many others for a big party at the riverwalk Outlet. Abstract NOLA recently launched the “Arketplace,” an online space for New Orleans artists to sell their works, and they plan to grow the platform in 2024. “At the core of what we do, we care about artists,” says Spears. “We do this for the creatives of New Orleans, to have a platform and to showcase their work. That’s why we do it.” Abstract NOLA’s Art and Music Experience starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, at the Contemporary Arts Center. Tickets are $35 general and $60 VIP via eventbrite.com. Find the link and more information on Instagram, @abstractnola.

PHOTO BY MATTHEW HINTON / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Billy Strings

Guitar virtuoso Billy Strings has had a busy year, and is nominated for three 2024 Grammy awards, including Best Bluegrass album for “Me/And/Dad.” He collaborated with Willie Nelson on “california Sober,” which is nominated for Best Americana roots Song. earlier this month, he released a live recording from a performance in North carolina in March. He’s in New Orleans for three nights at UNO Lakefront Arena. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, through Sunday, Dec. 31. Find tickets via arena.uno.edu.

New Year’s Eve Bounce Ball

Bounce your way into 2024 with Big Freedia, who this year released her latest studio album, “central city,” and celebrated 20 years of her debut mixtape, “Queen Diva.” Big Freedia will be joined by Boyfriend for the Bounce Ball at 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, at the Orpheum Theater. Tickets are $49.50 via orpheumnola.net.

Country Come to Town NYE

Tommy McLain and CC Adcock top a bill of Louisiana roots music ringing in the new year at chickie Wah Wah. McLain released “I ran Down every Dream” last year, his first solo album in 40 years. PAGE 41

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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, y’all!

# TC OH EU N T

T H U M B S U P/ THUMBS DOWN

The New Orleans City Council voted to distribute $5.6 million in funds to more than 200 area community organizations and nonprofits through the city’s recreation and culture Fund. The council celebrated the first round of funding on Dec. 13 and will hold a second round in January. Among the many organizations receiving funding are Lowernine.org, The 18th Ward, Youth empowerment Project, reconcile New Orleans, ellis Marsalis center for Music and Anthony Bean community Theater.

THE NUMBER OF DAYS FROM DEC. 25 UNTIL YOUR FIRST LEGAL BITE OF KING CAKE. Jan. 6 marks the end of the 12 days of christmas and the official beginning of the carnival season, which culminates Feb. 13, Fat Tuesday. In between is the sacred time to indulge and celebrate at costume parties, parades and more, so get your hot glue guns and glitter ready and hone those Jello shot recipes.

Krewe of Petronius’ 2023 ball PHOTO BY KARLA PHOTOGRAPHY / PROVIDED BY KREWE OF PETRONIUS

Roger Ogden, a real estate developer and philanthropist, has given nearly $20 million to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art to establish the Ogden Fund, an endowment to support the museum in perpetuity. Ogden, who co-founded Stirling Properties, donated more than 1,000 works from his personal collection to start the Warehouse District museum 20 years ago.

Louisiana’s fortified roof program, an effort to help curb the state’s property insurance crisis, is leaving low-income homeowners behind, according to housing nonprofit leaders. An analysis by The Times-Picayune backs that up and shows that grants meant to help homeowners pay for the new roofs disproportionately went to higher-income areas of the state.

C’EST W H AT

Krewe of Petronius, the oldest active gay Carnival krewe, announces its 2024 royalty, ball theme THE KREWE OF PETRONIUS, THE OLDEST ACTIVE GAY CARNIVAL KREWE, announced its 2024 royalty

December 16 at French Quarter gay bar Oz. Holly Perry will be the krewe’s 62nd king, and Sarah Manowitz will be its 62nd queen. The theme of the ball, which will be held on Feb. 3, is “Petronius is for the Birds.” each costume will focus on a specific bird, with the king and queen’s costumes being kept top secret, as always. Petronius balls typically feature about 15 people presenting their costumes to the audience. There are also two performance numbers in the ball, and drag queens Monique MichaelsAlexander and Anastacia Davenport will perform at the upcoming ball. Perry, who grew up in Harahan and now lives in Mandeville working as a therapist, joined Petronius two years ago. She said being crowned king — and presenting a costume at

What was your favorite New Orleans moment in 2023?

the ball for the first time — is a dream come true. “I remember attending Petronius in the past and saying, ‘I would love to do that someday. I would love to feel the exhilaration and the excitement,’” she said. But a recent costuming snafu left Perry without a back piece for her costume, and she worried she wouldn’t be able to present in the ball. Frantic, she cold-called carl Mack, who owns a costume shop on N. rampart Street, and asked if he could help get her a back piece before the ball. Mack was in the hospital, but he answered Perry’s call and said he could. “It turned out to be a fairy tale ending,” she said. “Without him, I don’t know if King Petronius LXII would have been looking as sharp as I hope to look that night.” PAGE 9

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As bartender and manager at Bourbon Pub and Parade and one of the organizers of the New Orleans Pride parade, Manowitz is active in New Orleans’ LGBTQ community, but she didn’t join a gay krewe until she became a member of Petronius just before the pandemic. She said she’d always thought of gay carnival krewes as exclusive, male-dominated and out of reach financially, though

Bill Woolley, returning queen of Petronius, 1966. Woolley was one of the founders of Petronius in 1961 and later went on to found the Mystic Krewe of Celestial Knights in 1977. COURTESY OF LOUISIANA STATE MUSEUM

she had been watching that change in the last decade or so. “It was amazing to me to find out that there are krewes that are not that way and that are inclusive, and that it is affordable to be a part of Mardi Gras krewes and the legacy of gay Mardi Gras,” she said. Manowitz, who is also a paralegal, decided to join Petronius because at the time her good friend, the late Mina Hernandez, was the krewe’s ball captain and was pushing to diversify the krewe during her tenure. “She actively really tried to get a diversity of different people involved and challenge people to step up and do service for the krewe, do service for the community and present at the balls in unique and different ways,” Manowitz said. From sharing meals with fellow members and going to each other’s houses, the krewe is tight knit. Manowitz said she sees it as a “whole additional extended family,” with a bond that goes beyond just the krewe itself. “The good thing about the gay krewes … is even though there’s been drama over the years, at the end of the day, we all help each other,” she said. Petronius no longer sells individual tickets to its balls, instead giving each member a number of tickets. However, there are a limited number of tables on sale to the public available at kreweofpetronius.net. — Kaylee Poche

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amid unsettled issues. Statewide, GOP hardliners purged the legislative and executive ranks of moderates while lawmakers punted on the property insurance crisis and flouted federal judges on redistricting. Locally, the New Orleans city council continued to hound Mayor LaToya cantrell, firing her communications director and kicking her out of her Pontalba crash pad. In Washington, several rounds of palace intrigue led to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise falling short in his bid to become speaker — but fellow Louisianan Mike Johnson ultimately captured the gavel. Those and other stories made headlines this year, and some will continue to hold our attention in 2024. For now, let’s take one last look back — at the Top 10 political stories of 2023.

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IN 2 BIG ISSUES Contact Sales and Marketing Manager Abigail Scorsone Bordelonn 504.483.3150 or abigail.scorsone@gambitweekly.com

1. Jeff Landry’s Election — The activist attorney general harnessed voters’ fears about crime and parlayed big name endorsements including from both Donald Trumps into a dominant win in the Oct. 14 primary. Landry ran a flawless campaign, which for him meant ducking debates and offering no specifics on major issues. It was crime, crime, all the time, and that was enough — particularly after none of his GOP opponents gained traction. Landry’s election capped a clean sweep of statewide offices by the GOP, including wins by two women — Nancy Landry as secretary of state and Liz Murrill as attorney general. republicans also gained supermajorities in both legislative chambers and dominance on the state Board of elementary and Secondary education (BeSe).

Louisiana Governor-elect Jeff Landry and his wife Sharon PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

2. House Speaker Mike Johnson — The gentlemanly theocrat from Benton is now second in line to the presidency after less than eight years in congress. His election followed weeks of bitter GOP infighting, including an “et tu, Garret” moment for Louisiana reps. Garret Graves and Steve Scalise. Graves denies it, but local and national media say he undercut Scalise’s bid for speaker after right-wingers sacked Speaker Kevin Mccarthy (whom Graves served as a top lieutenant). Hard feelings linger, but Louisiana now holds the top two House posts. 3. The NOLaToya Recall — It was a clown car show from day one, even though recallers had money to burn, thanks to republican businessman rick Farrell at least $1.2 million. The effort garnered barely half the signatures needed to force a referendum, which shows how difficult it is to recall an elected official in a large parish. It also emboldened cantrell, who didn’t need more encouragement. 4. Cantrell’s Conundrums Continue — Herroner survived the recall, only to get booted from her city-owned pad in the Upper Pontalba, named in a divorce petition filed by the wife of her favorite bodyguard, and subjected to additional scrutiny from the media, the city council and (reportedly) the feds. The council fired her communications director for using city funds to pay

11 G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > DeceMBer 25 - 31 > 2023

CL ANCY DuBOS for an anti-recall flyer — and then lying about it under oath. What’s an embattled mayor to do? For cantrell, nothing says “Up yours” like world travel. As time goes by, she’ll always have Paris. And Singapore. And Dubai. And Switzerland. And Kenya. And South Korea. And… 5. Redistricting — Legislative republicans overrode Gov. John Bel edwards’ veto of their congressional redistricting plan, which kept five safe GOP House seats and only one majority-Black district. Federal judges at all levels decreed otherwise, holding that Black citizens, who comprise 33% of Louisiana’s population, should comprise a majority in two of the state’s six House districts. The same principle may apply to state legislative districts, which face a similar challenge in federal court. This story will continue in 2024. 6. Crime & NOPD — Landry appears poised to send state troopers to town (likely the French Quarter), no doubt hoping to fulfill a campaign pledge to reduce New Orleans crime. However, he won’t go after New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams. The new guv and Williams, along with Attorney General-elect Liz Murrill, recently announced a crimefighting partnership. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Police Department remains under a federal consent decree, and it continues to lose veteran officers faster than it can replace them. On the bright side, New Orleans got a new police chief in Anne Kirkpatrick, who appears to have gotten off to a good start after her predecessors delivered significant year-over-year reductions in violent crime and homicides. 7. Dems in Distress — The Louisiana Democratic Party has rarely, if ever, functioned at a high level. Dem candidates mostly won or lost based on their own (or their opponents’) merits and shortcomings, not so much because of voters’ party loyalty. Meanwhile, republicans offered conservative voters an alternative that Dems couldn’t match: a state party that moved in sync with its national counterpart. This year’s elections were a perfect storm for Dems. They failed to field a viable candidate for governor, and some of them turned on one of their own — state rep.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell survived a recall effort, and had an eventful year in office. PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Mandie Landry, who, like the GOP in statewide contests, wiped the floor with them. 8. War and Peace in Jefferson — All parish-wide, non-council incumbents in Jefferson were re-elected without opposition, but it was all-out war for several council seats. In the two at-large council races, incumbent council members repped by veteran media consultant-turned-power broker Greg Buisson lost to colleagues who ran against “the machine.” In majority-Black council District 3, convicted felon and former state Sen. Derrick Shepherd, who last year won a school board seat, narrowly failed to unseat incumbent Byron Lee. 9. The Insurance Crisis — Homeowners and businesses face existential threats from skyrocketing property insurance premiums, but too many lawmakers opted to fiddle while Louisiana burned. Hopefully, new Insurance commish Tim Temple and a new (sort of) Legislature will take action to bring rates down in 2024. 10. The Great Disengagement — Pundits, pollsters and politicos are pondering why voters stayed home in droves during the October primary. Statewide turnout was a mere 36.3% — and only 27.3% in New Orleans (lowest in the state, by far). Black people, moderate republicans and Democrats all seemed dispirited and disengaged. Trump republicans, by contrast, were fired up — which was a major factor in Jeff Landry’s primary win. Here’s hoping for better news in 2024.

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@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Hey Blake,

The recent obituary for Wendell Pierce’s father, Amos Pierce Jr., said that he attended Gaudet High School. Where was that and what can you tell me about it?

Dear reader,

GAUDET HIGH SCHOOL, KNOWN BY OTHER NAMES OVER THE YEARS, was located

at 4118 Old Gentilly road. It was established by Frances Joseph-Gaudet. In 2007, she was canonized a saint by the episcopal church. Mrs. Gaudet was born in 1861 in a log cabin in Holmesville, Mississippi. Her mother was of Native American descent and her father was formerly enslaved. raised by grandparents, she came to New Orleans to live with her brother, a student at Straight college, the precursor to Dillard University. Later, as the divorced mother of three, she supported herself as a seamstress but devoted herself to the causes of prison reform, juvenile justice and education. According to the episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, Gaudet raised $5,000

Amos Pierce, seen here with his son Wendell in 2020, was one of the many graduates from Gaudet High School. FILE PHOTO BY ANTHONY MCAULEY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

to purchase 105 acres of land on Old Gentilly road. That’s where, in 1901, she established the colored Industrial Home and School, an orphanage and boarding school later known as the Gaudet Normal and Industrial School. Until 1921, Gaudet oversaw the high school as its principal. She later turned the operation over to the episcopal church. In addition to Mr. Pierce, Gaudet’s alumni include the late state Supreme court Justice revius Ortique Jr. Gaudet died in 1934. The school operated until 1952. In 1955, it reopened as the Gaudet episcopal Home, serving underprivileged children. That facility closed, but the episcopal church continues scholarship and community grant programs in Gaudet’s name.

BLAKEVIEW THIS WEEK MARKS THE 75TH BIRTHDAY of one of the founding fathers of funk, Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, the co-founder and original drummer of The Meters. Born Dec. 28, 1948, in New Orleans, Modeliste was nicknamed Zigaboo by a childhood friend. By junior high school and the start of his musical career, the name had stuck. He began performing as a teenager, which is when he first worked with keyboardist Art Neville, as a member of his band The Hawketts, of “Mardi Gras Mambo” fame. In the early 1960s, Modeliste and his cousin, bass player George Porter Jr., would join Neville and guitarist Leo Nocentelli to form a group called Art Neville & the Neville Sounds. The band, which had a regular gig on Bourbon Street, was recruited by Allen Toussaint as the house band for his legendary recordings at cosimo Matassa’s Jazz city studio and later at Toussaint’s Sea-Saint recording studio. There they backed music legends Paul Mccartney, Dr. John, Lee Dorsey, earl King, robert Palmer and Patti LaBelle. By 1968, Modeliste and the group had formed The Meters and released their first studio album. It charted at 23 on the Billboard r&B charts and three of its singles also became hits: “cissy Strut,” “Sophisticated cissy” and “ease Back.” In the 1970s, The Meters toured with the rolling Stones, serving as their opening act. By 1977, The Meters had disbanded, though they would later return in various incarnations. In 2011, “cissy Strut” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2018, The Meters, who have been nominated for the rock and roll Hall of Fame, were honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Modeliste also is a songwriter and has released three studio albums. His work has been sampled by artists ranging from the red Hot chili Peppers to the Beastie Boys, run DMc and Queen Latifah.

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TH E G IF T O F

STILL FLY, 40 YEARS AND COUNTING BY J A K E C L A P P

IF HE ISN’T HAVING FUN WITH IT, MANNIE FRESH DOESN’T WANT TO DO IT. He’s serious

about his work, and he stays competitive, but what he’s not doing is wasting his time. “When stuff is not fun for me, it’s time to unplug the drum machine and move on,” he says matter-of-factly. That sense of fun, his warmth and his authenticity are big reasons why Mannie Fresh has had such a long, acclaimed career, from pioneering work in New Orleans hip-hop and bounce to building the sound of Cash Money Records — and influencing hiphop around the world. Now 54 years old, he’s spent the majority of his life behind turntables and drum machines, and he continues to build on a legacy that’s already placed him as one of hip-hop’s greatest DJs and producers. “He has an unconditional love for music, especially hip-hop,” says rapper Mia X, who grew up in the 7th Ward with Mannie and joined him, DJ Wop and Denny D in New York, Incorporated, one of New Orleans’ first hip-hop crews. “I think every time he touches the turntables or turns on the board to create a beat, it’s magical

simply because when you put love into anything, it’s just going to flourish,” Mia X adds. “I’ve been seeing Mannie put love into records and music for — March 2024 will be 40 years.” As the 50th anniversary of hip-hop approached this summer, Gambit spoke with Mannie Fresh, about his early years spent learning from his DJ father, Otto “Sabu” Thomas, cutting his teeth with New York, Incorporated, and his work in the late-’80s with emcee Gregory D. But that was only the beginning of Mannie Fresh’s career. In the four decades he’s been a working musician, he’s produced for countless New Orleans artists, from UNLV, Magnolia Shorty and Pimp Daddy to the Hot Boys and Big Freedia. He’s collaborated with T.I., Yasiin Bey, Young Jeezy and T-Pain. He’s earned Grammy nominations as part of Big Tymers, his duo with Cash Money co-founder Bryan “Baby” Williams. And he’s produced more than a dozen platinum- and gold-selling albums by Juvenile, B.G., Turk, Lil Wayne and Big Tymers. “Mannie is an avid fan of rap and hip-hop and a lot of those old-

school influences that helped him create his own original sound. And still, a lot of new music that comes out of New Orleans has that DNA from early Mannie Fresh and the whole Cash Money run — his sound, the way he programmed his snares, even the type of synthesizer sounds he would use,” says DJ and producer Raj Smoove. “All of us are kind of like branches off the Mannie Fresh tree.” Gambit met up with Mannie Fresh in October to talk more about his love for DJing, the early years of Cash Money Records, his friendship with DJ Wop and how he reflects New Orleans in his music. Byron Thomas, better known as Mannie Fresh, grew up in the 7th Ward watching his father DJ block parties and venues around New Orleans. As he started to gravitate toward music, Mannie’s parents encouraged him and would buy him equipment for Christmas and birthdays. Mannie began collecting records and learning how to work a turntable as well as programming drum machines. As he became a teenager, Mannie began DJing in public, first at school dances and house parties and then clubs around the city.

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Mannie Fresh at The Maison, where he throws an annual Lundi Gras party P H OTO BY S O P H I A G E R M E R

When he was 15, he joined up with his friend DJ Wop and Wop’s cousin, Denny D, to form New York, Incorporated, and asked Mia X to be their emcee. It was the early-’80s and the early years of hip-hop’s growing popularity in New Orleans, and New York, Incorporated, were innovators, scratching records, creating remixes and adding a light show. “His room was always set up like a studio as a kid,” says Mia X. “He had bunk beds. The top bunk was filled with the turntable, the mixing board, and then on the side of the bottom bunk, his dad had bought him — I don’t know what kind of keyboard it was and a drum machine. But we would go and make tapes. We would sit on the bottom bunk, holding the microphone, while Mannie or DJ Wop were on the ladder, scratching while we were spitting rhymes.” Did you always want to be a musician? MANNIE FRESH: No. None of this was really what I wanted to do. My dad always bought instruments and stuff like that for Christmas gifts and birthday gifts, and I just gravitated to it and started doing it. And once I figured out that I was good at it, I was stuck with it. Tell us about your father’s influence. MANNIE FRESH: My dad saw this vision way before me. My birthday gifts and Christmas gifts was always something that had to do with music. Somebody else was getting a bike, I was getting a turntable. Somebody else was getting whatever, and I was getting a speaker. So my dad

kind of seen it way before that. I started falling in love with music and what makes music and how the sound comes out. I’d start toying with things, and I was like “OK, this is where I’m supposed to be.” And my mom put up with all of it. So that’s incredible that my mom would just let me make noise forever and ever and ever and ever, you know what I’m saying [laughs]. Your dad was DJing block parties. He was a pretty important DJ around New Orleans, right? MANNIE FRESH: Yeah, and after seeing my dad DJing and [seeing] what a DJ does, I was like, “OK, that’s what I want to do.” To me, the definition of what a DJ really do is he takes you away from your everyday problems and everything that’s going on with you, and you have fun for whatever moment that is in time. If it’s a good DJ, he can make you escape from life, and while you’re escaping, you can actually reset and say, “OK, I see clearly now after this good time that I had.” I was like “Oh, that’s what a good DJ does.” I wanted to do that because I saw my dad do it for so many people, saying like, “Oh, wow, this was crummy, when it first started. By the end of it, it’s joy, it’s peace, it’s happiness.” Slick Leo (Coakley, pioneering hip-hop DJ) once said something about your dad having instruments in his set-up? MANNIE FRESH: Yeah! My dad had this whole thing that he did, this whole production that he did, where he would go from the drum machine to the trumpet to

Whenever you started making your own beats, producing, did you want to include certain sounds because of what you saw him doing? MANNIE FRESH: Definitely. Me being a producer started with remixes. I would remix other people’s songs, and the club kind of determined that you were good at it. So it was like “Oh, dude, you’ve got some dope remixes.” Then I start doing my own stuff. But for the longest, I’d always mix somebody else’s song, do a remix to it and didn’t even know that was producing. I just figured like, “OK, this is what I do,” and somebody’s like “Well, no, you could actually do your own original beats.” Then I started doing my own original beats, and it kind of took off from there. But the first thing was mimicking other people’s stuff, like Dr. Dre or Mantronix or something, going like, “Oh I like this. Let me dabble in this and see how I can change it my way and make it New Orleans.” And that’s the birth of bounce music. Bounce music is based off of us making something — like, if it was (a song by) somebody else outside of our region, how do we make our region understand it? We put our beat behind it and put their vocals on top of it. So it started that way. And then I was like, “Well, what if I put some music to it, like some original music?” Somebody’s like, “You know you’re a producer right?” It was like, “Oh wow, really? That’s what a producer does?” All of it is kind of like mishaps, the way it all came together.

In the mid- and late-’80s, Mannie Fresh began interning at Allen Toussaint’s Sea-Saint studio. He also began working with rapper Gregory D, who had been in the rival Ninja Crew. As Gregory D and Mannie Fresh, the duo released some of the first home-

grown hip-hop to catch wide local attention, especially their song “Buck Jump Time,” popular for its call-and-response shout-outs to New Orleans’ projects and neighborhoods. Could you tell me about getting in at Sea-Saint Studios? Did you work with Reggie Toussaint a lot? MANNIE FRESH: Yeah, Reggie recorded a couple of our songs. It was more of an intern situation. I was just interning, trying to learn more about music and studios, and I just took a liking to everything that was going on. I was cutting a record on somebody from L.A., some guys from L.A. who kind of didn’t know their way around the studio. Somebody didn’t show up, and they was like, “Well, can you call a rapper?” I call maybe two or three people and nobody picked up, but Gregory D picked up, and I was like, “Hey, you want to record a song? We got free studio tonight because somebody didn’t show up.” And we recorded “Buck Jump Time.” Reggie recorded that song, and from there, it was like “OK, now I kind of know my way around the studio.” Reggie and them kind of gave me a little bit of run of the place to be like “Hey, you can fool around in here if you want.” So there’s a lot of stuff I did at Sea-Saint.

for New Orleans artists like Big Freedia and Flagboy Giz — but he continues to pursue his first love: DJing. Mannie Fresh can be seen frequently at venues like The Maison and Dragon’s Den on Frenchmen Street and at special events around New Orleans. There’s a common statement that good DJs need to be able to read the room, but that requires psychic ability, says Melissa Weber, the popular DJ Soul Sister. Rather, “I love DJs who are able to control the room,” she says, “because they have such great music taste, mixing skill, blending skill, and also just take chances and love music. [Mannie Fresh] is one of those for me.” Live, Mannie’s sets tend to lean toward hip-hop and bounce mixes — a great NPR video shows Mannie making bounce remixes of everything from Michael Jackson to Hall & Oates and Kenny Chesney on the fly. Weber and Mannie have performed together on several occasions in the past, and Weber invited Mannie to DJ her annual birthday jam at Tip-

UPCOMING MANNIE FRESH SHOWS JUVENILE FEAT. MANNIE FRESH AND A LIVE BAND

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Was that your introduction to working in a studio? MANNIE FRESH: Yeah. Everything with me is kind of crazy. It was me cleaning up the studio, watching some people do it, and somebody going like, “Hey, do you know how to program a drum machine?” I’m like, “I do.” And it graduated to me knowing how to do plugs in the board or whatever. I know how to do all of that. So before you know it, it went from that to me working a studio or working behind a board, learning how the board works and all of that. All the earlier Cash Money stuff, I mixed it, I recorded it, because of SeaSaint. I learned how to record in Sea-Saint.

In recent years, Mannie Fresh has been more selective in his production work for other artists — although, he’ll show up

P H OTO BY S O P H I A G E R M E R

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > DeceMBer 25 - 31 > 2023

the keyboard during his set. So he had the whole New Orleans vibe going, doing the DJ thing. It was kind of taught in that manner of, you’ve gotta do something above just what the regulars are doing. It was always that. And I always was like, “OK, you got to do something better than what the regular DJ is doing.”

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > DeceMBer 25 - 31 > 2023

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You’ve been doing a Lundi Gras party at The Maison for more than a decade. Do you still find it fresh? MANNIE FRESH: Hell, yeah. This city is still one of the hardest crowds, because they really love music, and if you’re not doing a good job, they’re gonna tell you. Even when it comes to you?

MANNIE FRESH: Yeah! I don’t

get no favors around here [laughs]. They expect me to give it my all. They know when you’re off. They’ll tell you, go home and reset. What’s the worst show that you’ve had in New Orleans? MANNIE FRESH: I haven’t had a worst show in New Orleans, thank God. But I’ve seen some people have shows that were like, “Oof, man, rethink it.”

As our interview with Mannie Fresh rolls on, we walk down Frenchmen Street from The Maison to the Dragon’s Den, where there’s a mural of DJ Wop, who died in 2022. While we wait to be let into the bar’s patio space, a man walks past, does a double take, and backtracks to shake Mannie’s hand. “I’m born and raised in this city, and this man is a legend,” he says to me. “A hundred years from now, they’ll be talking about him.” “All good, bro! I appreciate that!” Mannie says before the man dips back the way he came. Does that happen a lot?

MANNIE FRESH: Yeah! You know,

New Orleans people are friendly people. There’s no other city like this. One of the things you gotta get used to sometimes is — New Orleans people will say, “Hey, we love your music,” and they’ll keep it moving. But other places, people hang

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itina’s in 2019. Those sets dove into ’70s and ’80s funk, soul and R&B rarities — the rare grooves that are DJ Soul Sister’s forte and the kind of records that are at the very roots of hip-hop and which Mannie Fresh grew up hearing his father, DJ Sabu, spin around the city. Mannie Fresh “is very loved in this city. He keeps roots with the community and with people,” Weber says. “People respect that, and they feel it. Sometimes you can feel that coming off of a performance. When you’re genuine and authentic, people feel that.”

around and fake like they’re singing and do things to try to get your attention or whatever. And it’s just like, coming from here, you’re just not used to that. You’re more used to people saying hello and they’ll keep moving. I love New Orleans. I love being here because I can still walk the streets here and still, just be a normal person.

After a few minutes, we walk through to the patio space at the Dragon’s Den, and Mannie Fresh starts to tells us about his longtime friend DJ Wop, Earl Anthony Register Jr. You and DJ Wop were close friends. How did y’all meet? MANNIE FRESH: Just DJing, from the same neighborhood. New York, Incorporated, Denny is Wop’s cousin. So we went to the same high school together and all of that, and all of us was DJing at the time. It started out kind of like a competition, and we just was like, “You know what, we’re from around the corner from each other, we probably should merge together.” We’d been good ever since. Did y’all keep a close working relationship, even after you started working with Cash Money? MANNIE FRESH: Oh yeah. Most people will tell you any gigs that I had in New Orleans or whatever, regional, Wop always opened up for me. What made him so great? MANNIE FRESH: His knowledge of music. I kind of was super Southern at one time. All I wanted to hear was Southern hip-hop. But Wop was just, everything. He was like “Man, you gotta check out Wu-Tang. You gotta check out these West Coast songs. You got to check out the East Coast artists.” His knowledge and his timing of when to play a song. He always thought three records ahead, and I think, in a sense, that too makes a good DJ. All of us are from the school of Wop: Raj Smoove, Mannie Fresh. I think that’s what makes us good DJs: the timing to know when to play a record and to know how to look at a crowd, not to just play the current hits. There’s so much good music, it’s OK to drop a Bob Marley song in the middle of the hype. As long as it’s the right Bob Marley song, it ain’t gonna kill the vibe at all.

Mannie Fresh at Jazz Fest 2015 P H O T O B Y M AT T H E W H I N T O N / T H E N E W O R L E A N S A D V O C AT E

That was a lesson we all learned from him, that “Hey, there’s so much good music. Don’t think that you got to keep the party going this way ‘cause these are the hit records.” You don’t have to play all the hit records or the current records. Just play good music.

It was through DJ Wop that Raj Smoove, an up-and-coming DJ at the time, met Mannie Fresh in the mid-‘90s at Cafe Istanbul when it was on Frenchmen Street. Raj and Mannie got to know one another, and a few years later, a quick question from Mannie landed Raj a spot DJing on the Cash Money Records and Ruff Ryders Entertainment tour. “Mannie as long as I’ve known him, he’s always been a very

outgoing personality, very warm and accepting, inviting people, inclusive,” Raj Smoove says. “Even him, inviting me to go on the Cash Money-Ruff Ryders tour — what could very well have been like an off-the-cuff statement, ‘Raj, what’s up? You comin’ on tour with us?’ changed my whole life.” That tour put Raj Smoove on a national platform, and he went on to produce for Lil Wayne and Sqad Up in the years following. Raj later appeared in a skit on Mannie Fresh’s 2004 solo debut, “The Mind of Mannie Fresh,” and went on tour with him. “That whole, initial Cash Money run, Mannie was producing every song on every album,” Raj says. “It’s a worth ethic. They’d be in the studio all the time, coming up with ideas and trying stuff out. And that’s

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a huge catalogue of material to be producing, and then for it to have the type of success that it had — I don’t think he gets enough credit for that.”

In the early ’90s, Mannie Fresh moved to the West Coast and took an internship with RCA Records — initially hiding his move from his parents, who thought he was still in school at Southern University New Orleans. The internship led to the release of “The Real Deal,” the last Gregory D and Mannie Fresh album. After a brief stay in Chicago, where he worked with influential house DJ and producer Steve “Silk” Hurley, Mannie returned to New Orleans and dove back into DJing and packing clubs. In 1991, MC T Tucker and DJ Irv recorded what’s recognized as the first released bounce track, “Where Dey At,” but a number of DJs were busy developing bounce at local clubs and block parties. Again, Mannie’s bounce work proved to be groundbreaking. He blended Cameron Paul’s “Brown Beats” and The Showboys’ “Drag Rap” (aka “Triggerman”), the two backbone beats for bounce, and produced tracks for influential bounce artists UNLV, Ms. Tee, Pimp Daddy and Cheeky Blakk. “He changed the sound of bounce when he produced Cheeky Blakk,” says Mia X. “Because ‘Bitch Get Off Me,’ that’s a Mannie Fresh beat. Those

drums became the official drums of bounce. Those drums are still used in 2023.” How did you and Wop challenge each other? MANNIE FRESH: Wop and I was always in competition. Friendly competition, that’s what made it — there was times where he opened, but he kind of made it, “God, I’ve gotta go behind this after he just went hard.” That was my friendly competition right there, and I think that carried over to the Hot Boys. That carried over to the way I created and treated things at Cash Money. We created that friendly competition that made the verses better, that made every song better. Like Wayne would tell you today if he felt like Juvie was better than him on a verse, he went and rewrite his verse, ‘cause he’d be like, “Nah, man, he killed me on it.” But that’s always good because it keeps everybody sharp. Speaking of Cash Money, how did you and Baby and Slim (Ronald Williams) connect? MANNIE FRESH: Through a mutual friend when I was DJing, me and KLC at Club Rumors. This was probably early ’90s. We was DJing at Club Rumors. That was the big club in New Orleans at the time. But me and KLC DJ’d there, and the emcee was this this dude Heavy. I had already met Baby before, but I didn’t have an intro-

What was the atmosphere like at Cash Money whenever y’all started? MANNIE FRESH: It was fun, but the way I even approach this business is fun. If I’m not having fun with it, I don’t want to do it. When stuff is not fun for me, it’s time to unplug the drum machine or whatever and move on. So I think what made it good was that competitive fun, the creativeness of it all. I wish we would have did business more, but none of us

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duction to him as “OK, I’m trying to do records.” So Heavy was like, “Hey man, I’ve got these guys, and they’re very serious. They trying to start a record company.” And one of my things was, I was like “Hey, if they drug dealers, I don’t want to meet ’em.” Because I was already DJing for a lot of drug dealers and, it was like, that’s fast money. It comes and it goes. They’re not going to be here — these dudes come and go. So I was like, I go from Uptown to downtown almost every day, and it’s like one week, this guy’s here, he’s alive. The next week, he’s dead or he’s in jail. So I was just like, if it was drug dealers, I don’t want to do it. Now, at the time, they were doing their street stuff. So I gave them an alternative. I was like, if you want me to do it, revisit me again when y’all are serious. So the first song I did for them was Lil Slim, “Bounce Slide Ride,” but they was like, “Dude, we’re gonna try it your way. We’re gonna try not to do nothing in the streets,” and I was like “OK.” And that song kind of took off, and that started the, “OK, we trust you to do it.” I’m like, “You can’t do both of them, it’s not going to work out.” From my knowledge, that was the day everything kind of changed. We started a legit business. Cash Money first generation was all bounce artists — Magnolia Shorty, UNLV, Lil Slim, PxMxWx, just a couple of other things. The B.G.’z — which the real Bee Gees were like, “Shut it down. Y’all can’t use that.” So that’s how it got trickled to just B.G. The B.G.’z was (rappers) B.G. and Lil Wayne at the time, but we got a letter from the Bee Gees. But the cool thing about it was if we got contacted by the Bee Gees, I’m like, we’re doing something right. We’re local, and if it’s making that kind of noise, getting that kind of attention, then we’re doing something right.

Mannie Fresh, foreground, with, left to right, B.G., Juvenile, Lil Wayne, Turk, and Bryan ‘Baby’ Williams in 1999 P H O T O B Y T E D J A C K S O N / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

really knew how to do business because we were all young and just starting this thing. I always thought big. I always knew it was going to be successful. Some people are like, “Well, how do you look that forward?” I write down stuff. I’ll write down what my goals are and what I’m trying to do, and I was already writing that down that I was gonna have gold and platinum records. I was already looking at that on my refrigerator every day. I already felt that kind of energy. So even though it was fun for me, I still had the vision of this could take over the world. You had a big hand at Cash Money outside of the production, too, right? MANNIE FRESH: Yeah, just on this is how you distribute the record, this is how you register the record, this is how you do this or that, just from experience from doing it in places.

How did you develop your sound at Cash Money? MANNIE FRESH: Most of my sound came from just DJing here. DJing in the club and just seeing what made people move. I would even describe my production as energy. It comes from a DJ perspective. It’s like, hey, this is what moves the crowd, so this is what I want the beat to sound like, something that moves the crowd.

“Now, as a DJ, I feel like the Cash Money catalogue that Mannie produced has had a lot longer of a shelf life compared to a whole bunch of other stuff [released at the time],” says Raj Smoove. “‘Back that Azz Up’ after 25 years is still one of those songs that you absolutely have to play at a party. And that’s the tip of the iceberg when you think about a New Orleans party.”

Mannie’s catalogue has stood the test of time, he says. “Mannie reinvented his sound on multiple occasions,” Raj adds. “Every time he did that, it would breathe new life into Cash Money’s run. The early albums, it has a specific sound and then you can hear it developing into the B.G., ‘Chopper City,’ Juvie, ‘Solja Rag’ records. Then when you get to the deal with Universal and you get ‘400 Degreez,’ Mannie’s sound really matured, and they were doing platinum record after platinum record.” In 2004, Mannie Fresh released his first solo album, “The Mind of Mannie Fresh,” on Cash Money Records, but by the following year, his relationship with the label was becoming tense over monetary disputes and restrictions on who he could collaborate with. After Jay-Z reached out to him, Mannie left Cash Money to sign with Def Jam South. Post-Cash Money, Mannie made big songs with T.I. (including the

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Last time we spoke, you said after Hurricane Katrina dispersed a lot of artists, when they came back to New Orleans, they brought back these phrases. MANNIE FRESH: The different habits. Yeah! So if you went to Atlanta, you picked up Atlanta habits, you came back talking like you was from Atlanta. New Orleans is unique; our habits are New Orleans. By people going different places, some of ’em just kind of lost that New Orleans twang. We had to start rebuilding our music, our sound, our vocabulary, everything. One of the things that the world loves about New Orleans is we got our own vocabulary. We got our own way of communicating and all that. By people moving different places, they picked up some of those other [vocabularies] and tried to enforce them here. And it was “oh, noooo.” Kids came back saying “son” and we were like, that belongs to the East Coast. That’s not what we say. “Hey, what up, son?” That’s not our thing. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but what made us super, super unique and special was our own language and our own way of communicating. Do you think that’s bounced back over the last 15 years or so? MANNIE FRESH: Slowly,butsurely. For young artists today, social media has put everything at their fingertips. Do you feel there are just a lot more influences now? MANNIE FRESH: Definitely. I get what social media is, but to me, it’s a tool so you can know what’s going

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Grammy-nominated “Big Things Poppin’”), Young Jeezy, Pimp C and Rick Ross. Mannie’s second solo album, “Return of the Ballin’,” was released in 2009, and he started his own label, Chubby Boy Records. Although Mannie Fresh’s production pace for other artists over the last decade hasn’t matched the intense churn of the 1990s and early 2000s, he has collaborated a number of times with special artists and friends like Big Freedia, Lil Wayne and Juvenile. He’s also given unique bumps to artists like New Orleans’ Dee-1, Allie Baby and Flagboy Giz — earlier this year, Mannie joined Giz on stage at the Congo Square Rhythms Festival for the song “Uptown.” “A random person can’t go to Mannie and be like, ‘Can you give me a free beat?’” Raj Smoove says with a laugh. “But he’s been supportive of younger artists that have been out here actively trying to do their thing.”

on with me. A lot of people, social media is raising them. It’s turning them into something that is just like, that’s not what you’re supposed to be doing as an artist. Stop copying what that person doing. Figure out what your thing is. I think that’s why we don’t have longevity in music right now, because it’s so accessible and it’s cool right now to sound like somebody else. In our era, you couldn’t do that. It was forbidden. We would run you outta there if you sound like Biggie — man, there can only be one Biggie. Now, it’s acceptable — everybody wants to sound like Drake or another popular artist and it’s cool. There’s just like so much in your face that you can train yourself to do it.

Mannie Fresh is a crowd rocker, says Mia X. He knows what to say and when he works with other artists, he knows what to give them. But his longevity comes from his passion for the culture he’s been a part of for more than 40 years. “As long as you love it and have a passion for doing it, you will continue to create,” says Mia X. “And Mannie has been through a lot of stuff, but he’s always the same person. He loves this culture, and for that he is blessed with the ability to continue to give us new things.” “I just want to thank Mannie for being my brother,” she adds. “My brother from the 7th Ward. My brother in hip-hop. And you can always look at his laptop, you’ll see the words ‘DJ Wop’ lighting up on the back of his laptop.” Thirty-five-plus years in, what do you feel has been the secret to longevity? Is it making sure you’re having fun with it? MANNIE FRESH: Yeah, and it resonates with people. If you’re having fun, they don’t see it as just you came here, you got my money and now you’re gone. The engagement, all of that. If I’m going to a concert, I wanna see you engaged from the stage, where it’s something I feel like you actually really love what you’re doing. It comes across that way. Your energy says that. You know, everybody been somewhere where somebody was like, “Who got my money? Start the song.” People can tell. And it’s like I said, one of the hardest places in the world is New Orleans. We hard on you. If you give us a horrible show, we gonna let you know. So growing up here, every time you do something, you gotta win, because if you

Mannie Fresh with a mural of his close friend DJ Wop, who passed in 2022 P H OTO BY S O P H I A G E R M E R

don’t, it’s gonna resonate wherever you go. There’s been so many artists that felt like “I was on top of my game ’til I got to New Orleans” — and they was just looking at me sideways. It was one of those things where they’re waiting for you to sing that one hit song and then you get a rise, and it’s just like, nah, you got to figure out how to make those other songs resonate to them before you get to that one hit song. I’ve heard from other artists that they didn’t get New Orleans’ support until maybe they went somewhere else and did it. MANNIE FRESH: I feel like I’m the complete opposite. I don’t feel that way. I don’t think I could have went anywhere else without New Orleans’ support — and I still feel that way. Because what I do is New Orleans. The way I come across is New Orleans. Like even that Tiny Desk — that was pure New Orleans. The only thing we could do is what we do. Whenever you were younger, what did success mean to you? What did you feel like you needed to be successful? MANNIE FRESH: I think me DJing — when I started DJing my first junior high school dance, that was success to me. I’m actually DJing a party, and I had already made up my mind like this was gonna be the only job that I’m gonna have. This is going to be

my job right here, and to make it into a business, to say, “OK, I’m gonna go around to every school and see if I could get a job doing this gig.” Then it starts falling in line, and I’m just like, “OK, this is what I’m supposed to do.” So even right there, that was success to me. What about today? What does success mean to you now? MANNIE FRESH: Oh, the fact that people still check for me. And it’s not just one genre, it’s everything. Success to me is when the curtain opens up, it’s Black, white, gay, straight, everything, and it’s all unity. One nation under a groove. That’s success to me when you can bring people together like that. How do you feel like you keep your edge? MANNIE FRESH: Stay competitive. I’m still competitive. One of the coolest things in the world is when somebody tells me what I can’t do, because it’s fuel. Even for me, during the pandemic, when I was DJing [online], that was a new way to introduce me, but we had beat battles, me and Scott Storch, and I felt like it went the wrong way. Scott Storch won, so I was like, “Well, you won the battle. I’m gonna win the war.” It was something that made me feel like, “You know what? I’m about to go crazy right now until I feel satisfied.”

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Celebrations around the country this year marked Aug. 11 as the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, and Mannie Fresh was busy traveling to Atlanta and New York to perform at major events. He also has been spending a lot of time this year performing sold out shows with Juvenile in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Juvie’s “400 Degreez,” which he produced and featured on. The duo rocked NPR’s Tiny Desk this summer in a truly epic performance that included Jon Batiste, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, a backing band, string players from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and an unprecedented encore. You’ve been pretty busy this summer. MANNIE FRESH: Yeah. It’s been crazy, man. It’s a blessing that folks are still checking for Mannie. I don’t even know, I’m maybe 35-40 years into this and to be at this level in my career and it’s only getting better — that’s beautiful man. How do you think all of the 50th anniversary stuff went? MANNIE FRESH: It was beautiful. I think it should not just be the 50th anniversary. It should keep on going, and one of the most wonderful things that came out of it, it introduced the younger generation to a lot of old-school hip-hop. They can appreciate it a little bit more. A lot of the old-school artists are selling out concerts. A lot of old-school artists are giving a better show, a

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What are your thoughts about New Orleans rap today? Anybody in the new generation you’re excited about or any concerns out there? MANNIE FRESH: The crazy thing is so many kids came from — B.G.’s son, Juvie’s son, all of these kids are rapping now. And the only thing I’m challenging them to is know your history. A lot of times, when they play things for me and say, “Well what do you think about this, Unc?” I’m just like, “Well, what you’re doing is cool, but you forgetting the New Orleans vibe.” So a lot of them, I even hear influences from East Coast or West Coast, and that’s cool, but you have so many ingredients right here. The gumbo is right here. Pull from right here and learn some of the stuff from the older artists. Go listen to The Meters. Check out Chocolate Milk. Go listen to Allen Toussaint and all of that. That should put you in a whole other frame of mind.

high-quality show, it’s teaching a lot of younger artists showmanship and the importance of knowing how to do interviews and all of that. My generation, we grew up on all of that — you had to have that kind of training, and that went away from music. I think right now that put some of these older artists on a platform, showing their abilities of what they can do. They can give a good show, and they can also do a good interview after that. Do you feel like this is going to carry on a little bit more? MANNIE FRESH: I hope so. I really, really hope so. Because it’s a lot of artists right now that they didn’t make this much money in their whole career. This anniversary put so many other people back to work, and like I said, it shined a spotlight on a lot of artists that the younger generation didn’t know. And now, I ain’t gonna say forced, but now if it’s in your face enough, you have to pay attention to it. How was it doing that Tiny Desk show? MANNIE FRESH: Crazy, dude. But we went in there with the New Orleans mentality. We went in there with “We’re takin’ over. We’re takin’ over Tiny Desk.” To have the support of Trombone Shorty, Jon Batiste, for the band to be from New Orleans, that’s epic. When you got your peers, it’s going down. It really was this insane display of New Orleans. You could feel that energy. MANNIE FRESH: It resonated that way and it came off across that way to the world and anybody who saw it. They was like, “They must really know each other. They must really vibe with each other.” Sometimes when you do things, there’s no chemistry. To the world, it translated. You saw the chemistry we was doing. You got to hang out with people to have that kind of energy. How long have you and Juvenile known each other? MANNIE FRESH: Like 30-something-plus. We met at a bus stop. I knew of him before that because he used to do block parties when my dad was DJing. My dad used to give him the mic and let him do just whatever his songs were at the time. But we officially met at a bus stop where he started rapping, and I was just like “You got to sign this dude.” And the rest is history. Trombone Shorty, I’ve been knowing him, I think, since he was

Mannie Fresh in 2006 FILE PHOTO

probably 10 or something like that. He played on some of the early Cash Money Songs. A lot of people don’t know that. Troy played on some of those songs. I don’t even know the playlist because we just had him do a lot of stuff, like riffs on songs. But Troy used to play for wrestling tickets. He’d be like, “Man, just give me some tickets to the wrestling match.” Because he was a kid. At the time, all he wanted to do was go to the wrestling match. Did y’all get a lot of feedback about that Tiny Desk? A lot of people talking about it? MANNIE FRESH: Yeah. I think for Juvie it’s like a second wind because he’s been on the road ever since. He hasn’t stopped ,and he’s been added to tours and all kinds of stuff. It was time to do it. Before wrapping up, is there anything you’d like to talk about? MANNIE FRESH: The only thing I think I don’t do enough, I don’t give my mom enough credit. So I would definitely like to give my mom all

the credit in the world. Most people know my story and they always say “your dad, your dad.” My mom put up with so much shit from me, and I don’t mean bad stuff, just me making noise and me following my dreams and her letting me do it. So I don’t think I give her enough credit — she could have told me “turn all of that off.” My mom really let me see this thing through. Does your mom still live in New Orleans? Are y’all close? MANNIE FRESH: Yeah, my mom still stays in New Orleans. Me and my mom still listen to music together. She listens to everything, from rap to Marvin Gaye. So we still have those moments where we going through the playlist and I’m like, “Well what do you want to hear?” And my mom still educates me on stuff that I didn’t hear before. My mom would have some fantastic stories to tell y’all, and it will start like what I’m saying, “He made so much noise.” Because I just played music all day, every day. There was no in-between.

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Kevin Pedeaux retools St. Roch Market | by Beth D’Addono ELIZABETH NUCCIO’S MEATBALLS AND GRAVY AT NUCCIO’S in the St. roch

Market are a revelation. They are all beef — no meatloaf mix for her — and mixed with fresh Parmesan, breadcrumbs, milk and one egg per pound of meat. Add in the perfect red gravy, which is a tad sweeter when her husband Steve Nuccio makes it, and the family recipe rings true to its Sicilian roots. Whether on a platter, with or without al dente spaghetti, or on a roll substyle, the joys of supporting a small, family-run business come through with every bite. It’s just this kind of personal, homemade-style food experience that powers the St. roch Market on St. claude Avenue. The revitalized hall is a mosaic of local food artisans, each passionate about sharing their craft and story with their customers. The current bright and airy space sits on the site of an open-air market first opened in 1875. The original building was damaged by Hurricane Katrina and sat vacant until it was restored with $3.7 million in public funds and reopened in 2015. Originally operated by Politan row, which runs food halls around the country, the market hosted dozens of vendors over the ensuing years, some of whom went on to open their own brick and mortar restaurants. chef charly Pierre of Fritai is just one success story. One of the original vendors, Kevin Pedeaux of coast roast coffee, is now running the show. He stepped up to operate the market when it was on the brink of closure in August, after an especially miserable New Orleans summer. Pedeaux, a native of St. Bernard Parish, took over management in September, assuming the $6,500a-month lease for the city-owned property. Food hall vendors pay either 30 percent of sales or $150 a day plus 15 percent of sales, depending on when they leased. Pedeaux hopes the city will support the market’s vision and local vendors.

“There’s a lot of big ships to sail and we need a lot of water to float in,” Pedeaux says. “We want our vendors to continue to offer an authentic cultural experience to both locals and visitors. I just hope the city understands we are in a transition and sees the potential. We need dollars to float the ship.” The coffee roaster stepped up because, if it wasn’t for the St. roch Market, he’s not sure where his own business would be. “I didn’t have the startup capital to do a coffee shop in Orleans Parish,” he says. “The market model gave me the ability to get up and running.” Pedeaux, who remembers driving by the St. roch market just about every day as a kid, is invested in making the market succeed. “This place is real, it’s personal, the vendors really care,” he says. If the market continues to thrive, he sees it as a perfect outlet for the vendors’ artisanal products, such as the Nuccios’ jars of olive salad. Many of the vendors speak to the growing diversity that’s been driving the city’s restaurant scene in recent years. Aritza’s Kitchen is a cuban eatery from Artiza Garcia, with help from her mother. Garcia has Honduran roots and grew up in chalmette. Her stepdad is cuban, and she grew up eating cuban food. Her menu includes a cuban sandwich on Gendusa bread with slow-cooked pork and mustard and pickles. There is also ropa vieja with rice and beans and fried plantains, along with empanadas. Other options include Lin Poke & Sushi, Dolma Mediterranean cuisine, Laksa NOLA for Burmese and Malaysian comfort food, Fried & True for fried chicken, biscuits and breakfast dishes. Genevieve’s

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

Bear claw

OF COURSE, THERE’S A BEAR CLAW IN THE PASTRY CASE. After all, this is Bearcat

Baked, the new bakery cafe from Bearcat cafe. This bear claw has a delightfully crackling brown outer shell over soft waves of dough with a seam of almond paste. The same case has blocks of focaccia, loaves of sandwich bread, pain au chocolat and a sausage roll crossed with a muffuletta, for starters. Bearcat Baked officially opened Dec. 12 at 726 Julia St. Significantly, it is right around the corner from Bearcat cBD, which, like the original Bearcat just off Freret Street, does a bonkers business, especially at brunch. It’s typical for people to be waiting outside. Bearcat Baked plants another option nearby for a quick bite, or maybe a coffee while waiting for a brunch table. It also doubles as the commissary bakery for the Bearcat restaurants. Elizabeth Nuccio serves muffulettas, flatbreads and more at her Nuccio’s stall at St. Roch Market. PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER / GAMBIT

serves po-boys, gumbo and raw oysters. Slow & Pho offers Vietnamese dishes that include slow-and-lowcooked barbecue. Fried & True and Slow & Pho are run by vendors who returned to the market after Pedeaux took over. St. roch is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the back bar, soon to be renamed St. roch’s reprieve, open later. There’s a trivia night on Monday, happy hour from 4-6 p.m. on weekdays and $5 mimosas and bloody marys during weekend brunch. Pedeaux is currently talking to a half dozen vendors interested in the market’s one open spot. “Some might work better than others,” he says. “My main concern is to set us all up for success.”

? WHAT

WHERE

WHEN

HOW

CHECK IT OUT

St. roch Market

2381 St. claude Ave., (504) 267-0388; strochmarket.com

Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily

Dine-in

A diverse array of cuisines at the revitalized St. roch Market

A bear claw pastry and espresso at Bearcat Baked. PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

It’s in the former home of Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop, the pizzeria that closed earlier this year. Bearcat partners James reuter and Michael Matthews leapt at the chance to develop a new bakery here, for the correlation to the downtown restaurant and as a hub to do more with the brand’s baking program. That has been the domain of baker cat colby-Pariseau. Heretofore she’s been working from a corner of the Bearcat cBD kitchen. Now, there’s a dedicated home for the operation, and she’s just beginning to tap its potential. There is a case of bread and sweet and savory pastries. The next phase will add sandwiches and boost the PAGE 37

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grab-and-go case with salads, grain bowls and other prepared items. There also will be an expanded breakfast menu with some dishes from the Bearcat cafe menu. “We started by asking what the neighborhood needs, and what we heard was more grab-and-go, more places where you can get a meal fast,” Matthews says. Bearcat Baked also is a coffee shop and the new home base for Alinea coffee roasters, the brand Matthews started in 2018, which supplies Bearcat’s coffee and serves other wholesale clients. The bakery has a liquor license so look for mimosas, espresso martinis and other drinks in addition to wine. At carnival time, Bearcat Baked will field the churro king cake that colby-Pariseau created at the Bearcat restaurants a few years ago, which is a delight of sweet, crisp ridges. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Greek makeover

WHAT STARTED AS A POP-UP TAPPING THE FLAVORS OF FAMILY HERITAGE and

the cravings they set is now becoming a new restaurant bringing something different to Mid-city. Smoke & Honey is taking shape at 3301 Bienville St. That was the home of Piece of Meat, the one-time butcher shop and restaurant that turned into a steakhouse but closed this summer. Smoke & Honey is projected to open in late January, with renovations now underway. The restaurant will start with breakfast and lunch and later add dinner. It also will serve as a satellite location for coffee Science, the excellent coffee shop and cafe not far away at 410 S. Broad St. Vassiliki ellwood Yiagazis is an actor and filmmaker who created Smoke & Honey as a pop-up as a pandemic pivot. It found a home at Pal’s Lounge, that ever-reliable incubator of New Orleans pop-ups. The concept draws on her heritage and her upbringing in Greece, on the island of Aegina, near Athens. “Food is in my blood, it’s one of the greatest joys of my life,” ellwood Yiagazis says. “My food is Greek and Jewish soul food, grandma’s cooking.” It is not a fusion of the two, but a reflection of different parts of her family story. The menu will expand on the kind of dishes she’s served at the pop-up. That will include chicken and pork gyros, matzo ball soup, lox and smoked salmon, marinated beets, Greek salad, stuffed grape leaves, souvlaki and spanakopita. On the

morning menu, there will be a breakfast gyro too with eggs and haloumi cheese. The pop-up’s signature sandwich will be here too. That’s the “lambeaux,” with leg of lamb, whipped feta and garlic onion jam on a John Gendusa Bakery po-boy loaf. Smoke & Honey will be a casual neighborhood spot with counter service and indoor and outdoor seating, a place to drop in for a meal or just a coffee. It will also have some elegant touches, like a new alcove built into the wall for a cozy booth. Seats at the bar will look across newly installed rose-colored tile work. The restaurant should be another win on the grab-and-go front in this town too. expect a case with dips, sandwiches and other items at the ready to supply a quick meal or a picnic on nearby Bayou St. John. Next to the coffee Science coffee bar there will be a selection of imported pantry goods. “It’s all the things I love in the Greek kitchen that I can’t find here,” ellwood Yiagaziss says. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Algiers Parishes

THE BIG BRICK BUILDING BY THE LEVEE IN ALGIERS POINT HAS INSPIRED A LOT of neighborhood speculation as

it sat empty through the years. It also sparked an idea for Lauren Blake. She and her husband charles Blake run 14 Parishes, the Jamaican restaurant that’s become a hot spot on Oak Street for its way with jerk seasoning and rum cocktails. The plan for a second restaurant across the river quickly took root. “Once I saw it, I knew what we could do here,” Lauren Blake says. Now the couple has developed the front portion of 801 Patterson road into a vibrant new Jamaican restaurant for Algiers. It opened this month with limited hours and a plan to expand to the full schedule in January. The new 14 Parishes is next to the large new residential development fronting the levee here.

WINE OF THE

WEEK

Lauren Blake is co-founder of 14 Parishes, the Jamaican restaurant with a new second location in Algiers.

Perrier Jouet Grand Brut

PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

The menu is largely the same as on Oak Street, starting with salmon sliders, jerk wings and king fish (mackerel) bites. Jerk-style cooking, with its earthy spice and layered flavor, is worked through chicken, ribs and shrimp on the regular menu, but look also for chef charles’ recurring specials like the jerk lamb chops and jerk N.Y. strip steak. The whole snapper with brown sauce is a don’t-miss dish. The Jamaican brown sauce sings with chiles and ginger and garlic and a lot more. The restaurant name refers to the 14 parishes that make up Jamaica. The couple initially had a restaurant on clio Street in central city, just off St. charles Avenue, and later opened a stand in the Pythian Market. But in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, they made a big move by opening on Oak Street, bringing back to life the colorful twostory building that had been a Mellow Mushroom pizzeria. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Floral aromas, rounded out by fresh fruit and hints of buttery brioche and vanilla. Crisp and light, it combines freshness with a lingeringly rich and generous ﬁnish.

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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 goat cheese and chardonnay 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) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$ Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$

$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ — $11-$20 $$$ — $20-up 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. $$ DickieBrennan’sBourbonHouse— 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse. com — There’s a seafood raw bar and dishes like redfish with lemon buerre blanc. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ 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. $$$ DowntheHatch— 817 St. Louis St., (504) 7666007; 1921 Sophie Wright Place, (504) 2207071; downthehatchnola.com — The Texan burger features a half-pound patty topped with caramelized onions, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg. No reservations. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$ 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. $$ El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — The menu includes tacos, enchiladas and sauteed Gulf fish topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers, served with rice and string beans. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar — 739 Iberville St., (504) 522-4440; 7400 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 304-4125; felixs.com — The menu includes raw and char-grilled 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 & Spirits — 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 latenight 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. $$ Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 523-1661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary creole menu includes crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and creole meuniere sauce. Outdoor seating available. reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$ Parish Grill — 4650 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 100, Metairie, (504) 345-2878; parishgrill. com — The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, pizza and sauteed andouille with fig dip, blue cheese and toast points. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — Black lentil vadouvan curry comes with roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and basmati rice. reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ PrimoHoagies — 8228 Oak St., (504) 3151335; primohoagies.com — The menu of hot and cold sandwiches includes a classic Italian hoagie with prosciutto, salami, hot capicola, provolone, lettuce, tomato and onion. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. No reservations. Dinner daily. $$ Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 934-3463; 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) 5104282; 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 sauteed beef, onions, tomatoes, soy sauce and pisco, served with 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, peppers, cauliflower, jalapenos and spicy sauce. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > DeceMBer 25 - 31 > 2023

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Jessica Brandt commits $1.5M to build the Morgan Rae Center for Hope at Children’s Hospital New Orleans

The $1.5M commitment is the largest individual gift in the hospital’s history, and will help expand vital programming to care for children who are victims of abuse and human trafficking. Children’s Hospital New Orleans recently announced plans to construct the new Morgan Rae Center for Hope, which will house the hospital’s Audrey Hepburn CARE Center, Child Advocacy Center and provide space for community partners who work collaboratively to serve some of the state’s most vulnerable children, adolescents and teens. In addition, the CARE Center serves as a resource for professionals and agencies across Louisiana, providing training and education on child abuse and trafficking, and serving as subject matter experts. This vital program provides medical evaluations, forensic interviews and therapeutic treatment, serving more than 1,300 children and adolescents each year from across Louisiana and coastal Mississippi. “We know that there are more kids out there who need our help but are limited by space and ability to expand services in our current facility,” said Lucio A. Fragoso, President and CEO of Children’s Hospital New Orleans. “We need a new home for this exceptional community program and are incredibly grateful that Jessica Brandt is answering the call for help with her truly transformational gift that will enable us to help many more children and adolescents in need.” Mrs. Brandt has generously agreed to

fund a new ‘Center for Hope’, with a $1.5M commitment that will house Children’s Hospital’s child abuse pediatrics programs – allowing for up to 2,000 children to be cared for each year, along with expansion of the team of providers and staff.

“The Morgan Rae Center for Hope is named in loving memory of my late great granddaughter, Morgan Rae Hartline,” said Jessica Brandt. “I am proud that her legacy will help provide a new home for the CARE Center and Child Advocacy Center, which help start the healing process for children who have suffered injustices that are hard for many of us to hear about or comprehend. The Center for Hope will help more children in our community get the care and support they need.” The new Morgan Rae Center for Hope will be located on Children’s Hospital’s Calhoun St. campus, adjacent to the CARE Center’s current location, and just steps from Audubon Park. The Center will double the program’s square footage, allowing for more children to be cared for, and growth of the dedicated team of child abuse pediatricians, case managers, social workers, and forensic interviewers. The home-like design of the new Center will align with best practices by offering a state-of-the-art training and observation space, conference rooms for

multidisciplinary case review, an interactive waiting area, large outdoor play space, and dedicated parking. This year, the CARE Center will have performed more than 1,300 medical evaluations, served more than 150 young victims of human trafficking, and referred more than 150 children and adolescents for counseling services, all from across 32 different parishes in Louisiana along with portions of the Gulf South and beyond. Construction of the new Center is expected to begin in the Spring and will reach completion in October of 2024. To learn more about the Children’s Hospital’s community beneﬁts programs, including the CARE Center, visit chnola.org.

chnola.org

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Also on the bill is Dickie Landry’s Quad Sax experience, and DJ Alligator chomp chomp will spin vinyl records from south Louisiana swamp pop and more. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31. Tickets $45$75 via chickiewahwah.com.

Little Feat

ThoughitformedinLosAngeles, LittleFeatbalanced country rock and a variety of Southern influences, especially with the 1973 release of “Dixie chicken,” which incorporated New Orleans sounds. In recent years, the band has done short tours celebrating landmark albums, including “Waiting for columbus,” “Sailin’ Shoes” and “Dixie chicken,” which it re-released with bonus tracks. The band is on a short stint in Texas and Louisiana, with a stop at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, at the Joy Theater. find tickets via thejoytheater.com.

New Year’s Eve Eve

New Orleans’ DJ Soul Sister and DJ Captain Charles ring in the new year a little early with a super party on Saturday, Dec. 30, at Tipitina’s. They’ll be joined by emcee charlie V. The

music and groovin’ starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 via tipitinas.com.

The Count Down

Prettie Boi Presents, the production team of burlesque performers eddie Lockwood and Dane Baxter, are throwing a New Year’s eve burlesque blowout to welcome in 2024. The count Down will feature performances by Miss Angie Z, Aria Delanoche, cassidy copperhead, JuJu, Trombone Squirty and more. Doors open at 11 p.m. and the show starts at midnight. Tickets are $25 via prettieboi.com.

Galactic

Galactic funks into the New Year with a homestand. Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph joins the band, and J. & The causeways also performs. At 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, at Tipitina’s. Tickets $76 via tipitinas.com.

Return to Mars

New Orleans guitarist and composer Steve Masakowski created the band Mars in 1981, tapping keyboardist Larry Sieberth, bassist James Singleton

and late drummer James Black for a jazz project influenced by the era’s electronic composers. Masakowski, Sieberth, Singleton and drummer ricky Sebastian revisit the music of Mars at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 26, at Snug Harbor. Tickets are $30 via snugjazz.com.

George Porter Jr.

After all the presents have been unwrapped, help bassist and funk legend George Porter Jr. celebrate his 76th birthday. Porter and his band the runnin’ Pardners perform at 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 25, at the Maple Leaf. Tickets are $25 via mapleleafbar.com and at the door.

‘Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet’

A cast of Ukrainian principal dancers leads this touring production of the classic ballet, which features giant puppets and lavish costumes. At 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, at Saenger Theatre. Find tickets via saengernola.com.

Big Night New Orleans

The Ying Yang Twins and the Soul Rebels headline the New Year’s eve party, and there’s entertainment by Inferno Burlesque, the Muff-A-Lottas dance troupe and DJs. There are various ticket levels with options for an open bar. At 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, at the Fillmore. Find tickets via bignightneworleans.com.

‘The Man in the Red Beret’

Chess masterJude Acres has been a FrenchQuarterpersonalityfor decades, running his World chess Table on Decatur Street near the French Market. The documentary “The Man in the red Beret” runs at Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge at 7 p.m. Dec. 25-30. Acers will attend the screenings. Filmmaker Derek Bridges will introduce the film Dec. 25-28, and Baylee Badawy, founder of the red Beret chess Foundation, will introduce it Dec. 29-30. Q&A sessions follow screenings, and the screening on Wednesday, Dec. 27 is a fundraiser for musician Lynn Drury, who injured her shoulder recently. Find information at zeitgeistnola.org.

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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 25 FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Bourbon Street Barons, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Dave ruffner and Miles Berry, 8 pm ROCK ‘N’ BOWL — Benny Grunch & the Bunch, 4 pm

TUESDAY 26 D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Sierra Green and the Giants, 10 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “Piano” Scott, 1 pm; colin Myers Band, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Jamil Sharif, 8 pm

WEDNESDAY 27 BLUE NILE — New Breed Brass Band, 9:30 pm CAFE NEGRIL — colin Davis and Night People, 6 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Tin Men, 6 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “Piano” Scott, 1 pm; Bourbon Street Stars, 5 pm ROCK ‘N’ BOWL — The Topcats, 8 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Big Sam , 7:30 pm

THURSDAY 28 BLUE NILE — Where Y’at Brass Band, 9 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Sierra Green and the Soul Machine, 10 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Phoush and the Tanglers, 8 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Doyle cooper Band, 2:30 pm; John Saavedra Band, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band W/ Kevin ray clark, 8 pm PEACOCK ROOM, HOTEL FONTENOT — Da Lovebirds with robin Barnes and Pat casey , 8 pm ROCK ‘N’ BOWL — chubby carrier & Bayo Swamp Band, 8 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Brass-AHolics, 7:30 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Victor campbell, 6:30 pm

FRIDAY 29 BLUE NILE — The caesar Brothers, 8 pm; Kermit ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, 11 pm

BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — Trumpet Slim & Brass Flavor, 10 pm BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm BULLET’S SPORTS BAR — New Groove Brass Band, 9 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Higher Heights reggae Band, 10 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Bogue chitto, 10 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Lee richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Sam Friend , 2:30 pm; Floyd and Thunderbolt Trio, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band W/Kevin ray clark, 9 pm HOUSE OF BLUES — “Let’s Sing Taylor”, 9 pm JAEGER’S SEAFOOD AND OYSTER HOUSE — The Generators, 7 pm NOLA BREWING TAPROOM — corey Duplechin & Friends, 7 pm OLD ARABI LIGHTHOUSE RECORDS AND BOOKS — Lighthouse Louie and His Long Shadow, 5 pm ROCK ‘N’ BOWL — Bag of Donuts, 8:30 pm THE JOY THEATER — Little Feat, 8 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Superdome Bodhi, 11:30 pm UNO LAKEFRONT ARENA — Billy Strings, 7:30 pm

Corey Henry plays Blue Nile Saturday the 30th.

SATURDAY 30 BLUE NILE — corey Henry & the Treme Funktet, 11 pm BLUE NILE — George Brown Band, 8 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Sierra Green and the Soul Machine, 10 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Isaac eady and Third Moon, 10 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “Piano” Scott , 12:30 pm; Steve Detroy Band, 2:30 pm; Lee Floyd and Thunderbolt Trio, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Jamil Sharif, 9 pm NOLA BREWING TAPROOM — cowbubba, 7 pm ROCK ‘N’ BOWL — Bucktown Allstars, 8:30 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — The Nayo Jones experience, 7:30 & 9 pm TOULOUSE THEATRE — Iko Allstars, 9:30 & 10:30 pm UNO LAKEFRONT ARENA — Billy Strings, 7:30 pm

PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

BOOMTOWN CASINO & HOTEL — Nashville South, 9 pm BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys , 8 pm CAFE NEGRIL — Vegas cola, 9 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Treme Brass Band, 2:30 pm; Palmetto Bug Stompers, 5 pm; Soul Brass Band, 10 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Doyle cooper Band, 1:30 pm; Lee Floyd & Thunderbolt Trio, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Mike Fulton, 8 pm ROCK ‘N’ BOWL — The Boogie Men, 8:30 pm STAINED GLASS WINE HOUSE — Valerie Sassyfras, 7 pm THE GOAT — Wasted and 610 Split, 10:30 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Funkin’ into 2024 with Big Sam’s Funky Nation, 8 pm UNO LAKEFRONT ARENA — Billy Strings, 7:30 pm

SUNDAY 31 BJ’S LOUNGE BYWATER — Gal Holiday + We Hate Lindsay, 9 pm BLUE NILE — Flow Tribe , 11 pm BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — Street Legends Brass Band, 11 pm

SCAN FOR THE COMPLETE GAMBIT CALENDAR

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ALLIE BABY ON BLAK IYCE AND THE NEED FOR A MOVEMENT by Jake Clapp

Open Daily! ALLIE BABY GREW UP IN NEW ORLEANS EAST and

gravitated to artists like Da Brat, Mia X and Ghetto Twiinz. She first performed in front of a crowd during a school event and continued to write music as well as working as a model. In the early 2000s, she became part of the New Orleans group Blak Iyce, an all-female hip-hop group that worked with Q93’s Wild Wayne and performed with G-Unit and 504 Boyz. The band also released an album, “The Iyce Age,” in 2002, with features by choppa, Mia X and B.G. Allie Baby embarked on a solo career after her time in Blak Iyce and has worked with producers Mannie Fresh and Drumma Boy. She’s also released several mixtapes and albums over the years, including “Study Hall,” the DJ Drama-hosted “Pre Season,” “Wifey” and “The Set-Up.” Find Allie Baby on Instagram, @msalliebaby. What was your introduction to hip-hop? Allie Baby: My introduction honestly had to be Da Brat’s “Funkdafied.” Shortly after Da Brat, I want to say my biggest influence was Mia X. Hearing “Da Payback” on the radio as a little bitty girl, I didn’t really understand what she was rapping about, but it was something about Mia X’s voice. even though it was this angelic, soft voice,

New Orleans hip-hop artist Allie Baby PROVIDED PHOTO BY B. DRAGON

she dominated the track. I didn’t really understand the lyrics at such a young age, but it stuck out like a sore thumb, for real. So Mia X has definitely been the most impactful earliest influence of my time. Speaking outside of New Orleans, Da Brat and TLc. I can’t leave TLc out. Along with Mia X, who were some of the ﬁrst New Orleans artists you admired? Allie Baby: Mia X, Ghetto Twiinz, cash Money, No Limit and, specifically out of cash Money, Hot Boys. Hot Boys was in heavy rotation. I had a big appreciation for cash Money as a whole, because Mannie Fresh brought so much flavor to their sound. He had a big part in branding cash Money. I honestly think that they couldn’t have done it without Mannie. I don’t know if I will catch some backlash for saying that, but I think Mannie Fresh definitely took a major part as far as branding cash Money and their sound. PAG E 4 6

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When did you start writing and making your own music? Allie Baby: I had to be like, I want to say 13. I wrote my first song, and it was for an event at school. every class got a chance to basically represent. It was a competition, and you performed whatever you want to perform. I wrote my first rap off of Da Brat’s “Funkdafied.” I found the instrumental, wrote to it and had the gymnasium going crazy. Tell me about Blak Iyce. That was a few years after, right? Allie Baby: Yeah, I was I want to say 18 or 17 when I got with Blak Iyce. We were actually put together by management. We were all females who didn’t know each other at the time, so it was some bigger heads involved that put us together. We ended up becoming the best of friends, of course, and we did a lot. We traveled on tour with 50 cent, G-Unit, No Limit, Master P’s 504 Boyz. We did stuff with cam’ron at the time, Dipset, Lil Scrappy, B.G. — the list goes on. We actually did a little tour and stuff and basically got the full experience of what it is to live on the road.

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Were there other all-female groups like y’all in New Orleans at that time? Allie Baby: There weren’t any groups like that at all, and I think that’s why Blak Iyce had the buzz that they had, because there wasn’t any other females that were doing it. The only thing that may have been similar would have been like Lil Wayne’s group, Sqad Up, but that was a bunch of dudes. But it was never any women [groups], four women at that, just rapping. Could you tell me about your career after Blak Iyce? Allie Baby: Blak Iyce ended up splitting, like many girl groups do. It was still all love. It was just that we were four girls with different minds, and we wanted different things. So that was the end of that chapter. [The other members] basically made the decision to start pursuing other things, and I kept going. I ended up moving to Atlanta and working with (producer) Drumma Boy, who has done a lot of work with Young Jeezy

and T.I. and Whitney Houston before she passed away. He was a Grammynominated producer at the time. So I worked with him, worked with Lil Scrappy, worked with DJ Drama, who was really popular at the time with “Gangsta Grillz.” I just basically kept networking while I was living in Atlanta and kept relationships open, and I’ve pretty much been consistent since then. Your video for “When the Shit Goes Down” has Curren$y, BJ So Cole, Flagboy Giz and other New Orleans hip-hop ﬁgures in it. Did you set out to showcase different artists? Allie Baby: I definitely did, because it’s something that I’ve never done. To say that I’ve been doing music for so long and doing videos and stuff like that — for this particular visual, I’m like, “Hey, this is really my first New Orleans-sound song, as far as bounce is concerned. I want everybody that’s doing their thing in this video.” I just really wanted New Orleans. I’m like, this is a New Orleans sound. This is my city, and right now bounce is all over the world. You hear the New Orleans sound everywhere now. What has been New Orleans’ biggest contribution to hip-hop? Allie Baby: cash Money and No Limit. That was our biggest stamp. That was Juvenile going gold, platinum with cash Money. Master P doing it independent and selling as many units as he did. I honestly think that there’s just as much talent (today) to do the same thing, but we just don’t have those resources anymore down here. We don’t have labels. It’s not any champs anymore. No cliques. There’s no movement. People want to do their own thing, or they’re competing with this one and that one. I would say that the closest thing to doing what [cash Money and No Limit] did is glbl wrmng, right now. They’re moving in a direction that cash Money and No Limit did, so I’m hoping that they can make an impact. They’re moving in the right direction.

2023

We made it through a lot. A year of transition. I’m grateful for my clients who put their trust and conﬁdence in me. Happy Holidays to all!

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PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE THE NIGHT BEFORE By Frank A. Longo

31 President Reagan 32 * Flying Yuletide team 34 * Leafy Yuletide door decoration 37 Tooth: Prefix 38 Fashion flair 40 Shared by us 41 Soften 45 Fed, e.g. 47 High trains 48 Ill. neighbor 49 Religious branches 50 Figure skater Dorothy 54 Some toy batteries 55 * Much-anticipated Yuletide visitor 57 * Yuletide tinsel, ornaments and lights

59 Wray of “King Kong” 60 Circular square dance maneuver 61 Actress Reid 62 Keeps pelting 64 Eat away (at) 66 Backup strategy 68 * Plant hung up for Yuletide 70 Jessica of “King Kong” 75 Roaring cat 77 Bombardier’s attack 79 Paper pack 80 Quality evoking pity 84 In time past 85 * Phrase from the Yuletide carol “Silent Night” 87 * What “it’s lovely

ABR, CRS, GRI, SFR, SRS

76 “Sorta” 26 Wearing stilettos, say 30 Involving give-and-take 78 Opera queen 80 Jr.’s exam 33 “— for Murder” (Hitch81 — mater cock film) 82 Adolescent 34 Troubles 83 Be determined by 35 Totally spoil 84 Be a fan of 36 Word before while 86 Chip topper 39 Brewing fungi 88 Texters’ playful growl 42 Brazilian juice berry 89 “Yeah, dude” 43 Kind of poker 90 Rotate 44 Canadian gas 94 Transparent, informally station name 46 Smooth but unconvincing 95 Empty talk 97 “Buddy Holly” rock 49 Meanie’s look band 50 URL opener 99 Egg-holding capsule 51 Asia’s — Sea 101 Lake that feeds the 52 Actress Sorvino Mississippi 53 One-named supermodel 102 Forthright 54 Once more 103 Paris art museum 55 More reasonable 104 Group of nine 56 Oral health org. 106 Sweater type 58 Pixar title fish 107 Parolee, e.g. 59 Book leaf 109 Vid recorder 63 Rocket part 110 Bar brew 64 Targets 111 Auction site 65 Astrophysicist — 112 Richard of deGrasse Tyson “First Knight” 67 Online journals 114 Legal claim 69 Wall Street worker 117 Roth of horror films 71 Circle parts 118 Web feed format inits. 72 In tidy order 120 Dietary std. 73 Chutzpah 121 Sigh of relief 74 TV trophy

DOWN 1 Honda model 2 Seat of Ireland’s County Kerry 3 Arrive at a stop, as a bus 4 Tilted 5 Camping gear retailer 6 Conference for UC Davis 7 Einstein or Camus 8 Lost traction 9 Knightly title 10 Alternatives to escaroles 11 Spacek of “Carrie” 12 Scrooge’s cry 13 Vanity 14 “Neon” fishes 15 Chichi scarf 16 Father, to a wee tot 17 Skating jump 18 “Adorkable” sort, perhaps 24 Scot’s denial

ANSWERS FOR LAST ISSUE’S PUZZLE: P 2

PUZZLES

ACROSS 1 For the stock issue price 6 Low voices 12 Test version 16 Aykroyd of “Coneheads” 19 Small wine or oil container 20 “Fighting” NCAA team 21 Epochs 22 Logging tool 23 * Fourth-day gifts in a Yuletide song 25 * Warming Yuletide drink 27 Earthen cooking pot 28 Bedazzled 29 Suffix with art

weather for” in a Yuletide tune 90 NFL scores 91 To a huge degree 92 Church cries 93 Nav. leader 94 Be litigious 95 Buddy 96 Zesty taste 97 Intl. 1940s conflict 98 Misstep 100 Edge along 105 * Yuletide tree, e.g. 108 * Time off for Yuletide, say 110 “Scram!” 113 Office tel. add-on 114 — fire under (stirred up) 115 Make — for it (try fleeing) 116 * Scrooge in a Yuletide classic 119 Apt phrase spelled out by the first letters of the answers to the starred clues 122 Spock’s pointy part 123 Toon frames 124 Tough trial 125 Capital of Ghana 126 Seeded loaf 127 Jenner of reality TV 128 Subtle distinction 129 Detested

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Congratulations to NICHOLAS DUPLAS on joining the NOLA STYLES GROUP

Allstate Sugar Bowl New Year’s Eve Parade The Allstate Sugar Bowl New Year’s Eve Parade, a Mardi Gras-style parade on Sunday, December 31, features sponsored and themed floats, high school and university bands and entertainment for fans of all ages. The free event is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. on Elysian Fields Avenue and will roll past Jackson Square and up Decatur Street.

NewOrleans.com Allstate Sugar Bowl Tailgate Town Get to the Dome early for a first-rate tailgate party at Champions Square. The party begins at 4 p.m. and lasts until the game begins. Tailgate Town, hosted by New Orleans & Company, features food, interactive games and entertainment, including special appearances by both schools’ bands and cheerleading squads. Free for fans of all ages!

Caesars Superdome (Champions Square) — Monday, January 1 • 4 p.m.