Rebirth Brass Band by Beat Street Media

one band ended and the other began. If the bass and drums comprise “the pocket” then Kirk Joseph on sousaphone and Kevin O’day on drums are THE SOCKET. Excursions like Blackout and the title track Backyard Groove prove there is no inspiration without persperation. And tracks like Laid Back harken to long days of Louisiana sunshine out at the fairgrounds. A Walkers Groove again reminds me that Kirk Joseph has been the backbone of many excellent projects, Sousaphunk Ave, retains deep layers of hardcore beats in the style of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band but presents itself on a fried platter of delicious funk. Hook up with Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove and you will be SATISFIED. Greg Gunther

Andy J. Forest Band Live Independent This is a live recording made June 21, 2004 by Andy and his Italian band in Vascon, Italy. Don’t let that fool you though; it is full of down home Louisiana flare and grit. Andy’s strengths include his energy, songwriting, vocals and harp playing. There are seven tracks that are originals and three tracks which are co-writ-

ten by Anders Osborne. The exploration begins in Zydeco country with Je Joue featuring Andy on harp and frattoir and Heggy Vezzano’s lead guitar that would fit right in with Buckwheat Zydeco. The original Fat Chance is a blues barnburner featuring his seemingly over-the-top yet controlled harmonica playing that leads us into a funky blues rendition of King Floyd’s Groove Me. The Miles Davis classic All Blues begins with a second line beat and sounds like it was written for a straight ahead blues treatment. Sunday Rhumba, another Forest / Osborne tune, picks up on the Professor Longhair-esque Latin tinge and closes the show. Check out Andy’s website at www.andyjforest.com.

Brotherhood Of Groove BOG Style produced by Brandon Tarricone & Jeff Watkins Brandon Tarricone gets by with a little help from his friends. The cd BOG Style from the Brotherhood Of Groove features an impressive cast of player’s including Ivan Neville, Marco Benevento, Brian Jordan and the New Orleanized Sam Kininger. The track entitled “Bombs

For Peace” subverts all dominant paradigms, which is still allowed in music. This is funk served up with a side of deep fried psychedelia. Taking the road less traveled Brandon Tarricone successfully blends the rigid and the sublime. “Wookie World” is at the same time stone cold smoothe and prone to explode. “Get Up” lives up to its name and will have you re-motivated on morning two of the jazzfest ! Brotherhood Of Groove delivers the goods with BOG Style. Dressed and dripping with “Feeling Soul” BOG Style hits all the right notes. Greg Gunther

Kermit Ruffins Putumayo World Music Collection Kermit Ruffins does not lie. So, if he says that he is home every night at eight, listening to the radio then I believe him. Putumayo World Music has put together such a great cd of Kermits music however, you may not believe it. As one of the premiere entertainers in a city full of famous people, Kermit Ruffins, like too many other jewels of this The River City, does not recieve enough international attention. Enter Putumayo World Music and a honest

Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. I Got My Mojo Waiting

Andy J Forest Band Live

Charlie Cuccia Brotherhood of Groove Style

Beth Patterson Caught in the Act

The Blue Brass Project Bluegrass Meets the Big Easy

James Andrews Hear No Evil

Hot Club of New Orleans

Photo by Bob Sacha, 1994.

Where Is Beat Street? There is a place in New Orleans — a figurative address that is home to all that is real. New Orleans Beat Street is the home of jazz. It is also the residence of funk and the blues. R&B and rock ‘n’ roll live here, too. When zydeco and Cajun music come to town, Beat Street is their local address. Beat Street has intersections all over Uptown to Treme, from the Ninth French Quarter, from Bywater to the — weaving its way through Mid-City Back o’ Town.

town — from Ward to the Irish Channel and all points

Beat Street is the Main Street in our musical village. It is where we gather to dine and to groove to live music in settings both upscale and downhome. Beat Street is where we meet to celebrate life in New Orleans with second-line parades, festivals and concerts in the park. Beat Street is lined with music clubs, restaurants, art galleries, recording studios, clothing shops, coffee emporiums and so much more. New Orleans Beat Street is a mythical street in New Orleans surrounded by water and flooded with June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

New Orleans Magazine

8311 Oak Street New Orleans, La. 70118 504.314.0710 beatstreet@cox.net

Publisher Stephen Novak Editor Jay Mazza Jenny Bagert Efrain Cruz Michelle Elmore Nita K. Henry Petras

Artists

Bob Sacha Leni Sinclair Michael P. Smith Chris

Strachwitz Writers Nita K. Warren Robyn Loda America Jay Mazza Jerry Brock Spike Perkins Keith Frazier Second Line David Kunian Shaman

Beat Street Logo by Mike Williamson

In This Issue…

Nita K talks to the Frazier brothers and sisters about all things Rebirth. Jerry Brock reflects on recording their first record when the band was young and their future uncertain. Bass Drum Shorty sends a shout out to the fans and lets us in on their secret weapon in the early days. Robyn Loda takes a whimsical look at the members of the band. Spike Perkins weighs in on the impact of New Orleans brass bands across the world. David Kunian examines a fine-feathered aspect of Rebirth and the brass band community. Maple Leaf impresario Hank Staples speaks to our editor about the band and the bar. The Second Line Shaman goes inside the Rebirth experience. Warren America stirs the pot of digital formats. Jerry Brock continues our dialogue with the city and our editor goes back in time to the infamous Glass House.

Contents Rebirth World Order

Rebirth Sets the Record Straight

by Keith Frazier

by Nita K

Hands of Time

by Nita K

Don’t U Wish—the Ever Changing Line-ups

20 Seconds Each

Here To Stay

Mama Rebirth

Brass Band Influences

Rebirth Indians

!3 Years and Still Counting

Family Affair: Rebirth’s Sweet Soul Sisters

Glass House

Rebirth as Celebration

MP 3 Confidential

To Biz or Not to Biz Part II

by Nita K

by Robyn Loda by Jerry Brock

by Keith Frazier by Spike Perkins

by David Kunian By Jay Mazza Nita K

by Jay Mazza by the Second Line Shaman by Warren America By Jerry Brock

www.neworleansbeatstreet.com everywhereallthetimehanginlikeagecko

rebirth w or ld- or der

By Keith “Bass Drum Shorty” Frazier

s we prepare to celebrate our twentieth anniversary, I would like to take this time to reflect and give thanks to our family, friends, and fans for their unwavering support for the past twenty years. In our infancy we were a group of guys playing music, making rules, and setting goals as we went along. We never set out to accomplish any one particular goal such as being named the number one brass band or making a million dollars, but we did aspire to uphold a tradition that has been a part of New Orleans since the turn of the twentieth century. For a band that was founded on the principle of fun and having a good time we have been able to touch people’s lives in a positive manner by uplifting people when they were down or by providing just the right music for a social occasion. The thought of a band as successful as Rebirth making it past five years without a set of clearly defined goals, may seem unconventional or unheard of in the world of music. However, our unconventional way of conducting business is a direct reflection of the type of band we are: a do-whatcha-wanna, partyuntil-you-drop band that truly comes to party. Of course, this is not to say that we do not handle business when it’s time to take care of business. To some music enthusiasts and critics, our music at times may seen

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to be disorganized or raw, but this is just one of the characteristics that clearly distinguishes Rebirth from any other brass band. For the most part our music is truly improvisational. Some of our biggest hits have been songs that were created while playing second line parades in the streets of New Orleans. Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of playing with Rebirth for the past twenty years has been putting a smile on the face of our many clients as well as just being a part of the rich tradition of the New Orleans brass band. A tradition that has seen bands like the Olympia, Chosen Few, and Dirty Dozen share the musical spotlight with major artists around the world. Just like our predecessors, we have also shared the stage and recorded with world renowned musicians such as Maceo Parker, the Grateful Dead, Ani DiFranco and Harry Connick Jr. just to name a few. We have also been fortunate to be the last modern brass band to share the streets of New Orleans with the Olympia and Dirty Dozen Brass Bands, which is an honor in and of itself. There are a large number of people responsible for the level of success we have achieved in twenty years, but first and foremost we have to give thanks to God for giving us the musical talent to share with the

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Re-Birth Jazz Band. Photo by Michael P. Smith, 1984. world. Many people have helped us to persevere as a band in the face of sometimes overwhelming adversity. My mother, Mrs. Barbara Frazier, who is considered the mother of the entire band, has always been more than just a mother. She was our musical director, relationship counselor, and spiritual advisor. Our wives and kids for putting up with countless late nights and time away from home. We also have to thank all our agents and managers, past and present, who encouraged us to stay at it while touring around the globe. They were never afraid to remind and point out to us that our music should be enjoyed not just by New Orleanians but by people all over the world. I sincerely hope that in reaching twenty years, we have, along the way, inspired younger musicians to get involved and stay involved in the brass band tradition. As we look forward to the future we are optimistic that brass bands and the music they play will continue

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to play a major role in New Orleans music. With the emergence of all the young brass bands, there is no doubt that brass bands will continue to carry on a tradition of music that we are honored to be a part of. Once again we would like to thank everyone in New Orleans and around the world for being a part of the Rebirth World Order.

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Rebirth Sets the RecordStraight By Nita K

et’s face it, we’ve all heard bad things about the Rebirth Brass Band. We’ve read the online message boards, heard horror stories from booking agents, club owners, and innkeepers. It’s gotten to the point where there is a standard response when the band gets blamed for yet another catastrophe: Rebirth was out of town when that happened. To top it off you have other musicians who will straight up tell you — Rebirth can’t play. They’re out of tune. Always clad in the latest designer styles, sports apparel and tennis shoes, they could easily be taken for rappers, or worse, gangsters. Add to that some members sporting gold teeth and tattoos — why, it’s enough to make a St. Charles Avenue matron clutch her purse in sheer terror. Rebirth, while somewhat troubled by the notion that some people think of them this way, are also a little amused by it. But they want everyone to know: the band is there to bring harmony - not harm. “Get to know us,” says Philip Frazier, the band’s leader since its inception in 1983. “And you’ll find we are not thugs. People might look at us like bad boys, maybe because we play so hard, party so hard, I don’t know. But what they may not know is that we all have families, all of us have children, we have mothers and fathers, and like everyone else we are human beings. And our smile is the real thing — we’re true. So if we are devils then we’re good devils — ‘cause we make you do the most joyful thing in the most sinful way — dance!” The band has long heard detractors griping that Rebirth is mere cacophony, unorganized and kinetic. This ain’t your grandpa’s brass band, that’s for sure.

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“Our fans see us onstage acting crazy, looking like we’re having a lot of fun — and we are — but what they don’t know is it’s a lot of hard work,” says Philip. Keith Frazier, Philip’s younger brother and the bass drummer, agrees. Adding, “Being a musician puts a lot of stress on ourselves and our families. There’s some very serious stuff going there, onstage and off. And yeah, it’s hard work, because we do respect the traditional music and where it comes from — but we’ve got to do it the way we feel it, just as the older guys did when they were coming up. They were doing popular tunes of their day, and we’re definitely

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upholding tradition in that respect. Only thing is they were playing Cole Porter and we’re playing Michael Jackson. “Some people think we get up there and don’t know what we’re doing, but we wouldn’t be around this long if we didn’t have any idea what the music was supposed to sound like.” Philip continues, “Most of us played in high school bands and we CAN read music. I’ve been playing music since the fourth grade — we had to know how to read to really play. My brother and myself went to Grambling State University and a lot of others members have gone to different universities. Also, most of us came from great high school bands like John F. Kennedy and St. Augustine, (and) Clark. We all pretty much came from a school background — a public school background at that — and we had some really good teachers. In my mind we don’t need to defend ourselves as people. Our music, our fans, the fact we’ve been here 20 years, that’s the only defense we need.” Rebirth spends a great deal of time

on the road and agree that, despite its downside, the road to success in New Orleans is often the I-10 out of here. “Sometimes you gotta do things you don’t want to do out there. Sound checks out of town are usually a hassle, getting to a gig early to make sure you find it, driving all night, sleeping at airports, staying in crappy hotels,” explains Keith. “Lots of things happen out there, so you have to be prepared for any and everything — because it will happen, especially out there.” But there are great times, too. “”New York City is one of our favorite places to play,” says Philip. “Amsterdam was always great when we were going back and forth to Europe all the time. Japan was cool, San Francisco, Colorado, lots of places are really all right. The bottom line is that the road has been great for the Rebirth Brass Band and for that, we love it. But after three, four weeks, we’re tired and ready to come home. “There’s nothing like coming off the road and playing for the hometown people. It keeps us down to earth and it keeps us fresh. Our people at home ain’t trying to hear we’re tired.

Re-Birth Jazz Band. Photo by Michael P. Smith, 1988.

June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

They’re tired, too, and they’re ready for some fun. So we do play hardest at home — and that’s where we come up with the tunes we take out of town with us. It’s a two way street for sure.” And what’s up with the revolving door of sax players lately? No need to dust for vomit or look for evidence of a spontaneous combustion a la Spinal Tap. Nor does Rebirth eat their sax players alive. They just haven’t had any luck holding onto one lately. “Some guys,” says Keith, “find it hard to play with us, others hate to travel. It’s been a challenge.” Philip continues the thread, “It used to be we went through snare drummers all the time; now it’s the sax. The City of New Orleans has a shortage of saxophone players. Most guys tend to pick up a trumpet, a trombone, a tuba. We need to get more people interested in (playing) sax.” Keith adds his thoughts, “I think they perceive it as not a masculine horn. They want to play something more macho, like a drum or tuba or trombone. These kids today listen to hard core rap and stuff and think ‘sax? Why would I want to play that?’ Well, it’s easy to carry for one thing. Believe me, if you can play sax in this town right now you can keep a job. And a lot of guys don’t realize the ladies love a sax player, it really attracts the girls.” With a slew of new hot brass bands coming on to the scene, do the brothers see imitation or innovation? Philip is in the thick of it. “I see a lot of these bands, I hang out with some of these younger guys — I see lots of imitation. I really wish they could have seen some of the older guys play, the guys we learned from and imitated. We started out in the French Quarter and got a chance to learn about the

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traditional stuff, we got a chance to hang out with the Olympia and Dirty Dozen and Chosen Few Brass Bands. In fact, we are the last band to be out there the same time as them. “Hopefully a lot of these young guys will get out of this New Orleans mentality - ‘cause you can really get stuck here, too. Just because they’re doing good on the street or doing a few gigs, they think that’s all it takes. But it’s more than that — go see the world, go see what’s out there. That’s my best advice — get past New Orleans. Part of our success is because Rebirth really is bigger than New Orleans.” Keith takes it from there, “Every time we travel to a new city or country there is something about that particular place that will find it’s way into our music - and we do that unconsciously. Before we know it, somewhere we’ve been is somewhere in our sound. You don’t get that staying home all the time.” Though a 20-year milestone is cause for looking back, what does the Rebirth look forward to? Where do they go from here? Philip says, “I’d like to see the Rebirth win a Grammy as a brass band - not one who has to implement a different instrumentation to get there. I know it’s a big goal that we may not achieve but I never want to camouflage the fact that we are a New Orleans band, New Orleans-born and New Orleans-grown. Keith’s dream: “Really I’d like to see us sell a million records. That’s pretty minor when you consider there’s more than a million people living in the (New Orleans) metro area alone. If that doesn’t happen I’d like to see us keep growing as people and become more than just musicians.”

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Hands of Time Rebirth Brass Band 1983-2003

he Rebirth Brass Band, like any New Orleans institution that has stood the test of time, is a complex, strange and wonderful organization. To tell the history of the Rebirth is to open a Pandora’s box where you’ll find tales of characters of every stripe and ilk, and slices of time that are a series of short stories worth telling on their own — some now gone from our city’s landscape for good. Yet Rebirth has rolled on, keepin’ it real for new generations of second-liners, festival freaks and music lovers at home and abroad. What follows is a bare bones account of the group’s twenty years in existence.

PRE BIRTH

Philip Frazier and Kermit Ruffins, two juniors in the 6th Ward’s Joseph S. Clark High School Marching Band, joined forces to create the Re-Birth Jazz Band as a “fun school project.” Somewhere around May 31, 1983 — nobody remembers the exact date — the group showed up at a downtown hotel to play their first gig, but had to leave due to their being

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by Nita K underage. Undaunted, they trekked the short distance to Bourbon Street to play for tips, and began their professional careers in earnest. They performed a program of brass band standards — and a curious amount of the repertoire of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 — in the French Quarter and at neighborhood shindigs. But they graduated quickly to gigs at joints like the now infamous Grease Lounge.

1984: HEY, DON’T GO NOWHERE, REBIRTH’S ON ITS WAY

The band’s debut album Here To Stay, recorded live at the Grease Lounge, was released on the Arhoolie label. Their street repertoire filled this first effort and “Shake Your Booty” was an omen of the original funk to come.

1985: PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES…

With the Dirty Dozen rockin’ the joint on Monday nights, the Rebirth took over Thursdays at the Glass House in Central City and set about tearing the roof off. Attracting the

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

neighborhood, their families, friends and the requisite hipster cognoscenti, these and other explosive shows from this era have become part of New Orleans legend and myth. It is also somewhere around this time that music impresarios Ice Cube Slim and Marty Kirkman, heading up the agency Bon Ton West, entered the scene becoming the band’s first official booking agents.

1985: DOIN’ WHAT WE WANT TO

Their second full-length release, Do Whatcha Wanna, was originally recorded for Milton Batiste’s Dubat label. It featured a mix of jazz standards and the album’s embryonic title track that would soon explode as a full-fledged Carnival smash. The album was re-released on CD in 1997 on the local Mardi Gras Records label.

1987: ALL AROUND THE WORLD

Rebirth begins changing their scenery, mixing up local gigs with national nightclub and festival action, and visiting Europe for the first time. The prestigious Montreaux Jazz Festival program proclaimed: “God, in his great clemency, created the Earth, Louis Armstrong, the Neville Brothers and Rebirth. They are blowing the minds of the kids in Louisiana. Parents are worried.” Since then, it would be easier to compile a list of major European cities and festivals they haven’t played.

1988: ROUND ’ER UP

After appearing on a brass band compilation for the Rounder label,

they released Feel Like Funkin’ It Up as the first of four records with Rounder and it is here the version of “Do Whatcha Wanna” everyone knows and loves first appears as, “Do Whatcha Wanna (Part II).” Like many of Rebirth’s original tunes it was snatched literally from the street. On their way to higher education each morning, Kermit and Philip would hear neighborhood character Tyrone “That’s My Name ” Miller shouting from his spot in front of Ruth’s Cozy Corner: “Do whatcha WANNA!” The song has now become a Mardi Gras given and is Rebirth’s #1 request worldwide. “Leave That Pipe Alone,” an anticrack anthem that was spontaneously written during a second line, also received heavy airplay on local urban radio giant Q-93 during this period.

1989: TRUCKIN’

Rebirth shared a bill with The Grateful Dead and Branford Marsalis at a triumphant New Year’s Eve show in San Francisco before a crowd of 80,000 fans. Keith Frazier says, “That still might be the biggest thing that ever happened to Rebirth.” It certainly drew a musical road map for the thousands of jam band fans that still flock to Rebirth shows nationwide.

1990: SWEET LEAF

Rebirth embarked on their longest standing gig ever, the now infamous Tuesday Night at the Maple Leaf Bar.

1991: PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES…

Rebirth: Kickin’ It Live! was passed

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off as a live Mardi Gras recording though it was actually laid down on Ash Wednesday at the Glass House. “Talk That Shit Now,” written spontaneously in Atlanta’s Omni Arena at a typical gladiator-esque Falcons/Saints face-off, became the new anthem of the second line. “Freedom,” written for South African political prisoner Nelson Mandela on the day he was released,

also debuted here.

1991: CALEDONIA!

Allison Miner, a highly dedicated music champion and key Jazz Fest organizer, became Rebirth’s manager. Her high-octane efforts kicked their status and exposure on the international circuit into high gear.

1992: STREET WISE

Take it to the Street was released. The title track became the band’s second Mardi Gras anthem and again the city embraced it as part of the audio landscape of Carnival. Bass drummer Keith Frazier, under the nom de plume “Sir Abaca”,

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wrote the liner notes.

1993: SKOKIAAN

They celebrated 10 years in existence and participated in a United States Department of Information tour of Africa, performing in Ghana, Senegal, Benin, Egypt, Tunisia and even into Syria and Turkey.

1994: MERCY, MERCY

Rollin’ marked a significant change in the band’s direction. The album served as Kermit Ruffins’ swan song when he decided to stopped touring in favor of structure and swinging out. Word on the street had it that a major feud between Philip and Kermit caused the break-up or that Rebirth would not go on without him. However, this amicable split prompted tremendous growth for both operations. Rebirth continued to roll while Kermit began singing and swinging in a successful style all his own. The two remain the very best of friends.

1995: WHOP!

With the Glass House shuttered, Rebirth immediately set out to make Kemp’s its next Thursday night hotspot in the ‘hood. They also traveled to Rio de Janeiro for a week’s worth of appearances. After a long and painful bout with cancer, Allison Miner passed away in late December and the band was left to their own devices in matters of business.

1996: ALL BLUE

Rebirth went into a bit of a slump though they continued to make their weekly gigs at the Maple Leaf, Kemp’s and just about every Sunday

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

second line parade. Jazz funerals, private parties, and the occasional out of town gig paid the bills. To add to the uncertainty of the band’s future, longtime snare drummer Ajay Mallory left the band late in the year and Derrick Tabb stepped in. Nita K became the band’s newest manager.

1997: ROLL WITH IT

The band hit the studio for two days in January and emerged with We Come to Party on the Shanachie label. Though this was the group’s first album without Ruffins, the long-anticipated CD was a top 10 seller during Jazz Fest.

1998: FIRE

Rebirth performed on neo-soul diva N’Dea Davenport’s solo album (on the tune “Getaway”) and were featured in her video, “Bring It On.” They also celebrated their 15th anniversary with an over the top reunion gig at Café Brazil, a Sunday second line through the 6th Ward and a mayoral proclamation declaring May 31st “Rebirth Brass Band Day” in the City of New Orleans. They toured with righteous babe Ani DiFranco as the supporting act on her six-week coast to coast summer tour. The tour broke the band into the West Coast market — and nearly broke its back when more personnel issues appeared.

1999: IN THIS CORNER

The Main Event: Live @ The Maple Leaf on Louisiana Red Hot Records hit the stores for Jazz Fest as a limited edition CD and sold out in just two days. It later enjoyed a wide release.

2000: REBIRTH WORLD ORDER

Ajay Mallory returned to the Rebirth. John Joy of Red Underground in Colorado took the business reins, keeping the band touring in all parts of the U.S.

2001: THE ODYSSEY CONTINUES

Hot Venom was released on Mardi Gras Records. It featured No Limit recording artist Soulja Slim and local female rapper Cheeky Blakk. Mallory and the Frazier Brothers were tapped to perform “Supercalifragilisticexpealidocius” on Harry Connick Jr.’s, Grammywinning CD Songs I Heard.

2002:

The group traveled to Santiago, Cuba, for a cultural exchange and performed at a week long, government-sponsored series of events.

2003: STANDING STRONG Celebrating 20 years in existence, the band will record a live reunion show CD at Tipitina’s on May 30 and 31 with a release slated for later in the year. They also plan to release a DVD of the concert.

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Rebirth Discography Here To Stay

1984, Arhoolie Records

Feel Like Funkin’ It Up 1989, Rounder Records

Rebirth: Kickin’ It Live! 1991, Rounder Records

Take It to the Street

1992, Rounder Records

Rollin’

1994, Rounder Records

We Come to Party

1997, Shanachie Records

Do Whatcha Wanna

1997, Mardi Gras Records (re-release)

The Main Event: Live at the Maple Leaf 1999, Louisiana Red Hot Records

Hot Venom

2001, Mardi Gras Records

Don’t U Wish

THE EVERCHANGING LINE-UPS OF THE REBIRTH BRASS BAND 1983-2003

Complied by Nita K with special assistance from Philip & Keith Frazier

pholding the tradition of mind boggling line-up changes from legends such as James Brown and P-Funk, Rebirth’s “don’t let the door hit ya…”personnel policy commenced early on. There has been a steady stream of horn men and snare drummers exiting since the band’s inception. Many have returned months or maybe years later only to drift away and come back again. The reasons for this revolving door are many and include all of the issues associated with a top rated soap opera. However, bandleader and sousaphonist Philip Frazier has always been quick to point out that “no one gets put out of Rebirth, you put yourself out.” So far, 27 souls have done time with the ‘Birth. The band’s mercurial nature makes it

impossible to recount every single line-up but here is a decent try. In 1983, teen-aged sousaphonist Philip Frazier and trumpeter Kermit Ruffins create the ReBirth Jazz Band, recruiting fellow Clark High School students Reginald Austin and Reginald Steward on trombones, William Lynch, Roy Dominique and Albert Martin on trumpets, and Kenneth “Eyes” Austin on a trap drum kit. Interestingly enough, in the very first line up Philip Frazier played trombone and a cat named Demetrius Smith played sousaphone. Frazier-family cousin Cheryl McKay enjoyed the distinction of being the only clarinet — and female member — in the band’s history.

Current and former members pose at their 15th anniversary. 14 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

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In 1984, the band’s debut album line-up included Philip (on sousaphone), his younger brother Keith “Bass Drum Shorty” Frazier, Ruffins, and a front line consisting of Gardner Ray Green on trumpet, Keith “Wolf” Anderson and Reginald Steward on trombones, and Austin on snare. The Frazier Brothers remain the only constants since this period. In 1985-86 and for the recording of Do Whatcha Wanna, the personnel was often described as “the French Quarter Band.” John “Prince” Gilbert joined for the first time on saxophone. He would leave and return more than once. Eric “Bird” Sellers replaced Austin on snare. For the 1987 release of Feel Like Funkin’ It Up, the band featured the then 11-year-old trumpeter Derrick “Spodee” “Kabuki” Shezbie. Derek “Dirt” Wiley remained on trumpet. Anderson was the sole bone man and Austin was back on snare. By 1991, Stafford Agee and Ajay Mallory would join the band on trombone and snare respectively. In 1992, in time for the Take it to the Street recording, Agee was gone and Steward was back on trombone. Glen Andrews joined on trumpet. The period leading up to the 1994 recording of Rollin’ saw numerous personnel changes. Saxophonist Roderick Paulin became an integral part of the lineup contributing key compositions. Tyrus “Executive” Chapman joined on trombone. “Wildman” Kenneth Terry joined on trumpet and began fronting the band as Ruffins’ tenure gradually wound down. Following the departure of long time snare drummer Mallory, Derrick “High Tower” Tabb joined the fold. Just before We Come To Party was released in 1997, Reginald Steward re-joined, replacing Agee on trombone. Chapman, the other trombonist, left right after the release. In 1998, A dramatic incident during a 6-week coast to coast tour supporting Ani DiFranco causes a major shakeup. The front lines of the Rebirth and New Birth Brass Bands practically switch man for man. Longtime Rebirth members Kenneth Terry, John “Prince” Gilbert and Reginald

Current line-up, 2003. Photo by Efrain Cruz

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Steward split to join the New Birth back home in New Orleans. While former Rebirth member Shezbie, who’d been busying himself with the New Birth, flew ou and rejoined Rebirth. Former Dirty Dozen trombonist Revert “P-Nut” Andrews also joined the band News of the shakeup caused confusion at gigs and second lines back home, and a flurry of lip flapping prompted the brass band community to issue a public edict in the local music rags. New Birth’s Leader and bass drummer Tanio Hingle was quoted as saying, “Everybody’s family.” Philip Frazier was quoted as saying, “We’re all sti friends.” For the 1999 recording of The Main Event: Live @ the Maple Leaf, James Durant on saxophone, and Shamarr Allan on trumpet were the newest faces. The band at that time also included the brothers Frazier, Glen Andrews, Tyrus Chapman an Derrick Tabb. In 2000, Mallory and Revert “P-Nut” Andrews returned to the lineup. By the 2001 recording of Hot Venom, Shezbie was back on trumpet. The current line-up of the Rebirth Bras Band features Philip and Keith Frazier, Ajay Mallory, Stafford Agee, Glen Andrews Revert Andrews, Derrick Shezbie and the latest member to return to the fold trumpeter Shamarr Allen.

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

20 Seconds Each

Up in the Sky and on the Ground with The Rebirth

By Robyn Loda, writer & astrologer

Philip Frazier, sousaphone What’s in your CD player now? Most High (rapping over Rebirth) Tattoos, piercings, gold teeth, scars? One gold Confirm birthday – date, year, location February 10, 1966, New Orleans Do you think you fit the traits of an Aquarius? Yes, I’m loveable. (Astrologer’s note: Aquarians are not known for being warm and fuzzy, but they often have the most friends, thanks to a seemingly detached demeanor that helps them take nothing personally.) What street or part of the city were you born and raised? Ninth Ward – Feliciana Street Favorite rapper No favorites Would you encourage kids to take up music? Why? Yes, it helps transform a lot of negative energy. Favorite food? Spaghetti and meatballs Favorite car? The one that runs Who do you most trust? God How old were you when you received your first kiss? Where were you? When I was 10 years old, at a play, Romeo and Juliet What moves you to tears? Seeing people suffer. What do you love and hate most about New Orleans? I hate the corruptions, but I love the people. What person in your family influenced you and your music most? My mother, who is a gospel piano player. Music is in my genes. Photo of Philip Frazier by Michelle Elmore. All other photos by Efrain Cruz. June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Keith Frazier, bass drum

& cymbal

What’s in your CD player now? 50 Cent Tattoos, piercings, gold teeth, scars? None Birthday and location? October 3, 1968, New Orleans Do you think you fit the traits of a Libra? Yes, I think I’m pretty balanced. (Astrologer’s note: This man could be a closet astrologer, with that kind of zodiac knowledge.) What street or part of the city were you born and raised? Ninth Ward – Feliciana Street Favorite rapper and song? Dr. Dre’s “Bitches Ain’t Shit” Would you encourage kids to take up music? Why? Yes, definitely. Music gives kids a sense of accomplishment and balance. Favorite food? Macaroni and cheese. Favorite car? The one I’m driving at any time. Who do you most trust? Myself. How old were you when you received your first kiss? Where were you? When I was 14, at the bus stop. What moves you to tears? When I play and everything is in synch. What do you love and hate most about New Orleans? I hate that so many people are poor here because the economy is so bad, but I love New Orleans because you can be who you really are. What person in your family influenced you and

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your music most? My mother, Barbara Frazier, who has been an organist for 30 years. She’s very supportive.

Derek “Kabuki” Shezbie, trumpet What’s in your CD player now? Lauren Hill, Clifford Brown and Louis Armstrong. Tattoos, piercings, gold teeth, scars? [No comment] Birthday and location? April 14, 1975, New Orleans Do you think you fit the traits of an Aries? Yes, I’m a people person and I adjust to different situations well. (Astrologer’s note: A born leader, Aries can launch most any project…and this sign usually enjoys others when they are willing to become Aries’ staff.) What street or part of the city were you born and raised? Born in the Ninth Ward on Benefit Street, then raised in the Sixth Ward on St. Phillip and Robertson Streets Favorite rapper? Tupac Shakur Would you encourage kids to take up music? Why? Yes, because it’s a way to express your true feelings and become one together. Favorite food? Gumbo and red beans and rice. Favorite car? Impala Who do you most trust? The man upstairs How old were you when you received your first kiss? Where were you? I was pretty young; I couldn’t tell you. What moves you to tears? When I see children who can’t have what they want and seeing my own mother struggling. What do you love and hate most about New Orleans? There’s no hatred in my heart at all. I only love New

June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Orleans – the people, the music and having fun with what God gave me to give. What person in your family influenced you and your music most? My uncles Benny Jones and Lionel Batiste, who have played in brass bands, and my great-uncle who played with Nat King Cole

Revert “P-Nut” Andrews, trombone

What’s in your CD player now? Jay Z Tattoos, piercings, gold teeth, scars? Six golds and seven tats Birthday and location? May 13, 1971, New Orleans Do you think you fit the traits of a Taurus? Yes, I’m quiet and relaxed. (Astrologer’s note: When you think of Taureans, think constant and possibly stubborn…but relaxed? Well, maybe. Quiet? As long as you don’t disagree with them!) What street or part of the city were you born and raised? Sixth Ward Would you encourage kids to take up music? Why? Yes, music certainly gives you something to look forward to, with all this trouble going on. Favorite food? Gumbo, gravy, traditional foods in general Favorite car? Cadillac Who do you most trust? My wife, Deanna Andrews How old were you when you received your first kiss? Where were you? It was in the courtyard at the St. Bernard Projects when I was about seven.

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What moves you to tears? Maybe a funeral. I haven’t cried in years. What do you love and hate most about New Orleans? I hate that everybody goes to jail in New Orleans sooner or later, even tourists. But I love the music, the food and the whole culture. What person in your family influenced you and your music most? My mother – she bought me my first horn so I could second line.

Glen Andrews, trumpet What’s in your CD player now? 50 Cent’s Fabulous Tattoos, piercings, gold teeth scars? Two tats and two golds (used to have four golds) Birthday and location? August 8, 1973, New Orleans

Do you think you fit the traits of a Leo? Yes (Astrologer’s note: A simple “yes” — that’s the confidence of a Leo, all right.) What street or part of the city were you born and raised? Sixth Ward- Dumaine and St. Phillip Streets Favorite rappers? Jay Z and Tupac Shakur Would you encourage kids to take up music? Why? Yes, it helps you stay out of trouble and you get to travel. Favorite food? Shrimp Favorite car? Any car I can get, but my favorite would be a Mercedes Who do you most trust? Phillip [Frazier] and my wife How old were you when you received your first kiss?

June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Where were you? I was like 13 years old and it happened at my grandma’s house. What moves you to tears? Seeing my two sons play music. What do you love and hate most about New Orleans? I hate the killing and the violence, but I love the music and the food. What person in your family influenced you and your music most? My cousin, James Andrews.

Ajay Mallery, snare drum

What’s in your CD player now? Monk Boudreaux’s Lightning & Thunder Tattoos, piercings, gold teeth scars? Eleven tats Birthday and location? January 5, 1969, New Orleans Do you think you fit the traits of a Capricorn? Definitely (Astrologer’s note: Capricorns are solid and dependable, not unlike this answer.) What street or part of the city were you born and raised? Fifth Ward on St. Ann Street Favorite rapper and song? Sugar Hill Gang, “Rapper’s Delight” Would you encourage kids to take up music? Why? To any kid I’d say this: Get involved with something you like, but don’t think you’re going to get rich as a musician. It’s a good hobby, though. Favorite food? Seafood Favorite car? Mustang 2004, preferably the new retro model with 290 horsepower Who do you most trust? My wife, Nelljuana Mallery How old were you when you received your first kiss? Where were you?

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At my grandparents’ house when I was about 15 What moves you to tears? Nothing What do you love and hate most about New Orleans? I hate the economy here – including the piss-poor schools. I love the Mardi Gras Indians. What person in your family influenced you and your music most? The male members of my family. They have all been musicians at one time.

Stafford Agee, trombone What’s in your CD player now? Yolanda Adams’ Best of Yolanda Adams Tattoos, piercings, gold teeth scars? Eight tats, two golds Birthday and location? August 6, 1971, Biloxi, Miss. Do you think you fit the traits of a Leo? Yes, I’m kind of aggressive. (Astrologer’s note: Um, well, aggression does include assertiveness, he’s right on target with his understanding of Leo.) What street or part of the city were you born and raised? Born in Biloxi and raised from age two in New Orleans’ Fourth Ward on St. Louis Street Favorite rapper? LL Cool J Would you encourage kids to take up music? Why? Yes, but only after they finished school. Music is very constructive, but you have to be dedicated. Favorite food? Steak Favorite car? H2 - Hummer Who do you most trust? Myself How old were you when you received your first kiss? Where were you? Age 10, at school What moves you to tears? June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

I don’t know. I can’t remember the last time I cried — probably at my grandmother’s funeral. What do you love and hate most about New Orleans? I hate the economy, but I love the food. What person in your family influenced you and your music most? No one. I’m the only one in my family. My dad played drums in the Marine band in ’68, but he never encouraged me to play music.

Shamar Allen, trumpet What’s in your CD player now? Derek “Kabuki” Shezbie’s Spodie’s Back Tattoos, piercings, gold teeth scars? None Birthday and location? July 4, 1980, New Orleans Do you think you fit the traits of a Cancer? Probably, but I’m not sure what the traits are. (Astrologer’s note: Cancers love children, so he’s right on…see “What moves you to tears?” below) What street or part of the city were you born and raised? Lower Ninth Ward, Jordan and Prieur Streets Favorite rapper? Myself Would you encourage kids to take up music? Why? Yes, it’s great recreation and it keeps kids out of trouble. Favorite food? Spaghetti and meatballs Favorite car? Chevy Caprice [laughs] Who do you most trust? Robyn Loda is a freelance writer living in New Orleans for the second time and loving it. Her work has appeared in WIRED, Jazziz, JazzE.com, Offbeat and others. She is also a professional astrologer and Tarot reader. Contact her at Rloda@aol.com.

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Johnny Vidacovic.

Here To Stay “Right round the corner by Grease Place, It’s so damn dark you can’t see nobody’s

983 sometimes seems like yesterday, yet so much has changed. James Booker died in November that year. Jessie Hill, Alvin “Shine” Robinson, Johnny Adams, Bobby Mitchell and a whole lotta others were still making noise. Danny Barker told boisterous stories in the clubs and on the street corners. Kid Thomas Valentine played rock ‘n’ roll like I’d never heard it before. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band had exploded onto the scene just two years earlier. You could hear them; Tuba Fats & The Chosen Few; the Olympia or Majestic Brass Bands at any second line parade. However, unlike today’s crowded calendar, if there were ten second lines in a year you were lucky. 1983 was also the first time I heard the Rebirth Jazz Band. It was December, warm in the sun, cold in the shade. James “12” Andrews Sr. took me to a backyard house party and barbecue at the corner of St. Anne and N. Villere in the Treme neighborhood. The Rebirth showed up and played a set. They were young, funky and out of tune but showed potential and they played with lots of bravado. What they lacked in musical expertise they made up with determination and passion. Rebirth Headquarters was a house on N. Villere St. between Ursulines and St. Philip Streets. This was the home of Barbara and Larry and the Frazier children. Barbara is the mother of brothers Philip and Keith, who remain at the core of the band to this day. She is a pianist at several local Baptist Churches and is responsible for teaching the band gospel numbers. During Jazz Fest 1984, I ran

face”

By Jerry Brock into my friend Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records. I asked if he had his tape recorder and told him that there was a band that I wanted to record. He was skeptical at first. With the assistance of Barbara Frazier I set up a time for him to hear the Rebirth. I think he heard the same thing I did. Their enthusiasm was and still is infectious. We arranged to record two nights at the Grease Lounge on N. Robertson St. where the Candlelight Lounge is currently located. The owner was “Grease” Davis, father of Gregory Davis of the Dirty Dozen. He now runs the New Cal on St. Philip St. Strachwitz had his portable Nagra machine and blank tape. We were set. The Grease Lounge was pretty plain inside and out. A beer advertisement calendar depicting the Kings and Queens of Africa hung on one wall. A bit of tinsel and Christmas lights hung from the ceiling. Along the right wall was a stage that was divided from the audience by a railing. We sat the tape machine up on the left side of the stage. It was close to a side door where we could go out and listen to the balance. Chris had two stereo microphones set up stage left and right in a cross pattern. The bar was where it still is, on the left side of the room. Barbara Frazier sat on the right side. The crowd was slim, a few locals. Gregory Davis came in briefly to check out the proceedings. Musically it was clear the guys had been listening to the Dozen, Tuba Fats and the Olympia Brass Band. Their repertoire and their sound reflected this. They started the first set with “Four Leaf Clover.” This

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Grease Lounge © Chris Strachwitz

song has much of the feel and character that trumpeter Kermit Ruffins carries with him today. Phil Frazier had a sort of half Afro and he’d meticulously decorated the bell of his sousaphone with black electrical tape. He had been listening to Kirk Joseph (then with the Dozen) and Tuba Fats and was a quick study with keen musical perceptions. Bass drummer Keith Frazier looked like he was just out of grade school. Kermit Ruffins was short and spunky and still developing the charisma to lead the band. Along with Phil they had begun to find a voice for original material. Kenneth “Eyes” Austin on snare drum was happy-go-lucky. He was a natural born drummer. The kid could play the drum harmonically. In the middle and near the side he would maintain a roll while just nipping the rims for an accented groove. Gardner Ray Green on second trumpet and Reginald Steward on trombone understood their roles and gave the band a full sound. Keith “Wolf” Anderson on trombone had that wild sort of smile that he still carries with the very same big musical ears. Joe Henry on tambourine accompanied the band though he was not an official member. In the middle of a song during the first night of recording, three shots rang out like a gun had been fired in the middle of the room. Everyone bolted. Chris and I stepped out the side door peering at the tape recorder. No one was sure what had happened. The Rebirth stopped playing and June 2003

Barbara Frazier yelled out “Play the Saints! Play the Saints!” Nervously, the guys went into the song. A man approximately 6’5” and 300 pounds had walked to the bar, picked up a full bottle of wine and smashed it three times as hard as he could. He was like the wasp that flies into your house and makes everyone uneasy until it eventually finds its way out. We walked back inside. The man in question was now spinning around with his arms outstretched between the two microphone stands. The band kept playing and he eventually found his way out the front door. The second night of recording was less eventful and sounds better because Strachwitz figured out the balance with the microphones. The guys set up on stage just as they would when marching. They played traditional songs along with “Chameleon,” “Blue Monk,” and “Shake Your Booty.” “It Ain’t My Fault” was popular again having been reintroduced to the public by the Olympia and they included it. Their originality was taking form in the songs “The Law,” “Tear It Up” and “Here To Stay” also known as “Pie.” After the recording session Strachwitz spoke to the group and told them if they stuck together they could possibly have a career in the music business. It is everyone’s fortune that they did. Here To Stay is a document of the Rebirth in their first year of existence. It is still available as Arhoolie CD 9002.

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Mama Rebirth M

By Keith “Bass Drum Shorty” Frazier

ost musicians in the city of New Orleans can probably trace their musical lineage back to a mother or father who was a musician, as is the case with members of the Rebirth Brass Band. Barbara Frazier, the biological mother of Philip and Keith Frazier, is a pianist. But she is also the matriarch of the entire Rebirth extended family. The title of “Mama Rebirth” was bestowed on Mrs. Frazier by people in the Treme community who saw firsthand all the nurturing she provided to various members of the band. She has been recognized as the mother of the entire band for twenty years. In the beginning, Mrs. Frazier simply provided a place where we could practice but eventually she became more involved with the day to day operation of the band. As needs arose she offered food at practice, a place for some of the guys to stay when they were having problems with their parents at home, or just a few words of wisdom and encouragement as only a mother could provide. In 1984, when Philip Frazier was contemplating leaving Grambling State University to pursue music as a career, Mrs. Frazier recalls telling her son that he could continue to pursue a college degree while at the same time playing music by attending a university in New Orleans. Based on her advice he returned home, enrolled at Southern University at New Orleans and made some very important musical connections that still exist today. According to Mrs. Frazier she has always encouraged her sons to pursue whatever endeavors interested them. When they decided that music was

Barbara Frazier with Philip Frazier for his 5th grade graduation. Photo courtesy of Frazier family. something they considered of interest, she was there to give them whatever support was necessary so that they could be successful. The success of the Rebirth Brass Band, as Mrs. Frazier so eloquently stated, cannot be measured in dollars

Barbara Frazier with Philip Frazier and Kermit Ruffins. Photo courtesy of Frazier family.

and cents but by their commitment and dedication to their craft. She feels they have ably demonstrated this by reaching their twentieth year anniversary.

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Brass Band Influences

On Contemporary Music

he influence of New Orleans brass bands on early jazz was so obvious and has been well documented so there is no need to restate it here. However, the revival of brass band music in the last twenty years and innovations in the style have also directly impacted numerous contemporary musicians. In 1985, avant-garde jazz trumpeter Lester Bowie debuted his band Brass Fantasy, a nine-piece ensemble of brass instruments and drums. The group’s sound was not an obvious nod to New Orleans, but since Louis Armstrong was an early hero of Bowie, elements were bound to creep in on a subconscious level. Brass Fantasy began recording mostly original material, but the group soon became a vehicle for hip treatments of pop tunes not unlike contemporary New Orleans brass bands. Their 1986 release Avant Pop even included a version of Fats Domino’s classic tune, “Blueberry Hill.” Also in 1985, rock innovator David Byrne was said to have been influenced by the music of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band when he wrote a series of brass interludes called Music For the Knee Plays, for Robert Wilson’s opera, “Civil Wars.” However, he did not use any Dirty Dozen personnel or other New Orleans-based musicians for the performance or recording. Elvis Costello’s landmark 1989 release, Spike, not only incorporated brass band influences but also used members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band along with fellow New Orleanians Allen Toussaint on piano and Willie Green on drums. An ambitious and eclectic recording, Spike also included traditional Irish musicians as well as utilizing the services of Paul McCartney and former Byrds

June 2003

By Spike Perkins

guitarist Roger McGuinn. In 1991, the Rebirth Brass Band appeared on Robbie Robertson’s second evocatively titled solo recording, Storyville. Robertson is best known as the guitarist and principal songwriter for The Band. With that group, he rarely sang his own material, relying instead on the vocal talents of Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and Richard Manuel. His first selftitled solo recording, released in 1987, did feature Robertson himself on lead vocals, but the results were disappointingly one-dimensional. On Storyville, he wisely recruited Art and Aaron Neville and Bo Dollis for assistance with the vocals along with a host of New Orleans instrumentalists including saxophonists Tony Dagradi and Amadee Castenell as well as the whole original Meters band. As with Lester Bowie’s work, the New Orleans influences in the songs and arrangements are more atmospheric than overt. Though acoustic country blues and brass bands may not seem a likely combination, Cory Harris, a blues guitarist with New Orleans ties, called on some local brass players for his 1997 release, Fish Ain’t Bitin’. The recording featured trombonists Keith “Wolf” Anderson, formerly of the Rebirth Brass Band, and Charles Johnson along with Anthony “Tuba Fats” Lacen. The melding of brass and country blues is not exactly unprecedented—Taj Mahal used an ensemble of four tubas on his live 1972 release, The Real Thing. The tuba group was arranged and led by Howard Johnson, one of the most prominent jazz tuba players of the last forty years and also one of the most recorded studio musicians.

Members of Rebirth with Ani DiFranco.

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

New Birth Brass Band. Photo by Zack Smith.

Johnson has performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and has personal ties to New Orleans through local saxophonist Jerry Jumonville. He also has long standing friendships with local sousaphonists Kirk Joseph, formerly of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and Matt Perrine. Through these contacts, he keeps an ear to the ground with what’s happening in New Orleans. Naturally, local New Orleans musicians were not going to neglect one of their great resources and traditions for long, even if they didn’t approach it from a strictly traditional style. 1991 saw the Rebirth Brass Band utilized to great effect on the subdudes’ release, Lucky. The late 1990s saw experiments with brass band instrumentation integrated into more conventional R&B/ funk lineups, specifically the use of the sousaphone in place of the Fender or upright bass. This was not really anything new — many jazz groups in the early decades of the twentieth century used a tuba or sousaphone to provide bass lines, even though the ensembles also included piano, and guitar or banjo, and were

not technically brass bands. Some traditional jazz purists even like to refer to the tuba as the brass bass. However, placing the tuba in these musical settings was a new concept for amplified, electric bands toward the close of the last century. All That, an eclectic and irreverent jam outfit led by D.J Davis Rogan occasionally features both Kirk Joseph and Matt Perine on sousaphone on the same gig. This freewheeling aggregation incorporates contemporary brass band music with funk, rock and hip-hop and features guest artists from a variety of New Orleans bands. Anders Osborne, a Swedishborn singer/songwriter and slide guitarist who has made New Orleans his home and muse, also dares to fly with a stringless bottom end. His current lineup includes Kirk Joseph on sousaphone. A slightly different version of his backing band, which featured Mark McGrain on trombone, can be heard on his Live at Tipitina’s recording that was released in 1998. Though Osborne’s next two recordings Living Room and Ash Wednesday used conventional

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electric bass on some of the cuts, his sound retains many brass band influences, and on his latest release, Bury the Hatchet, with Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Joseph is again holding down the bottom. New Orleans brass bands and New Orleans music in general is a living tradition. It has roots in the past, but continues to grow and evolve with the times. Thus, it lives in the streets, clubs and recording studios, not just amid academic collections and the dusty record collections of purists and revivalists. Brass bands are a current in the continuing evolution of music and sometimes have an unexpected impact far from home.

June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Trombonist Stafford Agee, St. Joseph’sNight , 2003.

Rebirth Indians

By David Kunian

However, the link between Indians and the Rebirth goes even deeper than that. Several members of the band are directly involved in the complex culture of the Mardi Gras Indians. Snare drummer Ajay Mallory, trombonist Stafford Agee, and former member Kenneth Terry, a trumpeter and vocalist currently with the New Birth Brass Band, have all masked as Indians. Much of the Indian culture is family-based and both Terry and Mallory have Indians in their family trees. Mallory’s uncle was a chief in the Original Yellow Jackets, and he wanted to be ulture does not an Indian when he was a kid, but his develop in an isolated parents knew how rough it was to vacuum. It has mask on the streets and wouldn’t let influences and roots him. that move in and However, as he got older, his out from different spaces and places. Indian relatives encouraged him, The Rebirth Brass Band and the and he and Terry got together and brass band community have distinct started sewing. They formed their overlap with the culture of the Mardi own tribe, the Black Feather, and Gras Indians; the African Americans masked for several years. Agee, after who show their appreciation of First helping Terry for a couple of years, Peoples and honor them by sewing decided to sew his own suit. bright feather and beaded costumes They each have their own roles and parading on Mardi Gras and St. in their gangs. Agee is the Spy Joseph’s night. Boy, the Indian who goes first and In 1990, the Rebirth recorded I’m scouts out the route for other gangs Back at Carnival Time with Bo and crowds. Mallory is the Flag Dollis and the Wild Magnolias. As Boy who carries the insignia, or colors, drummer Keith Frazier rememof the tribe. Terry is the Wild Man. bers it, it was the late Alison Miner, His role is to scout out the route and the manager of both Rebirth and the protect the leader, or Big Chief. Terry Wild Magnolias, who had the idea. said, “Yeah, and when there’s trouble They recorded it at Ultrasonic Studios out there, I’m the first guy to confront with very little rehearsal. According it.” to Frazier, Rebirth just went in and When asked where the similariplayed behind the Wild Magnolias, ties between the Indians and the and that was the album. Rounder Brass Bands lie, each musician Records released the recording, and it had their own perspective on it. has a loose, off-the-cuff sound and feel Terry said that in both roles, he that shows both the band and the tribe gets to perform and have fun doing throwing down in their best party it. He also has noticed that the same mode. people follow both the Indians and the 32 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine June 2003

Former trumpeter Kenneth Terry. Photo by Henry Petras.

June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Rebirth. Agee agreed and confirmed that both are old traditions that take heart and dedication. He said, “It’s all about a bunch of guys getting together and doing what they love. It keeps you civilized. If you sit down and sew for a couple days, it’ll keep you civilized.” Mallory went even further in his explanation. “Most of the Indians are in second line clubs, so there is a connection in the energy and the rhythm of both Indians and brass bands. They have the same groove, but brass bands do it with horns and Indians do it with cowbells and tambourines. With both, there is a spirit that overtakes you. You feel invincible.” Mallory seconded Agee’s feelings about sewing too. “When I’m sewing, I get that peaceful feeling. It’s like talking to a psychiatrist for me.” With the development of the Super Sunday celebrations that occur each year around St. Joseph’s night, the relationship between brass bands and Mardi Gras Indians has deepened. Each of the two parades, the Tambourine and Fan’s downtown throwdown and the Mardi Gras Indian Council’s uptown procession, feature brass bands accompanying the Indians. As another generation grows up witnessing these connections there will most likely be more brass band musicians taking to the streets in the finery of the Mardi Gras Indians. And another layer will be added to the deep culture of New Orleans.

34 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Snare drummer Ajay Mallory.

June 2003

13 Years and Still Counting

By Jay Mazza

n August 7, 1990, the Rebirth Brass Band played the first of many shows at the Maple Leaf Bar in uptown New Orleans. It would be two more months before they would return and begin a steady stint of weekly performances that continue to this day.

Before taking over the legendary Tuesday night slot that was informally known around Oak Street as “Booker Night” since the legendary pianist held the spot up until his death in 1983, Rebirth had been performing regularly at the Glass House on Thursdays and opening for bands like the Neville Brothers at Tipitina’s and other venues. Hank Staples, the managing partner of the Leaf, gives all the credit for bringing Rebirth uptown to John Parsons, the club’s booking agent at the time. He said, “Parsons had a great ear. He was also responsible for hiring the subdudes, the Iguanas and for bringing zydeco and Cajun music to New Orleans.” He continued, “Parsons’ talent was for spotting bands that were a cut above and then booking them.” As Staples tells the story, a friend brought Parsons to the Glass House to hear the Rebirth. He offered them a gig at the Maple Leaf on the spot and the rest, as they say, is history. Things have changed considerably over the 13 years in the crowds that show up every Tuesday and in the music scene in general. “Now,” Staples said, “the crowd is about evenly mixed between tourists and students.” But in the early days it was a different mix with a higher hipster quotient. Staples elaborated, “(In those days) it was like

Photo by Jay Mazza.

June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

a Hollywood opening. Half was the insider music crowd and half were just people that loved Rebirth.” This led to one of the most regularly racially diverse crowds that New Orleans has ever seen as second liners from inner city neighborhoods danced side by side with roots music connoisseurs that discovered the scene. There were many patrons in the early days that had never seen anything like a Rebirth show. Oftentimes the bar would be deserted while in front of the bandstand, it was musical mayhem while the band played. Staples related a telling anecdote. “Kathleen Turner and Dennis Quaid were in town making a movie. She came in three times in one week and brought Quaid back for Rebirth. It was the middle of the summer and the crowd was rather light. So there you have two big movie stars sitting by themselves at the bar in total anonymity while the dance floor is totally packed.” Staples was tending bar, minding his own business, when he overheard Quaid turn to Turner and

say, “This is where we need to come for Mardi Gras.” A couple of years later he would reign as Bacchus. For longtime fans of the Rebirth Brass Band, hearing them play at the Maple Leaf is like a blast from the past. While they are now internationally known stars with nine, going on ten, records, they were just breaking out when they began playing at the uptown club. A tiny slice of the Rebirth experience at the Maple Leaf was captured on a live recording, The Main Event. It provides a musical snapshot of the Rebirth on stage. For the full experience complete with frenetic dancing, go to the club on any Tuesday night including Mardi Gras were it is recommended that you give the band a break if they play shorter sets with slightly less of the manic energy that defines their music. They have usually been working since the Zulu parade early that morning.

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blue nile

(504) 948-2583 534 frenchmen street

every tuesday

kenneth hagans 9pm jazz/blues ted hefko 10:30pm

every wednesday scherzo trio 7:30 jazz

papa duke and friends 10:30pm funk

every thursday

improv arts council 7:30pm experimental jazz panorama jazz band 10:30pm

every friday

devyani belly dancers 7:30pm latin dance lesson 9:30pm fredy omar con su banda 10:30pm latin

every saturday

blue universe quartet 7:30pm jazz/blues

sat 6/7 brian stoltz of the funky meters 10:30pm funk sat 6/14 otra 10:30pm latin sat 6/21 rachel 10:30pm eclectic sat 6/28 rebecca berryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funky bust 10:30pm funk

every sunday

milonga tango band 7:30pm mississippi mudder featuring jack maheu and charlie miller 10:30pm trad jazz

closed mondays June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

carrollton station

(504) 865-9190 8140 willow street

Sunday, June 1, 9pm

Acoustic Open Mic Friday, June 6, 10pm

Juniper’s Row Saturday, June 7, 10pm

Mary’s Ex

(formerly the Proud Mary’s) Sunday, June 8, 9pm

Acoustic Open Mic Friday, June 13, 10pm

Dead Boy & The Elephant Men Sunday, June 15, 9pm

Acoustic Open Mic Friday, June 20, 10pm

The Denise Marie Band Saturday, June 21, 10pm

Woodenhead

Sunday, June 22, 9pm

Acoustic Open Mic Thursday, June 26, 10pm

Caffeine Music Singer/ Songwriter Night Friday, June 27, 10pm

Tom’s House & Barstool Logic Sunday, June 29, 9pm

Acoustic Open Mic 38 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

dba Sunday, June 01, 2003

(504) 942-3731 618 frenchmen street www.drinkgoodstuff.com

Sunday, June 15, 2003

Walter Wolfman Washington & the Chosen Few

Smoky Greenwell & Smoke Alarm

Monday, June 02, 2003

Rob Wagner Trio

-10pm-

Tuesday, June 17, 2003

-10pm-

Rob Wagner Trio

Tuesday, June 03, 2003

-10pm-

Monday, June 16, 2003

-10pm-

The Geraniums

Joe Krown Organ Combo

-10pm-

Wednesday, June 04, 2003 Rhino -10pm-

-10pm-

Wednesday, June 18, 2003

Permagrin

Thursday, June 05, 2003

Thursday, June 19, 2003 Ingrid Lucia -10pm-

-10pm-

Hot Club of New Orleans

Theresa Andersson Friday, June 06, 2003

Hot Club of New Orleans -6pm-

Sunday, June 08, 2003 Mike West -10pmMonday, June 09, 2003

Rob Wagner Trio -10pm-

Tuesday, June 10, 2003 Deep Mud -10pm-

Friday, June 20, 2003

-6pm-

Sunday, June 22, 2003

Joe “Survival” Caruso -10pm-

Monday, June 23, 2003

Rob Wagner Trio -10pm-

Tuesday, June 24, 2003 Jeff & Vida -10pmWednesday, June 25, 2003

Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Quintology

-10pm-

Thursday, June 26, 2003 Otra -10pm-

Micheal Ray’s Cosmic Funk Quartet Thursday, June 12, 2003

-10pm-

Friday, June 27, 2003

Sunpie & the Lousiana Sun Spots

-5pm-

Friday, June 13, 2003

Sunday, June 29, 2003 Schatzy! -10pm-

-10pm-

Chris Klein & tha Boulevards -6pm-

June 2003

Coco Robicheaux

Monday, June 30, 2003

Rob Wagner Trio -10pm-

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

dixie taverne

(504) 822-8268 3340 canal street

Friday, June 6

CRIMSON SWEET/THE CARBONAS/OVERNIGHT LOWS

This is the best show of the month. All 3 bands are headliners, so placement is gonna be a bitch that night. Crimson Sweet are from NYC, and are a recent signing to On/On Switch Records( who has an amazing roster). They are a female fronted trio trio playing really sexy punk’n’roll. Polly(the singer/guitarist) has a voice that is reminiscent of Exene Cervenka. The Carbonas are my favorite of the moment. They’re from Atlanta. They played a show at the Dixie (earlier this year) with Los perros(from Spain) and blew me away. they are playing really aggro garage, and I could tell that they were all once metal guys trying to get back to their earlier influences. Overnight Lows are garage maniacs from Mississippi. I’m expecting this show to be a good time all around cuz all the bands are great, and it falls on a Fri. night.

Saturday, June 7

LES TURDS/Bonaparte Lagarde and the Conquerers

The Scripts — this is Les Turds reunion show thing. 1st time they’ve reared their ugly mugs in quite awhile. I know that I told you this last month, but, Bonaparte RULES!!!every time they do a show for me I get irritated that I have them as openers bcuz they are a headlining band in every way. Bonaparte’s in between song (every song) tirades are priceless. Besides that, he’s a fat guy wearing a cape.The Scripts have been playing alot of good shows lately cuz they’re pretty good. This is Chad — owner of Rocks Off Record store — and his woman’s main project (he also plays in Mangina, and Automatic Mind Command, which is Durel from Suplecs side thing).

Thursday, June 19

The Bulemics, Before I Hang, The Pallbearers, Mangina

The Bulemics are from Austin, TX. they played here last month and I loved it. They play some very heavy punk rock, and are accented by comepletely amoral, nihilistic lyrics that are mainly focused on cheap, nasty sex. Before I hang are Mississippi’s contribution to the Confederacy of Scum.

And 1 more....

440’s, Last call Brawlers, Vangard, The Original Three

440’s have played NOLA a few times before - I’ve always missed ‘em and heard about what a great show I’d missed the next day. They are a female fronted 3 piece playing revved up hot rod rock. Led by Miss Sparkle Plenty(vocals/lead guitar) she is a very tall, tattooed, red headed sex goddess extraordinaire. They are signed to Steel Cage Records( a label that’s really starting to put out alot of good shit lately), and they are reputed to put on a helluva show. Last call Brawlers are touring with ‘em. Vangard are from FLA., and they saw this show on my website and called me wanting to get onto this bill. I don’t really need to say much about The Original Three cuz they play constantly (and for good reason). This show falls (unfortunately) on a Monday night. It’s really too bad cuz that’s a Friday night line up.

40 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

donna’s

(504) 596-6914 800 north rampart

1 Sunday 9:30 pm

15 Sunday 9:30 pm

2 Monday 9:30 pm

16 Monday 9:30pm

Shannon Powell Quartet

Bob French & Friends

Free!! BBQ Chicken, Red Beans & Rice (between sets)

Donna’s has been the place where locals hang on Monday since the days when Kermit Ruffins held down the slot. Now your “Monday Date” is drummer Bob French. French hails from one of the premier musical families in New Orleans and his chops are time-tested. His act walks the line between jazz and R&B, and he always has a first-class band.

5 Thursday 9:30 pm

Evan Christopher Tom McDermott 6 Friday 10:30 pm

Pinettes All Girl Brass Band 7 Saturday 10:30 pm

Leroy Jones Quintet

19 Thursday 9:30 pm

Whenever trumpeter Leroy Jones is not on the road with Harry Connick, Jr., he is hanging out at Donna’s. He is a new traditionalist, since he is still a young man, but he plays with an old man’s soul. His latest recording, Back to My Roots, showcases his impeccable chops on a program of tunes that date back to the earliest days of jazz. He is a regular at Preservation Hall whenever he is not playing at Donna’s.

8 Sunday 9:30 pm

Shannon Powell Quartet 9 Monday 9:30 pm

Bob French & Friends Free!! BBQ Chicken, Red Beans & Rice ( between sets)

Evan Christopher Tom McDermott 20 Friday 10:30 pm

Treme Brass Band 21 Saturday 10:30pm

Basin Street Brass Band 22 Sunday 9:30 pm

Shannon Powell Quartet

Shannon Powell is known the world over as a drummer’s drummer. His resume includes stints with such international stars as Harry Connick, Jr. and Diana Krall. His quartet is always loaded with talent, but most of all they just want to have fun playing in front of the ebullient bandleader. His grin is infectious. You’ll never believe you could have this much fun listening to jazz. Regulars with Shannon include Henry Butler, June Yamagishi, Davell Crawford and Donald Harrison, Jr.

23 Monday 9:30 pm

Bob French & Friends Free!! BBQ Chicken, Red Beans & Rice(between sets) 26 Thursday 9:30 pm 12 Thursday 9:30pm

Evan Christopher Tom McDermott

Evan Christopher Tom McDermott 27 Friday 10:30 pm

Treme Brass Band

Pinettes All Girl Brass Band

Big Chief Bo Dollis The Wild Magnolias

13 Friday 10:30pm

14 Saturday 10:30 pm

June 2003

28 Saturday 10:30 pm

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

dos jefes

(504) 891-8500 5355 tchoupitoulas street

blue monday

tuesday

Ken Swartz 7 pm

Marlena Decker 7 pm

wednesday

Leigh “Lil’

Sunday, June 1, 9 pm

Thursday, June 19, 9:30 pm

Thursday, June 5, 9:30 pm

Friday, June 20, 10 pm

Coco Robicheaux Los Tres Amigos

Friday, June 6, 10 pm

Wendell Brunious

Saturday, June 7 10 pm

Eric Traub

Wendell Brunious

Saturday, June 21 10 pm

Sunpie Barnes

Todd Duke

Sunday, June 22, 9 pm

Grayson Capps

Thursday, June 26, 9:30 pm

Rick Trolsen

Friday, June 27, 10 pm

Sunday, June 8, 9 pm Thursday, June 12, 9:30 pm Friday, June 13, 10 pm

Rickie Castrillo & Dreamland

Country Fried

Loren Pickford

Rickie Castrillo & Dreamland Saturday, June 21 10 pm

Rebecca Barry

Mike Berile & the One After

Frank Forke

TBA

Saturday, June 14 10 pm Sunday, June 15, 9 pm

Sunday, June 22, 9 pm

Photo by Leni Sinclair

42 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

hi-ho lounge Doors: 9 pm

(504) 947-9344 2239 saint claude avenue

Shows: 10 pm

6/05 t Josh Milligan

6/06 f

Post

6/07 s

Atone Paintribe

6/12 t

TBA

6/13 f 6/14 s 6/17 t

/DJs

Brown

/Grey Area

eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Only In It For W The Honey Manifold

/Counter Clockwise

6/19 t

TBA

6/21 s

Master Ew

6/26 t

TBA

6/20 f

6/27 f 6/28 s June 2003

N.O Upcoming Standup Comedians /Neologos

Dollarback Floyd

/Nick Diaz Experiment

Delta Dart New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

maple leaf SUNDAYS

Underground

Hip Hop Night DJ

10 pm

MONDAYS

(504) 866-LEAF 8316 oak street

Papa Gros Funk

PAPA GROwS FUNK 10 pm

TUESDAYS

Rebirth Brass Band 10 pm

WEDNESDAYS

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Johnny

Mark Bancroft Open Blues Jam 10 pm 12

OTRA 10 pm 19

JAZZ VIPERS

10 pm – 2 am 19

SUSAN COWSILL

44 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

jj the spotted cat

Jun 1 Sun

Panorama Jazz Band 6:30, Royal Rounders 10p

Jerry Jumonville 6:30p Rob Block 10p

Jun 2 Mon

New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10p–2a Jun 3 Tue Son del Pantano 6:30, Linzzi Zaorski & Delta Royale 10p Jun 4 Wed Mike West Band 6:30p

Jun 5 Thu Panorama Jazz Band 6:30p Royal Rounders 10p Jun 6 Fri Jeremy Lyons & the Deltabilly Boys 6:30p New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10p–2a Tin Men 2a

Jun 8 Sun Jerry Jumonville 6:30p Rob Block 10p

Jun 9 Mon New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10p–2a

Jun 10 Tue Son del Pantano 6:30p Linzzi Zaorski & Delta Royale 10p Jun 11 Wed Mike West Band 6:30p

Jun 12 Thu Panorama Jazz Band 6:30p Royal Rounders 10p

Jun 13 Fri Jeremy Lyons & the Deltabilly Boys 6:30p New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10p–2a Tin Men 2a

623 frenchmen (504) 943-3887

Jun 20 Fri Jeremy Lyons & the Deltabilly Boys 6:30p New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10p–2a Tin Men 2a

Jun 22 Sun Jerry Jumonville 6:30p Rob Block 10p

Jun 23 Mon New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10p–2a

Jun 24 Tue Son del Pantano 6:30 Linzzi Zaorski & Delta Royale 10p Jun 25 Wed Mike West Band 6:30p

Jun 26 Thu Panorama Jazz Band 6:30p Royal Rounders 10p Jun 27 Fri Jeremy Lyons & the Deltabilly Boys 6:30 New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10p–2a Tin Men 2a

Jun 29 Sun Jerry Jumonville 6:30, Rob Block 10p

Jun 30 Mon New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10p–2a

Jun 15 Sun Jerry Jumonville 6:30p Rob Block 10p

Jun 16 Mon New Orleans Jazz Vipers 10p–2a Jun 17 Tue Son del Pantano 6:30p Linzzi Zaorski & Delta Royale 10p Jun 18 Wed Mike West Band

6:30p

Jun 19 Thu June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

tipitina’s All shows 10 pm unless noted.

SUNDAY, JUNE 1 CAJUN FAIS DO DO w/ BRUCE DAIGREPONT 5-9 PM $5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4 HOMEGROWN NIGHT BANDS 9 PM FREE

THURSDAY, JUNE 5

SAVE AMERICA’S WETLANDS BENEFIT Featuring: TAB BENOIT, MONK BOUDREAUX, JOHNNY SANSONE, BRIAN STOLTZ + BOB’S BREW AND IDEL 9 PM $7

FRIDAY, JUNE 6

THE IGUANAS 10 PM

$10

SATURDAY, JUNE 7

LOS VECINOS & MILONGA 10:30 PM $7

SUNDAY, JUNE 8

CAJUN FAIS DO DO w/ BRUCE DAIGREPONT 5-9 PM $5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11

HOMEGROWN NIGHT BANDS 9 PM FREE

THURSDAY, JUNE 12

501 napoleon avenue (504) 895-8477 www.tipitinas.com Tickets: 504-895-TIPS or www.tipitinas. THE ANGELS 10 PM

$10

SATURDAY, JUNE 21

LD SCHOOL BOUNCE EXTRAVAGANZA Featuring: MIAX, BUST DOWN, JOE BLAKK, TIM SMOOTH, GHETTO TWINNZ, BLACK MENACE & MORE 11PM $10

SUNDAY, JUNE 22

CAJUN FAIS DO DO w/ FEUFOLLET 5-9 PM $5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25

HOMEGROWN NIGHT BANDS 9 PM FREE

THURSDAY, JUNE 26

CALL CLUB 895-8477

FRIDAY, JUNE 27

BIG CHIEF MONK BOUDREAUX AND THE GOLDEN EAGLES CD RELEASE PARTY + SPECIAL GUESTS INDIAN FUNK 10 PM $7

SATURDAY, JUNE 28

THE REVEALERS AND MANDORICO 10 PM $7

SUNDAY, JUNE 29

CAJUN FAIS DO DO w/ BRUCE DAIGREPONT 5-9 PM $5

CALL CLUB 895-8477

FRIDAY, JUNE 13

TONDRAE + TBA 10PM $7

SATURDAY, JUNE 14

MOTORWAY + BIG BLUE MARBLE + JASON BLUM 10 PM FREE

TICKETS: 504-895-TIPS AND WWW.TIPITINAS.COM COMING SOON: JULY 26 BAG OF DONUTS ANNUAL LUAU

SUNDAY, JUNE 15

CAJUN FAIS DO DO w/ BRUCE DAIGREPONT 5-9 PM $5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18

HOMEGROWN NIGHT BANDS 9 PM FREE

THURSDAY, JUNE 19

CALL CLUB 895-8477

FRIDAY, JUNE 20

MUSIC MAKER FOUNDATION PRESENTS BEVERLY “GUITAR” WATKINS, LIL FREDDIE KING, AND SLEWFOOT AND

46 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

snug harbor

626 frenchmen (504) 949-0696 www.snugjazz.com

June 1 (Sun)

Quintet

9 & 11p

June 14 (Sat)

Brian Prunka Quintet

9 & 11p

Charmaine Neville

Henry Butler & the Steamin’ Syncopators

June 3 (Tue)

June 16 (Mon)

June 2 (Mon)

9 & 11p

Maurice Brown 9 & 11p

June 4 (Wed)

Tim Laughlin CD Release Party 9p

June 5 (Thu)

Robert Wagner CD Release Party

9 & 11p

Charmaine Neville 9 & 11p

June 17 (Tue)

Maurice Brown 9 & 11p

June 18 (Wed)

Tony Green & Gypsy Jazz 9 & 11p

June 19 (Thu)

June 6 (Fri)

9 & 11p

Donald Harrison

Spencer Bohren

9 & 11p

June 20 (Fri)

June 7 (Sat)

9 & 11p

Donald Harrison

Jason Marsalis

9 & 11p

June 21 (Sat)

June 8 (Sun)

9 & 11p

Karen Williams CD Release Party 9p

June 9 (Mon)

Charmaine Neville 9 & 11p

June 10 (Tue)

Bill Summers June 23 (Mon)

Charmaine Neville 9 & 11p

June 24 (Tue)

Maurice Brown 9 & 11p

Maurice Brown

June 25 (Wed)

June 11 (Wed)

9 & 11p

Doug Bickel Trio recording with Roland Guering & Adonis Rose 9p

June 12 (Thu)

Doug Bickel Trio recording with Roland Guering & Adonis Rose 9p

June 13 (Fri)

Delfeayo Marsalis June 2003

Louis Winsberg & Jaleo Jazz Flamenco June 26 (Thu)

Greg Tardy 9 & 11p

June 27 (Fri)

Delfeayo Marsalis 9 & 11p

June 30 (Mon)

Charmaine Neville 9 & 11p

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Rebirth’s Sweet F amily A ffair :

f you’ve ever gone to a Rebirth gig at Café Brasil, Kemp’s, or more recently, the Maple Leaf, you have most certainly seen two beautiful, stylish, eversmiling soul sisters waiting at the door. One takes your money. The other takes your hand, and places a stamp on your wrist. They both steal your heart. Sandra James and Nicole François, younger sisters of Rebirth co-leaders Philip and Keith Frazier, work club doors for the band. And they are just as much a part of a Rebirth show as any member of the front line. Always rocking ghetto fabulous ensembles and salon fresh hairdos (read Missy Elliot and Mary J. Blige), these two fun-loving sirens beckon paying customers into nightclubs like mermaids calling sailors out to sea. “We guarantee you will have a good time!” assures Sandra. And what

by Nita K

warm-blooded creature could resist? “One night,” remembers Nicole fondly, “a mob of guys from all over the world traveling together, literally rushed me and kissed me all at the same time. They said, “You’re beautiful!” in all their different languages and took pictures and had a video cam rolling. They totally took me by surprise, it was crazy!” Experts at crowd control after years of dealing with massive Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest audiences, Sandra and Nicole are deceivingly effective, commanding unruly mobs with their trademark poise and kindness. Dealing with people trying to dodge the cover or insisting they’re on the guest list (there rarely is one) can be challenging. “Sometimes it gets crazy, but usually in a good way,” says Sandra, who has been working the door for 18 years now. Once at Kemp’s, however,

Sandra and Nicole. Photo by Nita K. 48 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

she roughly came up against one of the pitfalls of the job. A customer didn’t want to pay the $2 admission charge, walking through the door like she owned the place. “The lady just hauled off and punched me in the eye!” recalls Sandra. The sisters are uniquely qualified for this work, having grown up with four other siblings in the 6th and 9th wards of New Orleans, and constantly juggling different responsibilities. Before becoming a busy hairdresser, Sandra worked as a certified nursing assistant. She is also raising two sons, J.J. soon to be 13, and Dwayne, 7. Nicole, an actress, model and dancer, has starred in several of the nearly 30 local stage productions she has participated in, from the musicals “Dream Girls” and “Hair” to Shakespeare’s “Antony & Cleopatra” and “Julius Caesar.” A new wife and mother, she graduated this May from Dillard University with a degree in speech, communications and theater arts. When asked why they do it, Nicole says, “It’s a family thing. I know my brothers and the band are going to get paid what they’ve got coming. Plus I get to work and dance at the same time! Hear that rich quality music! Mainly though, it keeps me grounded. After being an actress all day, I get to just be myself.”

Sandra. Photo by Nita K.

“My brothers could have got anyone to do this, but they got me and Nicole,” says Sandra. “I love it and like it. I’m a people person. Plus, the money is good and,” she breaks into a knowing chuckle, “it’s always a good time.”

Robin, Sandra and Nicole. Photo by Nita K. June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Getting’ Loose at the G

By Jay Mazza

he first thing that you notice about the Glass House is that it is truly a neighborhood joint. You get the distinct feeling that everyone who hangs out there lives within walking distance or more likely right around the corner. That is unless you happen upon the place during Jazz Fest when it is inundated with people from places like Peoria, Mill Valley and New York City all seeking that illusive “real” New Orleans experience. But catch the Rebirth Jazz Band at the Glass House any other time, when the locals put on their dancing shoes, and you will have a night of pure musical abandon. You won’t pay big bucks at the Glass House. No one starts collecting a cover charge until the band arrives in their old Ford pickup. Then a pair of young women who accompany the band set a cigar box by the front door and proceed to collect a mere

two dollars from everyone who passes through the single entrance. Concurrent with the laid-back atmosphere of any neighborhood bar, the band has no set start up time although “ten-‘leven” seems to be the answer everyone gives when queried. Consequently, if you arrive any time before the band arrives, you’re liable to think that you’re in the wrong place. The name the Glass House conjures up images of everything but what it is. The Glass House has no glass; in fact, it has no windows at all. It is a small, unassuming bar with an old, broken neon sign lettered in simple block characters as its only marker. As you pull up on S. Saratoga Street, you’ll notice that the building sort of tilts to one side as if it were a proud remnant of some other time; a time when a fierce hurricane or two put the old bar to the test. The

The Glass House today. Photo by Jay Mazza. 50 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

Glass House building has been around for sixty years and it could probably tell a tale or two about street parades and Mardi Gras Indians. If you arrive before the band, you’ll notice people hanging out on the stoops on both sides of the bar, people hanging out in their cars, on their cars or just on the corner. Everyone seems to be waiting for something. What they are waiting for is the arrival of the Rebirth Jazz Band. No one waits inside unless the weather is bad and everyone loves the sight of a group of eight young men jumping out of the rear of a pickup truck with horns in hand. The band sets up at one end, perpendicular to the bar that stretches the length of the building. There is no raised stage so they perform behind a row of chairs to separate themselves from the dancefloor. The area directly in front of the band is informally reserved for the regular dancers. This group of almost entirely young men with nicknames like “the Swimmer” and “Ice Cream” display a unique style of dancing called “buckjumping”, moving their feet so fast that first timers are unable to concentrate on the music. They start slow, like any athlete, warming up as the band warms up. By the second set, the sweat begins to flow and the dancers begin to challenge and goad each other into a frenzy of feet, arms and hips. They bop and spin and limbo and break in a dizzying display that is a combination of street dancing, second lining and gymnastic prowess. Meanwhile the band is really jamming. On a good night, they play non stop with the breaks between songs being filled by the machine gun rolls of the snare drummer. On some nights the band will only play four songs within a forty five minute set. If you have only seem them

June 2003

on a stage somewhere else, you’ve been missing what this band is all about. With microphones, they tend to play more New Orleans standards with vocals rather than the raucous jazz-funk that gets them going at the Glass House. And there is nothing like seeing them as a marching unit with a whole crew of rowdy second liners following. They are a self contained group and they live by the philosophy of “have instrument, can and will travel.” Since they have no electric instruments and require no microphones, they are not tied to the stage like other bands. Members of the band often will leave the stage area and blow a solo while sitting on a nearby bar stool or while walking the length of the dance floor. Editor’s note- This story was adapted from the original unpublished version that was written in 1990. Portions concerning the early recording career of the band have been removed. What follows are some other recollections of the Glass House. One night the lights went out and someone pulled a giant 1970s era sedan into the street blocking traffic and its headlights, along with one flashlight at the bar, provided all of the illumination that was needed. Kermit Ruffins and some of the other more brazen horn players would occasionally play while stimulating willing female patrons with the air coming from their horns. One night in particular, one woman was actually getting off on it. During the summer, the heat would sometimes be intolerable for all but hardiest dancers. The tiny AC unit hardly did the job and one night it went out completely. Upon exiting at set break the outside air made everyone shiver. Until we realized it was 80 degrees at midnight. The band would occasionally take it to the streets and the whole crowd would follow them outside with people dancing on the roofs of cars. Some were actually on their own vehicles!

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

R ebirth C elebration

any artists and groups begin their endeavors with the fundamental goal of having fun. The Rebirth Brass Band not only began with a commitment to those standards, they are still focused on that same goal today. They are a group of family and friends doing things their own way for 20 years. Their vibe is based excitement yet it is tethered to a commitment that upholds the traditions of the brass band while incorporating their own version of the music into the act. “Rebirth” is defined as a renewed existence, activity, or growth, as in the rebirth of soul. Nowhere is that

By the Second Line Shaman more apparent then with the Rebirth Brass Band and their music. A night out with the band isn’t just witnessing another musical act, but a chance to surrender your imagination to the concept that coming together through music can lead to a rebirth of the soul. People generally go out to celebrate life or to try and take a break from it. Rebirth not only knows this but also uses this opportunity to reach out to touch those willing to open themselves to the music. They have been quoted as saying, “We hope when people listen to our music we can make them get up and dance and forget all their troubles.” With 20 years of doing just that, it is no wonder that the

52 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

ebirth elebration !

Photo by Jenny Bagert

crowds that gather to experience their act are treated to a renewed sense of harmony. New Orleans music is loved around the world because it reaches out and touches you with a sense of warmth. Our music helps renew the belief that life should be a celebration. The Rebirth family is more than just a musical institution of New Orleans; they are ambassadors of the great musical heritage of our community. Their motto could be “It’s not where you’re from that matters, it’s where you’re at.” With albums like We Come to Party and Do Whatcha Wanna, the band sets a tone that is in line with the city it comes from. They embrace the concept of letting the good times roll, but they do more than just entertain their audiences and fans. They use their musical talents and love for June 2003

performing to reach out and touch listeners with their message- life is a celebration. For twenty years now the Rebirth Brass Band has been taking their version of the sounds of Beat Street across the globe gradually growing into the best party band in the world. It has been said that if it looks good, you’ll see it; If it sounds good you’ll hear it; If it is marketed right you’ll buy it; but if it’s real, YOU’LL FEEL IT. You not only feel it when listening to the Rebirth Brass Band, but you cannot help but join in with others in the experience. They have built a large following by showing audiences that music can touch us all. Congratulations on twenty years and thank you for showing us all just how successful a fun project can be.

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

MP3 Confidential Digital Music Formats and the Obsolescence of MP3

his columnist’s spouse, the lovely and athletic Mrs. America, recently ran the Crescent City Classic while listening to a tiny digital music player. But instead of playing MP3s, she carried music encoded in Microsoft’s latest audio format. Windows Media Audio (WMA) that allowed her to store twice as much music in the player’s limited memory, compared to MP3, while offering significantly better sound quality. MP3 has become a household word, virtually synonymous with digital music (and music copying). But the MP3 audio standard hasn’t changed since it was first established a decade ago. During that time other technologies have come along, providing better sound and smaller file sizes. We’ll survey some of these newer formats, but first let’s take a look at MP3 and the principles behind audio compression:

MP3

CD audio takes up around ten megabytes per stereo track minute; that’s a lot of data, far too much to send across the Internet. So audio compression schemes came into use, the most famous of which was established in 1993 by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). MPEG-1 Level 3, also known as MP3, uses a process called “perceptual coding” that reduces the amount of data representing an audio signal, while still retaining the original sound impression. One of the quirks of human hearing is a phenomenon called “masking.” Masking is when a loud sound at one frequency overpowers or obscures a weaker sound at a different frequency. Perceptual coding assigns fewer bits to the masked parts of a

By Warren America signal than to the prominent ones, assuming that listeners can’t hear many parts of an audio signal, and won’t mind if those parts are missing. It works well but still causes a noticeable reduction in the sound quality at moderate compression levels, and can easily introduce distortion (“aliasing”) at extreme settings. An MP3 file compressed to 1/10th the size of the original CD track sounds semi-okay, comparable to an FM broadcast. Compressing the file down to 1/20th the original size sounds absolutely terrible, like a lousy cell phone connection. An “improved” version of MP3, called mp3PRO, was released in 2001, but hasn’t caught on. It’s not backwards compatible with original MP3, sounding noticeably worse than garden-variety MP3 files on nonupgraded players. Moreover, the party that administers the standard charges a hefty licensing fee to developers.

Windows Media Audio

Concerned there was a technology they didn’t control, Microsoft released their own alternative to MP3 in 1997, called Windows Media Audio. Currently in version 9, also known as “Corona,” WMA sounds noticeably better than MP3 (and mp3PRO,) while providing a much smaller file size. A CD track compressed to 1/20th its original size in WMA sounds comparable to FM radio quality. That’s as good as, or better than, an MP3 file twice the size. The Windows Media Player is bundled with every copy of the Windows operating system, and if you don’t have the latest version you can download it free. Microsoft also licenses Windows Media Technologies to developers free of charge, accelerating its adoption in a variety of soft-

56 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

ware and hardware products. Many music players such as the SonicBlue Rio and Creative Nomad, or that Compaq iPaq that the missus and I use, support WMA in addition to MP3. During the last Christmas season we saw the first portable CD players that will play a CD-ROM full of WMA files, as well as MP3 CDs, from manufacturers including Dioneer, AVC, and (the now-bankrupt) SonicBlue. Again, the advantage is file size: While you might get upwards of 200 MP3 songs on a CD-ROM, you could cram 300 or 400 WMA files on that disc, with equivalent or superior sound quality. Twenty hours of music on a single CD is not too shabby.

Ogg Vorbis

Despite their efforts and successes, Microsoft still doesn’t rule all parts of the galaxy. Part of the reason is the open source programming movement, best known for the Linux operating system. Open source has even spawned a compressed audio format, which goes by the strange name of Ogg Vorbis. Ogg Vorbis grew out of a dot-bomb called iCast; the engineers kept working on it as their company crumbled, and convinced departing executives to give the code away. Defying skepticism from some quarters, the Ogg team released an audio encoding standard that competes well against both MP3 and WMA. The format is free for anyone to use. Developers are encouraged to make improvements to the technology, as long as they share their innovations with the world. Ogg compression and playback are now found in a number of software players, and there’s even a “reference platform” for Ogg hardware players. While we haven’t yet seen any portable devices or CD players that actually include Ogg support, it’s probably just a matter of time. Ogg sounds great in small file sizes, and it’s a cool “underdog” format, in a field dominated by giant corporations.

as MP3, WMA and Ogg. RealNetworks, the originators of streaming, offers the RealMedia audio and video formats. RealAudio encoding has improved greatly over the years, and can make a disk file for desktop playback, much like an MP3. While commonly used for streaming, RealAudio is not a typical choice for CD “ripping” – you’ll rarely find RealAudio files in peer to peer file sharing networks such as Kazaa. Apple Computer has its own digital media platform, QuickTime, currently in version 6. Apple recently upgraded QuickTime Audio, licensing the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) technology from Dolby. Like the other latter-day formats, QuickTime Audio sounds terrific. Although a lot of QuickTime Players have been installed on both Mac and Windows computers, QuickTimes’s biggest uses are in multimedia and streaming, as opposed to music consumption. The last couple of years were a tough shake-out period for Internet and digital music businesses; a number of once-promising audio compression schemes have been abandoned along the way. Sony ATRAC3 is still used for MiniDisc recording, but failed to catch on as an alternate to MP3. Liquid Audio was an early contender, but the company finally tanked last summer. AT&T’s A2B Music and Lucent’s ePAC formats are already distant memories. Nonetheless, work continues in many quarters on improving audio compression. We look forward to hearing new, better-sounding file formats with each passing year.

RealAudio, QuickTime and Other Formats

There are a number of other noteworthy audio formats, none of which are as widely used for personal music

June 2003

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

To Biz Or Not To Biz-Part II By Jerry Brock

n the March issue of Beat Street we posed questions to Scott Aiges who is the Director of Music Business Development for the city of New Orleans. Now we are republishing some of these questions including his answers. We follow this up with suggestions that we hope are a guidepost to the city to further develop and improve music business and the quality of life for musicians in this city. We believe that along with food and architecture, music is the main reason that New Orleans is a tourist destination. We feel the city should be proactive and take a stand concerning music business issues and not just “move their lips” as my dear friend Danny Barker always said. We suggest that the city purchase a billboard that proclaims New Orleans as THE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD and strategically place it near the airport where our over one million annual visitors can see it as they come into town. Perhaps a local bank could sponsor this billboard along with the city. For far too long the city has reaped the benefits of music, both financially and aesthetically, at little or no cost.

Tom Thompson

Ruby Arts Entertainment

Is it possible to establish a group policy for New Orleans musicians to get a low cost health insurance policy? Scott’s answer: Obtaining adequate, affordable health insurance is one of the most

challenging issues facing American consumers and employers alike. Although we are making some inquiries to determine the feasibility of group coverage for musicians, realistically there is no reason to believe that with the financial condition facing the city that we are in a position to solve this problem. In the meantime, we’re doing our best to support the underutilized and most importantly free New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic. We do not expect the city of New Orleans to underwrite a policy. We do suggest that the city call the Oschner HMO program or another leading Louisiana health insurance provider to determine the possibility of a group health policy for working musicians in New Orleans. It may not be possible but the city should call and find out.

Mark Samuels

owner Basin Street Records

Can the city offer incentives for feature films shot in New Orleans that includes local music/ recordings in the film’s soundtrack? Scott’s Answer: As of July 2002, the State of Louisiana now has in place a package of tax incentives that make it more attractive for film companies to bring their productions to our state. We’re working with several legislators in Baton Rouge to expand those incentives to include music – so that if a production uses Louisiana music, it gets an additional tax credit

58 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

There is no pending state legislation to provide tax incentives to feature films shot in Louisiana that include Louisiana music. However there is an effort underway to introduce such a tax credit incentive in next year’s special session. Senator Hainkel and Representatives Heaton and Scalise will likely introduce it.

George Porter, Jr. musician

Musicians often receive parking tickets in front of clubs while unloading sound and music equipment. Is there a plan to resolve this? Scott’s answer: Yes. We’re very much aware that this is a serious problem for working musicians. We’re trying to work with the city’s parking administrator to come up with a solution.

June 2003

Our suggestion is for a decal that working musicians can put on their cars that would allow them to have up to an hour in a club’s loading zone. The concerns we’re trying to address are: how do we make sure the decals are given only to bona fide working musicians; and how do we prevent abuse even by those who are given the decals for legitimate reasons and could potentially use them in non-legitimate ways. But we know it’s a problem and, yes, we’re working on it. There is a process already in place that addresses this problem. Musicians can obtain a commercial license plate with commercial signs on both sides of the vehicle and be qualified for up to 45 minutes of parking in any freight zone in the city. The cost of this license plate is $10.00 per year. We suggest as well that a music club could be given official front window parking certificates by the city that they could hand to musicians that would enable them to park in a freight zone to unload.

New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

Jason Patterson

Snug Harbor / New Orleans Jazz Centennial

What is your plan to expand the music business beyond live performances in New Orleans? Scott’s answer:

From the available data, we know that performing artists account for a substantial portion of the local music business. It is fair then to extrapolate that the fastest way to grow the nonperforming side of the business is to get more money into the hands of musicians. If they have more money, they’ll spend it on hiring a manager, agent, attorney, web site hoster, t-shirt maker, press kit printer, photographer, recording studio and so on. So to spur the economic growth of the local music industry we’ve got to steer our musicians toward the higher paying gigs, such as festivals and conventions. We also have to do our best to market their local gigs so that they earn more money from the door plus ancillary revenues like merchandising. Meanwhile, we’re working to create partnerships between local agents, managers, publishers and others with their counterparts in other cities to enhance opportunities for our artists outside the city. The bottom line, though, is that music industry professionals follow the money. When our musicians are making more money, the business folks will find them. Besides providing tax incentives to musicians and music businesses in Louisiana we believe that the city and state should court potential music businesses to relocate to New Orleans. Michael Sammis who is the CFO of Universal Publishing Group Worldwide was quoted recently in the Times Picayune saying that with a tax incentive he could certainly imagine opening an office in the state. The city should encourage banks to give loans to local music business professionals. This city is the MUSIC

CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. It is full of talented musicians, songwriters, producers and world-class recording studios that are treated by the local business and banking establishments as second-class citizens. Major and strong independent music businesses have money. They base their decision on where to locate on profit making business decisions. Banks in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville traditionally lend money to music business interests.

Jerry Brock writer / producer

Does the public relations arm of New Orleans city government promote New Orleans music activities to national news media? Scott’s answer: Yes. If the city in fact does promote New Orleans music activities to national news media then where is that billboard that proclaims New Orleans as the MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD? To whom are press releases sent? Are they sent to the New York Times, Billboard Magazine, Jazzis, Guitar Player, Rhythm & Soul, Jazz Hot, Entertainment Tonight, The Today Show, Los Angeles Times, Houston Chronicle, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and literally hundreds of other electronic and print media the world over? We suggest that the city use a database of email addresses to promote New Orleans music news that is relevant to a national and international audience. This is not something that needs to be invented. Most PR firms have such a list — it just needs to be implemented. This would create a win win situation, as it would market the city and the music.

60 New Orleans Beat Street Magazine

June 2003

but not limited to Irish, Cajun, English, Manx, Greek and American. Her apparatus of choice is the Irish bouzouki that is a member of the lute family of string instruments. She owns a crystal clear voice that portrays joy, passion, tragedy, love and respect in songs that she wrote or has taken possession of. The blend of bouzouki and song connect her various influences and interests into the singular voice that is Beth Patterson. Her rhythm, accents and nuances will grab the interest of the most discerned listener. Highly recommended

Bonerama Live From New York Live From New York, the newest from the all power-

full Bonerama, succeeds in yankin’ the island of Manhatten and situating it a little closer to home , say off of Bay Saint Louis. Honestly, to find Tribeca Rock Club, where the whole disc was recored over 2 nights last March, you will need to exit on Canal or head down Broadway near the river, sound familiar? Well the familiar explodes into a funky haze of Big Apple business on Live From New York. Lead by Mark Mullins, Craig Klein, Steve Suter and Brian O’neill all on trombone, with†the always traveling and unraveling guitar work of Bert Cotton and the hardcore beats of Matt Perrine on sousaphone and Chad Gilmore on drums, Bonerama recieves added doses of rocket propulsion from special guests Fred Wesley and Stanton Moore that will make this cd one of the most popular during Jazzfest 2005. Covers like Whipping Post and The Wizard along with the hypnotic Less Is Moore written by Mark Mullins, reflect the

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