OffBeat Magazine June 2018 by OffBeat Magazine

Food & Restaurant Issue: Creole tomatoes, Slangston Hughes' sno-ball guide and more

Chef Alon Shaya on the secret meaning of the pomegranate at his new restaurant. NEW ORLEANS MUSIC, FOOD, CULTURE—JUNE 2018 Free In Metro New Orleans US $5.99 CAN $6.99 £UK 3.50

Read all about it Our Annual Jazz Fest Redux

“Usually, the woman holds the apple.” —Emily Shaya, on building a budding restaurant empire of somewhat biblical proportions with her

PHoto: elsa hahne

husband, Alon Shaya

Starting with Kindness

BLAST FROM THE PAST "Backstage!: Behind the scenes at Emeril Live"

Chef Alon Shaya just might be building an empire based on treating people right. Page 34 LETTERS

SNO-BALLS

MOJO MOUTH

Hip-hop MC Slangston Hughes' guide to the city's top sno-ball stands.

FRESH

IN THE SPIRIT

Five Questions with Nathan Williams, Sr., Woodenhead plans a new recording, top sellers during Jazz Fest season, My Music with Nathan Williams, Jr., Five Questions with Meschiya Lake on her move to Cork, Ireland and more.

OBITUARY

OFFBEAT EATS 9

FEMAISSANCE FORGES ACTIVIST ART 14 Granny panties and glitter-covered silicon chicken wings.

Our writers reflect on Jazz Fest 2018 sharing a few thoughts on the best (and worst) moments.

CREOLE TOMATO RECIPES Two local chefs set the stage for the primadonna of New Orleans summers, the Creole tomato.

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Maggie Morgan at Manolito mixes up a Mahakali for Jarboe La Salle Devereaux.

Scotty Cathcart Hill

JAZZ FEST REDUX

By Todd A. Price September 2007 39

Chef Frank Brigtsen of Brigtsen’s dishes on his Blackened Yellowfin Tuna and Peter Thriffiley reviews Seaworthy.

REVIEWS

Dr. Michael White, Funk Monkey, Derrick Freeman and James Martin, Panorama Jazz and Brass Band, Sasha Masakowski, Nutria, Little Freddie King, G & the New Orleans Swinging Gypsies, Dr. Michael Torregano and more.

LISTINGS

BACKTALK with the Posies

“I was contemplating whether I should retire, and the [Food Network] said, what would you want to do? So I said, you guys know I have a strong connection to music, and I think what’s missing is a food show that uses music and that’s live.” To read more, this issue can be purchased at offbeat.com/issues/ september-2007/. JUN E 2018

Letters

“Instead of dividing Fest-goers into types based on superficial appearances, and presumptuously offering advice, how about focusing on what we have in common…” —Leah Gold, Healdsburg, California

Food Editor Elsa Hahne, elsahahne@offbeat.com Listings Editor Katie Walenter, listings@offbeat.com Contributors Nick Benoit, Stacey Leigh Bridewell, Elsa Hahne, Jeff Hannusch, Raphael Helfand, Slangston Hughes, Brett Milano, Jennifer Odell, Clea Simon, John Swenson, Peter Thriffiley, Christopher Weddle, Dan Willging, John Wirt, Geraldine Wyckoff Cover Elsa Hahne Art Director/Food Editor Elsa Hahne, elsahahne@offbeat.com Web Editor Amanda Mester, amanda@offbeat.com Copy Editor Theo Schell-Lambert, theo@offbeat.com Advertising Sales/Promotions Coordinator Camille A. Ramsey, camille@offbeat.com

Snarky

I have been every year to Jazz Fest for the past 30 years. I am a walking, talking, praising supporter and cheerleader for our magical Jazz Fest. I tell tourists and locals that if I had to pick one reason, one thing, to love about this town out of a wealth of great events and things it would be Jazz Fest. I literally tear up when I walk past Sauvage Street (I live near the Holy Land—Jazz Fest) prior to the Fest and see that first scaffolding go up—it’s like peeking into magic. So it is with a heavy heart that for my first time in 30 years I felt a nagging irritation for those seven days I

attended. Why? Because there was virtually no accessible recycling. Sure Shell got to green-wash and PR themselves with one or perhaps more small stations where you could recycle the plastic #2 bottles, but no plastic ice tea cups, of which there are thousands—not sure aluminum cans were allowed, maybe. My friend and I sit in the OZ Tent and that was when I noticed no more recycle bins (previous years they had several) and from there I walked about the grounds and tents and I found none other than the in-field Shell spot(s). My friend is one of many that could not walk that far due to a knee injury, others in wheel chairs or walkers were disappointed too at the lack of accessibility. I called WWOZ, the Jazz and Heritage Foundation and Shell before weekend two, but either no knowledge of this situation or real concern. Perhaps OffBeat might direct me to someone else to reach out to before next year so our City and our wonderful Jazz Fest can be more environmentally involved and also not embarrass our City in front of all the visitors who attend. —Debbie Lindsey, New Orleans, Louisiana

OffBeat welcomes letters from its readers—both comments and criticisms. To be considered for publication, all letters must be signed and contain the current address and phone number of the writer. Letters to the editor are subject to editing for length or content deemed objectionable to OffBeat readers. Please send letters to Editor, OffBeat Publications, 421 Frenchmen St., Suite 200, New Orleans, LA 70116.

JUNE 2018

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jan V. Ramsey, janramsey@offbeat.com

Consulting Editor John Swenson

Not for nothing, but why the hell were fighter jets passing above the Fest grounds and rudely intruding on Jon Cleary’s set on Friday, April 27? It was utterly disrespectful, in terrible taste, and its intent clearly to militarize one of the most peaceful yearly events in our country, Jazz Fest. The U.S. military should be chastised for such actions—another waste of our hardearned taxpayer dollars. On a most positive note, however, getting a copy of OffBeat is my first order of business when I arrive at Louis Armstrong Airport. Your articles help navigate me toward artists I wouldn’t ordinarily choose to see—helping to broaden my cultural horizons. Because of OffBeat there are so many more acts I’ve grown to enjoy and appreciate. —Russ Layne, Chester, New York

No Recycling

June 2018 Volume 31, Number 7

Managing Editor Joseph L. Irrera, josephirrera@offbeat.com

Terrible Taste

I hope this snarky attempt at humor doesn’t become a regular feature. Instead of dividing Fest-goers into types based on superficial appearances, and presumptuously offering advice, how about focusing on what we have in common: We return year after year, braving heat, crowds and mud, because the music takes us someplace we need to go. Let’s try to be a little less judgmental, and let everyone enjoy Jazz Fest in their own way! —Leah Gold, Healdsburg, California

Louisiana Music, Food & Culture

Advertising Design PressWorks, 504-944-4300 Business Manager Joseph L. Irrera Interns Danika Andrade, Raphael Helfand, Matthew Philips Distribution Patti Carrigan, Doug Jackson OffBeat (ISSN# 1090-0810) is published monthly in New Orleans by OffBeat, Inc., 421 Frenchmen St., Suite 200, New Orleans, LA 70116 (504) 944-4300 • fax (504) 944-4306 e-mail: offbeat@offbeat.com, web site: www.offbeat.com

/offbeatmagazine Copyright © 2018, OffBeat, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. OffBeat is a registered trademark of OffBeat, Inc. First class subscriptions to OffBeat in the U.S. are available for $45 per year ($52 Canada, $105 foreign airmail). Back issues are available for $10, except for the May issue for $16 (for foreign delivery add $6, except for the May issue add $4). Submission of photos and articles on Louisiana artists are welcomed, but unfortunately material cannot be returned.

MOJO MOUTH

A Modest Proposal

ew Orleans summer doldrums are officially here. Hurricane season,

too. As I write this, there’s a possible tropical storm brewing in the Gulf—or is it a subtropical depression? One never knows the reality of what the TV weather people know or don’t know, as evidenced by the “sub-tornado” that Bayou Boogaloo experienced on the Friday of the event that blasted all the food and art vendors into Bayou St. John and flooded Mid-City. There was a prediction of a 30 percent chance of rain that day. Yeah, right. It’s a part of the local business consciousness that summers in

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New Orleans are slow. Everyone hunkers down, waiting for the heat to roar in full force, and the relative dearth of visitors to New Orleans, except for association and church and school meetings. The big-money groups usually don’t come to New Orleans in the blazing hot summer, which is one reason Essence Fest is so welcome in July. The statistics for visitors to New Orleans are up, year after year. I would like to know how many visitors come from outside the U.S., what countries they come from, and what time of year they come. I’d like to see that info from

By Jan Ramsey Jazz Fest and French Quarter Fest, too. Being someone who has been acquainted with the New Orleans music-loving visitor for over 30 years, may I make a humble suggestion, once again, to the powers that be who market to leisure travelers to New Orleans? Can we possibly up the marketing and packages to foreign visitors using a musicthemed package? I am certain that if we marketed the city using our music to countries in Northern Europe, especially Scandinavia, that we’d get a big influx of foreign travelers who would welcome the opportunity to

visit New Orleans in the heat of the summer. As I’ve mentioned before, Scandinavians travel more than any other European region. Could we focus on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland? This should be much easier than in the past, since we now have direct flights from both London and Frankfurt. Me, I’d like to have more European, Japanese and Chinese visitors during the summer, but I think Northern Europeans are the best bet because they love the sun. I’m sure Satchmo SummerFest would love more foreign visitors too. Are we making that happen? O

JUN E 2018

FRESH

Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival Sunday, June 24, 4:15 p.m.

Bayou Boogaloo 2018 Photo: noe cugny

SOUNDCHECK

OffBeat.com

Photo: golden g. richard, iii

Five Questions with Nathan Williams of Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas

SWEET TWEETS

ow in their thirty-third year, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas are a topflight zydeco band with a signature style that’s closer to Buckwheat Zydeco and founding father Clifton Chenier than anything nouveau hip-hop contemporary. Over the course of eight albums on Rounder and 2013’s self-released A New Road, Nathan Williams has written a bevy of originals ranging from bluesy to rollicking that have weathered the test of time. Your brother Dennis Paul Williams tells me that when you were a teenager, you were sick and dreamt you would become a zydeco accordion player. Is that what happened? I dreamed I was playing accordion but it wasn’t an accordion like I wanted to play. It was a little single-row accordion, but I knew I wanted to play music. I was fooling with it before, but then the reality set in and after that, I knew what I was going to do: play music. When you started your band in 1985, did you have a vision of what you wanted to be as an artist and the style of zydeco you wanted to play? Yeah, I wanted to come out with my own style. I was influenced by Clifton Chenier and Buckwheat, but I came up with my own style. I wanted to do it the way I feel like it should be, but it had to be me. My style can accommodate different crowds of people. I got a little bit of everything in my music so it can fit anywhere. Do you ever worry about your style disappearing with so many of the young cats playing the smaller, single-row accordion? No, I don’t really worry about that because if people want to listen to it, they’re going to listen to it. Good music will always be good music and somebody is going to come along and do what we do. I recently saw your older brother Sid play accordion at his club El Sido’s. Have you ever considered making an album with him? Well, yeah, we considered it. We can help him out. If he wants to do it, we’ll do it for him. Lil’ Nathan started playing rubboard with you at age three and now he fronts one of the hottest zydeco bands and he’s also your record producer and collaborator. What is that like? I’m glad I was able to help him along the way. That’s what they say in life—whatever you do comes back to you. If you do good, good comes back to you. If you do bad, bad comes back to you. So I’m getting the goodness to come back to me because I did good all my life and I try to be the best I can. —Dan Willging

JUNE 2018

@liprap After this past weekend, I’m still slightly mesmerized by tourists’ reactions to #nola & Louisiana stuff. As overheard in a hotel lobby Sunday: “I’ve never heard of Creole tomatoes. Do they grow in Colorado?” @bmarsalis Sam Barber as a song writer is so beautiful, witty and skillful, it brings me to tears. @MarcHilberer The number of school shootings that have happened since the year 2000 around the world: ENGLAND: 0; GREECE: 1; NETHERLANDS: 1; SPAIN: 1; INDIA: 1; ARGENTINA: 1; RUSSIA: 1; CHINA: 3; MEXICO: 4; AUSTRALIA: 5; CANADA: 5; GERMANY: 5; SOUTH AFRICA: 5; USA: 213 @IanMcNultyNOLA Another for #nola: Nina Compton of @comperelapin wins James Beard award for Best Chef: South. #jbfa @octaviabooks James Beard Award Chef @AlonShaya with his mom, here celebrating New Orleans #independent-bookstoreday with signed copies of SHAYA cookbooks.

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IN MEMORIAM

Scotty Cathcart Hill 1947-2018

“T

he trombone is a fascinating instrument,” Scotty Hill declared in a 1999 interview when he was inducted into New Orleans Magazine’s Jazz All-Stars. The love of the instrument never dimmed during his life-long career playing jazz music. Scotty Cathcart Hill, a New Orleans native, died on April 24, 2018 at the age of 70. Hill, who began his musical journey playing with the Fortier High School band and went on to earn a degree in music at Loyola University, was best known as the leader of the French Market Jazz Band. An impressively long list of noted musicians passed through Hill’s group, which primarily played on the streets of the French Quarter. “A lot of people don’t realize that Scotty was an individual that made it possible for everybody to play on the streets,” says trumpeter Gregg Stafford, who began performing with Hill around 1975. “His band was the first band out on the streets of New Orleans,” Stafford continues, as he remembers what a struggle it was for Hill to stand up against complaints from shop owners and harassment by the police to keep his group playing outdoors in the French Quarter. “Many a time we had to go to court, we were issued summons, arrested and went to jail.” Hill’s French Market Jazz Band’s spot was on the corner of Royal and St. Peter streets and, according to Stafford, most of the musicians who worked regular gigs on Bourbon Street in the early 1980s would join the group on their days off. “We were making more money in two hours on the street than they’d make in six hours in a club. We were the only band on the street.” Hill was “in the house” in the early 1970s at the opening of Bourbon Street’s Crazy Shirley’s bar www.OFFBEAT.com

with some now-legendary figures of New Orleans jazz including trumpeter Teddy Riley, pianist Ellis Marsalis, drummer Bob and bassist George French and clarinetist/ saxophonist Otis Bazoon. He also made appearances at Preservation Hall and on occasion played at the Palm Court with guitarist/banjoist Danny Barker. An adaptable musician and an accomplished reader, he recorded with artists like pianist David Torkanowsky and saxophonist David Lastie. A keeper of the tailgate trombone style, Hill rightfully idolized the great New Orleans trombonist Waldren “Frog” Joseph, who he emulated but never tried to copy. “He had his own style and was strictly a New Orleans trombone player,” Stafford offers. Hill also did his share of singing on numbers like “Eh La Bas” and his own version of “Don’t Mess with My Toot Toot.” Though Hill played the streets and lived in the French Quarter as manager of his mother’s apartments, he kept a low profile and retired from performing following Katrina. Hill once remembered when his love-at-first-sight infatuation with the trombone began. “One night I saw the Dorsey Brothers on television and the next day I told my mother and father I wanted to play the trombone.” It was a marriage that lasted a lifetime. —Geraldine Wyckoff JUN E 2018

FRESH

Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival Sunday, June 24, 11 a.m.

CHARTING

Nathan Williams, Jr. of Lil’ Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers

Top Sellers During Jazz Fest Season Photo: PHILIP GOULD

MY MUSIC

“A

s a kid, it was very inspirational to be part of [my dad’s group Nathan &] the Zydeco Cha Chas. I was basically a sponge absorbing everything I saw. I realized at an early age I wanted to be part of that and continue on my own when I became an adult. I started on rubboard at three years old with my dad onstage and it was a good time for us to bond as father and son. My first accordion was given to me at age seven, a toy piano accordion, and I started playing with that. There was always an instrument in front of me. It was never forced upon you like you have to play zydeco but I always had instruments around because my dad had instruments. High school, college, being involved in classical and jazz music allowed my musical catalogue to be open to other genres. I can incorporate so much into the music I’m playing, which makes me different from other artists because I have a gospel, jazz and classical background and I fused it. My whole goal for performing was to make my family proud. I wanted to continue Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas’ legacy. I wanted all the ancestors and living legends of zydeco to be proud of what I’m doing because I’m really trying to do this at a high level and get this music to the next level. I just want zydeco to expand to a wider audience. Well, it’s happening by myself and other artists collaborating with artists of different genres. That’s the only way that we can compete on that level is to basically mimic what’s going on in other genres so these record labels on a national level will recognize our music as being something of importance. I’ve collaborated with [rappers] Yung Bleu, Kevin Gates and Juvenile. The urban population is my targeted audience because it’s my age group and that’s why I’ve collaborated with a lot of rap artists. I’m also working on a country song. That will be my second country song—a collaboration with a mega-star. My first country song, ‘True Cowboy,’ was released in 2017 on my Unpause CD. It’s pretty popular on the Texas rodeo circuit. My dad has always expressed that he is proud of me. At first he didn’t grasp the concept because a lot of people are so used to what they’ve done but my dad understands me because he was innovative in his career. I’ve always felt my dad was ahead of his time with his music. We are kind of on the same level, just different eras. But we gravitate to same things as well. We learn from each other, man, you know?” —Dan Willging

JUNE 2018

Louisiana Music Factory 1. Johnny Sansone: Hopeland (Short Stack) 2. Marcia Ball: Shine Bright (Alligator Records) 3. Walter “Wolfman” Washington: My Future is My Past (Anti-) 4. Samantha Fish: Belle of the West (Ruf Records) 5. The Radiators: Welcome to the Monkey House (Radz) 6. Dr. Michael White: Tricentennial Rag (Basin Street Records) 7. Tin Men: Swing With Me (Independent) 8. Bonerama: Hot Like Fire (Basin Street Records) 9. Kermit Ruffins & Irvin Mayfield: A Beautiful World (Basin Street Records) 10. Cha Wa: Spyboy (UPT Music)

Rhythmporium (Jazz Fest Tent) 1. Samantha Fish: Belle of the West (Ruf Records) 2. Dr. Michael White: Tricentennial Rag (Basin Street Records) 3. Walter “Wolfman” Washington: My Future is My Past (Anti-) 4. Shake ’Em Up Jazz Band: A Woman’s Place (Bunny Friend) 5. Marcia Ball: Shine Bright (Alligator Records) 6. The Revivalists: Men Amongst Mountains (Wind-Up) 7. Ten Strings and a Goat Skin: Auprès du poêle (Independent) 8. Mitch Woods: Friends Along the Way (Entertainment One) 9. Johnny Sansone: Hopeland (Short Stack) 10. Andrew Duhon: False River (Independent)

Euclid Records 1. Various Artists: New Orleans Funk Vol.4: Voodoo Fire In New Orleans (Soul Jazz) 2. Various Artists: Ultimate New Orleans Brass: Second Line Funk! (Mardi Gras Records) 3. Tank & the Bangas: Live Vibes (Verve) 4. Benni: I & II (Goner Records) 5. Mountain of Wizard: Major Waves of Minor Resolve (Independent) 6. Little Freddie King: Fried Rice & Chicken (Orleans Records) 7. Weather Warlock (Quintron): Headless Falcon: Adu Dhabi Sessions (Rhinestone Records) 8. King James and the Special Men: Act Like You Know (Independent) 9. 79rs Gang: Fire on the Bayou (Sinking City Records) 10. Lost Bayou Ramblers: Kalenda (Rice Pump Records) www.OFFBEAT.com

FRESH

LIVE AT CHICKIE WAH WAH

Woodenhead Plans New Recording

or the majority of rock bands, the prospect of recording an album’s worth of new material at a live show would be a bit terrifying. For the instrumental prog-fusion band Woodenhead, it’s just virtuosity as usual. Now in its forty-third year, the band doesn’t put out new music very often: The last new album, Perseverance, was back in 2003 (an archival set at Tipitina’s, from 10 years earlier, was released more recently). But on June 15 and 16, they’ll be recording 15 new songs in front of an audience at Chickie Wah Wah, and releasing it (under the auspices of the Threadhead Cultural Foundation) by the end of the year. The band—guitarist Jimmy Robinson, keyboardist Fran Comiskey, drummer Mark Whitaker and bassist Paul Clement—actually welcomes the chance to work without a net. Unlike their 40th anniversary show at Tip’s, which had a handful of guests, this show will feature the straight-up quartet. “We’ll be playing a lot of the same material over two nights—so if you add it all up, instead of everybody going into the studio and arguing for two months, it really comes out ahead,” Robinson said. “We’ve been known to beat things to death, destroying good recordings by spending years on them.” Putting out the Tipitina’s set—which included much livelier versions of songs they’d done in the studio—helped inspire this project. “We still have the two days to come in and do fixes, in case there’s any big clams. But we’re going to keep it as live as we can and get the live energy in there. We have a great live engineer, Steve Daffner, who’s done a few successful projects. And we want to get some good audience mikes as well. We’ll be doing two sets a night, so people will have the chance to scream ‘Free Bird’ twice.” Some of the new songs should be familiar to anyone who’s seen the band in recent years. Comiskey just toured Brazil with Patrice Fisher’s group, and her song “Mosaico” incorporates that influence. And Robinson has a batch of tunes including the crunching, King Crimson-esque “Hell Boy,” which got its title when actor Ron Perlman caught their set at Checkpoint Charlie. And yes, they do plan to fit 15-odd songs on a single CD, which might have been unthinkable for Woodenhead 20 years ago. “We’ve been rehearsing the songs and cutting back a little on solo length. Bands like us have the tendency to do eight-minute songs, but we’re scaling back just a little on that.” —Brett Milano www.OFFBEAT.com

JUN E 2018

SOUNDCHECK

Five Questions with Meschiya Lake on her move to Cork, Ireland

hanteuse Meschiya Lake-Härm is bidding a fond farewell to New Orleans after 18 years. She was the figurehead, the homing beacon for the zeitgeist of the Frenchmen Street trad scene and will be sorely missed. She played her last regular gig at the Spotted Cat on May 1 and has since set off to her new home in Ireland. What made you decide to leave New Orleans? I’ve been here 18 years so not just one thing could make me make the decision. I married a European man, gave birth to a daughter, and then Donald Trump got elected. I used to think New Orleans is the only place in the United States that I can live and that’s definitely

JUNE 2018

true. But with the current political climate and having a baby girl, there are social systems in Europe that can be offered to her. Also, she’ll have a U.S. passport and an Irish passport so she’ll just have more options. We’ve got a five-bedroom Georgian house that’s gonna end up costing less than the two-bedroom house I have on St Claude! Five bedrooms, three baths, and a bidet! It’s unbelievable. Why Ireland? I’ve visited there a few times. My husband moved here from there. In the year before we were married I went there often to visit him. It’s a beautiful place and it’s got the nicest people you’ll ever meet. It’s also very musical. We’re gonna be in County Cork about fifteen minutes from Cork City which has a great little arts and music scene. Do you plan to continue singing? I won’t get to be in my new home for six weeks. I’m starting out with a six-week tour of Europe. I’m gonna be working primarily with a band out of Berlin called Dizzy Birds. We’re going to do a tour of Holland and then Ascona Jazz Festival. I am going to be playing the Cork Jazz Festival, but I don’t have anything regular in Ireland and I’m kinda looking forward to that because I just want to be around my kid more. What will you miss the most about New Orleans? I will miss my family the most. The people. Because those are the things that aren’t replaceable. Material things are replaceable and they have lots of material things in other countries, but they don’t have the people. Will you come back? I will be coming back. My last gig at the Spotted Cat, the owners Doug and Bill gave me money to come back next spring. So my ticket is already bought! I’ll also come back in September to get my puppy dog and a few things. —Stacey Leigh Bridewell

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Photo: Christopher Lake-Härm

FRESH

FEMAISSANCE

Femaissance Forges Activist Art

“C

ommunity can exist in a capitalist structure when there’s small business,” says Maddy Rose, co-founder and curator of Femaissance, the all-female art movement. “So frequently, ‘capitalism’ suggests absolute selfishness, the desire to climb to the top and knock people down as you go. But small female businesses made $1.7 trillion in 2017. Why? Because women are tribal as fuck and we’re really good at multitasking and helping each other out and watching each other’s babies.” Rose and Halle Kaplan-Allen, Femaissance co-founder and events director, are doing exactly that on a beautiful evening in late April at Oleander on Royal, where their exhibition, Femaissance: Primavera, is currently on display. During our interview, Kaplan-Allen holds Stellan, the 9-month-old son of gallery director Jamie Lehr, on her shoulder while she greets the French Quarter creatures who wander in off the street to gawk at the pink-walled room covered in vagina drawings. Rose does most of the talking. “We were really inspired by The Wing in New York, which is an allfemale workspace. And we were having all these conversations, feeling complacent about life,” she says, describing the circumstances of Femaissance’s inception last fall, two years after she and KaplanAllen graduated from Tulane. “So when Jamie said she wanted to do an all-female show, I was like ‘Okay, I have this idea, but I have to do it with my best friend,’ and [Jamie] was like ‘Run with it...’” “People responded to it in a way we never anticipated,” Kaplan-Allen chimes in. Their first exhibition, simply titled Femaissance, coincided with the

JUNE 2018

printing of the groundbreaking Times-Picayune article on sexual harassment in the Besh Restaurant Group and the explosion of #MeToo, a moment ripe for the elevation of a female-driven art movement. Their next exhibition, Primavera, opened at the dawn of festival season and was much more celebratory in tone, but the pink room decked out in bedazzled granny panties, glitter-covered silicon chicken wings and an overabundance of nudes also housed a poignant political message. The exhibition took its name from Sandro Botticelli’s 1482 Italian Renaissance painting. “When we talk about [Botticelli’s] Primavera, we say it’s a masterpiece with a narrative worth redirecting,” says Rose. “[It’s] this beautiful, iconic work of art that involves muses: beautiful women who are muse-worthy just for being beautiful.” The centerpiece of the exhibition is a reimagining of the Botticelli painting as a diptych by watercolorist Lyla Clayre, featuring prominent female figures in New Orleans—women who are museworthy for their achievements, By Raphael Helfand

not just their beauty. “We’re looking at a group of women that’s comprised of Chef Martha Wiggins, the former Executive Chef of Sylvain; Erin Romney from Romney Studios; Aimee Brown, the Executive Director of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience; Jamie with her son [Stellan]; Robin Barnes, the New Orleans songbird—women who are hustling in this city and working to do some good for the community.” Primavera will close on Memorial Day weekend. In the ensuing days, Oleander on Royal will undergo a complete transformation as Femaissance prepares for its next exhibition: Proserpina. The iconic pink walls, which are (conveniently) on wheels, will be rearranged and painted black, creating an entirely reimagined aesthetic. Lyla Clayre’s diptych will disappear and Artemis Antippas will replace her silicon 50-pièce (de résistance) with a wall installation consisting of real chicken bones from Jacques-Imo’s (still covered in glitter) to deliver a much rawer message. If Primavera was a celebration of the power of female

collaboration, Proserpina brings the movement back to its roots in activism and protest. “People know the pink walls at this point and they know the Femaissance brand that we’ve established,” Rose says. “So our thought was to see what happens when we flip it on its head and paint the space black and have a curation that’s a response to #TimesUp and #MeToo through the pagan story of the goddess Proserpina, who’s abducted by the god Pluto and forced to marry him in Hades and negotiates to spend half her time on Mount Olympus (which paves way for spring) and the other half in the underworld.” Proserpina will use its eponymous Greek myth as a jumping-off point to resume the conversation on harassment and gender inequality in New Orleans and across the globe. “Primavera was obviously very celebratory and fest-friendly,” Rose says. “But New Orleans in general enters a summertime slump in which all the hype fizzles and it’s way less busy in the streets and everyone’s just looking for an air-conditioned place to hang. There aren’t a ton of those and you can’t meet in front of City Hall because you’ll pass out outside. So we’re using this opportunity for a more community-oriented exhibition. It felt appropriate to keep the energy alive at a point when it usually dies down—especially with the midterm [elections] around the corner—and to make sure everyone stays engaged.” O Femaissance: Proserpina opens Saturday, June 9 and will run through Saturday, July 14 at Oleander on Royal (1000 Royal St.). For more information, visit Femaissance.us and follow @Femaissance on Instagram. www.OFFBEAT.com

PHoto COURTESY OF THE ARTISTS

Granny panties and glitter-covered silicon chicken wings.

Jazz Fest Redux We reflect on Jazz Fest 2018 and share some of its best (and occasionally worst) moments.

“W

here are you going with that smile on your face?” “I’m going to the international circus of Jazz Fest, where I will hear all the possible permutations of the spirit of Professor Longhair. I’m going to hear the music of Fats Domino, of Ernie K-Doe, Allen Toussaint, Eddie Bo, Earl King, Tootie Montana, Clifton Chenier, Boozoo Chavis, Bo Dollis and especially the newest soul released, Charles Neville. Because the secret in New Orleans is that when you die you don’t go to heaven, you go to Jazz Fest forever.”—John Swenson

Photo: willow haley

Spirits Pass Jazz Fest is often defined by events that are not listed in the cubes. Many times it’s the weather that takes control. The last three Fests have had to contend with serious rainfall and lightning, enough to cancel some of the music. Then there are the times when spirits pass, sending their message through the music itself. Who can forget Jazz Fest 2007, when Alvin Batiste passed the night before his scheduled Jazz Tent performance and a tearful tribute was delivered by his musician relatives and students?

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Then of course came 2016, when Prince died just before Jazz Fest and everyone from the Deslondes to Janelle Monáe paid musical tribute. This year we had gorgeous weather leading up to Jazz Fest and the party was already in full swing Thursday morning as the Radiators were presented with this year’s USPS Postal Cachet and played a mini-set to a packed house at the Jazz Fest headquarters on North Rampart Street. The mood changed shortly thereafter as word hit the street that saxophonist Charles Neville of the celebrated musical family had passed. Fats Domino’s death was still resonating with one full-out musical tribute scheduled at the Fest and several unofficial ones in the offing, but you sensed that Charles’ spirit, which was so ingrained in Jazz Fest history, would somehow make its mark on this year’s renewal. The Neville Brothers ruled the New Orleans music scene in the 1980s and 1990s, with festival-closing sets every year until the group gradually dissolved into numerous individual projects. Charles was seldom the center of attention in the Nevilles, but his magnificent saxophone solos and shrewd colorations were an essential part of the group’s sound. He also brought an overriding spiritual presence to the band. He was deeply www.OFFBEAT.com

involved in Eastern meditation as well as Native American spirituality. Charles’ magnificent vibe shimmered across this year’s gathering, especially during Aaron Neville’s set because Charles was Neville’s saxophonist on so many signature tunes, and younger brother Cyril Neville’s set. The surprise came during Trombone Shorty’s Fest-closing performance, when he brought up several Neville family members to pay tribute to Charles. The first reference I heard, though, came the night before the Fest began. At a crawfish boil just off of Bayou St. John Thursday night, Ed Volker’s Trio Mollusc played a version of the gospel traditional “Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down,” and Volker dedicated it to Charles Neville.—John Swenson

Opening Day Opening Friday was perfect weather, sunny with low humidity and a light breeze, and the crowd was in a low-key but joyous mood. Michael Skinkus (a member of Trio Mollusc) and his band Moyuba opened up a Haitian-influenced invocation of the Orisha spirits at the Lagniappe stage

to dedicate the festival. The terrific band is built around rhythms from Skinkus’ elaborate bata drum setup with great accompaniment from Sam Price on bass, Gabriel Velasco on percussion and Brent Rose on sax and flute. The wonderful singers sang and chanted the Orishas down, included a new piece written for the god of the wind. Sula Janet EvansMshakamari, Andaiye Alimayu and Margie Perez had the breakfast crowd dancing in front of the stage.—John Swenson

Mark Braud Opening day at Jazz Fest, trumpeter-composer Mark Braud told his Economy Hall audience they’d be hearing mostly original music. Of course, Economy Hall is Jazz Fest’s home for traditional New Orleans jazz. Braud and his compositions, steeped in jazz tradition as they are, fit the bill perfectly. That goes for his well-versed Jazz Giants band members, too. Many of the songs Braud—a member of Harry Connick Jr.’s band and former leader of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band—and the Jazz Giants played are available on his new album, Living the Tradition. “You’re the JUN E 2018

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“The trumpeter turned some heads—blew some minds—as he led his band at Jazz Fest that included a trio of female vocalists, Jolynda Phillips, Robin Barnes and Yolanda Robinson.”

One,” “I Should’ve Known” and other selections capture the joyful spirit of traditional jazz from New Orleans. The presence of drummer Herlin Riley, trombonist Freddie Lonzo and clarinetist Tim Laughlin, all local music experts, further ensured authenticity. Their performances plus Braud’s born-in-the-tradition trumpet playing made that familiar musical structure—statement of the theme followed by solos all around— engagingly fresh.—John Wirt

Germaine Bazzle

Azz Everywhere

Trumpeters Trumpeting Trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah was center stage most of the set with alto saxophonist Logan Richardson often at work by his side. The two egged each other on as they traded bars, which was a bit reminiscent of when, years ago, Adjuah played regularly with his uncle, alto saxist Donald Harrison Jr. Some hard bop was goin’ down enhanced by the rhythmic conversation between drummer Corey Fonville and djembe master Weedie Braimah, who is the nephew of the late great New Orleans drummer Idris Muhammad. The solid ensemble got down on Adjuah’s “The Last Chieftain.” Nicholas Payton is always up to something new. Nonetheless, the trumpeter turned some heads— blew some minds—as he led his band at Jazz Fest that included a trio of female vocalists, Jolynda Phillips, Robin Barnes and Yolanda Robinson. Payton tends to like to work with two drummers and for this set went with Joe Dyson, with whom he’s played and recorded before, and the young NOCCA graduate Brian Richburg. Payton, who played both trumpet and keys and sang, surprisingly didn’t present tunes from his latest, fine

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wounded Nelson’s regret, he had to listen to his father sing “Georgia on My Mind” every night on stage during their tours together. At Jazz Fest, Nelson made that haunting pain hurt so good.—John Wirt

album, Afro-Caribbean Mixtape, but all new material. One was hilariously called “Nicholas Payton” and another named “The Duke of George” in honor of pianist George Duke. To open his set, Terence Blanchard blew his trumpet as if announcing his arrival, or like Joshua blowing down the walls of Jericho. The persistent drum of Oscar Seaton and a demanding piano encouraged his crying out on his instrument that, for a time, he accomplished from a bent over, squatting position. Blanchard and the E-Collective presented a number of tunes from his new album, Live, and particularly engaged the crowd with the melodic “Unchanged.”—Geraldine Wyckoff

Lukas Nelson There’s no way to not hear the similarity between Lukas Nelson,

29, and his 85-year-old father, Willie Nelson. Their singing shares a dry, high, nasal whine and an understated yet deeply earnest delivery. Judging from the younger Nelson’s well-attended Jazz Fest set on the Gentilly Stage during the festival’s first Friday, he’s also an accomplished songwriter and totally at home on stage. A fluent lead guitarist, too, although he prefers an electric instrument rather than an acoustic nylonstringed model of the kind his dad plays. Nelson also has a knack for narrative. In “Forget About Georgia,” he sang a poignant true story about a soul-shaking lover who got away. Her name was Georgia. “We made love for the first time in a hotel in New Orleans,” Nelson improvised at Jazz Fest. And after he and Georgia parted, much to the

Big Freedia is looking more and more like Queen Bey these days, and not only because of the long blonde tresses. With her own form of media domination and wildly energetic stage choreography that had half the field in front of the Congo Square Stage shaking its own booty, the Queen Diva was resplendent in gold lamé, working (and twerking) the beats between disco air horns and samples of everything from Michael Jackson to, yes, Beyoncé’s “Formation.” The biggest local name at the Congo Square Stage (hey, Khalid is from Texas), Big Freedia kept the volume and pace ramped up, as if to prove that she’s ready for her first-ever label release—an album due in June. When you can get a truly mixed crowd up and cheering along to “Azz Everywhere,” you know you’re royalty.—Clea Simon

Archie Shepp on Lee Morgan Saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Archie Shepp, best known for his seminal protest albums, Attica Blues and The Cry of My People, stopped by the Allison Miner stage before his Jazz Tent performance for an interview with jazz writer Ashley Kahn. Virtually every answer he gave contextualized his own experience in a larger framework of AfricanAmerican history (even before his decades-long tenure as a university music professor, he was researching African music and cultural traditions and incorporating them into his early work as a leader). www.OFFBEAT.com

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Asked to share a “snapshot” of growing up in Philadelphia in the ’50s, he began by noting he was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, then gave a brief lesson on how and why “the North of the United States, as far as black people are concerned, is very much an accumulation of the South,” so “the source of that music is really the South.” The roots of the blues that came out of Mississippi, Shepp said, technically originated further east, where slaves were first taken before the country expanded westward. “These places preserved the blues and the blues evolved in the context of the migration of blacks from the East Coast to the Midwest, to Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas...” he explained. “I grew up with the blues and I was very fortunate. My father was a banjo player. I think the blues was the first music that I really could associate with.” After the nutshell music history lesson, he gave Kahn the Philadelphia snapshot he’d asked for: “I remember when I met Lee Morgan I was living in Philadelphia, we were both very young men. I was a little older but he was very accomplished—a brilliant trumpet player even at the age of 15. I was about 16 and I asked him to help me with my instrument. And I remember he invited me to his home and he asked me to play something for him and the only jazz performer I knew at the time was Stan Getz. So I tried to play something that I’d heard Stan play on the radio, ‘How High the Moon,’ and I tried to play it like Stan. [Morgan] seemed to be a little amused by my effort. And then I tried something else which seemed to be even more amusing, so finally he said, ‘Let’s play the blues.’ Well, I’d learned the blues

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from my father. I could sing the blues, I didn’t really need chord changes. I was hoping I could feel. So we made a little jam session and I played the blues. And when we finished, he seemed a bit amazed. And he said, ‘Man. Don’t ever change.’”—Jennifer Odell

Grateful for the Gospel Tent Seasoned Festers know that the tent with the most energy is the Gospel Tent. I’d planned to go later in the day, but it sucked me in as soon as I walked through the gate. Pastor Tyrone Jefferson of the Abundant Life Tabernacle church was going full blast with a choir of over 50 red-and-white clad, tambourine-shaking, fired up young people. He was in the midst of a back and forth between the crowd and the choir repeating over and over, “I’m grateful! Are you grateful?” The crowd shouted and cheered. The choir sang the words over and over. “I’m grateful! I’m grateful!” Unfortunately I had to move on before the end of the set, but I heard later that at the end the crowd rushed the stage.— Stacey Leigh Bridewell

Bad Sound My main destination for the day was Congo Square, which

boasted to my mind the strongest combination of music. But the much-anticipated Batiste Fathers & Sons was nearly derailed by the inexplicably bad sound. Patriarch David Batiste came out and reminded the crowd that the band was in the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame as the Gladiators, but when he tried to play his portable keyboard nothing happened and he wandered offstage. MC Russell Batiste did his best to rally the troops, getting the crowd to engage in a call-and-response of “Where y’at?”/ “New Orleans” but when the sound is that bad things just can’t take off. Speaking of which, multiple flyovers by jet planes were visually impressive but very distracting to the music. Meanwhile Givers were more than holding their own on the Acura stage. At the Jazz Tent Cuban conguero Alexey Martin played an impressive set. Time for a Cuban sandwich at Canseco’s before the great Donald Harrison at Congo Square. Sound problems continued but Harrison, resplendent in his white suit, used what he had and led his jazz quintet through 40 minutes of beautiful R&B-influenced jazz and funk led by his ever-impressive alto saxophone work. Harrison proved adept on vocals, getting the crowd

to sing with him on “Ain’t No Party Like a New Orleans Party.” A version of “Cissy Strut” was followed by Harrison taking a “Jazz Fest selfie.” Then came the finale. “We’re gonna make Mardi Gras in April,” Harrison exclaimed as six full-suited Indians paraded onto the stage and the band kicked into “Iko Iko,” followed by “Hey Pocky Way.” Master percussionist Bill Summers really took over this section musically.—John Swenson

Fats Tribute Though the crowd on day two felt a little light it was packed solid at the Acura Stage—Rod Stewart turned out to be quite a draw for this audience, and Bonnie Raitt, with her dynamic, Jon Cleary–led band, was worth headliner status in her own right. But the main attraction for a lot of people Saturday was the Fats Domino tribute. Fats graces this year’s great poster and one of the best T-shirts Jazz Fest has produced in a while, and the musical tribute lived up to expectations. There was a little something for everyone in this revue-style presentation—old-school turns by Deacon John and Irma Thomas, a showcase for Fats protégé Davell Crawford, millennial content with The Late Show’s Jonathan Batiste, www.OFFBEAT.com

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“Jackson, looking uncannily like Fats himself as he hunched over the piano in a yellow jacket with blue chalk stripes and navy blue slacks, brought it on home with a cry of “Long live Mister Domino!”

Fats doppelganger Al “Lil’ Fats” Jackson and the Raitt-Cleary show. Most importantly, this tribute was organized around the man behind the scenes, Dave Bartholomew, who co-wrote much of Fats’ material, built the band that defined his sound and produced the records. The band was magnificent, and everything rolled behind the continuous theme of one of its more memorable creations, “It Ain’t My Fault.” Hearing Roger Lewis on baritone in the Herb Hardesty chair sent chills up my spine. When Lewis played Hardesty’s solo note for note on the first “Blue Monday” solo behind Jackson he could have cracked open the sky. The talented Batiste veered furthest away from doctrinal R&B with a melodica solo (the sound man blew the cue on this one and Batiste was playing dead air for the first chorus) on “I Want to Walk You Home” and a James Booker–esque classical introduction to “Ain’t That a Shame” that may well have left Fats scratching his head. If you think Raitt was an odd choice for a Fats tribute, think again. After taking the stage and name-checking the late Charles Neville, Raitt charged into “I’m In Love Again,” which turned into a medley with Cleary singing “All By Myself.” Their call-and-response version of these two classics was a brilliant piece of arranging worthy of Bartholomew and one of the highlights of the show. Jackson, looking uncannily like Fats himself as he hunched over the piano in a yellow jacket with blue chalk stripes and navy blue slacks, brought it on home with a cry of “Long live Mister Domino!” and a second line version of “Saints.” During the wonderful extended coda Deacon John return to the stage cakewalking

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and waving a handkerchief. If that didn’t put a smile on your face, god bless you.—John Swenson

Surprises

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What a very pleasant surprise to see New Orleans’ own Mem Shannon added on the Blues Tent schedule—yeah, he was a substitute but he should have been there in the first place. He quipped, “I had other plans this morning…” Shannon is a true original blues man with a style all of his own. The lyrics of his wonderful, self-penned tunes tell a story and he delivers them in his unique voice and often with a little smirk on his face. Similarly, his guitar work remains at once innovative, modern and down-home.—Geraldine Wyckoff

Take Me to Your Planet “Let’s go to the Congolese jungle,” vocalist and percussionist Jupiter Bokondji exuberantly suggested while leading his band Okwess at the Congo Square Stage for the first of three performances at the Fest. Now this group that blends its African roots with modern styles and instrumentation had fun every time they played—they messed with each other much like New Orleans musicians tend to do. The crowd really had a blast with them at the smaller, more intimate and dancefriendly Jazz & Heritage Stage and the Cultural Pavilion where they performed on Saturday. Jupiter is one compelling character and his band full of singers were on his space ship all the way.—Geraldine Wyckoff

Cello Belgian-born cellist Helen Gillet has made a name for herself as the consummate collaborator, bringing her cello, tape loops and effects into pairings with Skerik, www.OFFBEAT.com

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JAZZ FEST REDUX

Nikki Glaspie, Animal Collective and a score of others recently. But her own music contains multitudes, and that made her Lagniappe Stage solo appearance on Sunday, April 28, particularly welcome. Celebrating the release of her new Helkiase, she presented newer songs, such as her lyrical tribute to the legendary New Orleans bassist “Slow Drag Pavageau” (finally recorded). But Gillet’s genius includes her reworked covers, and a particularly ferocious version of X-Ray Spex’ “I Live Off You” should qualify the cello as a punk staple, while her wonderfully eerie take on PJ Harvey’s “Angelene” will haunt many a Fest goer, as it should: Such live performances—even with some feedback problems that didn’t seem to faze the tech-savvy musician—serve as a tonic in other ways, as well. On record, with songs like “Angelene” or 2012’s moody, mournful “Julien,” Gillet sounds haunted, a creature of beautiful introspection and despair. Live, with fans doing “interpretive” dancing before the stage, she’s a hoot: a one-woman party as well as a solo genius.—Clea Simon

Paul Sanchez As for Sanchez, his musical revue the Rolling Road Show on the Gentilly Stage Thursday featured guest turns from Alex McMurray, Ray Ganucheau, Debbie Davis, Jim McCormick, Sonia Tetlow and Craig Klein, who paid tribute to the departed New Orleans legend Mr. Okra. Sanchez himself sang his signature tune “Hurricane Party,” the wonderful “Life Is a Ride,” and “Love Is Blind,” which was supposed to include special guest Shamarr Allen playing trumpet. This time Shamarr’s super hero power of showing up in the nick of time failed him. “If anyone sees Shamarr Allen, tell him I said hello,” said Sanchez. www.OFFBEAT.com

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“Kent reminisced about his time with Blood, Sweat & Tears and his early years hanging out at various clubs around the city. “In the 1950s and early ’60s the greatest music in the world was recorded right here,” said Kent. “It moved the whole world. I was hooked.”

Sanchez finished his fast-paced set with a great version of “At the Foot of Canal Street.”—John Swenson Paul Sanchez remains the most generous man at Jazz Fest: His Rolling Road Show sets regularly throw the spotlight to various friends and colleagues, though this year he got a half-dozen of his own numbers in (including the new “Talking Spanish,” one of the best rockers in his catalogue). Guests this year included Debbie Davis, who helped him get properly torchy on Dire Straits’ “Romeo & Juliet,” and Sonia Tetlow, whose song “Mr. Okra” (written while the man was still with us) was an appreciated tribute. The Road Show this year included two of the original Continental Drifters, bassist Ray Ganucheau and drummer Carlo Nuccio, so the sound and spirit of that band was revisited with “The Mississippi.” Another Drifters fix came later in the afternoon when two other alums, Susan Cowsill and Russ Broussard, played “The Rain Song.”—Brett Milano

This Is Rock ’n’ Roll Over at Economy Hall, Aurora Nealand was raising the roof with her Royal Roses. The clarinetist/ vocalist really stands out among the young crop of musicians playing traditional jazz in that her band plays this music with the feel and intent of the masters rather than punk-era musicians who like the sound of the old tunes. Good thing Nealand had her sneakers on because she had to run to the Lagniappe Stage to take part in the ridiculously intense set from the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars. All played at breakneck speeds with two drummers (Stanton Moore and Doug Garrison), insane bass playing

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Samantha Fish

from Joe Cabral, Glenn Hartman’s accordion and organ, Jonathan Freilich chopping away on guitar and an unbelievably great front line of Nealand on clarinet with Dan Oestreicher on baritone, Ben Ellman on tenor and special guest Steve Bernstein on trumpet and slide trumpet. After a particularly raucous version of “Mazel Tov Cocktail,” Freilich exclaimed, “This is rock ’n’ roll.”—John Swenson

Lizard King Next up on the Lagniappe Stage, Garrison stayed in place and Cabral switched to tenor sax for Ed Volker and Los Reyes de Legardo, Volker’s Iguanasbacked unit that had previously only performed for MOMs Ball gatherings. Volker had a surprise for the crowd as he opened the show with his own tribute to Fats Domino, a version of “Walking to

New Orleans” that evolved into a jam with Volker chanting “Talkin’ ’bout the Fat Man,” then bringing it on home with the refrain “Blue, blue, blue, blue Monday.” After “Dancing On the Grave of a Son of a Bitch,” “It’s Only Good When It Hurts” and “Knocked Out Loaded” Volker announced, “The MOMs people don’t usually let us get out like this,” then launched into “Go Down Swinging,” with guitarist Rod Hodges playing some mean slide. The MC said goodbye but the crowd wouldn’t let them go, so Volker took a rare Jazz Fest encore with “Coup De Grace.” Freilich plugged in and started to warm up into his guitar solo when the MC cut them off. And the Lizard King returned to its lair… until next time.—John Swenson

Interviews Some of the best moments at the Fest came at the Allison Miner

Stage inside the grandstand, where Ben Sandmel curated an interesting array of interview/performances. (Full disclosure: I did one with the Radiators that was an awful lot of fun.) Scott Billington’s interview with Bobby Rush was sensational. Billington, who produced Rush’s Grammy-winning Porcupine Meat album, joined in on harp as Rush played guitar. “Jimmy Reed taught me everything I know,” said Rush, who then played “You Don’t Have to Go” Reed-style, showing how he adapted Reed’s approach to his own ends. It was a fascinating piece of hands-on musicology. Rush pointed out that the Beatles took “Come Together” from Jimmy Reed as well. Reed and Billington played a great harmonica duet on “Have You Ever Been Mistreated.” The great musicians and historian Mark Stone had an educational exchange with vocalist Luther Kent, who noted that his big band was celebrating its fortieth year of existence. Kent reminisced about his time with Blood, Sweat & Tears and his early years hanging out at various clubs around the city. “In the 1950s and early ’60s the greatest music in the world was recorded right here,” said Kent. “It moved the whole world. I was hooked.” Kent sang a moving R&B version of “You Are My Sunshine” and finished with a rendition of “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?”— John Swenson

Accordions and Louisiana It’s always the unexpected pleasure that makes Fest for me. We went to the Allison Miner Heritage Stage to hear Marc Savoy talk about accordions and Louisiana (and, okay, for the air conditioning), hoping that the Cajun revivalist would illustrate his www.OFFBEAT.com

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history lessons with some tunes on one of his handmade diatonic instruments. (Accompanied by wife Ann on guitar, he complied.) And Corey Ledet, a Clifton Chenier disciple, was obviously going to be great as a zydeco/ piano accordion counterweight. But with the music, these masters illustrated the history of the instrument—from its arrival in German Jewish dry goods shops to its local reinvention after World War II—and that was equally as fascinating. And excuse me for originally doubting the inclusion of Glenn Hartman in this Barry Ancelet-led discussion: The New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars player touched on the global reach of this relatively young (just hitting 200 years old) instrument with a few tasty numbers (including a particularly intricate Turkish tune that dates back to the 1400s), all while lamenting its current lack of respect. At the Miner Stage that lack was amply, and rightfully, remedied.—Clea Simon

www.OFFBEAT.com

Charles Neville Three of Charles Neville’s siblings (and his daughter Charmaine, who we unfortunately missed) played on the second weekend: Aaron, Cyril and Athelgra (one of the Dixie Cups). The latter two both paid tribute, with Cyril announcing upfront that “This whole set is bring brought to you by the spirit of Charles Neville.” But Aaron’s set went straight for the heartstrings, from its opening of “Bird on a Wire” to the closing “Amazing Grace.” Without speaking too many words Aaron kept his brother’s spirit present, drawing most of the set from the Neville Brothers’ songbook and keeping the mood a little somber (former Nevilles’ guitarist Eric Struthers subbed for the sax on “Yellow Moon”). Charles’ saxophone was displayed onstage, his smiling face was projected on the screens, and the whole band was wearing tie-dyed shirts that must have been his.— Brett Milano

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Cha Wa Indians and brass bands at the Heritage Stage are no longer two distinct entities. The TBC brass band had Indians on stage during their set as they played “Sew Sew Sew”/”Hoo Na Ney” and of course Cha Wa mixes the two genres beautifully (see Geraldine Wyckoff’s piece on Cha Wa in the May issue of OffBeat.) Cha Wa co-leader J’Wan Boudreaux, Monk Boudreaux’s grandson, got a solo spot during Monk’s set with the Golden Eagles. Monk and the family were resplendent in their 2018 red Mardi Gras suits on a set that included Monk’s “Lightning and Thunder”/”Shallow Water” medley, “They Don’t Know,” “Dance With Me,” “Little Liza Jane,” “Indian Red,” “Sew Sew Sew,” “Meet the Boys On the Battlefront” and “Shotgun Joe.” The set was percussion heavy with the electric guitar playing mostly rhythm accents and keyboardist Tom Worrell playing

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to the drum rhythms with rumbling undercurrents and textures.—John Swenson

Dave and Tommy Magnificent 7 lived up to its name—frontmen Dave and Tommy Malone are always a treat when they perform together, and they played their tribute to Earl King, “King Earl.” John Gros on keyboard and vocals was the perfect foil to the Malones, delivering a powerful version of his “Black Rider.”—John Swenson

Aerosmith There only exist two rock quintets who still play with their exact ’70s lineups: the Radiators

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David Byrne

and Aerosmith (Los Lobos are close, but they added their fifth member in the ’80s). And in all honesty, Aerosmith’s set could have used more of the freewheeling spirit that the Rads displayed in theirs. In their only scheduled 2018 show, Aerosmith emphasized their ’80s comeback years at the expense of their earlier, better material: I would have slotted “Back in the Saddle” in place of “Love in an Elevator,” “Draw the Line” in place of “Rag Doll,” and anything at all in place of “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” (technically their biggest hit, but they didn’t write it and it gives their two guitarists almost nothing to do). I also would’ve axed the synthesizers and taped backing vocals that were way too loud in the mix throughout. Fortunately Aerosmith did include some of the real stuff, especially a tear through Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well” and their own barrelhouse rocker, “Adam’s Apple.” At those moments, their being at the Fest made a lot more sense.—Brett Milano

Smokey Robinson It was the best of Smokey, it was the worst of Smokey:

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Motown legend Smokey Robinson has been playing the exact same show for decades now, and the good news is that it includes a bunch of hits and some beautiful singing: He turned the ballads “Ooh Baby Baby,” “Quiet Storm” and “The Tracks of My Tears” into extended vocal showpieces that rightly brought the house down at a beyond-packed Congo Square. His many Motown stories were also a kick, especially if you haven’t seen the show before. But nearly 15 minutes’ worth of “Cruisin’”—including one of those “let’s see which parts of the audience can sing louder” deals— ate up time that could have gone to more from his mighty catalogue.—Brett Milano

Johnny Sansone Some people just know how to get the party rolling. Johnny Sansone and his quartet, with John Fohl on guitar, lifted the Blues Tent crowd into a frenzy on the final Sunday at 11:15 in the morning by opening with his anthem “OZ Radio” from his 2015 classic Lady On the Levee. Sansone thanked “All my sweet early birds out there” and played a couple of tracks from his new release Hopeland before www.OFFBEAT.com

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bringing things to a fever pitch again with “The Lord Is Waiting and the Devil Is Too” and the galvanic finale “Once It Gets Started.” It was started all right. And it just kept on going.—John Swenson

hooks listeners with delicately whispered introductions that build into grand finales. His mastery of the ukulele never fails to surprise and astound.—John Wirt

Jake Shimabukuro

Next Generation

Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro’s appearances during Jazz Fest’s opening Friday delighted big crowds at the Fais Do-Do Stage and the Music Heritage Stage. Wait a minute. Can there really be such a thing as a ukulele virtuoso? Yes, and Shimabukuro, a native of Honolulu who’s been playing the diminutive four-stringed instrument since he was four, is its best-known contemporary proponent. Accompanied by bassist Nolan Verner and guitarist Dave Preston, Shimabukuro opened with the Zombies’ 1960s classic, “Time of the Season.” He’s made a specialty of applying his signature melodyand-strum technique to ’60s and ’70s classics. His Jazz Fest set also featured the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Jimi Hendrix’s “If 6 Was 9” and “Little Wing” and, the song that made him famous a dozen years ago via YouTube, George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Shimabukuro

Jon Batiste bounded out onto the Gentilly Stage as the frontman for the Dap-Kings displaying the same energy he expresses weekly as the leader of his group Stay Human on the television program, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. At first Batiste just gave it his all rockin’ it as a soul singer in remembrance of the DapKings’ dynamic lead vocalist, the late Sharon Jones. A man in motion and a musician of great versatility, Batiste danced all over the stage before heading to the piano. Naturally, he paid tribute to Fats Domino, whose image graces the top of that proscenium, and did a solid version of “Ain’t That a Shame.”—Geraldine Wyckoff

Lionel Richie

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Lionel Richie’s set included one of the only power failures I’ve ever witnessed at Jazz Fest, about five minutes during which

Buddy Guy www.OFFBEAT.com

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“As the heyday of classic New Orleans R&B moves further into history, the traditional Classic R&B Revue set at Jazz Fest is even more to be treasured.”

the stage sound cut out entirely. Fortunately the man’s a pro, and it didn’t take long to recover. Greatest-hits sets are always better when the artist is clearly enjoying the ride, which was the case here: Before one of his many bedroom ballads, he noted that “This song either got you married, got you engaged, or got your ass in trouble.” And “Dancing On the Ceiling,” lasers and all, reveled so much in ’80s nostalgia that it was tough to resist.—Brett Milano

Rod Stewart

Tough Wisdom There are many good things you can call George Porter Jr.’s music—most of them variations on “funky”—but this year’s set with the Runnin’ Pardners was surprisingly emotional as well. Before the understated memorial song “Talkin’ Bout My Old Friends” he noted that it was his first Jazz Fest since his wife’s passing; later he laid down some tough wisdom on the song “Careful Who You Idolize.” The set also marked a farewell to guitarist Brint Anderson—who’s leaving the band after 25 years to start a restaurant [see feature in this issue]—and previewed his next project, an album of collaborations with female singers. Two of that lineup, Susan Cowsill and Mia Borders, made strong vocal turns in his set.—Brett Milano

R&B Treasures As the heyday of classic New Orleans R&B moves further into history, the traditional “Classic R&B Revue” set at Jazz Fest is even more to be treasured. It’s still worth taking every chance to hear Al Johnson do “Carnival Time” or the Dixie Cups do “Chapel of Love” (though the latter group could have done one of their other hits—“Iko Iko” or “People Say”—

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Covers Later that day Paul Sanchez popped up during Susan Cowsill’s set at the Lagniappe Stage to sing during Cowsill’s memorable love song, “The Rain Song.” Another highlight of the show was the exhilarating “Just Believe It.” Cowsill, who has performed a series of shows reviving classics from the 1960s and 1970s, sang several inspired covers—Carole King’s “I Feel the Earth Move,” Neil Young’s “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” and a wild, set-closing version of Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets.” Speaking of covers, one of the big surprises of this year’s Fest was Jamaican Me Breakfast Club, which had to be heard to be believed. Fronted by Rueben Williams, with a three-voice female vocal chorus and a full-tilt reggae band, the band played surprisingly apt versions of tunes like the Thompson Twins’ “Let Loving Start,” Blondie’s “Call Me” and Billy Idol’s “White Wedding.”— John Swenson

George Porter Jr.

instead of “God Bless America”). Though he’s now largely retired, Clarence “Frogman” Henry still has the same voice that lit up “But I Do” and “Ain’t Got No Home”— the latter of course with the frog and female imitations—and his performance of those songs was the definition of joie de vivre.— Brett Milano

Radiators Jazz Fest can take the measure of the hardiest of us but that doesn’t mean we stop altogether. Wednesday night before the second weekend began the

Radiators played a spectacular set at Tipitina’s front-loaded with songs from their great new record Welcome to the Monkey House. The performance level was the highest I’ve heard from this band in years—it felt more like 1988 than 2018. Apparently the pace took its toll on the band’s hardworking frontman Dave Malone, who needed medical attention after the gig. But Malone bounced back and will no doubt enjoy his rest after Sunday’s great set on the Gentilly Stage, which finished with a rousing “Can’t Take It With You When You Go.”—John Swenson

At his mid-afternoon set on the Gentilly Stage during the last day of Jazz Fest, George Porter Jr. said farewells—a 2018 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner with his fellow Meters, the master of the funky bass bid adieu to his longtime guitarist, Brint Anderson. After 25 years as a Runnin’ Pardner, Anderson has returned to his hometown, Natchez, Mississippi, to play music and operate a food truck business there. Porter also—in his introduction to an emotional performance of “Talkin’ ’Bout My Old Friends”—acknowledged the death of his wife, Aralean, in November and Charles Neville’s passing in April. www.OFFBEAT.com

Photo: willow haley

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The recent partings didn’t stop Porter and the Runnin’ Pardners from delivering another of their wide-ranging sets. Special guests Susan Cowsill and Mia Borders also showed up to sing songs that will appear on a forthcoming Porter album. That intriguing collection of collaborations with female singer-songwriters—not to mention everything else Porter does—is something to look forward to.— John Wirt

Wolfman A surviving figure from the classic rhythm-and-blues New Orleans scene, Walter Wolfman Washington, 74, looked dapper as ever on the Congo Square Stage during the festival’s warm final Sunday. Seated centerstage on a tall stool, Washington and his band rolled through nine songs that surveyed his nearly 60 years of R&B and funk history. Anti- Records, the Los Angeles label that’s released albums by legacy artists Mavis Staples, Tom Waits and Solomon Burke, recently issued Washington’s new album, My Future is My Past. Because the elegant intimacy of My Future is My Past is more suitable for late-night reflection than a sunny Jazz Fest afternoon, Washington opened his 2018 Festival set with one of his standards, the blues-infused funk-and-soul song, “I’m Tiptoeing Through.” He mostly kept the show’s tempo up, ending with one of his signature howls and a humorous song he’s been doing for decades, Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s “You Can Stay but the Noise Must Go.”—John Wirt

Reggae Got Soul It’s always obvious how much the Jazz Fest audience at the Congo Square Stage loves its reggae music. It just feels right in the peace, love www.OFFBEAT.com

TR FE S

and happiness atmosphere that prevail at the Fair Grounds. Of course, along with its sway, reggae delivers a socially conscious—and often protest—message and few do it better than Toots & the Maytals, who got right to it with hit tunes like “Pressure Drop” and “Time Tough,” the themes of which remain relevant today. Toots (Hibbert) strapped on his guitar for “I’ll Never Grow Old” and got lively on “Funky Kingston” and “Sweet & Dandy,” with the crowd singing along. What was cool about Steel Pulse, which despite changes in membership over the decades always sounds like, well, uniquely Steel Pulse, is that it includes a horn section in the band. Too often, in reggae groups and other styles too, horns have been replaced by keyboards to—trying to—mimic their sounds.—Geraldine Wyckoff

Class Act Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is a class act. He displayed that attribute once again at Jazz Fest when, in tribute to the recently departed saxophonist Charles Neville, he invited Charles’ brother, vocalist/ percussionist Cyril Neville, and the nephews of the “horn man,” keyboardist/vocalist Ivan and guitarist Ian Neville, to join him and his band, Orleans Avenue, on the Acura Stage for his closing act of the Festival. As Andrews was very much aware, it was a time slot and venue that Charles as a member of the Neville Brothers had performed many times. It was moving yet fun to hear the combined ensemble do “No More Okey Doke” and “Fire on the Bayou.”—Geraldine Wyckoff Find more Jazz Fest Redux at OffBeat.com! JUN E 2018

Ripe and Ready

By Elsa Hahne

Louisiana Heirloom Tomato, Peach and Burrata Salad Chef Kristen Essig, Coquette 2800 Magazine St. (Serves 4-6) 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh burrata cheese, drained 1⁄4 pound heirloom tomatoes, cut into chunks 2 peaches, split in half, pit removed Fresh basil Flake salt to taste Sambal-honey vinaigrette: 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 2 tablespoons sambal oelek 2 tablespoons Louisiana honey 1 shallot, minced 1/2 cup canola oil 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste In a mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, sambal, honey and shallot. Allow to macerate for 5-10 minutes, letting shallot soften. Whisk

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oils into vinegar to create a stable emulsion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Next, take two of your peach halves and cut them in half again. Douse with vinaigrette and grill over medium-high heat (or broil) with the cut side towards the fire, 1-2 minutes. Season with flake salt, and set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, combine 2-3 tablespoons vinaigrette with tomatoes and some flake salt. Take your remaining peach and cut into thin wedges. Add these to tomatoes and toss to combine. Once your grilled peaches have cooled, remove skins and lightly mash flesh with a fork. Place mash in the bottom of a shallow serving bowl. Carefully cut burrata in half and place each half, cut side up, on top of mash. Top with salad. Tear basil to release fragrance and garnish. Finish with a bit more flake salt.

BACKGROUND ART BY DANIKA ANDRADE

ew things are as satisfying in the New Orleans summer as sinking your teeth into a perfectly ripe Creole tomato. Of course they're good cooked as well, but it's hard to outshine the bright flavor and texture of the fresh fruit. Here, two acclaimed New Orleans chefs share one of their favorite recipes for fresh Creole tomatoes. (It was hard for them to choose which one.) “Another flavor combination I love is watermelon and tomato together,” Chef Chris DeBarr, who recently moved from Bywater Bakery to work at Revel Café & Bar in Mid-City, says. “Both of them love salt and a little chili heat—you can do a brochette on the grill with big chunks of watermelon and tomato, and grill it lightly. That’s fantastic!”

Shrimp “BLT” Salad Chef Chris DeBarr, Revel Café & Bar 133 N. Carrollton Ave. (Serves 6) This is a relatively simple twist on the cherished idea of the “BLT.” The herbaceous green aïoli can be used in a variety of different ways, on sandwiches and as a dip. Arugula 6 Creole tomatoes, cut into thick slices 1 pound Herbsaint shrimp (see recipe) Arugula aïoli (see recipe) 6 strips Nueske’s applewood bacon (cooked) or lardons, if you prefer Salt and pepper to taste Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top

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Arugula Aïoli

Herbsaint Shrimp

The only question here is whether you prefer the sharp bite of raw garlic or the mellow caramelized flavors of roasted garlic in this easy mayonnaise.

A good boiling liquid takes longer to achieve than it does to boil the seafood. Give the ingredients time to wilt and surrender their flavors.

5 egg yolks, room temperature 6-8 cloves roasted garlic, or 4 cloves raw garlic 3 tablespoons lemon juice (1-2 lemons) 1 teaspoon sea salt 3/4 cup arugula, packed Extra virgin olive oil (about 2 cups)

1 pound medium-large Gulf shrimp (peel, but save heads and shells for boil) 1 onion, sliced 1 head garlic, cut in half cross-wise 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons Panch Phoron five-spice blend 6 cups water 1 lemon, sliced 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon kosher salt Fresh fennel fronds (or 1 tablespoon dried fennel seeds) Optional: fresh ginger, lemongrass, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme 1/3 cup Herbsaint

Place all ingredients except for oil in a food processor with the blade attached, and run until smooth. Start adding oil (with processor running) in a thin, slow drizzle. It should take 1-2 minutes before you’re looking at fluffy, creamy mayo that’s not too stiff. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Use what you think is good for the salad and save the rest.

Peel shrimp and set aside. Fry onion and garlic in oil in a large pot. Add five-spice blend, and fry for a few more seconds. Add water, lemon, shrimp heads and shells, pepper, salt, fennel and other optional seasonings. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, then strain off solids. Boil shrimp in prepared liquid for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, add a good amount of ice to a metal bowl (about 2 ice trays) and pour Herbsaint over ice. When shrimp are cooked, transfer them to the ice along with just enough boiling liquid to melt the ice. Shrimp should be kept cool. JUN E 2018

Lou-Lou's Snoballs & Ice Cream 734 Papworth Ave.

"I can't even remember how I stumbled upon this place—I was probably paying my T-Mobile bill. They have a very good pistachio and a very good pomegranate. A solid stand!"

Plum Sno 1300

Ro-Bear's 6689 Jefferson Hwy.

"They are famously known for their chocolate flavor and I'm not big on chocolate, but I highly recommend the chocolate flavor at Ro-Bear's. It is the most sugary, Hershey's cocoa-inundated flavor in the Greater New Orleans By Slangston Hughes region, hands down. Get a medium (with a little help from Elsa Hahne, who with condensed milk." edited, and Danika Andrade, who built the map) ew Orleans native Slangston Hughes might be best known as a hip-hop MC, but he also happens to be a sno-ball expert. These are his musings. Follow him on Instragam: @pookeymalibu #sneauxfleaux

Sno-LA Uptown

"They're hustlers, m With me growing u I've been going My favorite is the sno-ball. They ma sugary, and yo the wall but it'

8108 Hampson St.

"Known for a variety of speciality sno-balls, there's a key lime flavor, an Oreo cheesecake flavor and a Pelican, which is half red velvet and half bananas foster. They're known for their cheesecake-stuffed sno-balls, meticulously crafted. I usually recommend the berry chantilly flavor."

Hansen' Sno-Bliz 4801 Tchoupitoulas

"I mean, 79 years of existanc quality, non-shortcut sno-ball godfather or godmother of the They also take cards, which is in this technological age. T very long. But you have Th honey-lavender! This is to rule them all."

Slangston Hughes grabs a Key Lime Cream, stuffed with a scoop of cheesecake and topped with condensed milk at Sno-LA Uptown. Photo by Elsa Hahne

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“When it comes to snoballs, it's about communitybuilding. A lot of folks know each other in this city. For me, a big part The Cold Spot 2837 Barataria Blvd. of feeling like I'm in "When you're rolling with the Westbank New Orleans is being sno-balls, the MVP is probably going to be The Cold Spot. I mainly say that because I able to talk to people haven't seen a frangelico and cream flavo about almost anyting at any other stand in the city that I've visited or heard about. I don't know if it's at a sno-ball stand.” something they make in-house or —Slangston Hughes

buy from an illegal Mexican drug cartel." www.OFFBEAT.com

The Original New Orleans Sno-balls & Smoothee

Pandora's Snoballs 901 N. Carrollton Ave.

4339 Elysian Fields Ave.

"I can't front y'all. I am not a fan of Pandora's. It's very assembly line. I have given Pandora's a lot of my money, but for me the flavors are lacking. Maybe I picked the wrong flavors. I assumed cherry-vanilla would be good, assumed black cherry would be good. Black hand, thumbsdown emoji."

"In chilly Gentilly, they have good sno-balls and are open all year round, which is a very good thing. They're heavy-handed when it comes to their pour. The red velvet with condensed milk is very good."

Rodney's Snowball Stand

"The pride of New Orleans East, Rodney's is a favorite among New Orleanians across the board. I wound up getting the pralines and cream. Next to Hansen's, they have the softest ice in the city. Their signature is that their sno-balls always have a gummy bear in the center."

m Street oballs Burdette St.

man. Always a sight to see. up in the Hollygrove area, here since I was a kid. bananas foster cream ake it in-house. It's mad ou'll be bouncing off l like a pinball, 's worth it."

9231 Lake Forest Blvd.

Red Rooster 2801 Washington Ave.

"What is there not to say? In the heart of Central City, this is a very New Orleans sno-ball stand in regards to their hours. Although it says 10:30 until dark, there's a lot of wiggle room in there. You need to stay woke as far as Red Rooster. Can't go wrong with the hot sausage po-boy or the yakamein either."

Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls

Rodney's

Photo by Slangston Hughes

3511 Magazine St.

's z St.

ce in providing ls! They're the e sno-ball game. très important The lines are hai tea and the stand "

Sno Wizard 4001 Magazine St.

"Good flavors! There's a strawberry basil that's really good and a cereal milk which I'm still trying to figure out how to pair that up to get to something similar to a cinnamon toast crunch. Crazy name, but who am I to talk..."

"Historically known for the creation of the Sno Wizard machine that so many hole-in-the-wall sno-ball stands actively use, I always enjoy the yellow cake batter and blueberry—that's one of my go-to sno-balls other than wedding cake cream and condensed milk."

or d

“I do not like dry ice. I will definitely tell you if my snoball is lacking where it should be packing when it comes to flavor.” —Slangston Hughes

www.OFFBEAT.com

Hansen's Sno Bliz

Photo by Slangston Hughes

JUN E 2018

JUNE 2018

www.OFFBEAT.com

PHoto: ELSA HAHNE

The executive team at Saba and Pomegranate Hospitality consist of Chef Alon Shaya (top center), his wife Emily (top left), Suzi DarrĂŠ, Director of People and Culture (top right), Cara Peterson, Chef de Cuisine (bottom right), Zach Engel, Culinary Director (bottom left), Jessica Retif, General Manager (center), Meredith Dunbar, Director of Communications (right) and Sean Courtney, Director of Operations (left)

Starting with Kindness Chef Alon Shaya just might be building an empire based on treating people right.

hen Chef Alon Shaya was fired from his namesake restaurant Shaya last fall by the Besh Restaurant Group, now renamed BRG Hospitality, it was only a few weeks before news broke about accusations of sexual misconduct by his boss, Chef John Besh, and allegations of sexual harassment within the company as a whole. Curiously, Chef Shaya was already building another restaurant in Denver, Colorado—to be named Safta after the Hebrew word for grandmother and opening later this summer. Since May 4, he’s now also operating Saba (“grandfather”) in the former Kenton’s space at the corner of Magazine Street and Nashville Avenue. Although Shaya the restaurant still bears his family name (the matter was settled out of court in April), Chef Shaya is in many ways rebuilding and reclaiming his idea of family, extending this concept to his team, which in large part came over from BRG. Adept at adopting former colleagues and grafting new ones onto his growing family tree, Chef Shaya is endeavoring to create a new restaurant culture of almost biblical proportions—based on respect and kindness for everyone. So far his ideas are paying off. Bookings are already pushing up towards the end of Saba’s 90-day reservations window. OffBeat sat down with Chef Shaya to catch up and talk about how being a good boss can be very good business. There are a lot of people working in here. I’ve been working in the city for 15 years, you know, and through the years, I’ve met a lot of people. Especially with opening Shaya—we built an amazing team there—and the majority of them came along to open up Saba with me. Cara Peterson, who’s our Chef de Cuisine, she’s really the magic in the kitchen. She’s the one turning out all the amazing food here. Jessica Retif, who’s our General Manager, she’s incredible and she also has come along to get this open with us. Meredith [Dunbar] is our Director of Communications. Sean [Courtney, former GM of restaurant Shaya] is our Director of Operations. Zach Engel is our Culinary Director. We hired Suzi Darré, one of the few people we’ve hired from outside our former group of colleagues, and she’s our Director of People and Culture. That’s an unusual title. Yeah. She’s on our team to ensure that we’re living up to all of the promises that we’re making to our team members every day. She’s helping us with structure; she’s helping us with organization. She is really kind of this magnet for people, focused every day, one hundred percent of her time, making sure that Pomegranate Hospitality and Saba, and soon Safta, will live up to its values and mission statement and take care of our team members and put them first before everything else. We’ve scaled back on hours of operation [Saba is closed Mondays and Tuesdays] so everyone has time to train, time to sit down and eat together, some downtime to rest. I feel like that’s something we never put enough focus on in the past and we’re really making a hard effort to do that now. www.OFFBEAT.com

By Elsa Hahne

When you say “we,” who are you talking about? Me and the rest of the team here, working with me. This is new territory for a lot of us, saying, let’s throw away the old playbook and let’s build a business that’s team-oriented before anything else. Whether that’s health benefits we’re providing, or paid time off, or employee assistance programs—maybe they have a personal issue they need to handle outside of work—we provide that benefit for them, or counseling—substance abuse problems, depression... Which can be common in this industry... Common in every industry! People are people, and whether you’re talking about the hospitality industry or banking, you have to consider that everybody needs help outside of their inner circle. We have to be a village to take care of each other. That seems like a good business strategy. Especially in a city where there are so many new restaurants opening, and the most talented, creative and capable people likely want to work somewhere where their work pays off and they’re appreciated and treated right. Yeah, and a lot is about who we’re recruiting and how we’re recruiting them. We have nine values we set up for Pomegranate that include communication, accountability, respect, organization, education... They have to answer to all of those values in the recruitment process. We’re not necessarily looking at how much experience you have or how well you can cook a steak or bus a table, it’s more of—do you really believe in communication, and what have you done in the past to prove that? And when have you ever had to hold somebody accountable for something they did wrong, and how did you go about doing that, and what was the outcome? These are some of the questions we’re asking to make sure we’re finding the people that aren’t just here to cook or serve, but here to be part of our vision as a team. And family, maybe? We’re setting time aside to spend time together. We have a beautiful patio out here and eat lunch together every day and it’s been great. Tell me about Safta. Why Denver? My wife Emily and I really love spending time in Colorado. We’ve been going up once or twice a year to go fly-fishing or skiing, go visit friends. It’s been a happy getaway for us, so we figured—let’s open a restaurant there and become part of the community we love. We met up with a group called Zeppelin Development that fights for equality in the marketplace out there and invests in programs like Comal Kitchen, which is an incubator kitchen for immigrant women and Syrian refugee women that come and cook and share in the profits of that space. They were building a brand new hotel and reached out to see if we were interested, and for Emily and I, we felt like this could be a second home for us. JUN E 2018

ER S TOR Y

“The reason we named the company Pomegranate Hospitality is because a pomegranate has 613 seeds. Every pomegranate does. They’re all equal in size and all provide sustenance to the fruit to survive. In a biblical sense, a pomegranate is a symbol of good deeds, representing the 613 commandments in the Torah.”

Opening a restaurant is intense. You’ve been part of openings in the past—not just Shaya, but Domenica and Pizza Domenica. But opening two restaurants at the same time... It’s a few months apart. The whole thing is that when we opened Pomegranate Hospitality, we were able to create this team right off the bat. All of a sudden, we had eight executive members in our company that I really wanted to build a house for and make sure they’d be my team for many years. And now we need more than one restaurant to be able to afford our team. It comes down to—how can we afford to keep everyone on staff? In order to do that, we had to expand, and we plan to keep growing.

we’re cooking things on skewers, and that’s representative of Israeli street food—everything from kebabs to getting these big beautiful shrimp and marinating them in shawarma spices, and grilling them over coals. We have a crab and mint and snow pea hummus that everyone is going crazy for and our pita bread is made with fresh-milled flour from Bellegarde Bakery. We’ll also be using pastrami for our brunch that Blue Oak BBQ is going to be smoking for us. They’re the best! They’re amazing. And Piccola Gelateria is doing all of our gelatos and sorbettos. We’re involving the community and the people we think are doing great work and are artisans. There are no borders for us. We can have fun and we can be a team. We’re making decisions together. I’m a lucky guy.

Still, sounds like an intense start. Pomegranate Hospitality was created in October of last year. We had already had Denver in the works for a year and a half.

Sounds like a great start. And it’s just a start. It’s going to take a lot of work and we’re going to make mistakes, we’re going to fall and have to get back up. But we’ve made a commitment to each other that we’re going to support each other—it’s a marriage. It’s important to surround yourself with people that we know have great intentions. Whether people make mistakes or not, that’s one thing, but knowing that people’s hearts are in the right place, that’s essential in moving forward.

Who’s “we” in this case? Emily and I. Denver was already in construction when Pomegranate was created. The reason we named the company Pomegranate Hospitality is because a pomegranate has 613 seeds. Every pomegranate does. Wait... 613 exactly? Yes, and they’re all equal in size and all provide sustenance to the fruit to survive. In a biblical sense, a pomegranate is a symbol of good deeds, representing the 613 commandments in the Torah—it’s often just the top 10 we focus on [laughs]. So I wanted to start this company with many great deeds, and many great intentions. I thought that if we opened two restaurants they could be the grandparents of our company and we can look to these restaurants for guidance and experience and comfort and a way to feel protected as we continue to grow. You chose to name Saba after grandfather and Safta after grandmother. So you’re sort of restructuring a family tree? We are, in a sense. I’m so blessed and honored to have so many people around me now that I look up to and trust. Together as a team, we’ve accomplished a lot already and we’re just getting started. How is the menu different here compared to Shaya? It’s an Israeli concept as well, of course, but how will it be different? It’s different already—lots of classics; my mother’s and grandmother’s recipes that are very dear to me. We have a coal grill in the kitchen where

JUNE 2018

You seem to have recruited quite a few capable women. We’re majority female, from a management and employment standpoint. We have 56 employees and I think 36 of them are female. I mainly know this because we hired Suzi who’s got all of these great stats. She’ll also go, ‘Hey, it’s Ian’s birthday in the kitchen—here are some paper hats and let’s bring him a cupcake with a candle in it and let’s all sing “Happy Birthday.”’ Little things like that that I’ve never been great at doing on my own. I’ve never put enough attention on doing that. You and Emily must have had some discussions as well regarding women’s roles, treatment and opportunities in the hospitality industry, right? There are no words to describe how amazing she has been in starting Pomegranate Hospitality with me. She’s a die-hard feminist and just a great person who thinks big picture and makes sure we’re looking at everything at once. I’m leaning on her a lot, and I wouldn’t be able to do this without her. Everything we’ve just talked about, she’s been a part of these conversations. All of us discuss these things non-stop. I thought it was curious that you were fired from Shaya just weeks before the allegations of sexual harassment in the Besh www.OFFBEAT.com

PHoto: g geiselman milone

CO V

COVER STORY

Restaurant Group blew up in The Times-Picayune. Were those events linked? I’ve had my sights set on growing past BRG for a very long time and everybody’s known that. I feel the way forward is for us to really be able to feel like we can take control of our own futures and that’s something I’ve always believed in. The timing worked out the way it did. You recently settled the lawsuit regarding BRG keeping the name Shaya for the James Beard Award–winning restaurant that you helped build that now will continue to bear your family name. Maybe you can’t talk about it, but did you understand why they wanted to keep your name? Why not change it? I’ll let someone else answer that question for you. Shaya is my last name. Shaya is my family name, and that’s not going away. We have a really strong focus on our future success with Pomegranate and Saba and Safta and it’s all about being a company that puts our team first. Have you thought about any possible impact in the future that it might have for you and Saba and Safta to have your family name still associated with Shaya? Some people will surely understand that Shaya Restaurant isn’t you anymore, while some probably won’t? All we can do is move forward. Onward and forward. Tell me about your grandfather. He was amazing. Born in Bulgaria, moved to Israel in 1948, fought in the War of Independence. Drove a taxi, owned a hardware store. Crashed every car he ever drove. His fault, or someone else’s? All his fault. He was just full of life—always full of incredible energy all the way until the end. He was a huge influence in my life. He helped me learn the lessons of humility. What about your grandmother? Her name was Matilda. She was a pharmacist and an amazing chef. Her sense of empathy and willingness to take care of people, whether it was through medicine or through food made me fall in love with my sense of hospitality. One of the things that makes New Orleans stand out as a hospitality city on a national or international scale, in my mind, is how customers and servers and bartenders relate to each other in a more human-to-human way. That’s not always the case, of course, but especially not elsewhere, where I sometimes feel as if the aloofness or rudeness of the staff somehow is supposed to be a testament to the superiority of the establishment. Aggressive hospitality, that’s what I call it. I hope it’s a fad. Meanwhile, our team is amazing about making connections, especially since this is such a neighborhood spot. The people who live in this neighborhood want to be acknowledged and get good value from us and we don’t want to lose sight of that, ever. O www.OFFBEAT.com

JUN E 2018

EATS

“I

picked Jarboe, a musician who’d sing with Swans and Neurosis in the ’80s, but also does a lot of experimental rock and has released like 11 albums, still under the radar. Her full name is Jarboe La Salle Devereaux, and I always thought it was a stage name, but looking her up, I learned that she’s from New Orleans and that totally made sense, as to why she has this crazy name and her sound. She was trained classically as an opera singer and has organ training, and then started singing weird rock music. So I wanted to make a funky drink inspired by that—avant-garde, dark, super-bizarro, but amazing. So I made a really weird drink. It’s called the Mahakali, which is the name of her ninth studio album, named after the Hindu goddess Kali, the goddess of time and death. I also knew I wanted to do a drink with red wine, because of her old-world flavor and classical training. There’s a Spanish drink called Kalimotxo,

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which is Coke and red wine, and this is a spin on that. It’s definitely off-putting at first, but after a couple of sips—or listens—you get it, ‘I appreciate this now.’ It’s a weird hybrid between Kalimotxo, rum and Coke and a red wine punch. Jarboe has this androgyny about her, which I’ve always liked. I discovered Swans in high school and didn’t really appreciate them. I feel her music has an underlying mystical element to it, not unlike New Orleans with its old energy and old soul, which comes through in her music. I grew up in Virginia but I’ve been here off and on for about eight years. I moved up to New York for a couple, did a brief six months in Hong Kong, and then came back here. That’s what everyone does who move away from New Orleans—they eventually figure out that it’s part of them. In New York I was a cocktail server. I originally moved there to

By Elsa Hahne

do modeling, but, ‘You’re too short.’ And I was like, ‘I know...’ So I was working as a cocktail server at 19 and couldn’t bartend yet, but I was getting all of this amazing knowledge. I realized this could be a career. You’re not just pouring things into other things meaninglessly. You’re working with flavor, and you get to have these artistic expressions. So I wanted to learn everything I could while I was there and it was awesome because every week we’d focus on a different spirit and taste everything we had. I’d ask the bartenders a million questions about mechanics and technique— like, why are you shaking this one, and why are you stirring that one? Opening Manolito has been really fun. There was one day when we had to dig into the ground to put the grease traps in, and we found a cannonball. In New Orleans, you never know what you’re standing above.”

photos: Elsa Hahne

Maggie Morgan/Manolito

Mahakali Spanish red wine (such as 2016 Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros Grenache) Coca-Cola (= 3 ounces wine-cola mix) 2 ounces Flor de Caña Extra Seco 4-year rum 1 teaspoon pomegranate chai syrup (see recipe on offbeat.com) First, mix equal parts of wine and cola in a separate vessel. Pour rum and syrup into a tall glass, add ice and pour wine-cola mix on top. Garnish with orange peel and Luxardo Maraschino cherries (optional). www.OFFBEAT.com

Restaurant R’evolution: 777 Bienville St., 553-2277

FRENCH Café Degas: 3127 Esplanade Ave., 945-5635 La Crepe Nanou: 1410 Robert St., 899-2670

GERMAN Bratz Y'all: 617-B Piety St., 301-3222

GROCERY STORES Breaux Mart: 3233 Magazine St., 262-6017; 2904 Severn Ave. Metarie, 885-5565; 9647 Jefferson Hwy. River Ridge, 737-8146; 315 E Judge Perez, Chalmette, 262-0750; 605 Lapalco Blvd., Gretna, 433-0333 Mardi Gras Zone: 2706 Royal St., 947-8787

ICE CREAM/CAKE/CANDY Aunt Sally’s Praline Shops: 2831 Chartres St., 944-6090 Bittersweet Confections: 725 Magazine St., 523-2626 Sucré: 3025 Magazine St.,520-8311 Tee-Eva’s Praline Shop: 4430 Magazine St., 899-8350

AFRICAN Bennachin: 1212 Royal St., 522-1230

AMERICAN Barcadia: 601 Tchoupitoulas St., 335-1740 Brown Butter Southern Kitchen: 231 N Carrollton Ave., 609-3871 Poppy’s Time Out Sports Bar & Grill: 1 Poydras St., 247-9265 Port of Call: 838 Esplanade Ave., 523-0120

BARBECUE The Joint: 701 Mazant St., 949-3232

COFFEE HOUSE Café du Monde: 800 Decatur St., 525-4544 Morning Call Coffee Stand: 56 Dreyfous Dr., (504) 300-1157, 3325 Severn Ave., Metairie, 885-4068

CREOLE/CAJUN Cochon: 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 588-2123 Cornet: 700 Bourbon St., 523-1485 Galatoire’s: 209 Bourbon St., 525-2021 Gumbo Shop: 630 St. Peter St., 525-1486 K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen: 416 Chartres St., 524-7394 Mulate’s: 201 Julia St., 522-1492 New Orleans Creole Cookery: 508 Toulouse St., 524-9632 Restaurant Rebirth: 857 Fulton St., 522-6863

DELI Stein’s Market and Deli: 2207 Magazine St., 527-0771

FINE DINING Bombay Club: 830 Conti St., 586-0972 Broussard’s: 819 Conti St., 581-3866 Commander’s Palace: 1403 Washington Ave., 899-8221 Kingfish: 337 Chartres St., 598-5005 Mr. B’s Bistro: 201 Royal St. 523-2078

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INDIAN Nirvana: 4308 Magazine St., 894-9797

Gattuso’s: 435 Huey P Long Ave., Gretna, 368-1114 Hard Rock Café: 125 Bourbon St., 529-5617 House of Blues: 225 Decatur St., 412-8068 Howlin’ Wolf’s Wolf Den: 907 S. Peters St., 529-5844 Le Bon Temps Roule: 4801 Magazine St., 895-8117 Little Gem Saloon: 445 S. Rampart St., 267-4863 Maison: 508 Frenchmen St., 289-5648 Mid City Lanes Rock ‘N’ Bowl: 4133 S. Carrollton Ave., 482-3133 NOSH: 752 Tchoupitoulas St., 581-7101 Palm Court: 1204 Decatur St., 525-0200 Rivershack Tavern: 3449 River Rd., 834-4938 Siberia Lounge: 2227 St. Claude Ave., 265-8865 Southport Hall: 200 Monticello Ave., 835-2903 Snug Harbor: 626 Frenchmen St., 949-0696 Three Muses: 536 Frenchmen St., 298-8746

NEIGHBORHOOD JOINTS Biscuits and Buns on Banks: 4337 Banks St., 273-4600 Cake Café: 2440 Chartres St., 943-0010 City Diner: 3116 S I-10 Service Rd E, 8311030; 5708 Citrus Blvd., 309-7614 Cowbell: 8801 Oak St., 298-8689 Dat Dog: 601 Frenchmen St., 309-3362; 5030 Freret St., 899-6883; 3336 Magazine St., 324-2226 Live Oak Cafe: 8140 Oak St., 265-0050 Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant: 701 Tchoupitoulas St., 523-8995 Parkway Bakery and Tavern: 538 Hagan Ave., 482-3047

ITALIAN JAPANESE/KOREAN/SUSHI/THAI

LOUISIANA / SOUTHERN Fulton Alley: 600 Fulton St., 208-5593 Mondo: 900 Harrison Ave., 224-2633 Praline Connection: 542 Frenchmen St., 943-3934

MEDITERRANEAN Byblos: 3218 Magazine St., 894-1233 Mona’s Café: 504 Frenchmen St., 949-4115

MEXICAN/CARIBBEAN/SPANISH Barú Bistro & Tapas: 3700 Magazine St., 895-2225 El Gato Negro: 81 French Market Place, 525-9846; 300 Harrison Ave., 488-0107; 800 S Peters St., 309-8804 Juan’s Flying Burrito: 2018 Magazine St., 569-0000

MUSIC ON THE MENU Banks Street Bar & Grill: 4401 Banks St., 486-0258 B.B. King’s Blues Club: 1104 Decatur St., 934-5464 Buffa’s: 1001 Esplanade Ave., 949-0038 Chickie Wah Wah: 2828 Canal St., 304-4714 Dmac’s Bar & Grill: 542 S Jefferson Davis Pkwy, 304-5757 Fontaine Palace: 218 S Robertson St., 525-3277

PIZZA Midway Pizza: 4725 Freret St., 322-2815 Pizza Delicious: 617 Piety St., 676-8482 Slice Pizzeria: 1513 St. Charles Ave., 525-7437 Theo’s Pizza: 4218 Magazine St., 894-8554; 4024 Canal St., 302-1133; 1212 S Clearview, 733-3803

SEAFOOD Basin Seafood and Spirits: 3222 Magazine St., 302-7391 Crazy Lobster Bar & Grill: 1 Poydras St. 569-3380 Deanie’s Seafood: 841 Iberville St., 581-1316; 1713 Lake Ave. Metairie, 834-1225 Pier 424 Seafood Market: 424 Bourbon St., 309-1574 Royal House Oyster Bar: 441 Royal St., 528-2601

SOUL Praline Connection: 542 Frenchmen St., 943-3934

STEAKHOUSE La Boca: 870 Tchoupitoulas St., 525-8205

VIETNAMESE Namese: 4077 Tulane Ave., 483-8899

WEE HOURS Buffa’s Restaurant & Lounge: 1001 Esplanade Ave., 949-0038 Mimi’s in the Marigny: 2601 Royal St., 872-9868

The Dish

Adolfo’s: 611 Frenchmen St., 948-3800 Chiba: 8312 Oak St., 826-9119 Mikimoto: 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., 488-1881 Sukho Thai: 4519 Magazine St., 373-6471; 2200 Royal St., 948-9309 Wasabi: 900 Frenchmen St., 943-9433

Sammy’s Food Services: 3000 Elysian Fields Ave., 948-7361 Tracey’s: 2604 Magazine St., 897-5413 Ye Olde College Inn: 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-3683

Chef Frank Brigtsen on Brigtsen's Blackened Yellowfin Tuna

Which of your dishes says the most about you? Although we’re known for many things, the dish I have to choose is our blackened tuna with smoked corn sauce, red bean salsa and roasted red pepper sour cream. It’s been on the menu for 30 years, and was one of my first totally original creations, so there’s a sense of pride there, but even after 30 years I still think the dish is as exciting as it’s ever been. It draws on my experience with Chef Paul Prudhomme. When we got our first tuna at K-Paul’s, the wholesaler just gave me one, whole, and I had to figure out how to butcher it, and quickly realized the best way to cook it was blackening, treating it more like a beef steak than a fish fillet because you can leave it medium-rare in the middle. Prior to the early ’80s, tuna was considered a game fish and not a food fish down here. My father’s generation wouldn’t think of eating fresh tuna—you'd only hear about it as a report from the tarpon rodeo! But this dish has complex flavors and textures and I think that’s the definition of Louisiana food—the depth. —Elsa Hahne JUN E 2018

DINING OUT

Seaworthy Hidden in the shadow of the Ace Hotel, Seaworthy is a modern oyster bar tucked away inside an 1830s cottage that's been meticulously renovated into one of the most seductive eateries in the city. In contrast to its neighbor, whose level of cool can sometimes feel overly curated, Seaworthy balances a heightened sense of sophistication with old New Orleans charm. Oh, and the oysters are fantastic. While the old warhorse oyster bars around the city continue to rely on local Gulf oysters (whose taste and quality fluctuate with the seasons), the new oyster bars on the block have extended and diversified their supply lines in search of a more consistent product. Case in point, Seaworthy shucks wild-caught oysters from the Gulf, off-bottom harvested oysters from Caminada Bay in Grand Isle and Murder Point in Alabama, along with Wellfleets from Cape Cod and Kumamotos from the West

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Coast. The daily selections (usually 8 to 12 varieties) are displayed prominently over crushed ice in the downstairs bar. After being shucked to order, the bivalves arrive with accoutrements of lemon, horseradish, a duo of mignonettes (one from red wine vinegar and one from white) and ketchup for the cocktail sauce–inclined. Their price tags (generally around $3 per oyster) elicit sticker shock for many locals, but after one slurp of a beautifully salty Gulf oyster in the middle of the hot New Orleans summer, you realize that some things in life are worth paying extra for. At Seaworthy, the perfect accompaniment are not saltines, but crispy shoestring fries dusted in dried seaweed and dipped in sriracha ketchup or sage aioli. The kitchen reaches beyond familiarity in presenting nuanced flavors and dishes. The lobster roll has been localized with crawfish tails tossed in a lemon aioli spiked with (yes, again) dried seaweed, while cauliflower grits are the substitute pairing for barbecued shrimp. Redfish on the half shell is basted with chili butter, and the burger is crowned with Fontina cheese and country ham that’s roasted until it crisps like bacon. But the best dining experience begins with oysters and continues with shareable dishes like tempura-fried popcorn shrimp and a rillette of amberjack.

Photo: ELSA HAHNE

EATS

When weather permits, the secluded interior courtyard is an oasis in the middle of the CBD. The bartenders can also assist with cooling off, either with a low-alcohol rosé cobbler or the signature Holy Water—a classic tiki cocktail made from spiced rum and served on fire. Just another example of how Seaworthy is breaking the local mold for an oyster bar. —Peter Thriffiley 630 Carondelet St.; oyster bar 4p-1a, dinner 5-11p, brunch (Sat-Sun) 11a-3p; seaworthynola.com; (504) 930-3071

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Reviews When submitting CDs for consideration, please send two copies to OffBeat Reviews, 421 Frenchmen Street, Suite 200, New Orleans, LA 70116

REVIEWS

CDs reviewed are available now at 421 Frenchmen Street in the Marigny 504-586-1094 or online at LouisianaMusicFactory.com

A Birthday Ode to New Orleans

Dr. Michael White Tricentennial Rag (Basin Street Records) In honor of New Orleans’ 300th birthday, Dr. Michael White has put together some of the city’s finest traditional jazz players for an album of originals that draws inspiration from various eras and styles of the city’s most treasured art form. He starts off with “Frenchmen Street Strut,” referencing the street where Jelly Roll Morton grew up and the current musical center of the city. This double identity, the old and the new, is one of the album’s major through lines. We see that same kind of juxtaposition, stylistically, in the album’s title track, “Tricentennial Rag.” Here he’s got a very traditional-sounding rag, but with pop-like chord progressions that make it feel modern. “On Mardi Gras Day” is a lyrical tableau of the ideal Mardi Gras day in traditional brass style which features Gregory Stafford, charming as ever, on vocals and trumpet. “I Saw Jesus Standing in the Water” is an uptempo hymn in revival style. “What I Wouldn’t Do to Be with You” is winking and flirty with Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown on trumpet and vocals. “Instigator’s Lament” www.OFFBEAT.com

and “Mandeville Stomp” open the floor for some fine ensemble playing featuring Shaye Cohn and David L. Harris. White’s playing is showcased best on “Blues on the Bayou” and “Sassy Creole Woman.” “Loneliness” starts out somber then gathers strength as it moves along, a sort of meditation on where we’ve been and a hope for where we’re going, which is, ultimately, the theme of the album. There’s no better way to end a birthday ode to our city than with a sincere and joyous rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” —Stacey Leigh Bridewell

Dr. Michael Torregano For Your Ears Only (Mikeyjazz Music) Michael Torregano reaches deep into the American songbook, a favorite source of material for the New Orleans pianist. Folks with similar musical tastes are sure to know every tune and probably all the lyrics on For Your Ears Only. On this outing, Torregano also reminds us of his talents as a singer, or more accurately a jazz vocalist. He only sang one tune on 2015’s release, Doctor Jazz, though here he ups the ante and adds vocals to four tunes, including an interestingly arranged and delivered chestnut, “When My Dreamboat Comes Home.” It opens with the drums of Chris Guccione and the bass of Wilbur Thompson, who alternates on cuts with bassist Al Bernard, the only musician in the group who was also featured on Torregano’s previous album. “I think I’ll play my piano now,” says Torregano, who takes a long, rather funky

solo complete with piano trills. Jamil Sharif’s trumpet takes it out struttin’. The band is in its more typical swinging mode on another classic, “Almost Like Being in Love,” on which Torregano again reaches for the microphone. New Orleans steps in to take over on Thomas Henry Delaney’s 1921 tune, “Jazz Me Blues,” which has been recorded by a number of ensembles including the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Sharif’s trumpet is the star of the show on this one. Torregano’s only solo piano piece is a wistful version of “Over the Rainbow” that he emotionally presents. For Your Ears Only, which ends with the lively “I Want to Be Happy,” should suit those who enjoy a sentimental journey down memory lane. —Geraldine Wyckoff

Funk Monkey Rollin’ Live at the Leaf (Independent) Funk Monkey features an A-list of local talent including Greg Hicks, trombone (Bonerama); Brad Walker, sax (Eric Lindell/ Colin Lake); Bert Cotton, guitar (Bonerama); Dave Pomerleau, bass and vocals (Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes); Eddie Christmas, drums (Jon Cleary); and Rik Fletcher, organ/keys (Smilin’ Myron). Recorded live at the Maple Leaf in July of 2017, Rollin’ Live at the Leaf combines the infectious enthusiasm of the streets with the polished playing of premier musicians. Six of the ten tracks were written or cowritten by Bert Cotton and there are well-placed covers from the Poets of Rhythm, Allen Toussaint and Corey Harris.

“Light It” gets things started with Cotton’s rhythmic strumming laying the foundation for the rest of the band to jump in before featuring some slinky jazz chops. Throughout the track, the band seems to effortlessly change directions as if testing the waters to see where they want to head the rest of the evening. Next up is “Shoshoni,” which showcases the heavy groove and forceful horn work so often associated with Bonerama. Pomerleau gets his first chance to shine on vocals with a cover of the Poets of Rhythm’s “Practice What You Preach.” On the Toussaint-penned “Fair Child” the band locks into a deep solid groove leading one to think there is a lot of territory to be mined by digging deep into the Toussaint catalog. Throughout the night, Hicks and Walker do a great job of playing with and off one another, and at times their playing brings to mind great combinations like Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. But don’t for a minute think that this is solely about killer horn work. The pocket created by Pomerleau and Christmas is deep and wide, allowing Cotton to explore and jam as needed; and Rik Fletcher is stellar throughout, adding extra texture and funk to the party. —Christopher Weddle JUN E 2018

REVIEWS

G & the New Orleans Swinging Gypsies Swing 17 (Independent) While there are several bands in town that specialize in gypsy jazz, G & the New Orleans Swinging Gypsies stand apart for two reasons. First, they aren’t genre-rigid. Bandleader and NOCCA grad John Saavedra began the group with the vision of mixing and mingling gypsy jazz style with New Orleans influences and a punk rock edge— kind of like the Jazz Vipers, but with more Django. Second, they’ve got Giselle Anguizola, whose tap dancing adds a percussive flamenco flair. The result is a delightful and truly swinging group. Swing 17 is their first album in two years and they’ve packed it full with 18 songs. They move from Django classics like “Swing 48,” “Swing 41,” “Viper’s Dream” and “Micro” to ’30s swing hits like “Them There Eyes,” “Stomping at the Savoy” and “Swing! Brother, Swing!” While most of the album’s tunes are standards, “Swing 17” is an original from Saavedra, harkening to Django’s similarly named tunes referencing the year they were composed. The gypsy numbers allow Saavedra to show off his nimble-fingered skills and the swing tunes are a great showcase for the heavy-hitting horn/reed players they’ve brought in including Bruce Brackman, Earl Bonie, Marty Peters, Jack Pritchett and Nick Garrison. The Moten tune “Imagination” is a refreshingly offbeat choice. Giselle’s tapping adds a unique rhythmic supplement to the tunes and the decidedly vintage-sounding vocal style she’s settled into is well-suited to the feeling of the band. It’s an album full of energy and versatility that will make for great dancing music. —Stacey Leigh Bridewell

Little Freddie King Fried Rice & Chicken (Orleans Records) Fried Rice & Chicken is split into two distinct sections, studio tracks recorded between 1994

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and 1995 and live tracks recorded over the course of two nights in 1999. So yes, King fans do in fact get the best of both worlds on this recording. The Jr. Walker and the All Stars classic “Cleo’s Back” gets things started in a typical King fashion— that is low-down, dirty and downright funky guitar playing. Next up is “Mean Little Woman.” King’s vocal delivery augments the blues emanating from his guitar, and you cannot help but feel sorry for the protagonist. “The Great Chinese” sounds like a mashup of “Tequila” and “Mellow Down Easy,” and while this goes down easier than tequila there is nothing mellow about it. “Kinky Cotton Fields” finds King playing some pretty lead lines that I wish would have been further developed as it shows a tender side of King that we don’t often get to hear. The live portion of Fried Rice & Chicken was recorded at the legendary Dream Palace, a perfect complement to the music of Little Freddie King, and gets started with “Sing Sang Sung.” King does a nice job working out Freddie King’s classic “Hide Away” before slowing things down with a fine reading of Jimmy Reed’s “Honest I Do.” “Bad Chicken” brings the live portion to an end in a raucous fashion as King channels his inner fowl. This is King at his finest, just mining that heavy blues groove as he induces a trance-like state. There are no guitar pyrotechnics here, nothing flashy. If you want that then don’t look to Little Freddie King. But if you want blues with a feeling, and I mean greasy, and infused with the sounds of swamp, then look no further. In a world full of imitators, King is a refreshing original. Long live da King. —Christopher Weddle www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS

Nutria Call to the Air (Breakfast for Dinner Records) Nutria is a jazz trio founded in 2014 by UNO grads Byron Asher, Shawn Myers and Trey Boudreaux. This second album from the group, Call to the Air, moves into the more meditative side of their personality. All songs were composed by either reedman Asher or drummer Myers. There is plenty here for the educated ear to savor, but it never gets so far out that it would lose the layperson. What they’re doing is very deliberate and though it seems simple and natural, it could’ve easily been mishandled by musicians of a lesser caliber. The obvious stylistic comparison would be to Ornette Coleman with flavors of Dexter Gordon from Asher’s dark tenor tones, but that would be too simplistic. The true

virtue of what is going on here is that these fellas aren’t being selfindulgent. Even when the individual players take time to spread out, like in “Shackleton’s Hill” when Asher plays most of the tune with only minor embellishment from the others, or in the epic twelve-minute title track, “Call to the Air,” which features an ever-building drum solo from Myers, they stay true to the mood and the direction of the piece. They play the music, not the instrument. The production by Carson Thielsen and David Hart is excellent. They make Boudreaux’s bass actually sound like a live bass, which is a tough thing to do. The album artwork by Terry Grow is particularly captivating—a snowy, desolate landscape that seems to echo the solemn mysteriousness that weaves throughout the album. —Stacey Leigh Bridewell

A World Journey Panorama Jazz and Brass Band Let the Music Play You (Independent) In 2014 Panorama Jazz Band made a commitment to release one song a month available via their Bandcamp subscription club, called Good Music for You. While they’re still going strong with that commitment, every once in a while they bundle up a few of those treasures and release them as a collection. Such is the case with their latest album, Let the Music Play You. As expected from a band that refuses to be boxed in, the songs selected take you on a world journey, sampling from and easily replicating a broad spectrum of genres, styles and cultures including Balkan brass, klezmer, American folk, Latin American, Jewish, ragtime, pop, Filipino and country tunes. “Old MacDonald Had a Band” is a fun take on the children’s classic, and ’60s pop hit “The Tighten Up” gets a New Orleans treatment. They’ve also featured a few guest artists to great effect. Antoine Diel sings a gorgeous interpretation of the Filipino love ballad “Dahil Sa Iyo (Because of You)”; Ben Ellman lends his tenor sax to the klezmer gem “Bubbe Tantz (Granny Dance)”; Meryl Zimmerman is perfection on the Spanish-tinged Sephardic Hanukkah song “Ocho Kandelikas (Eight Little Candles)”; and Jane Harvey Brown is wide-eyed and gentle on the Appalachian song “I Wonder as I Wander.” Big praise to the band for their copious liner notes. They’ve gone to great lengths to list each track’s origins, release date, length and featured artists. It’s these details that illuminate the significance of each song and make a great jumping-off point for nerding out. —Stacey Leigh Bridewell www.OFFBEAT.com

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REVIEWS voice is joyful throughout; the sound isn’t two cultures colliding but easily strutting together. —Brett Milano

Dexter Payne Quintet Jazz for All (Jazz Forro) (Dexofon Records)

Sasha Masakowski Art Market (Ropeadope) Sasha Masakowski was partly responsible for one of my favorite tracks of 2017: the title song of the Masakowski Family’s N.O. Escape CD, a jazz-pop hybrid with a mystical groove and a beautiful doubletracked vocal by Sasha. That album (and her occasional band Hildegard) served notice that Masakowski, who started performing as a traditional jazz vocalist, was off on a highly promising, far more eclectic direction. That promise is fulfilled on this CD, which shows her with scads of musical ideas and the skills to carry them off. The samba “Entropy” is just as grabbing as the above track: Once again, the melody is well-suited to her breathy and understated delivery. Father Steve Masakowski steps in for a fitting lyrical solo. But that’s one of the most straightforward tracks here, and the ideas flow freely: “Juicy Booty Song” isn’t the funk number the title suggests, but a haunting goth-style piece built on her layered vocals and keyboards, building tension for three minutes before guitarist Cliff Hines breaks it with a stinging solo. And she makes a vocal showpiece out of “Interplay,” which adds lyrics to the Bill Evans classic and features some otherworldly scatting. To some extent the album is about reimagining local traditions: The opening “Jockamo/Candy” revisits “Iko Iko” as a darker love song, its feel more ghost-dance than street parade. The finale, “Struttin’ With Some Barbeque,” begins as a doctored/sampled version of the Armstrong classic, until the full band kicks in for a more old-school rendition, which also makes way for programmed drums and a hip-hop bassline. Her

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The past 30 years have seen a groundswell of American interest in early Brazilian music, fueled (I believe) in part by releases by Arthur Moreira Lima on Pro-Arte Digital and David Byrne’s savvy collections on Luaka Bop. There are choro/samba groups in LA, NYC, Seattle and Denver, and at least two in NOLA. Denver-based clarinetist Dexter Payne has been mining Brazil’s glorious riches at least since 1997, when he recorded in Manaus. On Jazz for All (Jazz Forro) he cuts a sizable swath, with choro, forro, xote and stripped-down frevo. The crew is four Americans, a Venezuelan pianist and an Italian singer (on a Villa-Lobos track). Nine of the ten pieces are by Brazilian composers, including avowed eminences like Moacir Santos and Dominguinhos. The one original, “Forrozinho,” has a catchy melody and plenty of ginga. The gang plays very well, and drawing on the well (a bottomless pit, actually) of Brazilian traditions makes this a charming and intriguing disc. —Tom McDermott

Retrofit BEasy (Independent) The debut EP of a band of up-and-coming younger session musicians and sidemen from New Orleans and Baton Rouge, BEasy puts some modern embellishments on a tried-and-true, feel-good formula. Retrofit indeed; the band’s name is clever wordplay, in that they are strongly influenced by classic “retro” soul and groove music while adding some newer elements to it. The band cites “blues, gospel, R&B, afrobeat, funk, and all forms of soul music” as influences on their website, with jazz conspicuously absent despite its evident impact on most or all of the musicians.

The stylistic blending and modern production are the newer twist—drummer Scott Graves playing an explicitly Tony Allen– influenced afrobeat groove midway through “Happy With You,” but also employing fills with a rock bite. Despite the modern edge and the obvious influence of jazz, there are no self-indulgent solos to be found here—just tight, simple but not simplistic pop hooks and the music to serve them. Keyboardist/vocalist/frontman Christopher DiBenedetto is the most prevalent player here. While clearly impacted by the music he cites as

influences, the timbre and inflections of his voice more closely resemble the more soulful side of John Mayer: soft-spoken, intimate and lower in the quieter, sparser verses often giving way to soaring falsetto for the louder, high-energy choruses. This EP is short, sweet and to the point; each song is the length of a pop song, nothing lingering past its welcome. The hooks are repetitive but not overly so, and the energy is consistently high while remaining dynamic. The addition of local singer-songwriter Kathryn Rose Wood for the final song was a good choice, her vocal harmony with Chris serving to diversify and strengthen

Something’s Gotta Give Derrick Freeman and James Martin Soul (Independent) It’s almost guaranteed that if Derrick Freeman’s name is on it, there’s going to be some funk involved. Sure enough, the drummer is rhythmically, vocally and attitudewise up to that standard teamed with saxophonist James Martin on Soul. First, a little clarification. Freeman leads the group the Soul Brass Band of which Martin is a member. It is a kissin’ cousin to the ensemble the duo put together for this recording. Many of the musicians heard here also play with the brass ensemble and the Soul Brass Band is featured on two cuts on the new disc. Got it? The album begins strongly with an original number, “Something’s Gotta Give,” penned by Martin, who is also featured on vocals. It’s a soul groove of a tune with smartly written, catchy and memorable lyrics. It’s easy to imagine a crowd singing along with the refrain. Nigel Hall mans the big B-3 organ and trumpeter Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown and trombonist Michael Watson add the essential horn punch with Martin getting down on the solo. Funkier is the James Brown meets George Clinton dynamic of “Soul with a Capitol S,” which Freeman’s gritty vocals take to another zone. It features the brass band, which means it blossoms from the bottom with the sousaphone of Steven Glenn. Freeman is absolutely hilarious on his one-of-a-kind “Grandma Cunningham”—hear it to believe it. He and Arsene Delay make for an interesting vocal combination on “Maintain Composure.” Things become a bit more sober on Kurt Cobain’s “Bloom” and the album’s mood changes again on the romantically inclined “Flow.” It highlights the warm voice of trombonist Michael Watson and more sophisticated horn arrangements. There could be some scratching of heads trying to figure out the reason these guys closed the album with Lou Rawls’ ditty “Groovy People” and the instrumental “Family Feud”—yes, the theme from the television game show. Guess you just have to get the sense of humor that, along with solid musicianship, remains a prevailing essence of Soul. —Geraldine Wyckoff www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS the closing of this group’s debut and hinting at what they may be capable of down the road. —Nick Benoit

Various Artists Rhythm ‘n’ Bluesin’ by the Bayou: Livin’, Lovin’ & Lyin’ (Ace Records) Just as when the bayous are flowing it guarantees that the crawfish keep a-growing, here comes another release in Ace’s popular By The Bayou series. As in the previous dozen or so reissues, the Livin’, Lovin’ & Lyin’ track list reads pretty much like an August 1959, KLOU (Lake Charles) playlist. This time, however, there’s a definite New Orleans influence throughout. Our own Mr. Google Eyes’ puzzling “Boogie With Calypso” is here, as is Eddie Lang’s—okay he was from Slidell—bold “Troubles Troubles.” A disciple of Guitar Slim, amazingly Mac Rebennack’s high school band the Skyliners backs Lang here. Speaking of Slim, one of the featured artists we’ll mention later adapts his nom-de-disc, and Little Bob’s “Wanna Be Your Man” is a dead ringer for Slim’s “Well, I Done Got Over It.” Likewise, Tabby Thomas’ “Roll On Ole Mule” borrows heavily from Smiley Lewis’ opus “Go On Fool.” Granted there are some lugubrious inclusions on the roster, but we’ll dwell on the highlights here. Tal Miller’s “Scorched” is a raw but right rocker of the highest order. King Karl’s “Baby, Baby Come To Papa” also stands out. Of the three Guitar Jr. tracks the swamp pop weeper “Family Rules” is most familiar, containing the perfect guitar solo. His “Got It Made (When I Marry Shirley Mae)” is pretty hip too. There’s a couple of great obscure tracks by Cookie & the Cupcakes, including the catchy table setter, “I Keep Crying.” Tracks from the likes of Little Nolton (is that Elton Anderson?), Sticks Herman and Left Hand Charlie (he graces the cover) will garner frequent plays here to boot. As per Ace’s norm, superior packaging with rare photos and label scans. Further evidence of the wealth of great music inspired by the Bayou State. —Jeff Hannusch www.OFFBEAT.com

JUN E 2018

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Listings

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These listings are abbreviated. For complete daily listings, go to offbeat.com. These listings were verified at the time of publication, but are of course subject to change. To get your event listed, go to offbeat.com/add-new-listings or send an email to listings@offbeat.com.

AF African AM Americana BL Blues BU Bluegrass BO Bounce BB Brass Band BQ Burlesque KJ Cajun CL Classical CR Classic Rock CO Comedy CW Country CB Cover Band DN Dance DX Dixieland DB Dubstep EL Electro FO Folk FK Funk GS Gospel GY Gypsy HH Hip-Hop HS House IN Indian Classical ID Indie Rock IL Industrial IR Irish JB Jam Band

MJ Jazz Contemporary TJ Jazz Traditional JV Jazz Variety KR Karaoke KZ Klezmer LT Latin MG Mardi Gras Indian ME Metal RB Modern R&B PO Pop PK Punk RE Reggae RC Rockabilly RK Rock RR Roots Rock SS Singer/ Songwriter SK Ska PI Solo Piano SO Soul SW Spoken Word SP Swamp Pop SI Swing VR Variety ZY Zydeco

WEDNESDAY MAY 30

Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p d.b.a.: Tin Men (RK) 7p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Fontaine Palace: Marigny Street Brass Band (BB) 9p Gasa Gasa: A Place to Bury Strangers, Prettiest Eyes, Trashlight (RK) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Delta Revues (BL) 6p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 8:30p Lafayette Square: Wednesday at the Square feat. Robin Barnes and the Fiya Birds, Shamarr Allen (VR) 5p Little Gem Saloon: Anais St. John with guest Banu Gibson (JV) 7:30p Maison: Hector Gallardo’s Cuban Jazz Band, Jazz Vipers, B Miller Zone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Jordan Anderson and the Causeways (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a, Krewe du Two (VR) 1p Old U.S. Mint: Birdfoot presents New Orleans 300: A Creole Contradanzas (LT) 8p One Eyed Jacks: Vixens and Vinyl (VR) 10p Palm Court Jazz Café: Lars Edegran and Topsy Chapman with Palm Court Jazz Band (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Uptown Jazz Orchestra with Delfeayo Marsalis (JV) 8 & 10p Starlight: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (CW) 7p, Lynn Drury (RR) 10p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): SONO presents Jasen Weaver record-release show (FK) 9p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajungrass (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Original: Debi and the Deacons (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

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THURSDAY MAY 31

Armstrong Park: Jazz in the Park feat. Little Freddie King, Tamara Goldinella (BL) 4p Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mike Harvey’s Hot Club (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Krewe De Bechet (JV) 5p, Tom McDermott and Chloe Feoranzo (JV) 8p Bullet’s: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Deltaphonic (FK) 10p Fontaine Palace: Daryl Johnson (VR) 10p House of Blues (Foundation Room): the Yat Pack (SI) 7p House of Blues (the Parish): Ultravox’s Midge Ure (SS) 8p House of Blues: Chon, Polyphia, TTNG, Tricot (RK) 7:30p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Jazz Playhouse: Ashlin Parker Trio (JV) 6:30p, BrassA-Holics (BB) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Monty Banks (PI) 5p, Madeline Ford Trio (JV) 7:30p Maison: Russell Welch Hot Quartet, Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers, Dysfunktional Bone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Tom Worrell (PI) 7p, Johnny Vidacovich, Mike Dillon and George Porter Jr. (JV) 10p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Spencer Bohren (FO) 6p Palm Court Jazz Café: Tim Laughlin and Clive Wilson with Crescent City Joymakers (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Lil Nathan and the Zydeco Big Tymers (ZY) 8:30p Siberia: Eastern Bloc Party feat. New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars (KZ) 9p Snug Harbor: Amina Scott’s Tribute to 1970s Jazz Masters (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Up Up We Go (JV) 2p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Starlight: DJ Mange and guest DJ Goth/Electronica (EL) 10p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Birdfoot Late Night presents Octet (CL) 10p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p Tipitina’s: Marty Gras feat. Stanton Moore and friends, Johnny Vidacovich, Peabody Reunion Show, Bucktown All-Stars (VR) 6p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

FRIDAY JUNE 1

Buffa’s: Fr. Ron and friends (VR) 6p, Dirty Rain Revelers (VR) 9p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: R. Scully and the Rough 7, Greazy Alice (RK) 10p Dos Jefes: Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 10p Fontaine Palace: Louie Fontaine and the Starlight Searchers (VR) 11:59p House of Blues: Leftover Salmon (BU) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Shannon Powell (JV) 7p, Trixie Minx’s Burlesque Ballroom feat. Romy Kaye and the Mercy Buckets (BQ) 11p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 5p, Beth Patterson (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Lilli Lewis (PI) 5p, Evan Christopher (JV) 7:30p Maple Leaf: Wooten/Struthers (FK) 10p

Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Alligator Chomp Chomp (RB) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Kevin Louis and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 7:30p Siberia: Vockah Redu, Rusty Lazer, Disco Nouveau (VR) 9p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quintet (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings (JV) 6p, Doro Wat Jazz Band (JV) 10p Starlight: Michael Watson and the Alchemy (JV) 9p, Afrodiziac’s Jazz (JV) 11:59p Three Muses: Royal Roses (JV) 5:30p, Doro Wat Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: Foundation Free Fridays feat. Gravy, Darcy Malone and the Tangle (VR) 10p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Wild Card (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p

SATURDAY JUNE 2

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Red Organ Trio (JV) 4:30p, Jasen Weaver Band (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Freddie Blue and the Friendship Circle (VR) 6p, Joe Krown and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (VR) 9p Civic Theatre: Opus Opera Presents Mystique (VR) 7p Crazy Lobster: the River Gang (VR) 11a, Poppy’s Poppin’ Saturday Review (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Sweet Crude (ID) 11p Fontaine Palace: Louie Fontaine and the Starlight Searchers (VR) 11:59p Jazz Playhouse: Nayo Jones Experience (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Roy Gele (FO) 5p, Maggie Havens (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7 & 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillianaires, Leah Rucker, Michael Watson Quintet (JV) 1p, the Breed, RnR Music Group (BB) 10p Maple Leaf: Khris Royal and Dark Matter (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Lost Bayou Ramblers, the Iceman Special (VR) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 7:30p Pontchartrain Vineyards: Jazz’n the Vines feat. Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars (KJ) 6:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation Brass feat. Kevin Louis (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Rickie Monie (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Mike Zito (FK) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Leni Stern Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Starlight: Shawan Rice (JV) 7p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 10p Three Muses: Chris Christy (JV) 5p, Mia Borders (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: Eyehategod, Benni, Pussyrot, Abysmal Lord (ME) 9p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SUNDAY JUNE 3

Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 11a, Pfister Sisters (JV) 4p, Steve Pistorius Quartet (JV) 7p Circle Bar: N.O. Concert Band Clarinet Choir (VR) 5p, Micah McKee and friends, Blind Texas Marlin (FO) 7p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (JV) 6p, Percy J (VR) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: the Sound Adventures of Beat Boy feat. Corey Mack (VR) 7p, the Slick Skillet Burly Q Revue (JV) 11p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p

Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 5:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (FO) 8p Little Gem Saloon: Blues Brunch with Little Freddie King (BL) 11a Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Walter “Wolfman” Washington (RB) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Summer Serenade feat. Joanna Tomassoni, Sabine McCalla, Kathryn Rose Wood (VR) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Gerald French and Sunday Night Swingsters (JV) 7:30p Siberia: Sam Doores presents For the Sake of the Song (SS) 9p Snug Harbor: Doug Belote Quartet (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 2p, Kristina Morales and the Inner Wild (JV) 6p, Pat Casey and the New Sound (JV) 10p Starlight: Tango Night with Instructor Valerie Hart (LT) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Juju Child and the Hypnotic Roots Band (BL) 9p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

MONDAY JUNE 4

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Helen Gillet (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Fontaine Palace: Louie’s Do the Bar Lounge (VR) 6p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Gerald French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Two Sheets to the Wind (FO) 8:30p Maple Leaf: George Porter Trio with Terrence Houston and Mike Lemmler (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Blind Texas Marlin (VR) 10p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Royal Street Winding Boys (JV) 2p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. All-Stars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Starlight: Burlesque Bingo with Lefty Lucy and Tzarina (BQ) 7p, Joshua Benitez Band (RK) 10p Three Muses: Bart Ramsey (JV) 5p, Joe Cabral (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, F.A.S.T. (RK) 9p

TUESDAY JUNE 5

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mark Weliky (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras with Vanessa Carr (VR) 8p Circle Bar: Peach Kelli Pop, Viva L’ American Death Ray Music, Rob Craig, Dj’n B8Bot (VR) 9:30p d.b.a.: Dinosaurchestra (JV) 7p, Treme Brass Band (BB) 10p Ellis Marsalis Center for Music: Jonte Mayon and her Band (RB) 6p Fontaine Palace: Soul Rotisserie (VR) 5p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Jazz Playhouse: James Rivers Movement (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p JUN E 2018

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Little Gem Saloon: Seva Venet and special guests (JV) 7:30p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Pentone (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Maison: Jazmarae Beebe, Gregory Agid Quartet, Gene’s Music Machine (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (FK) 10p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel (TJ) 8p Saenger Theatre: Joe Biden: American Promise Tour, Cokie Roberts (VR) 7:30p Siberia: Rayo Bros, Deltaphonic (FO) 9p Snug Harbor: Stanton Moore Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, Russell Welch Quintet (JV) 6p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 10p Starlight: Joe Welnick (JV) 7p, DJ Fayard presents Club 817 (FK) 10p Three Muses: Sam Cammarata (JV) 5p, Josh Gouzy (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Wild Card (RK) 5p, Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 9p

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6

Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p d.b.a.: Tin Men (RR) 7p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p House of Blues (the Parish): the Posies (PO) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Anais St. John (JV) 7:30p Maple Leaf: Jonathon Boogie Long (BL) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a, Krewe du Two (VR) 1p Old U.S. Mint: Lerin Williams (VR) 2p Palm Court Jazz Café: Lars Edegran and Topsy Chapman with Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 7:30p Preservation Hall: Joe Lastie’s New Orleans Sound (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Creole Stringbeans (KJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Delfeayo Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Chris Christy (JV) 2p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Antoine Diel and the New Orleans Power Misfits (JV) 10p Starlight: Natalie Mae (SS) 7p, Lynn Drury (RR) 9p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Helen Gillet +1 (MJ) 9p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Debi and the Deacons (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

THURSDAY JUNE 7

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mike Harvey’s Hot Club (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Gumbo Cabaret CD-release party feat. Kelley Dixson, Rebecca Zoe Leigh, Harry Mayronne (VR) 5p, Tom McDermott and Marla Dixon (JV) 8p Bullet’s: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Soul Brass Band CD-release party (SO) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: Ron Hotstream, Dick Deluxe (VR) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): Transviolet, Magic Bronson (EL) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Will Dickerson (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Vivaz Trio (LT) 7:30p Little Tropical Isle: Allen Hebert (RK) 5p, Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 9p Maple Leaf: Matt Lemmler (PI) 7p, Johnny Vidacovich, June Yamagishi and Stanton Moore (JV) 11p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Ogden After Hours feat. Kristin Diable (SS) 6p Palm Court Jazz Café: Leroy Jones and Katja Toivola with Crescent City Joymakers (JV) 7:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Gregg Stafford (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Louis Ford (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie (ZY) 8:30p Siberia: Eastern Bloc Party feat. New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars (KL) 9p

JUNE 2018

Snug Harbor: Steve Masakowski Quintet (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Up Up We Go (JV) 2p, Dana Abbott Band (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Starlight: Sam Friend Band (JV) 9p; Upstairs: DJ Mange and guest DJ (EL) 10p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p, Arsene DeLay (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Wild Card (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Vaughan’s: DJ Black Pearl (VR) 9p, Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet (FK) 10:30p

FRIDAY JUNE 8

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Harmonouche (JV) 5p, Willie Green Project (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Greg Schatz (VR) 6p, Margie Perez (SO) 9p Civic Theatre: Purple Takeover: A Prince Celebration with DJ Soul Sister, Lenka Paris, the DMSR Dancers, Conga Queen of New Orleans (FK) 10p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Ike Stubblefield Birthday Bash (VR) 10p House of Blues: Bustout Burlesque with the Bustout Jazz Band (BQ) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Shannon Powell (JV) 7p, Trixie Minx’s Burlesque Ballroom feat. Romy Kaye and the Mercy Buckets (BQ) 11p Kerry Irish Pub: Beth Patterson (FO) 5p, Lynn Drury (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Lilli Lewis (PI) 5p, Nayo Jones Experience (JV) 8p Maple Leaf: the Quickening (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Pride Kickoff Party (VR) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Kevin Louis and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 7:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Will Smith (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quintet (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 6p, Dr. Brice Miller and Buku NOLA (JV) 10p Starlight: Michael Watson and the Alchemy (JV) 9p, Afrodiziac’s Jazz (JV) 11:59p Three Muses: Matt Johnson (JV) 5:30p, Doro Wat Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: Foundation Free Fridays feat. Khris Royal and Dark Matter, Big Easy Brawlers, Berklee City Music (VR) 10p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Wild Card (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SATURDAY JUNE 9

Buffa’s: Kyle Roussel (JV) 6p, Davis Rogan (VR) 9p Café Negril: Joy Clark (VR) 4p, Claude Bryant and the All-Stars (VR) 7p, Another Day in Paradise (VR) 10p Crazy Lobster: the River Gang (VR) 11a, Poppy’s Poppin’ Saturday Review (VR) 4p Creole Cookery: Trad Stars Jazz Band (JV) 11a d.b.a.: Little Freddie King (BL) 11p Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 9p Dos Jefes: Betty Shirley Band (JV) 10p House of Blues: GRRLSPOT (VR) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Porch): Afrobeat Meets Bollywood Night (AF) 10p Jazz and Heritage Center: Troy Sawyer and the Elementz, Calvin Johnson and Native Son (JV) 8p Jazz Playhouse: Nayo Jones Experience (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Hurricane Refugees (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7 & 9p Maple Leaf: Ari Teitel Birthday Throwdown (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Magnolia Ball feat. Original Pinettes Brass Band, DJs Dreamer, Kelly Green and RedStylez (VR) 9p One Eyed Jacks: Queer As Fuck Dance Party (VR) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Will Smith and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 7:30p

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Preservation Hall: Preservation Brass feat. Kevin Louis (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Rickie Monie (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: the Topcats Anniversary Show (VR) 9:30p Siberia: Ameripolitan Fest feat. Gal Holiday, Emily Nenni, Rebecca Jed, Colton Turner, Matt Campbell (CW) 6p Snug Harbor: Ike Stubblefield Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: John Lisi and Delta Funk (JV) 2p, Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Starlight: Shawan Rice (JV) 7p, Derrick Freeman Quartet (FK) 10p Three Muses: Chris Christy (JV) 5p, Debbie Davis (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: Debauche, Brother Nutria (VR) 10p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SUNDAY JUNE 10

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, the Tradstars (JV) 4:30p, Roamin’ Jasmine (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 11a, Banu Gibson (JV) 4p, Steve Pistorius Quartet (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (SI) 6p House of Blues (the Parish): Shredders, Astronaulis (HH) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Germaine Bazzle (JV) 8p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 5:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Beth Patterson (FO) 8p Little Gem Saloon: Blues Brunch with Little Freddie King (BL) 11a Maple Leaf: Mikey B3 (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Old Point Bar: Gregg and James Martinez (RK) 3:30p, Sunday Night Jazz (JV) 7p Palm Court Jazz Café: Gerald French and Sunday Night Swingsters (JV) 7:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Rickie Monie (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 8p Siberia: Zach Quinn, James Hayes, Woozy (RR) 9p Smoothie King Center: Shania Twain (CW) 7:30p Snug Harbor: Carmela Rappazzo and Co. (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Jamey St. Pierre and the Honeycreepers (JV) 2p, Kristina Morales and the Inner Wild (JV) 6p, Pat Casey and the New Sound (JV) 10p Starlight: Tango Night with Instructor Valerie Hart (LT) 7p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

MONDAY JUNE 11

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Helen Gillet (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Civic Theatre: Belle and Sebastian, Men I Trust (ID) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Insta-Gators (VR) 5p Fontaine Palace: Louie’s Do the Bar Lounge (VR) 6p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Gerald French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Kim Carson and Buckshot Willie (FO) 8:30p Maple Leaf: George Porter Trio with Terrence Houston and Mike Lemmler (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Royal Street Winding Boys (JV) 2p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. All-Stars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Starlight: Burlesque Bingo with Lefty Lucy and Tzarina (BQ) 7p, Joshua Benitez Band (RK) 10p Three Muses: Joe Cabral (JV) 8p

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Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, F.A.S.T. (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Graham Robinson Band (RK) 5:15p, Trop Rock Express (RK) 9:15p

TUESDAY JUNE 12

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mark Weliky (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras with Vanessa Carr (VR) 8p Café Negril: 4 Sidemen of the Apocalypse (VR) 6p, John Lisi and Delta Funk (FK) 10p Crazy Lobster: AC and the Heat (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Dinosaurchestra (JV) 7p, Treme Brass Band (BB) 10p Fontaine Palace: Soul Rotisserie (VR) 5p Hi-Ho Lounge: Yung Heazy, Rupert Angel Eyes, Dezorah, Bombs Ex Lover (PO) 7p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Jazz Playhouse: James Rivers Movement (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Seva Venet and special guests (JV) 7:30p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (FK) 10p Old U.S. Mint: Down on their Luck Orchestra (JV) 2p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 6p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel (TJ) 8p Siberia: Piano Night feat. Casey McAllister (PI) 9p Snug Harbor: Stanton Moore Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, the Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 10p Starlight: Joe Welnick (JV) 7p, DJ Fayard presents Club 817 (FK) 10p Three Muses: Keith Burnstein (JV) 5p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, F.A.S.T. (RK) 9:15p Williams Research Center: A Tricentennial Salute: Piano Music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk and Friends feat. Peter Collins (PI) 6p

WEDNESDAY JUNE 13

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Jesse Morrow (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tin Men (RR) 7p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: Delta Revues (BL) 6p, Height Keech, Goldzilla (EL) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Blueprint, Proper Channels (HH) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Mario Abney (JV) 8p Joy Theater: the Glitch Mob, Elohim (VR) 9p Kerry Irish Pub: Dave Hickey (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Anais St. John (JV) 7:30p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Parsons (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Maison: Catie Rogers and Her Swing Orchestra, Jazz Vipers, B Miller Zone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Jonathon Boogie Long (BL) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a, Krewe du Two (VR) 1p One Eyed Jacks: Vixens and Vinyl (VR) 10p Preservation Hall: Joe Lastie’s New Orleans Sound (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel (TJ) 8p Santos Bar: Swamp Moves with the Russell Welch Quartet (SI) 10p Siberia: Joanna Tomassoni, Breadfoot, Asher Danziger (SS) 9p Snug Harbor: Delfeayo Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra (JV) 8 & 10p Starlight: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (CW) 7p, Lynn Drury (RR) 10p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Original: Debi and the Deacons (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

THURSDAY JUNE 14

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mike Harvey’s Hot Club (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Doyle Cooper (JV) 5p, Tom McDermott and Aurora Nealand (JV) 8p JUN E 2018

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Bullet’s: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7p d.b.a.: South Jones (VR) 10p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Blues Masters (BL) 8:30p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Jazz Playhouse: Brass-A-Holics (BB) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 8:30p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (FK) 11p Little Gem Saloon: Vivaz Trio (LT) 7:30p Little Tropical Isle: Allen Hebert (RK) 5p, Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 9p Maison: Good for Nothin’ Band, the Function, Dysfunktional Bone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: CR Gruver (PI) 7p, Johnny Vidacovich, June Yamagishi and Keiko Komaki (JV) 11p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Lars Edegran (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Louis Ford (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Horace Trahan and the Ossun Express (ZY) 8:30p Siberia: Eastern Bloc Party (KL) 9p Smoothie King Center: Maroon 5, Julia Michaels (PO) 7:30p Snug Harbor: Shannon Powell Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Up Up We Go (JV) 2p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Starlight: Sam Friend Band (JV) 9p; Upstairs: DJ Mange and guest DJ (EL) 10p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Little Cosmicana, Luthi (FK) 9p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p Tipitina’s: Shawn Williams CD-release show, Ron Hotstream and the Mid-City Drifters (VR) 9p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Wild Card (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Vaughan’s: DJ Black Pearl (VR) 9p, Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet (FK) 10:30p

FRIDAY JUNE 15

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Harmonouche (JV) 5p, Willie Green Project (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Jerry Jumonville (JV) 6p, Cricket and the 219 (VR) 9p d.b.a.: Bon Bon Vivant (JV) 10p House of Blues (the Parish): Maps and Atlases, Prism Tats (ID) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Professor Craig Adams Band (JV) 7p, Trixie Minx’s Burlesque Ballroom feat. Romy Kaye and the Mercy Buckets (BQ) 11p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 5p, Paintbox with Dave James and Tim Robertson (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Lilli Lewis (PI) 5p, Louisiana Hellbenders (RR) 8p Maple Leaf: Brass Lightning (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a One Eyed Jacks: DJ Soul Sister presents Soulful Takeover (FK) 10p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Will Smith (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Karma (VR) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quintet (JV) 8 & 10p Starlight: Michael Watson and the Alchemy (JV) 9p, Afrodiziac’s Jazz (JV) 11:59p Three Muses: Royal Roses (JV) 5:30p, Doro Wat Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: Foundation Free Fridays feat. Good Enough For Good Times, James Martin Band, InStereo (VR) 10p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SATURDAY JUNE 16

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Red Organ Trio (JV) 4:30p, Jasen Weaver Band (JV) 7:30p Blue Nile: Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 7p Buffa’s: Royal Rounders (VR) 6p, Luna Mora (LT) 9p Crazy Lobster: the River Gang (VR) 11a, Poppy’s Poppin’ Saturday Review (VR) 4p Creole Cookery: Trad Stars Jazz Band (JV) 11a d.b.a.: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Dos Jefes: Walter “Wolfman” Washington (BL) 10p House of Blues (the Parish): Bad Girls of Burlesque (BQ) 9p

JUNE 2018

House of Blues: Jesse McCartney, Nina Nesbitt (PO) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Courted Starring Alison Logan, the Original Classy Broad (CO) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Nayo Jones Experience (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Mike Kerwin and Geoff Coats (FO) 5p, Van Hudson (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7 & 9p Maple Leaf: New Orleans Suspects (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Old Point Bar: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (CW) 9:30p Old U.S. Mint: Rock and Rouge: Women’s Music and Food Festival (VR) 10a Pontchartrain Vineyards: Jazz’n the Vines feat. New Orleans Swamp Donkeys (JV) 6:30p Siberia: Matron, Primpce, Toonces (RR) 10p Snug Harbor: Steve Turre and Herlin Riley Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Russell Welch’s Mississippi Gypsy (JV) 2p, the Catahoulas (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Starlight: Bobbi Rae (VR) 7p, James Williams (JV) 10p Three Muses: Chris Christy (JV) 5p, Esther Rose (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: Bonerama (BB) 10p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SUNDAY JUNE 17

Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 11a, Nattie Sanchez Songwriter Circle (VR) 4p, Steve Pistorius Quartet (JV) 7p Crazy Lobster: the Gator Bites (VR) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (SI) 6p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Germaine Bazzle (JV) 8p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 5:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Will Dickerson (FO) 8p Little Gem Saloon: Blues Brunch with Little Freddie King (BL) 11a Maison: NOLA Jitterbugs, Russell Welch Hot Quartet (JV) 10a, G and her Swinging 3, Higher Heights (VR) 7p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Walter “Wolfman” Washington (RB) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Marina Orchestra (VR) 9p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Rickie Monie (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Fais Do Do with Bruce Daigrepont (KJ) 5:30p Snug Harbor: Tribute to Scott Joplin with Tom McDermott (JV) 8 & 10p Starlight: Tango Night with Instructor Valerie Hart (LT) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Juju Child and the Hypnotic Roots Band (BL) 9p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

MONDAY JUNE 18

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Fontaine Palace: Louie’s Do the Bar Lounge (VR) 6p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 10p House of Blues: Anthrax, Testament (ME) 7:15p Jazz Playhouse: Gerald French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Beth Patterson (FO) 8:30p Maple Leaf: George Porter Jr. Trio (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Blind Texas Marlin (VR) 10p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (JV) 8 & 10p Starlight: Burlesque Bingo with Lefty Lucy and Tzarina (BQ) 7p, Joshua Benitez Band (RK) 10p

Three Muses: Bart Ramsey (JV) 5p, Russell Welch (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, F.A.S.T. (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Graham Robertson (RK) 5:15p, Trop Rock Express (RK) 9:15p

TUESDAY JUNE 19

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mark Weliky (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras with Vanessa Carr (VR) 8p Café Negril: 4 Sidemen of the Apocalypse (VR) 6p, John Lisi and Delta Funk (FK) 9:30p Crazy Lobster: AC and the Heat (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Dinosaurchestra (JV) 7p, Treme Brass Band (BB) 10p Fontaine Palace: Soul Rotisserie (VR) 5p Hi-Ho Lounge: New Orleans Guitar Night feat. Alex D’Onofrio and friends (VR) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers (FO) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Seva Venet and special guests (JV) 7:30p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Pentone (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Maison: Novos Sapatos, Gregory Agid, Gene’s Music Machine (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (FK) 10p Siberia: Piano Night feat. Josh Wexler (PI) 9p Snug Harbor: Stanton Moore Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Starlight: Joe Welnick (JV) 7p, DJ Fayard presents Club 817 (FK) 10p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Elephant in the Room: A Night with Noruz (JV) 9p Three Muses: Sam Cammarata (JV) 5p, Josh Gouzy (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, F.A.S.T. (RK) 9:15p

WEDNESDAY JUNE 20

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Jesse Morrow (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tin Men (RR) 7p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p French Market: Patrick Cooper and Natasha Sanchez (FO) 1:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Anais St. John (JV) 7:30p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Parsons (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Maison: Hector Gallardo’s Cuban Jazz Band, Jazz Vipers, Roccadile (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Jonathon Boogie Long (BL) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a, Krewe du Two (VR) 1p Preservation Hall: Joe Lastie’s New Orleans Sound (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Jerry Embree (SI) 8p Santos Bar: Swamp Moves with the Russell Welch Quartet (SI) 10p Siberia: Chris Acker (CW) 9p Smoothie King Center: the Eagles (CR) 8p Snug Harbor: Delfeayo Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Chris Christy (JV) 2p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Antoine Diel and the New Orleans Power Misfits (JV) 10p Starlight: Amanda Walker and Lynn Drury (RR) 8p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Schatzy (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p

THURSDAY JUNE 21

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mike Harvey’s Hot Club (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Gumbo Cabaret (VR) 5p, Tom McDermott and Chloe Feoranzo (JV) 8p

Bullet’s: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Little Freddie King (BL) 11p House of Blues (the Parish): Combichrist, Wednesday 13, Night Club, Prison, Death Valley High, the Arbitrary (ME) 6:30p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Howlin’ Wolf (the Porch): Rival NOVA (HH) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Brass-A-Holics (BB) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Maggie Havens (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Vivaz Trio (LT) 7:30p Little Tropical Isle: Allen Hebert (RK) 5p, Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 9p Maple Leaf: Steve DeTroy (PI) 7p, Johnny Vidacovich, June Yamagishi and James Singleton (JV) 11p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Ogden After Hours feat. Palmetto Bug Stompers (JV) 6p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas (ZY) 8:30p Saenger Theatre: Yanni (VR) 8p Siberia: Eastern Bloc Party feat. Salt Wives CDrelease show (GY) 9p Snug Harbor: Davell Crawford (PI) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Eight Dice Cloth (JV) 2p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Starlight: Sam Friend Band (JV) 9p; Upstairs: DJ Mange and guest DJ (EL) 10p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p, Arsene DeLay (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Wild Card (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Vaughan’s: DJ Black Pearl (VR) 9p, Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet (FK) 10:30p

FRIDAY JUNE 22

Buffa’s: Suzy Malone and Amasa Miller (VR) 6p, Simple Sound Retreat (VR) 9p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: DiNola, Egg Yolk Jubilee (VR) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Little Freddie King (BL) 7:30p, Trixie Minx’s Burlesque Ballroom feat. Romy Kaye and the Mercy Buckets (BQ) 11p Kerry Irish Pub: Tim Robertson (FO) 5p, the One Tailed Three (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Lilli Lewis (PI) 5p, John Mooney and Marc Stone with special guest (BL) 8p Maple Leaf: Dave Jordan and the NIA (RR) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old Point Bar: Rick Trolsen (PI) 5p, the Hounds (CW) 9:30p One Eyed Jacks: Guided By Voices, Park Doing (ID) 9p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Will Smith (TJ) 8p Siberia: United Bakery Records Showcase (FO) 10p Snug Harbor: Germaine Bazzle with the Larry Sieberth Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 6p, the Rhythm Stompers (JV) 10p Starlight: Michael Watson and the Alchemy (JV) 9p, Afrodiziac’s Jazz (JV) 11:59p Three Muses: Matt Johnson (JV) 5:30p, Doro Wat Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: Foundation Free Fridays feat. Walter “Wolfman” Washington, the Fortifiers (VR) 10p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SATURDAY JUNE 23

Buffa’s: Meryl Zimmerman (JV) 6p, Romy Kaye (JV) 9p Crazy Lobster: the River Gang (VR) 11a, Poppy’s Poppin’ Saturday Review (VR) 4p Dos Jefes: Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots (ZY) 10p House of Blues (the Parish): Smoke DZA, Bodega Bamz (HH) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Ed Perkins Jazz Band (JV) 8p

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Neisha Ruffins (JV) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Annual Beatles Tribute with Roux The Day! (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7 & 9p Little Tropical Isle: Reed Lightfoot (RK) 5p, Styk (RK) 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillianaires, Eight Dice Cloth, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 1p, Brass-A-Holics, Gene’s Music Machine (FK) 10p Maple Leaf: Cleopatra Jones (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a One Eyed Jacks: the Goddamn Gallows with Days N Daze and Gallows Bound (VR) 9p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Deacon John and the Ivories Birthday Bash (RB) 9p SideBar NOLA: Jimmy Robinson and friends (VR) 9p Snug Harbor: Davell Crawford and Company (JV) 8 & 10p Starlight: Bobbi Rae (VR) 7p, Epic Proportions (VR) 10p Three Muses: Chris Christy (JV) 5p, Debbie Davis (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: Feufollet, Jelly Toast (VR) 10p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SUNDAY JUNE 24

Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 11a, Father Doussan and the Disciples (VR) 4p, Steve Pistorius Quartet (JV) 7p Crazy Lobster: the Gator Bites (VR) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (SI) 6p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 5:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Traditional Irish Session (IR) 5p, Patrick Cooper (FO) 8p

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Little Gem Saloon: Blues Brunch with Little Freddie King (BL) 11a Maison: NOLA Jitterbugs, Bon Bon Vivant (JV) 10a, Brad Walker, Higher Heights (VR) 7p Maple Leaf: Marshall Law (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Rickie Monie (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 8p Saenger Theatre: Diana Krall (JV) 8p Snug Harbor: Jorge Laboy Quintet from Puerto Rico (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: John Lisi and Delta Funk (JV) 2p, Kristina Morales and the Inner Wild (JV) 6p, Pat Casey and the New Sound (JV) 10p Starlight: Tango Night with Instructor Valerie Hart (LT) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Juju Child and the Hypnotic Roots Band (BL) 9p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Time Out: the Moxie Kings (VR) 11a Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

MONDAY JUNE 25

Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Dos Jefes: John Fohl (JV) 9p Fontaine Palace: Louie’s Do the Bar Lounge (VR) 6p Funky Pirate: Willie Lockett Band (BL) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Gerald French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Kim Carson and Buckshot Willie (FO) 8:30p Maison: Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, Sierra Green and the Soul Machine (VR) 4p

Maple Leaf: George Porter Trio with Terrence Houston and Mike Lemmler (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p SideBar NOLA: the Self-Righteous Brothers feat. Cranston Clements and Phil DeGruy (VR) 8p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Royal Street Winding Boys (JV) 2p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. All-Stars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Starlight: Burlesque Bingo with Lefty Lucy and Tzarina (BQ) 7p, Joshua Benitez Band (RK) 10p Three Muses: Andrew Duhon (JV) 5p, Washboard Rodeo (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 7p

TUESDAY JUNE 26

Buffa’s: Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras with Vanessa Carr (VR) 8p Café Negril: 4 Sidemen of the Apocalypse (VR) 6p, John Lisi and Delta Funk (FK) 9:30p Champions Square: Weezer, the Pixies, the Wombats (ID) 7:30p d.b.a.: Dinosaurchestra (JV) 7p,Treme Brass Band (BB) 10p Fontaine Palace: Soul Rotisserie (VR) 5p House of Blues (Foundation Room): Songwriter Sessions (SS) 7p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Jazz Playhouse: James Rivers Movement (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: NOLA Dukes Showcase (VR) 7p Maison: Jazmarae Beebe, Gregory Agid Quartet, B Miller Zone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (FK) 10p Old U.S. Mint: Down on their Luck Orchestra (JV) 2p Siberia: Piano Night feat. Dr. Otis (PI) 9p Snug Harbor: Oscar Rossignoli Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, the Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 10p

Starlight: Joe Welnick (JV) 7p, DJ Fayard presents Club 817 (FK) 10p Three Muses: Esther Rose (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Wild Card (RK) 5p, Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, F.A.S.T. (RK) 9:15p

WEDNESDAY JUNE 27

Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tin Men (RR) 7p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Kerry Irish Pub: Beth Patterson (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Anais St. John (JV) 7:30p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Parsons (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Maison: Catie Rogers and Her Swing Orchestra, Jazz Vipers, RnR Music Group (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: Jonathon Boogie Long (BL) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a, Krewe du Two (VR) 1p One Eyed Jacks: New Madrid, David Barbe and Inward Ebb Dream (VR) 8p, Vixens and Vinyl (VR) 10p Preservation Hall: Joe Lastie’s New Orleans Sound (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Charlie Gabriel (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Joe Krown (SI) 8p Santos Bar: Swamp Moves with the Russell Welch Quartet (SI) 10p Siberia: Chris Acker (CW) 9p Snug Harbor: John Mahoney Big Band (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Chris Christy (JV) 2p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Antoine Diel and the New Orleans Power Misfits (JV) 10p Starlight: Natalie Mae (SS) 7p, Lynn Drury (RR) 10p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Mia Borders (JV) 8p

JUN E 2018

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Debi and the Deacons (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

THURSDAY JUNE 28

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Boss Tenors (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Rebecca Zoe Leigh (JV) 5p, Tom McDermott and Doyle Cooper (JV) 8p Bullet’s: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Papo y son Mondeo (LT) 10p Dos Jefes: Matt Lemmler Trio with Steve Masakowski and James Singleton (JV) 9:30p House of Blues (the Parish): Hobo Johnson (HH) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Jazz Playhouse: Brass-A-Holics (BB) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Vivaz Trio (LT) 7:30p Maison: Samantha Pearl album-release show, Good for Nothin’ Band, Dysfunktional Bone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Tom Worrell (PI) 7p, Johnny Vidacovich, June Yamagishi and Joe Ashlar (JV) 11p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Louis Ford (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble (ZY) 8:30p Siberia: Eastern Bloc Party feat. Klezervation Hall (KL) 9p SideBar NOLA: Mike Dillon, James Singleton and Brian Haas (VR) 9p Smoothie King Center: Daryl Hall and John Oates, Kandace Spring, Train (RK) 7p Snug Harbor: Darrian Douglas and the Session (JV) 8 & 10p Southport Hall: Smile Empty Soul, Flaw, Talia, Kaleido (VR) 7p

JUNE 2018

Spotted Cat: Eight Dice Cloth (JV) 2p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Starlight: Sam Friend Band (JV) 9p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p Vaughan’s: DJ Black Pearl (VR) 9p, Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet (FK) 10:30p

FRIDAY JUNE 29

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Harmonouche (JV) 5p, Willie Green Project (JV) 7:30p Buffa’s: Cole Williamsn (JV) 6p, Cricket and the 219 (VR) 9p d.b.a.: Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 6p, Funk Monkey (FK) 10p Dos Jefes: Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots (ZY) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Professor Craig Adams Band (JV) 7p, Trixie Minx’s Burlesque Ballroom feat. Romy Kaye and the Mercy Buckets (BQ) 11p Kerry Irish Pub: Roy Gele (FO) 5p, Hurricane Refugees (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Lilli Lewis (PI) 5p, Nayo Jones Experience (JV) 8p Maison: Swinging Gypsies, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 4p, Soul Project, Big Easy Brawlers (FK) 10p Maple Leaf: In Business (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old Point Bar: Rick Trolsen (PI) 5p, Jamie Lynn Vessels (RK) 9:30p One Eyed Jacks: Island Snacks (VR) 10p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Will Smith (TJ) 8p Siberia: Lauren, Randy Olinger, the Unnaturals (RR) 10p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quintet (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings (JV) 6p, Sierra Green and the Soul Machine (JV) 10p

Starlight: Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 9p, Afrodiziac’s Jazz (JV) 11:59p Three Muses: Dr. Sick (JV) 8p Tipitina’s: Foundation Free Fridays feat. Brass-AHolics, CoolNasty (VR) 10p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SATURDAY JUNE 30

Buffa’s: Marc Stone (BL) 6p, Marina Orchestra (VR) 9p d.b.a.: Dave Jordan and the NIA (RR) 11p Dos Jefes: Joe Krown Trio (BL) 10p Fontaine Palace: Essence Pop-Up Day Party hosted by Amiyah Scott () Jazz Playhouse: Nayo Jones Experience (JV) 8p Joy Theater: Cinema Twain Screening with Val Kilmer (VR) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 5p, Beth Patterson (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7 & 9p Little Tropical Isle: Reed Lightfoot (RK) 5p, Styk (RK) 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillianaires, Jazmarae Beebe, Reid Poole’s Boppin 5 (JV) 1p, the Breed (BB) 10p Maple Leaf: the Catahoulas (RB) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Pontchartrain Vineyards: Jazz’n the Vines feat. the Iguanas (RR) 6:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation Brass feat. Kevin Louis (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Rickie Monie (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: the Mixed Nuts 20th Anniversary Show (VR) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Antoine Diel and Arsene DeLay (JV) 2p, Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Vegas Cola (JV) 10p

Starlight: Shawan Rice (JV) 8p, Derrick Freeman Quartet (JV) 10p Three Muses: Chris Christy (JV) 5p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: the Troubadour (KJ) 1p, Faubourg Ramblers (KJ) 5p, T’Canaille (KJ) 9p

FESTIVALS May 29-June 2 The Birdfoot Music Festival celebrates chamber music with concerts at various venues including the Contemporary Arts Center. BirdFootFestival.org June 2-3 The New Orleans Oyster Festival features local food and drink vendors, live music and an oyster-eating championship at Woldenberg Park. NolaOysterFest.org June 9-10 The French Market presents the Creole Tomato Festival featuring live music, food and drink vendors, cooking demonstrations and kids’ activities. FrenchMarket.org June 16 The all-day Rock and Rouge Women’s Music and Food Festival at the Old U.S. Mint features performances, food and empowerment panels led by women. TheRockAndRouge.com June 23-24 The Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival at Louis Armstrong Park includes performances by Lost Bayou Ramblers, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, Bruce Daigrepont and others. JazzAndHeritage.org/Cajun-Zydeco

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BACKTALK

HOUSE OF BLUES (JET LOUNGE) Wednesday, June 6 7 p.m.

PHOTO: DOT PIERSON

The Posies

midst the Seattle grunge-rock surge of the late 1980s and early ’90s, the Posies struck their own idiosyncratic path. In 1988, Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, two indie-pop prodigies from Bellingham, Washington, released their homemade album debut, Failure—on cassette. Still in their teens, Auer and Stringfellow reframed their influences—the Beatles, Beach Boys, XTC, R.E.M., Talking Heads, the Smiths, the Replacements, Hüsker Dü—into a precocious collection of deftly crafted, infectiously alive songs. The Posies’ debut provided bright, muchacclaimed contrast to the dark and wrenching music that made Seattle famous. In 1990, major label Geffen Records released the band’s second album, Dear 23. The biggerbudgeted follow-up fully realized the promise of Failure. And by then Auer and Stringfellow had discovered Big Star, a major new influence. The long-disbanded cult favorite from Memphis, Big Star had featured Alex Chilton. A star in the 1960s with the Box

Tops, Chilton moved to New Orleans in 1992. From 1993 until Chilton’s death in 2010, Auer and Stringfellow joined original Big Star members Chilton and Jody Stephens on stage for reunion shows. Geffen released two more Posies albums, 1993’s Frosting on the Beater, the band’s biggest commercial success, and 1996’s Amazing Disgrace. In 2018, the Posies are marking their 30th anniversary with a 78-date world tour and expanded re-releases of their Geffen albums. Omnivore Recordings will issue Dear 23 on June 15 and the succeeding albums on August 3 and October 28. In advance of the Posies’ June 6 show at The Parish at House of Blues in New Orleans, Stringfellow spoke to OffBeat from his home in Tours, France.

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By John Wirt

Your 30th anniversary tour features the Posies’ 1992–1994 lineup—you, Jon, drummer Mike Musburger and bassist Dave Fox. When the four of you first reunited, was it just like old times?

talk back

We toured Spain together for the 20th anniversary of Frosting on the Beater. It went great. So, I have no doubt that everything will fall into place. When the drummer clicks his sticks together and we start, it just comes out. It’s still in there somewhere. Muscle memory as well as emotional memory. When you were reviewing tapes for the Geffen album reissues, did you experience any revelations about what you’d done during that six-year period? All these outtakes, if you’re a fan, they’re curiosities. But in my mind, the reason for them to exist is that they tell a story. Progressing from four-track demos to more elaborate demos, I hear the refinement in the songs, I see the album coming into focus through what we prune off. In general, do you love, like or possibly even dislike at least some of the songs you’ve composed and recorded through the years? JUN E 2018

B AC

KTA

“Big Star filled a huge missing link in my musical knowledge. The records had everything. They mixed the Byrds and the Beatles, but were more rocking in the era that delivered Led Zeppelin.” I love the work. Of course, since those early ’90s days, when we were a band full-time and had little time to do anything but be in the studio or on the road, we’ve branched out into a lot of different things. I think I’ve become more expressive and skillful. One would hope that would be what you do with your next 20 years. Do you think something special, something new happened with your earliest albums? That initial burst of creativity was really neat. I give myself more credit now than I did then. I see our vision was intact. In things that I was saying and writing back then, I was more focused than I realized. But at the time, I thought of myself as an insecure, unfocused person. Now I see that our difficult childhoods gave us an edge in terms of wisdom. That’s why there are so many grownup themes on those early albums. We’re not singing about partying and stuff like that. There are a lot of turbulent family themes on the albums we’re reissuing. In 1987, you moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington. What happened to your musical partnership with Jon, who was still in high school in Bellingham? I didn’t have any real desire to do anything at the University of Washington. But I knew that not going would produce an untenable situation with my mom. I went to college to get her off my back. And I thought I’d figure out what I was going to do along the way. It didn’t occur to me to study music to make a career. I didn’t have the chops. I also got accepted to Washington University in St. Louis. Imagine how different my musical life would have been if I’d gone there. Maybe I’d be in Wilco now. But Seattle was the perfect choice. Neither you nor John stayed in college? Jon attended Western Washington University in Bellingham. But it didn’t last. We made Failure and things happened. Jon immediately moved to Seattle. I dropped out of the University of Washington and off we went. You and Jon played your first show when you were 18 and he was 17. Your first album, Failure, despite being created by teenagers, is so exceptional. Were you

JUNE 2018

and Jon deeply serious about music from very early on? In a way, we already were who we would become. We honed our craft as songwriters. We didn’t know it, but instinctively we knew that songs are the things that endure. Songs capture the moment. As good as your first album is, you hadn’t heard Big Star yet. You hadn’t had the chance to be influenced by the band’s singer-songwriters, Alex Chilton and Chris Bell. When you finally heard Big Star, what was your reaction? Big Star was not on our radar when the Posies started. But when Big Star’s #1 Record came out on CD in 1988, it was love at first listen. When I heard the first notes of “Feel,” I was transported. Big Star filled a huge missing link in my musical knowledge. The records had everything. They mixed the Byrds and the Beatles, but were more rocking in the era that delivered Led Zeppelin. Big Star became our favorite band. Our most important band. Our biggest inspiration. What was your experience working in Big Star with Chilton and Stephens like? We met Jody early on. He became a fan of ours. Alex was more elusive. We didn’t meet Alex until we were going to play together in the spring of 1993. The same weekend that Frosting on the Beater was released we played with Big Star in Columbia, Missouri. All these unlikely things happened. It was shocking. Like the Star Trek episode where Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to a planet run by 1920s-style gangsters. We were walking around within these Big Star songs that we knew so well. We walked within this music and were part of it for many years. We usually played together four or five times a year—until Alex died. It [performing with Chilton and Stephens] was a magical privilege, an honor, a joy. Something I could have never imagined. Not only that Big Star played, but that I performed with them. You worked with Chilton for 17 years. Did you become close with him? When we first started playing together, he wasn’t unfriendly, just calmly aloof. He was still drinking a little bit then. He smoked a lot of pot. That made him a little distant. But that went away. Gradually, as he grew to trust

us, he became affable. We spent some nice moments together, especially toward the end, when he was coming to Paris. In the last year I knew him, Alex was really transformed—a much happier, friendlier person. He got married and he seemed to make peace with a lot of things. That’s clear in the film footage of the last show we did together, in November 2009. It was the first time I’d seen him allowing himself to be touched by how into it people were. He moved into the moment and enjoyed the show. He loved the way all the people sang along. Alex wasn’t like that at the beginning, even on stage when people were going crazy for the band. I don’t think he believed it. He thought it was a misunderstanding, a fad. Like it would come back into fashion for a second and then go away. But then, 17 years later, here we were playing the Masonic Hall in New York and people were still going crazy. He’s like, ‘Okay, I get it. People love this music. I think I’m cool with that now.’ In a weird way, by the end, I think he’d completed his mission. You mentioned that Chilton visited France during his later years? He came to Paris frequently. He was sort of looking to me and my friends, and also his friends, to help him find a place to potentially live. Many artists and bands acknowledge and capitalize on anniversaries. And some don’t. Why have you and Jon chosen to recognize your 30th anniversary? It’s not that we’re capitalizing on it. We’re not buying an extra sailboat each from the proceeds. Really, it’s just that we’ve never been the kind to look back. We did a little acknowledge of our 20th anniversary with a show in Seattle, but, usually, we’re thinking about the next thing. But I’m turning 50 during this tour. And we’ve experienced loss. Parents and two band members in the past five years. So, the 30th anniversary is a celebration of our stick-to-it-iveness. Also a way for us to say, hey, we didn’t know it at the time—because we were so young and insecure, and we had band members coming and going and tension—but we actually had a vision and we carried through with it. We’re saying, ‘Hey, we’re still here and you’re still here with us.’ O www.OFFBEAT.com