Jazz Fest Bible OffBeat Magazine May 2017 by OffBeat Magazine

L OUISIANA MUSIC, FOOD & CULTURE—JAZZ FEST 2017

Troy

Free In Metro New Orleans US $5.99 CAN $6.99 £UK 3.50

e ews n o b m ndr o A r T y t r o Sh ew King t s e the n F of Jazz

Jazz Fest Bible STAGES • ARTISTS A-Z • FOOD • OUR PICKS • CLUB LISTINGS

The New King of Jazz Fest From a child prodigy to international music royalty, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews rules. Page 6 4

1 2 Letters 1 4 Mojo Mouth 1 6 Fresh Five Questions with Andre Bohren; Chris Joseph’s tears of healing; United Bakery Records Revue; My Music with Maggie Koerner and more.

Features

2 2 Sacred and Profane The festival-opening invocation by Michael Skinkus and Moyuba. 2 4 Built on Heritage Jazz Fest developed its identity through repetition. 2 6 Honoring Fallen Musicians Tributes to Buckwheat Zydeco at Festival International and Jazz Fest. 2 8 Partners in Jazz Alia Shawkat’s unlikely collaboration with New Orleans Swamp Donkeys. 3 0 The Gumbo Thing PJ Morton takes on the Buddy Bolden spirit and keeps innovating. 3 2 No Genre, No Peers Egg Yolk Jubilee celebrates 20 years. 3 6 High Fidelity Percussionist Bill Summers reveals how “Watermelon Man” came about. 3 8 Preservation Propagation Preservation Hall Jazz Band has left the museum behind. 4 2 Soulful Tenor Charlie Gabriel and Friends debuts at Jazz Fest. 4 4 BAM, BAM! Nicholas Payton’s Musical Journey through the African Diaspora. 4 6 If It Makes You Happy The Revelers are never going to be a pop band. 4 8 Rhythm & Rhymes The sky’s the limit with Nas and the Soul Rebels. www.OFFBEAT.com

50 Life Is a Rap Cabaret Boyfriend celebrates self-awareness and self-acceptance. 52 Love for the City William Bell returns to New Orleans. 54 Hot Horns Trumpet Mafia upholds the tradition of the trumpet.

page 27 JAZZ FEST STAGE SCHEDULES + MAP

5 6 Piano-1-O-Fun! The Social Music of Jon Batiste. 60 Kermit, Davell, Jason, Rebirth... Basin Street Records celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Food

1 04 Yum City Mapping New Orleans neighborhoods one cheap meal at a time. 1 06 Havana Banana Local pop-up Congreso Cubano will be serving fried plantains and other Cuban goodies at Jazz Fest. 1 08 Red Beans and Rice, or Rice and Beans? Margie Perez’s Cuban heritage has her looking extra forward to listening, playing and eating. 1 1 0 In the Spirit Leora Pearl Madden mixes up This Poem Sucks for Paul Sanchez at Pearl Wine.

Jazz Fest A to Z Page 7 2

Fest Focuses

The Revealers Page 79 The Iguanas Page 8 3 Kim Carson Page 8 8 Gregg Martinez Page 9 3 Lake Street Dive Page 9 7 Lee Konitz Page 1 0 1

Listings

Page 1 26

Backtalk with Herb Alpert

Page 13 7 1 1 2 OffBeat Eats Meschiya Lake is In the Spot at Red’s Chinese and Peter Thriffiley reviews Toast Fairgrounds.

Reviews

1 1 4 Trombone Shorty, Debbie Davis & Josh Paxton, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Flow Tribe, Marc Stone Band, Irvin Mayfield & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Sam Price & the True Believers, Chris Belleau, Bicycle Jones & Stover, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Dirty Bourbon River Show and more.

“Timing plays such an important part in the success I’ve had. You can be prepared, but if your timing is wrong, it’s not going to happen.” JAZZ FEST 2 017

Letters

“Driving ‘tween oak trees, sunshine welcoming rolled-down windows and an outstretched arm, hearing ‘Hey Pocky Way’ on ‘OZ, and suddenly, I’m there, heading to the Fair Grounds…” —Andrew Gibbs, New Orleans, Louisiana

Charlie Sims He was a “minister” in the purest sense of the word. He and Donna served out the secrets of life: love, happiness, music, kind words, and physical sustenance… all from their tiny venue on Rampart Street. The music, especially, changed my life. Blessed be. —Bill Bowman, New Orleans, Louisiana

Springtime for Quint For me, spring is full of Proustian moments. Driving ‘tween oak trees, sunshine welcoming rolled-down windows and an outstretched arm, hearing “Hey Pocky Way” on ‘OZ, and suddenly, I’m there, heading to the Fair Grounds, to my secret parking spot, wrapping beers in newspaper, to sneak in cargo shorts, planning a Crawfish Monica lunch, to eat on the way to Acura via Congo Square. It is, it was, it will be good to be here for the spring. Wishing everyone a happy festival season. —Andrew Gibbs, New Orleans, Louisiana The following letter is in response to Sam D’Arcangelo’s post “Jazz Fest Unveils 2017 Lineup.” First, the photo shown is a reminder of the increasing crowds and associated discomfort. I will never forget the Elton John show when attendees were actually climbing over the fence to get out and paramedics had difficulty getting to patients. Second, since this festival was taken over … too many big name artists start tours here and it draws a significantly different crowd. Jazz Fest may be located in New Orleans but each year it has become more difficult to enjoy. Next they’ll want to take away the Folklife Village, cooking demos, and replace real food booths with burger stands. We are not only offended by this list of artists but their order of significance! —Catherine Allin Tollstrup, Reno, Nevada

Same Old is New Again The following letter is in response to Jan Ramsey’s blog post, “Acculturation is not a

privilege, it’s a right; it’s the future,” about why people who love New Orleans get stuck in the velvet-lined rut that is New Orleans and don’t leave any room for changes. A very well written discourse. I’ve traveled the world and Louisiana for 25 years. There’s no other city like New Orleans. My Mom loved New Orleans and I grew up on her native music—Pete, Armstrong, George Lewis, Prima. I’m from the Chesapeake Bay area, crabbing, tonging oysters. Mom was an adventurous cook and I was the recipient of that gift. I know almost every part of the state. And New Orleans is even unique in her own way to other parts. Long before I moved here I read all the James Lee Burke novels. When I was here on business I already knew the streets and restaurants. I felt her constantly calling me here, my new home. I drank her water and she courses through my soul. Maybe I’m lucky that I was “adopted” almost immediately upon my arrival. I enjoy immense certain doorways open to me in this small city. Albeit, you’re correct in that I’m not on the family tree here. And I do see and feel a certain “Tu n’es pas ici” [“You’re not from here”]. But not very often. I can contribute considerably to any conversation with historical or traditional quips. No matter where I go now I see someone I already met. It’s a small town as they say. New Orleans is growing like a weed now. Even I don’t want her to change, ever. I’m truly “acculturatized.” —Jimmy Bassford, Lynchburg, Virginia

Corrections My Music with Timothy Robertson in our April issue incorrectly stated his last name as Robinson. Although Tim thinks it’s hilarious and points out that the “Robinson” alias will fit very well into a Dirty Mouth skit, we regret the error.—Ed. The photo of Alynda Lee Segarra (Backtalk, April 2017) failed to credit the photographer. The photographer is Sarrah Danziger. We regret the omission.—Ed.

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.

JAZZ FEST 2017

Louisiana Music, Food & Culture

Jazz Fest 2017 Volume 30, Number 5 Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jan V. Ramsey, janramsey@offbeat.com Managing Editor Joseph L. Irrera, josephirrera@offbeat.com Consulting Editor John Swenson Food Editor Elsa Hahne, elsahahne@offbeat.com Listings Editor Katie Walenter, listings@offbeat.com Contributors Rory Callais, Noe Cugny, Sam D’Arcangelo, Laura DeFazio, Maggie Doussan, Frank Etheridge, Robert Fontenot, Elsa Hahne, Kristen Johnson, Brett Milano, Jennifer Odell, Nick Pittman, John Swenson, Peter Thriffiley, Michael Patrick Welch, Dan Willging, John Wirt, Geraldine Wyckoff, Michael Allen Zell Cover Tim Neil Art Director/Food Editor Elsa Hahne, elsahahne@offbeat.com Web Editor Sam D'Arcangelo, sam@offbeat.com Copy Editor Theo Schell-Lambert, theo@offbeat.com Advertising Sales Maggie Doussan, maggie@offbeat.com Promotions Coordinator Camille A. Ramsey, camille@offbeat.com Advertising Design PressWorks, 504-944-4300 Business Manager Joseph L. Irrera Interns Alex Guior, Brittney Karno, Elina Tons 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 facebook.com/offbeatmagazine twitter.com/offbeatmagazine Copyright © 2017, 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

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

here’s a real groundswell of change in the city of New Orleans. If, as a Jazz Fest lover, you’ve been here before, you can remember what the Fest was like in years past. There used to be a “Fess” Stage. There were fewer people. Many more local and roots bands. In my opinion, there was more adulation being paid to the music and musicians that you’d hear at the Jazz Fest because there were so many bands that you could not enjoy live anywhere else. And that’s still the case, in many respects. But since Hurricane Katrina, everything in New Orleans changed. In order to survive—and because they were displaced to other cities and states—many musicians had

JAZZ FEST 2017

to take to the road much more than they had in the past just to earn enough money to live. A lot more people were exposed to New Orleans and Louisiana music. In some ways, it’s become ubiquitous. The Jazz Fest is big business—it generates millions of dollars for its producers and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, which owns the Fest itself. To its everlasting credit, the Foundation presents free community festivals all year, which have also spawned a number of other music-based festivals throughout the year, thus enhancing our “festival economy.” The Foundation also contributes substantially to community education, performance and cultural

By Jan Ramsey projects, including its School of Music, community grants and support for radio station WWOZ-FM. Just like any business, the Jazz Fest is always trying to reinforce its brand and establish itself with a market of younger consumers. After all, the Festival is almost 50 years old, and the early Festers are sometimes almost too decrepit to make it around the Fair Grounds anymore. You need legs and stamina to do it right. With a market of younger audiences come booking changes. More national acts. Hip-hop. Altcountry. Pop rock. To some, Jazz Fest has become more of a social and cultural event than a transcendent musical experience—not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Luckily, in New Orleans we have the opportunity to experience local music every single day. Yes the music scene is changing and attracting a crowd of people who may be more into the party scene, but c’est la vie. I think it’s important for the original Festers to indoctrinate newbies into why the Jazz Fest has endured for so long. Instilling respect and appreciation for our music, culture and traditions are of the ultimate importance. So old-timers: Be patient, be respectful, enjoy, and pass the torch on to another generation. And the same goes for you newbies: Be respectful of our culture, learn from it, immerse yourself. Become a real New Orleanian. We need you. Happy Jazz Fest, y’all! O

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FRESH

OffBeat.com

SWEET TWEETS

ohnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes recently celebrated its 15th anniversary as a band. How has the band evolved over time and how is that reflected on your latest album, Sketch? This record is the most song-oriented of all the Johnny Sketch records. There’s still plenty of the eclectic funk-rock that’s been our signature since the beginning, but these songs have more pop elements, with very melodic choruses and catchy horn lines. Has the creative process changed over the years? If so, how? Now we have to schedule time to create, for starters. Over the years we have all spent a lot of time together; a few of us even lived together at different points in time. Now that we are all working on various projects outside of JSDN we have to consciously set time aside for us to come together and write. Sketch is the first album you guys have made with this current lineup of Dirty Notes. What do they bring to the album that sets sketch apart from other JSDN albums? The current lineup, in addition to the original Dirty Notes [Andre Bohren, Marc Paradis and David Pomerleau] includes Omar Ramirez, who we have played with since right after Katrina and who is a fixture in the Dirty Notes. We have also added Josh Paxton on keys. Paxton brings so much talent to the table and really fills out our sounds. Rounding out the band on this album on alto, tenor and baritone sax is Sage Rouge. Sage was a student of our former saxophonist, Brad Walker, so the transition between the two was fairly seamless. However, on this album Sage brings the heat! She even engages in a rap battle with David Pomerleau on the track ‘Stop It.’ Sketch marks a major milestone for you as this is the first time you have been the producer of a JSDN album. What was it like to have this added responsibility this time around? When we started making this album I did not originally set out with the goal of being the producer. I have always been heavily involved in the album production process in terms of arranging and composing the songs; however this time, as we started the recording process I realized that I had a very clear vision for this album. About halfway through making the album, I called the rest of the band members and we all agreed that I would be the one to take the producer credit for this one. So bottom line… Why should we pick up this record? The album opens with an in-your-face cello fanfare and never looks back. I think it’s our most focused effort yet—the rock stuff rocks extra hard, and the funk stuff has a deeper groove. We’re all really proud of the final product. —Maggie Doussan

Photo: paul broussard

Five Questions with Andre Bohren

Chilluns & Dads: Thursday, May 4— Gentilly Stage, 12:45 p.m.

Photo: noe cugny

Tonya Boyd-Cannon at French Quarter Fest

SOUNDCHECK

JAZZ FEST 2017

@JohnPapaGros I learned from Allen Toussaint that there are no bad ideas, but only that some ideas work better than others in certain situations. @mpatrickwelch One of my wife’s goats just ate my new $100 bag of greens. @JazzTimes Herbie Hancock will be on tour with a full band for the first time since 2011. Tour dates just announced. @miaborders “What are you doing with those drums, girl? You play in your garage or something?”—multiple male customers at Guitar Center. @jeffalbert I need to do my taxes. I think I am going to get a lot of practicing done tonight. And maybe clean my office. @quintanabanana (Sarah Quintana) To Marseille with Love, my next album, sets love letters from WW2 to music. @HelenGillet John Goodman attracting the orbs while listening to my solo set?! Another surreal night in New Orleans.

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MY MUSIC

Offering up a dozen

Maggie Koerner Photo: liam conway

UNITED BAKERY RECORDS

f you were lucky enough to catch a concert or art show at the United Bakery Art Gallery, you know what a special hub it’s been for local artists and fans alike. Although the homey, living room–like spot on St. Bernard is no longer in operation as a venue, the community lives on in United Bakery Records. What’s more, it’s not too late to experience the musical energy live. The creative spirits behind the growing record label—Liam Conway, Daniel Grey, Lauren Miller, Galen Cassidy Peria and Shane Sayers—will launch the first annual United Bakery Records Revue this Jazz Fest. The two-day concert series will take place at the Marigny Recording Studio on May 2 and May 3. Made up of a collection of associated acts with a quintessentially New Orleans kind of grassroots enthusiasm for promoting local music, the Revue sounds similar in spirit to events like Chaz Fest, that beloved between-Fest-weekend musical smorgasbord. “Everybody on the United Bakery Revue lineup has played at the art gallery,” Conway said. “It’s a celebration of the community we built there.” The 12 local acts (the “Bakery Dozen”) to be featured (see full lineup below) will each play a three-song set, with one song apiece appearing on a live album. “We’re really excited about this album,” Peria said. “It’s gonna have that classic live studio feel. Live energy, studio quality.” Everyone knows a real “baker’s dozen” is 13, so “The Gong” will serve as the bonus track. “‘The Gong’… that’s how we would start all of our shows,” Miller explained. “Liam has this gong that he brought into the gallery. We would get there, set up and then one of us would go out onto St. Bernard and sound the gong. It was all very ceremonial.” They can’t wait to bring the Bakery’s quirky traditions and mass of talent to the Marigny Recording Studio. Attendees can expect food pop-ups, beer from Urban South Brewery, and between-set live art performances. The full lineup: Tuesday May 2, 2017: Julie Odell, Toonces, Anna Pardenik, the Salt Wives, Up Up We Go, Maggie Belle Band. Wednesday May 3, 2017: Keisha Slaughter, Garden Marbles, Tasche & the Psychedelic Roses, Shane Sayers, Duke Aeroplane & the Filthy Trumps, the Tumbling Wheels. The Marigny Recording Studio is located at 535 Marigny St. Tickets can be found at unitedbakeryrecords.com. —Laura DeFazio

JAZZ FEST 2017

“W

hen I want to chill, I like to listen to Radiohead. As for singers, I like this new guy Sampha. And Kendrick Lamar. My go-to favorite female is Leslie Feist. Her album Metals—that’s the album I listen to when I really want to feel something. I’ve recently thought how grateful I am to have that gift—because some people oftentimes just scream when they’ve had a horrible day. For me, to get to really belt out some stuff and have an emotional show, that’s absolutely cathartic. I don’t know where that gift comes from. Maybe a little God, maybe somebody in my family tree. It’s definitely God-given, if you’re asking me. From such an early age, I was able to sing and I loved music. I understood it without being taught it. I listened to whatever was on in my mom’s car or my dad’s car: Cat Stevens, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac. In fifth grade I had a great music teacher, Stacey Hood, and she gave me the solo part in a play in school. She said to me, ‘You have a gift.’ She gave me that validation. If some teacher tells you you’re special, you hold to that. So that was special for me. ‘Neutral Ground’ I wrote when I moved from Shreveport to New Orleans in 2011. I found it so beautiful, how it’s not a median—they call it a neutral ground, and I learned why. I’d been on a cross-country road trip with a dude. So I just wrote a song about what it’s like to be in a relationship and comparing that relationship to this one I’m having with New Orleans. I try to have as many meanings as possible in my lyrics—so that they’re not telling you how to think. I like lyrics that can be interpreted however the listener hears them.

‘Dig Down Deep’? Here’s the thing: When I wrote that song, it was about a relationship. Two years later, it has a completely different meaning to me. I wrote it about a relationship, and now when I’m singing it, I’m asking people to be a present member of the times. To dig down deeper. To think, goddammit! Change is coming whether we like it or not. The social issues we have are because people don’t step outside of themselves enough. And there’s a lot of unhappy people in America right now—and I’m one of them. I’m from Shreveport. I could have turned out to have a very specific type of life because of how I was raised: in a predominately white, upper-class, Catholic school world. But goddamn was that boring. I wanted to get out and meet all kinds of people.” —Frank Etheridge Maggie Koerner plays Saturday, May 6 at 11:20a on the Gentilly Stage. www.OFFBEAT.com

FRESH

LIFE IS A RIDE

Photo: lee celano

Chris Joseph’s tears of healing

hether you’ve ever met the man or not—and since he lives in Los Angeles, odds are you haven’t—New Orleans music owes a lot to Chris Joseph. Back in 2006, he canvassed fans on the Jazz Fest chat board to raise money for John Boutté and Paul Sanchez, then displaced by Katrina, to make a CD together. That led to the creation of the Threadhead label, which released and additional 52 CDs over the next decade, all fan-funded—arguably the most prolific label recording local music in that time. “He was the ultimate fan who also had an innovative business head, who saw a way to bring a community together,” says writer/journalist Steve Hochman, who’s part of the Threadhead advisory board. So when Joseph announced last winter that he was being treated for pancreatic cancer, a lot of musicians wanted to take the chance to return some love—none more so than Paul Sanchez, who’s worked on numerous Threadhead projects (including the Nine Lives soundtrack) and become good friends with Joseph as well. The result is Sanchez’s new album, Life is a Ride, which will be unveiled at the annual Threadhead party at City Park on April 27. Released just weeks after its recording, the disc is unique for a few reasons: All 13 songs were recorded in one day, with an all-star cast including Royal Fingerbowl (Alex McMurray, Matt Perrine and Carlo Nuccio, recording as a unit for the first time in years), Susan Cowsill & Russ Broussard, Craig Klein, and Shamarr Allen—all of whom had done Threadhead albums in the past. It also marks Joseph’s songwriting debut, contributing lyrics to three songs. “Chris and I have been friends for 11 years now; we’ve shared some good times and some really rough ones,” Sanchez said. “I was on my own path back to recovery from getting divorced, around the same time he started his from cancer. We exchanged a lot of texts and in one he said he’d cried a river of tears when he got the news, but those could turn into tears of healing. He asked if I could turn that into a song, and I think it became a really beautiful one. For ‘Life Is a Ride’ he came up with a couple verses and a chorus. Alex added some poetry that became the part at the end and I know that’s an honor for Chris, since he loves Alex’s writing.” Overall it may be Sanchez’s most rocking album since his Cowboy Mouth days. “I wanted it to be celebratory and catchy and danceable.” The album will also be a Jazz Fest fix for Joseph, whose treatment will keep him away this year. “It’s been a tough time, so to have Paul do something like this—he’s just the guy,” Joseph said. “I am overwhelmed on so many levels.” —Brett Milano Paul Sanchez & the Rolling Road Show play on Friday, April 28 at 1:45p on the Gentilly Stage.

JAZZ FEST 2017

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MICHAEL SKINKUS MICHAEL SKINKUS & MOYUBA: FRIDAY, APRIL 28—LAGNIAPPE STAGE, 11:30 A.M.

Sacred and Profane PHotoS: elsa hahne

The festival-opening invocation by Michael Skinkus and Moyuba.

azz Fest 48 will be remembered as the year New Orleans officially rekindled its African diaspora cultural connection to the music of Cuba. Michael Skinkus and Moyuba will welcome this moment with a festival-opening invocation at the Lagniappe Stage. “Jazz Fest contacted me last summer to give them some ideas about who to ask,” says Skinkus, who first played the festival with Smilin’ Myron in 1990. “I was honored, having been part of the preservation of Cuban music in New Orleans and the percussion traditions of West Africa. This is music based on religious music, these songs are all worship songs to the orishas, to the deities and so it’s like doing a blessing to the entire Fair Grounds by doing this first gig, sort of opening the crossroads. If you’re familiar with Santería, the religion is

JAZZ FEST 2017

monotheistic, there’s a high god, and what you do is you sing to the loa or the orishas and you make your offerings up to the high god, very much in the way of Catholicism, the way people would create an alter to St. Peter to adore God. That’s why Catholicism and these African traditions work so well together because they’re monotheistic and there are ways to approach the high god through intermediaries. “Moyuba means to give thanks or praise and we do a series of songs that are based on these rhythms and call-andresponse vocals that are sort of petitions to the orishas. We use that as a foundation for what I call music of the ancient future, going back as far as we can to the source but trying to make music that’s about today and about tomorrow. “The first three orishas that you salute are called the By John Swenson

warriors Elegua, Ogun and Ochosi. Elegua is like Papa Legba of New Orleans legend, who you go down to the crossroads to ask favors from, he’s like the favorite of God so he’s the first you salute. Ogun has a big machete, he cuts everything out of your way, clears your path. The third, Ochosi, is the hunter. “Then we go through some others, some of the female deities: Yemaya, who is the mother of the ocean, she dances with a skirt of seven layers for the seven seas, her colors are blue and white and she’s the maternal figure. Then Oshun is the daughter of Yemaya, she’s all dressed in gold and yellow and white. Yemaya put her daughter Oshun in charge of the fresh water. “There are several different suites of songs dedicated to the various orishas. There’s BabaluAye, the father of health and sickness, ‘father of the language

of the world,’ we sing to him.” Skinkus, who plays Batá drums in Moyuba, founded the band in 2002. This lineup includes a second drummer, Gabriel Velazco, bassist Pat Casey and saxophone player Brad Walker along with singers Margie Perez and Sula and Andaiye from Zion Trinity. Skinkus only plays with Moyuba on special occasions. “We’ve tried to do it in the clubs but it just doesn’t work in a nightclub so we only take gigs where we can present the music in a setting where we can preserve the music in an ambience that seems respectful to it.” The band plays music inspired by the Santeria ceremonies of Cuba. “The idea with these ceremonies is to play the drums with enough spiritual energy that it introduces the trance possession so that the loas and the orishas www.OFFBEAT.com

MICHAEL SKINKUS

can come down and speak to the people. That’s not the goal in performance, of course, but in the ceremonial context.” Skinkus has played to possessions, but notes that the situation is different in a festival setting. “I’ve been in dance classes where people for example have broken down and started crying in the middle of the class because sometimes the ancestors have some stuff to work out. I’ve played in ceremonies in Cuba where people have gotten possessed, but I’ve never seen a full on possession during one of these performances. The thing is the drums we play at the Jazz Fest, they don’t have the sacred spirit inside of them, those drums have to have special preparation, so the drums we play at Jazz Fest are like profane drums as opposed to the sacred drums used at ceremonies so they really shouldn’t bring the orisha down. “But people do have reactions. You ever watch the ladies when they start making that movement like they got touched a little bit on the shoulders? It’s a very similar experience. “We’re trying to educate people, but we’re also trying to give it a New Orleans context. I don’t want to be a Cuban drummer, I don’t want to be a Brazilian drummer. I want to be great at those styles, but I’m not part of that culture so what I want to do is offer my context, the New Orleans way of interpreting this traditional West African music that’s made its way through the Caribbean and up to New Orleans for these many, many years.” O www.OFFBEAT.com

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JAZZ FEST LINEUP

Built on Heritage

ince its inception, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has sought to pair big name touring acts with local talent. This was meant to maximize crowds: tourists unfamiliar with Louisiana music would come for the big names, and New Orleanians who regularly attended live local music gigs could now justify a ticket purchase for the festival. While the sound of the mainstream “tent pole” artists have evolved over the years, this idea of balance has been a constant throughout the festival’s long run. In this sense, 2017 boasts a quintessentially “Jazz Fest” lineup, mixing big-name stars, mid-level touring acts, and a healthy portion of local music. But the 2017 lineup also feels strikingly familiar. Stevie Wonder and Snoop Dogg were scheduled to perform in 2016, but had to cancel due to rain. Tom Petty and Maroon 5 both have played within the last five years, as have Alabama Shakes, Wilco, and Pitbull. Widespread Panic and Dave Matthews seem to be in the lineup every other year. And of course, the same Louisiana acts have regular annual spots on the roster. But much like the logic behind Jazz Fest’s musical identity, recurring artists have been a part of the festival since the beginning. Local gospel institution the Zion Harmonizers and blues legend Little Freddie King have played at every Jazz Fest since the inaugural 1970 festival. The festival’s early years were also marked by recurring folk artists and vendors like Sister Gertrude Morgan, Jeanne and Claudia Dumestre (a.k.a. the “pralinéres”), and the Roman Candy man. This is, of course, no accident. The modern New Orleans Jazz

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and Heritage Festival’s culture may be light on the “jazz,” but the festival’s authenticity is built on “heritage.” The local customs and quirks that separate Jazz Fest from other major American music festivals—the Mardi Gras Indians, the presence of a Gospel Tent in the first place, the exceptional local food vendors, the folk art passed down through generations, even the bells and cheers that come with tips at the beer tent—are all part of the Jazz Fest heritage. Heritage is built on tradition, and tradition, by definition, is repetition. Jazz Fest developed its identity over decades of customs being tried, accepted or discarded, and established through repetition. Those traditions eventually became an inseparable part of the Jazz Fest experience and “brand.” It is not a stretch to believe the same mentality may extend to booking musical acts. Not that there is anything wrong with that. In fact, Jazz Fest may be By Rory Callais

ahead of the curve in the tradition business. Many musical acts have staged lucrative tours performing decades-old classic albums in their entirety (including 2017 Jazz Fest headliner Stevie Wonder, who toured performing Songs in the Key of Life in 2015). Many of the most successful films of late are revivals of old franchises, like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and the endless stream of comic book reboots and remakes. We even elected a president on the vague promise that he would make America great again, suggesting the restoration of faded glories. In short, nostalgia is all the rage right now, and Jazz Fest was into nostalgia before it was cool. But Jazz Fest serving as a 1970s time capsule is why the tourists keep coming back. While Jazz Fest has always been a vehicle to generate tourism dollars, part of the balance that has kept the festival successful over five decades is also catering to locals. The New Orleans Jazz

and Heritage Festival Foundation, Inc.—the organizing body of the festival that was incorporated only two months before the first Jazz Fest—lists in its Articles of Incorporation that its purpose, among many other things, is to “promote, preserve, encourage, and advertise New Orleans jazz, folklore, blues, gospel music, Cajun music, and soul music.” The Foundation has always redistributed the profits of Jazz Fest (whenever there have been any) back into the New Orleans music community. The intent to preserve New Orleans culture has been a driving force behind Jazz Fest, but that cannot be done without preserving the festival itself. So yes, Jazz Fest is basically the same every year. That is also the point. The revenue from the festival goes toward grooming the next generation of New Orleans musicians. The Mardi Gras Indians and heavy focus on folk art allows cultural traditions to thrive in a living museum. The festival brings into harmony the disparate elements of Louisiana culture from African to Cajun heritage. It is probably safe to assume that Jazz Fest is the only major American music festival to feature both a stage honoring the vital importance of Congo Square to jazz history and headliner Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. This balance—between tourist and local, mainstream and underground, even black and white—took decades to perfect. Trial and error yielded both good years and bad as the identity of the festival took shape over time. The result is a unique American institution that provides a good time for tourists, a cultural ambassador for locals, and an economic boom for musicians and artists. That is not something worth changing just for the sake of change. O www.OFFBEAT.com

PHoto: erika goldring

Jazz Fest developed its identity through repetition.

BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO A TRIBUTE TO BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO: SATURDAY, MAY 6—BLUES TENT, 2:35 P.M.

Honoring Fallen Musicians

“B

uckwheat is special to the whole world,” says Corey “Lil Pop” Ledet, zydeco accordionist and participant in the upcoming Festival International and Jazz Fest tributes to zydeco’s global ambassador. “In my opinion, he was a gift to Planet Earth.” On September 14, 2016, Planet Earth lost its special gift when Buckwheat Zydeco, whose real name was Stanley Joseph Dural, Jr., passed away after a long, hardfought battle with lung cancer. His accomplishments were many. More than anyone before him or since, he brought the bluesy-based, indigenous music of Southwest Louisiana’s Creoles its greatest prominence. He was the first to record on a major label—Island in 1986—and over time, he shared the stage and collaborated with Eric Clapton, U2, Paul Simon, Robert Plant, Keith Richards and Willie Nelson. He won a Grammy in 2010 for his last recording, Lay Your Burden Down on Alligator Records, and notched an Emmy in 2002 for his music for the television movie Pistol Pete: The Life and Times of Pete Maravich. He played the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta to three billion viewers across the globe. He appeared in the 1987 film The Big Easy and his music was also featured in several other flicks. After spending two-and-a-half years in Clifton Chenier’s Red Hot Louisiana Band, playing keys for the King of Zydeco, he left to start his own band and further evangelize the gospel of zydeco. Though his accomplishments, accolades and contributions are too numerous to cite here, he touched the lives of many and won’t likely be forgotten. “I know he is still with us,” says Buckwheat’s son, Sir Reginald Master Dural, who also

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played rubboard in his father’s backing squadron Ils Sont Partis Band. “It’s just different. I’m still waiting for that phone call, ‘Hey Sir Reg, whatcha doing son?’” That spirit will likely be present when the Reginald Dural-led Ils Sont Partis Band pays homage to their late, great former namesake frontman. Accordionists will be plentiful. Besides Dural, there will also be Ledet, C.J. Chenier and Nathan Williams of Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas. Longtime Virginia-based guitarist Mike Melchione will reunite with his former bandmates, as will several “cousins,” bassist Lee Allen Zeno, legendary blues guitarist Paul “Lil’ Buck” Sinegal and drummer Kevin Menard. Dural predicts that all four accordionists will be onstage for the last number for a blazing shootout finale. “Jazz Fest is good about honoring its fallen musicians. By Dan Willging

They honored my dad (Clifton Chenier),” says longtime friend C.J. Chenier. “Buckwheat did a lot for the zydeco community. It’s fitting for them to recognize him for what he did.” Though C.J. and Buckwheat weren’t in Chenier’s Red Hot Louisiana Band at the same time, over the years they did numerous tours together. C.J. says there were many things Buckwheat and he had in common, such as the same middle name (Joseph), starting out on saxophone, liking smooth jazz and even having the same booking agency for years. “We did a lot of shows and we became more like a family thing,” says C.J. “When I was around, I used to play his accordion or the organ and we just became musical buddies, sort of like relatives.” C.J. remembers first seeing Buckwheat play while still in high school. “He was playing B-3 with

my daddy and we were standing on the side of the stage saying ‘That’s a bad mother shut-your-mouth.’” “Man, anything he ever called me for, no matter what it was, I was always available for him because I had that much respect for him,” says C.J. Nathan Williams remembers first seeing Buckwheat playing a block dance with his legendary funk aggregation Buckwheat & the Hitchhikers as a young boy in St. Martinville. Years later, Williams moved to Lafayette to help his older brother Sid open a grocery store and met Buckwheat, who was living across the street. They became friends, and Nathan bought his first accordion from Buckwheat. “So what happened was I went to one of his dances,” Williams explained. “I played one song with the band and then I started practicing on my own.” Eventually Buckwheat recommended Williams to his booking agency and his former label Rounder Records. “It has come a long way, man,” Williams reflects. “He’s been a giant help. Good people, you know.” When Ledet considered stepping down from the zydeco game— “Buckwheat caught word of that and instructed me to come to his house,” Ledet recalls. “He basically told me that ‘you are too good to ever stop anything that you’re doing and if you stop, I’m going to have a problem with you.’ So with that being said, I strapped the accordion back on and kept on going. And that was the last time we spoke.” “I know it’s going to be nice,” Sir Reginald says about the upcoming tribute. “It’s going to be a blessing because I love these guys and have been performing with them for years. We are just going to have a ball. It’s a happy music, man. I mean if you are not moving, something’s wrong with you.” O www.OFFBEAT.com

PHoto: scott saltzman

Tributes to Buckwheat Zydeco at Festival International and Jazz Fest.

ALIA SHAWKAT FRIDAY, MAY 5—ECONOMY HALL TENT, 4:25 P.M.

Partners in Jazz Alia Shawkat’s unlikely collaboration with New Orleans Swamp Donkeys.

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PHoto: marc pagani

f you’re familiar with Alia Shawkat, there’s a good chance it’s because of her work on the new dark comedy Search Party or the cult classic sitcom Arrested Development, where she plays the precocious and droll Maeby Fünke. While the 28-year-old actress has already developed an impressive resume, fans may be surprised to learn that she’s making moves in an entirely different area: jazz. Shawkat’s partners in crime are the New Orleans Swamp Donkeys Traditional Jass Band, a relatively young group that has performed throughout the United States and Europe since forming in 2012. Led by trumpeter and vocalist James Williams, the band offers a fresh approach to old favorites by Louis Armstrong, King Oliver and other greats from the 1900s–1920s. In many ways their goal is to introduce this music to younger audiences who’ve grown up on contemporary sounds that, on the surface, seem miles away from the Dixieland jazz associated with New Orleans. It’s a mission that was exemplified by their biggest hit to date, a trad jazz reimagining of the Game of Thrones theme song that has garnered over a million views on YouTube. This may give you the idea that the Swamp Donkeys thrive on TVrelated gimmicks, yet that could not be further from the truth. Despite her reluctance in admitting it, Shawkat is a fine singer with a deeprooted and genuine respect for the music she helps bring to life. If you’re hoping for millennial-approved irony, then look somewhere else. This is a first-rate traditional jazz show. “I always sang, but never really for people. To be honest, that kind of started with the Swamp Donkeys,” says Shawkat. “My grandfather and I were pretty close before he passed away, and he would tell me all these stories about

his friends like Nat King Cole. I have a photo that Louis Armstrong signed to my mom. Jazz was very much in my grandfather’s blood, and when he passed away, I got his collection of jazz music. That’s all I would listen to for a few years. So I started to get to know the songs and the different versions. I would learn them on piano, but it was more of a private thing. That was the knowledge I had by the time I met the gang. I was like, ‘Yeah, I know all these songs.’” That grandfather was Paul Burke, a New Orleans native and fellow actor who was nominated for two Emmy Awards back in the ’60s. Burke spent much of his youth in a Bourbon Street nightclub that was owned by his father, so it’s no wonder that jazz was near and dear to his heart. Shawkat, on the other hand, grew up in California, and her appreciation for the culture of New Orleans did not come until later in life, when a serendipitous encounter introduced her to the Swamp Donkeys: By Sam D’Arcangelo

“About three or four years ago, I was in a film called The Final Girls that was shot in Zachary, Louisiana,” Shawkat explains. “One weekend we went to New Orleans and it was my first trip. I just remember being completely taken by the city. It was a familiar feeling, like I was supposed to be there. On the first night, I went out to Frenchmen Street by myself and just wandered around. The last spot I went to was d.b.a., and Josh [Marotta], who is the drummer for the Swamp Donkeys, was playing. We quickly became friends and then the next day I met the whole group. I told them I liked to sing and they were like, ‘Alright let’s hear it.’ It started from there.” After collaborating for a few shows at local venues like Blue Nile and the Jazz Playhouse (then known as Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse), the Swamp Donkeys and Shawkat teamed up for a recording session in Brooklyn. As Williams noted, “Those were long, grueling, 10 or 12–hour days.” The result of that endeavor was A Fine Romance, a delightful EP

featuring five covers of classic duets like “My Sweet Hunk O’ Trash,” and “They All Laughed.” The record got its official release earlier this year, though the title track’s music video earned a Best of the Beat Award nomination in 2015. The upcoming Jazz Fest show will mark the Swamp Donkeys’ biggest gig yet with Shawkat, and everyone on board is excited for what’s in store. They’ll have a 70-minute slot, so you can expect Shawkat, Williams and the rest of the band—Sam Friend (banjo/ vocals), Miles Lyons (sousaphone), Nick Garrison (trombone), Josh “Jams” Marotta (percussion), Connor Stewart—to look beyond the five songs on their EP. On top of that, the Swamp Donkeys will share a bill with the Soul Brass Band and Kristina Morales & the Bayou Shufflers when they play a late-night set at the Little Gem Saloon on Thursday, May 4. Who knows? Maybe a special guest will drop by for that one. O New Orleans Swamp Donkeys will be at the Little Gem Saloon on May 4 at 9 p.m. www.OFFBEAT.com

PJ MORTON PJ MORTON: FRIDAY, MAY 5—CONGO SQUARE STAGE, 3:30 P.M. MAROON 5: SATURDAY, APRIL 29—ACURA STAGE, 5:15 P.M.

The Gumbo Thing PJ Morton takes on the Buddy Bolden spirit and keeps innovating.

ew Orleans native PJ Morton never thought he’d live in his hometown again. For years, Morton—the soul-pop singer, songwriter and producer who’s been a keyboardist with pop-rock band Maroon 5 since 2010—was doing great in Los Angeles. “I was one of the guys who never planned on moving back home,” Morton said in advance of his two appearances at Jazz Fest. He’ll perform with Maroon 5, one of this year’s headliners, on April 29. He’ll be back at Jazz Fest for a solo show on May 5. Before Morton made New Orleans his city of residence again in November 2015, he had his reasons for not living in the famously musical city of his birth. “I wasn’t a traditional jazz musician,” he explained. “I wasn’t a rapper. So, when I started to come into my own as a musician, I wanted to get away. I wanted to stay away.” Morton, the son of awardwinning gospel artist Bishop Paul S. Morton, also knew he didn’t want to take his father’s place as leader of the Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church. Morton’s early steps away from New Orleans took him to Morehouse College in Atlanta. While he was still at Morehouse, Morton’s chances of success in Los Angeles, the city he moved to after college, were buoyed by his Grammy-winning collaboration with India.Arie for her 2002 album, Voyage to India. Although Morton did leave New Orleans, he nevertheless proudly carried his hometown with him. “You get cool points when you’re from New Orleans,” he said. “If you’re in music, you get extra cool points—because to be great in New Orleans, you’ve got to be ten times ahead of musicians elsewhere in the country.”

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Successful though Morton was away from home, a visit to New Orleans with Maroon 5 for a performance at the 2013 Jazz Fest stirred his interest in returning. “That was the first seed planted in me about considering moving home,” he said. “Being in New Orleans with Maroon 5 then was kind of surreal. I was home, but I was also there with these guys I’d toured the world with. It made me look at the city differently.” In the succeeding months, near the end of his Los Angeles years, the desire to go home intensified. “I was growing uninspired in L.A.,” he said. “I was searching for something. A lot of times, when you’re searching for things, you need to go back to where you started.” By John Wirt

In retrospect, Morton has no regrets about his Los Angeles or Atlanta years. “All the moves I made kept me pushing forward,” he said. “When I went to school in Atlanta and met Jermaine Dupri and India. Arie, when I got my first Grammy, it was always forward. Moving to L.A. pushed me even further. “Of course, linking up with Maroon 5 was bigger than anything else I had done to that point. I’m happy I did those moves, that I explored things and stayed open. Now I’m bringing all that back to New Orleans. I didn’t know that was the plan, but now it all makes sense.” Morton wants to apply his knowledge and experience to building the music business infrastructure in New Orleans. For decades, after all, the city’s

remarkable musical talent has never been accompanied by a music business community that rivaled Nashville, Los Angeles or, in the glory days of Motown Records, Detroit. “We focus on our past, what made New Orleans New Orleans,” Morton said. “But we overlook the innovation that created jazz. We put all these genres together in a gumbo to create jazz. Now we’ve got to keep innovating. So that’s my job, to hold our past sacredly, but also to take that Buddy Bolden spirit and keep innovating.” Morton formed a production company and record label even before he became a New Orleans resident again. “But my vision didn’t fully come into play until after I moved home,” he said. “I want Morton Records to be the Motown of New Orleans. We’ll focus on local talent, but the vision is to export. It’s not about keeping our New Orleans charm to ourselves. It’s about getting these acts out to the world.” Meanwhile, as Morton finds and signs artists, he released his latest solo album in April. Gumbo is the first album he’s recorded in New Orleans. The title is both a nod to his hometown and the topics in his lyrics. “I usually focus on love and relationships,” he said. “But this time I want to reflect the times. There’s a lot going on in the world—racial tension and a lot of division in general.” Gumbo track “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” is about staying optimistic, no matter what discouraging turns life takes. “Claustrophobic” encourages listeners to stay creative and true to themselves. “I’m touching on a lot of different things,” Morton said. “And that’s a gumbo thing.” O www.OFFBEAT.com

EGG YOLK JUBILEE EGG YOLK JUBILEE: THURSDAY, MAY 4—LAGNIAPPE STAGE, 5:30 P.M.

No Genre, No Peers Egg Yolk Jubilee celebrates 20 years.

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PHoto: Ed Doskey

or 20 years now, the members of Egg Yolk Jubilee have practiced in the “Jefferson Orleans North” ballroom in Metairie, performing their songs for what looks like an empty senior prom. The seven current band members set up their gear on the dancefloor. Long white drapes frame the vast main room. In the hall’s center a glimmering chandelier hangs near a spiral staircase that rises to the white heavens. The sound of horns warming up fills the vast space. Behind the band, at every single practice for 20 years, has loomed a full bar. This alone would have killed a lesser band long ago. But here we are, celebrating the 20-year anniversary of Egg Yolk Jubilee, and the hard-todescribe yet consummately New Orleans band’s closing set at the Lagniappe Stage (5:30 to 6:30) at Jazz Fest on May 4. I made the sacrifice and drove out to Metry just to listen to them practice their upcoming set. This year will represent only the third time EYJ has performed at Jazz Fest. “I think the last time was in 2008,” sax man and guitarist Paul Grass struggles to recall. “I can’t speak for anyone else in the band, but I can’t remember anything about it. Not even because I was fucked up. It was just so great! I just remember I couldn’t believe I was playing at the fricking Jazz Fest! I remember we pleaded with drummer Charlie Kohlmeyer to play that gig with us and he learned all our songs in two weeks.” Since then, much has changed for the band, mostly for the better. In their beginnings, you might have described Egg Yolk as what Zappa woulda sounded like had he procured a wicked New Orleans horn section and concerned himself a bit more with making people dance. They were fast, and they

were funny. But EYJ has also always had what they call their “roast beef set” down pat. “The roast beef part of the set list is all the old-sounding stuff, our old originals, like Paul’s ‘Candy Store’ from [1999’s] Champions of Breakfast,” says bassist Mike Hogan. “When you’re playing events, like weddings or Mardi Gras corporate events, there is always the ‘roast beef’ collection of music you’d play while everyone is at the carving table, eating, before they get liquored up. The more trad stuff gets pushed to the roast beef part. Then when they get liquored up you can push into the more experimental territory.” In the ’90s, Egg Yolk’s wicked horns made them the most trad band playing at the Dixie Tavern and other punk and rock venues with acts like Lump, Black Problem and others. But the band members agree that the wing of New Orleans’ By Michael Patrick Welch

music scene that once housed the more esoteric, non-traditional bands has shrunk considerably since the “alternative” ’90s. “When we first started out we were kind of media darlings,” remembers trumpet player Eric Belletto. “We won a Best of the Beat Award, then a Big Easy Award. But I think Paul mouthed off to Emeril Lagasse,” he hypothesizes when asked why the band hasn’t played Jazz Fest in almost a decade. “At the Big Easy Awards, Emeril came over to meet us and Paul said to him, ‘Make me food!’ Which was a quote from when Emeril was on the show Space Ghost Coast to Coast—but Emeril just walked away.” The band later recorded a jingle meant to sell Emeril’s cookware, so clearly the powerful chef has not kept the band off the Jazz Fest stage all these years. Still, there lingers the inescapable feeling that Egg Yolk Jubilee are now oddballs

in New Orleans’s current music scene—no genre, no peers. “These days we are too rock for the jazz crowd and too jazz for the rock crowd,” Belletto bemoans. I meet the whole band again at the Second Line Brewery to discuss its new 20th Anniversary Greatest Hits record, which features three new songs. After one beer, I’m loose enough to boss the bartender to play this “new” Egg Yolk CD over the main speakers. He says he’ll do what he can. To be safe, I also give a copy of the CD to the bar’s manager, and press him a little too. As we talk on about the music, we hear Paul Grass’s song, “Whatcha Doin’ Baby,” from 2008’s Labor of Lunch album, begin to play over the PA outside on the bar’s patio. As we discuss the song’s particulars, another version of the same tune begins playing on another set of speakers inside the www.OFFBEAT.com

EG G

Y OL

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BIL EE

“We are the Murphy’s Law band... Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.”

bar. I stand to go ask the manager to please turn one of the CDs off, but the band stops me. “It’s sort of fitting,” Paul Grass smiles as two versions of the same Egg Yolk song smash into each other in a disorienting tangle overhead. “We are the Murphy’s Law band,” admits Geoff Douville. “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.” Finally someone notices the Egg Yolk sound clash and turns one version off in time for one of the record’s new songs, “Black Droz,” written by Belletto, who explains, “It’s about a specific pair of underwear I wear when I’m feeling like a bad motherfucker; I wear my black droz.” The song’s repeating refrain fills the brewery: “If I go out tonight, there might be a fight/ I’m not takin any chances/ I start preparing with what I’m wearing, underneath my pantses.” Belletto, who teaches band at St. Bernard Middle School and helps manage horns for Quintron’s 9th Ward Marching Band, joins Grass on sax, tuba player Glenn Barberot (whose family owns the Jefferson Orleans North building), and the newest and only young member of Egg Yolk Jubilee, 27-year-old Mac McCann (who, for those keeping score, was six years old when Egg Yolk formed). McCann first met Mike Joseph at a second line parade in 2014, and Joseph initiated him into the 9th Ward Marching Band, which led to the permanent Egg Yolk gig. “Their early stuff was more erratic,” says McCann, whose appreciation for Egg Yolk runs deep enough for him to drive out to the wedding hall in frickin’ Metairie every Thursday. “The new stuff we do is way heavier, I feel. It’s weird music, but it’s fun.” During our interview, the name Mike Joseph pops up in every answer to every question. Joseph

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passed away last year, and Belletto especially cannot speak of Egg Yolk at all without constantly mentioning the multi-instrumentalist and band co-founder. Joseph is much missed in the band’s horn section, though he’s certainly still there in the sound. “When Mike was in the band, there were a lot of double trumpet parts that now can’t be replicated,” says Belletto. “Mike would actually switch between trumpet and baritone during one set—which I’ve tried to do, and there’s no way. It’s absolutely a different set of muscles. And it’s a tribute to Mike Joseph the superman musician that he could pull that off—even if it wasn’t always pretty.” Guitarist Geoff Douville provides much of the band’s rock edge, only sometimes backed on rhythm guitar by Paul Grass. Mike Hogan not only plays bass but also guides the band’s recording sessions, mixing and mastering. The biggest and best change in Egg Yolk’s world has been the addition of tight, reliable, rock ’n’ roll engine: drummer Keith Hajjar, formerly of Rock City Morgue and New Orleans Bingo! Show. Pre-Hajjar, Egg Yolk had more than twice as many drummers as Spinal Tap, and not really to their benefit. “We are not the kind of New Orleans band you can just sit in with,” attests Geoff Douville. “We have songs, and they have a lot of changes, so you have to learn our songs first—which means every time we switch drummers, it’s completely different styles of drumming, and everything is an adjustment. But in my opinion this is the best we have ever sounded, with Keith.” Mike Hogan, who joined Egg Yolk in 2004 and has played with six different drummers in the band since, concurs: “Keith became a glue we never had, someone I could really rely on and communicate www.OFFBEAT.com

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with, someone who remembers the cues and does not leave you hanging out in the cold. Keith really tied it all together like a nice rug.” Hajjar, however, happened to join EYJ in the summer of 2010, just as the band was really beginning to cultivate their alter ego as a streetwalking brass band, which today marches with five or six different parades each Mardi Gras season, including the diminutive ’tit Rex parade. “We actually started the brass band version of Egg Yolk for Krewe du Vieux in 1999,” remembers Douville. “Davis Rogan talked us into that, since we were already doing all that goofy trad jazz—the roast beef set. Davis has actually talked us into quite a few things over the years. He’s a persuasive guy.” Hajjar, however, did not have his “roast beef set” down yet. “It’s so much fun to play that stuff now, but at the time I had no experience with traditional music at all,” says Hajjar. “And they started me right off in the second line, dropped me in the Treme, with black kids laughing at me everywhere, like ‘Let’s see what you got,’ and I’m like ‘I don’t know what I’m doing!’” Hajjar says that Belletto has used his teacher superpowers to get his trad chops up to speed. “I’m still always learning from these guys and this music,” says Hajjar. “It’s an amazing educational experience.” The band today is in a decidedly different position than the last time they begged a brand new drummer to help them eke out a Jazz Fest set in two weeks for 2008. Hajjar has now played with the band for seven years straight, and EYJ has added a decade more of experience to its odd name. “This is hands down the longest relationship of my life,” Douville laughs. “And this time,” adds Paul Grass, referring to Egg Yolk Jubilee’s longawaited return to Jazz Fest, “we’re gonna be ready.” O www.OFFBEAT.com

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HIGH FIDELITY

HIGH FIDELITY Percussionist/ethnomusicologist Bill Summers played a key role in shaping Herbie Hancock’s 1973 groundbreaking and platinum-selling Head Hunters record. Here, he reveals how “Watermelon Man” came about. Herbie Hancock Head Hunters (Columbia Records)

“I

found a job in 1968 at a race track so I could still play music at night. There was a guy who worked shining shoes. Employees could not bet on races, so this guy was like a bookie. One day I bet a daily double. Both horses won, I threw the dishes up in the air, quit the job on the spot, pocketed thousands of dollars, and two days later I was in California. I went to Merritt College and from there I went to UC Berkeley. My group Bata Koto, who did diasporic stuff, opened for Herbie Hancock. I think my audition process with Herbie had to do with my knowledge of ancient sounds, which was not the norm in jazz. Shortly thereafter he said he wanted me to be in his new band. The first recording we did was the album called Head Hunters. When I was a kid, one of my favorite songs was his “Watermelon Man,” covered by Mongo Santamaria. Harvey Mason suggested we do a new arrangement of it. We went to a place called Funky Jack’s—a 24 track studio in an apartment. I told Herbie, ‘I want you to hear something,’ and played him some music from the pygmies, which I’d been studying. They had an instrument called the hindewhu. He said, ‘That’s the deepest shit I ever heard.’ I said, ‘I have a composition that I’ve done based on this technique.’ The pygmies had a little cane pipe that only produced one note. You blow that note, but then you create a lot of things around it with your voice. I cut bamboo to the pitch that I wanted it to be. There are five layered parts. For the main melody, I didn’t have the note I needed, so I got a beer bottle and filled it ’til it reached above middle C. That came back to haunt me, because now people think I’m doing all this with a beer bottle. I brought something to the table that was new and fresh. I have one foot in 2,000 BC and another foot in 2,000 AD. The focus of my studies in school and before was African music. It wasn’t anything that was popular at the time. It was my love. The song’s an important part of my history. It’s like a signature. The trick to it is do you know enough about the traditional uses of the instrument and do you know enough about new music to be able to apply these sounds? That’s the key.” —Michael Allen Zell Bill Summers & Jazalsa play on Sunday, May 7 at 1:50p on the Jazz & Heritage Stage.

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PRES HALL JAZZ BAND PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND: SUNDAY, MAY 7—GENTILLY STAGE, 1:55 P.M.

Preservation Propagation PHoto: philip gould

Preservation Hall Jazz Band has left the museum behind.

f there’s one thing you don’t expect to see at Preservation Hall, it’s David Bowie—hundreds of David Bowies in fact, in every incarnation from Ziggy Stardust on up to Lazarus. That was the scene last year when the Hall hosted a second line in Bowie’s honor—arguably the greatest step beyond jazz tradition it’s ever taken. The crowds jammed the streets outside the Hall like it was a big rock show, leader Ben Jaffe obliged them by pointing speakers outside the balcony (and I saw some accidental humor when one poor soul tried to leave a parking space on St. Peter Street as the lyric “Watching some good friends screaming, let me out!” came over the speakers). When the band arrived, one of the first to appear was clarinetist

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Charlie Gabriel—at 84 the senior member and a living link with New Orleans history. So it was both fitting and a little surreal that he led the band playing “Oh! You Pretty Things” as a funeral dirge. A cathartic celebration was had by all, and the music (if you could get through the crowds to hear it) was undeniably great. But the question, voiced by many at the time, was whether saluting a rock star—even a beloved and widely influential rock star—is what New Orleans’ most venerable jazz institution should be doing. “I couldn’t imagine us not doing it,” says Ben Jaffe, the second-generation leader who’s guided the band to a new era. “I’m glad to be part of an operation that is continually By Brett Milano

growing and maturing, and part of that maturing is acknowledging great artists like Bowie who touched all of us, directly or indirectly. I can’t begin to think of all the little lines that connect Preservation Hall to Bowie—there was [friend and collaborator] Iggy Pop coming from Detroit, him and the MC5 hanging out with the guys who’d played with Miles Davis. And there’s the costumes and theatricality, which is a New Orleans thing. We did that with a permit for 75 people—that’s what we expected, before word got around and people started flying in from all over the country. This is how Bowie wanted to be immortalized—not with flowers in some apartment, but with theatrics and music.” And if the purists are going to gripe, let ’em. As Jaffe points

out, they always have in the past. “I understand people having a certain reaction to our music, and those are people who’ve grown up with it and don’t want it to change. A lot of times you don’t start liking something else in life—believe me, I know a lot of people like that. But New Orleans jazz has always sounded like a lot of different bands, there was Freddie Keppard and there was Bunk Johnson. Sometimes they think of New Orleans music as just one thing, and it never was. And that bothers me, the idea that your pace would just stop and you’d never get to hear anything new. You have to remember that even a song like ‘Bourbon Street Parade’ wasn’t always a standard, things evolve over time.” The Bowie salute was one of many progressive moves that the www.OFFBEAT.com

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“I’m more fearful of the loss of cultural centers and not being able to protect those neighborhoods—when you can’t have a parade in the Treme, that’s a problem.”

band has made since bassist/tuba player Jaffe’s been in charge. He originally joined the band after the death of his father Allan in 1987 (Allan in turn began running the Hall in 1961), and gradually moved into a leadership role over the next decade. “To put things in perspective, when I joined as a member of the band, Willie and Percy Humphrey were still members of the band. After Willie and then Percy passed away, we were a band without a leader. Then there was Wendell Brunious [now leading his own band] who was next in line for that chair, and Narvin Kimball. And when Narvin passed something interesting happened which got less attention, which was the passing of the AfricanAmerican banjo tradition—people have learned the instrument later in life, but now there wasn’t an unbroken line of banjo players.” “So there was a lot of soul searching and what happened in the middle of this was Katrina,” he says. “And what happened was that everything in my mind became crystal clear. The idea that you can’t be something you’re not; that’s not being true to your art form. The music that Willie and Percy played was different from what Jelly Roll Morton played, which was different from what Buddy Bolden played. So it’s not like anything gets diluted—with every generation, the music becomes bigger.” “My biggest fear for New Orleans isn’t for the music, because that’s a reflection of our community. I’m more fearful of the loss of cultural centers and not being able to protect those neighborhoods—when you can’t have a parade in the Treme, that’s a problem—and when New Orleans becomes unaffordable

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for the artists, the people who give it a flavor. But in terms of our musical future? I’m not worried about that at all, man. Not with all the young brass bands I’m hearing now.” The PHJB actually began its rebooting before Katrina struck; one decisive move was covering the Ray Davies song “Complicated Life.” Musically speaking, it wasn’t that huge a step—as recorded on the Kinks’ Muswell Hillbillies it was already an homage to Dixieland jazz, and Davies was even living in the Quarter at the time of the Hall version. But it was the first time the band had ever done a song from the non–New Orleans rock repertoire; its singer Clint Maedgen was also one of the first band members with a foot in the rock and performance art worlds. A song choice like “Complicated Life” opened the Hall to a different world of music, bridging to projects like the 2010 album Preservation where they were joined by an all-star cast including Tom Waits, Ani DiFranco and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, who’d become a frequent guest and collaborator. Some of those guests sat in with the band for a Carnegie Hall anniversary show the following year, and again at Jazz Fest in 2012. Going back to the Kinks song, Jaffe says, “I was really keen on finding a song for Clint to sing, and I didn’t want it to be a New Orleans jazz standard—but I didn’t want to do some kitschy Top 40 song either. The Kinks started coming into focus because of [Davies’] presence in New Orleans; you’d hear that someone had run into him and that made you go home and start pulling out your albums. It was

our first non–New Orleans rock song but my dad had his Beatles albums, and he always talked about doing ‘When I’m 64’—he wanted to make it ‘When I’m 84’ and have Percy sing it. And ‘Complicated Life’ had that beautiful film of Clint delivering food to us in the Quarter. I think that came at a time when everybody needed it.”

oriented producers—Jim James co-produced That’s It! with Jaffe, and TV on the Radio member Dave Sitek is the full producer on So It Is. That doesn’t mean there’s any rock in the mix, but it does mean the albums sound different: Instead of being presented as museum pieces they kick out of the speakers like any vivid, modern recording.

The real payoff in all this has been the PHJB’s rebirth as a recording band. The Preservation album had its ups and downs— Waits’ take on Danny Barker’s “Tootie Ma Is a Big Fine Thing” is quite rightly the track everybody knows—but it never felt like a forced crossover move. “It happened at a time [after Katrina] when people were bending over backward to make themselves available, and a lot of projects were being done. And I didn’t want to make a mediocre album, I wanted to make an amazing album, and I didn’t realize at the time how important that album was to me. It was the first time we came up with a concept and tried it out, and the concept was to bring 20 people to Preservation Hall to record with the band. If anyone asked to have a track sent to New York, we just said no. It had to be people who weren’t frightened of working in a live setting, and having two takes to get it right.” It’s on the two recent studio albums—2013’s That’s It! and the new So It Is (both on Sony/ Legacy)—where the current band has really blossomed. Both are the first all-original albums in the PHJB’s history, and the challenge of adding new material to the repertoire lights an obvious fire under the band. Notably both albums were done with rock-

Three band members make their debut on the new album, with pianist Kyle Roussel, trumpeter Branden Lewis and drummer Walter Harris joining the old(er) guard of Jaffe, Gabriel, Maedgen and trombonist Ronell Johnson (Roussel replaces Rickie Monie who was another link to Hall history, having replaced Sweet Emma Barrett). It’s also a far more eclectic album than That’s It!, with the material (mostly written by Jaffe and Gabriel) taking their recent Cuba trip as a jumping-off point. It goes further than that, though: There’s funk, there’s classic New Orleans R&B, there’s a touch of prefusion Miles Davis. And there’s the advance single “Santiago,” the kind of song that’s infectious enough to loop in the non-jazz audience—indeed, Rolling Stone has already run a feature touting Sitek’s presence and that song in particular. Sitek was the album’s wild card: Aside from being the guitarist in TV on the Radio, he’s produced the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and actress Scarlett Johansson, and remixed Beck and Nine Inch Nails, none of which gets anywhere near New Orleans jazz. But as far as Sitek was concerned, he was making a punk record. “That’s really the way I thought of it,” he said in a separate interview. “I wanted the sound www.OFFBEAT.com

“This record is really a genesis of our music. It’s been brewing since I was a kid, listening to the midnight reggae show on WWOZ.”

to be dirty and gritty, and I was using words like bombastic and off the rails—crazy shit. Their music is joyful and rambunctious and to me, that’s punk.” Instead of recording at the Hall, they rehearsed it there and then did the tracking at one of Sitek’s favorite studios, the Sonic Ranch in El Paso. In some respects Sitek’s production was quite traditional: All the performances are live, with no overdubs beyond voices and handclaps, and no flyingin of solos. “Yeah, those guys were ready to kill me because I made them play everything 16 or 17 times.” His personal tweaks happened largely in the

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recording process. “They were fairly certain they wanted to try something new. But what I said was, ‘Let’s try something really old, like recording you guys in the round.’ I was trying to capture the instruments and the way they interact with each other—it was really about getting up close and walking around in front of those horns incessantly. If you have a mike on the trumpet, can you make it so loud you catch the space around it? I wanted the brass to bounce off the wall—if it frightens me and it frightens the walls, let it frighten the microphones as well. Rather than put a lot of baffles between them, just let it all fly around.

Only a maniac would do it that way, but I wanted you to press play and have it be right in your fucking face.” Jaffe has every expectation that the album will get the Hall’s music out to newer and bigger audiences. “This record is really a genesis of our music. It’s been brewing since I was a kid, listening to the midnight reggae show on WWOZ. Hearing dub and saying, ‘Wow, what is this?’—and then going to Jazz Fest and being exposed to soca and King Sunny Ade. We’re lucky to have ’OZ in our backyard, but most stations are afraid to go that eclectic. And now some

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pretty influential stations are picking up on ‘Santiago’ as a single, and we’ll be playing the main stage at Coachella for the first time. So many more people are going to experience us, that’s what I’m predicting. They’ll find out that we’re a New Orleans jazz band, then they’ll go back and find out what that means. And if we lose the more traditional fans, so did Miles Davis when he came out with Kind of Blue.” And if the mass audience can get its head around a New Orleans jazz album, so much the better. “Never mind their heads,” Jaffe shoots back. “I’m hoping they can get their booties around it.” O

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CHARLIE GABRIEL CHARLIE GABRIEL AND FRIENDS: THURSDAY, MAY 4—ECONOMY HALL STAGE, 2:55 P.M.

Soulful Tenor

n a recent Tuesday evening in March, a teenage girl squeezed herself into a spot on the floor between Preservation Hall’s audience-packed benches and the feet of the band, which at that point appeared to be hell-bent on vanquishing all preconceptions about traditional New Orleans jazz with a set rooted in new material from its Cuba-inspired new album, So It Is. An ornate piano performance from Kyle Roussel and some blissfully overthe-top trombone solos by Ronell Johnson sparked applause from the crowd packed into the historic room on St. Peter Street. But it was the soulful tenor sound coming from 84year-old Charlie Gabriel that seemed to captivate the otherwise chatty teen as she stared directly at his tenor sax, stopped talking and started nodding her head in earnest. Visitors often talk about the “magic” they sense at Preservation Hall. With more than seven decades of experience developing his rich tone and soulful interpretation of New Orleans jazz, Gabriel has become a key part of that magic since he joined the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in 2009. This year marks Gabriel’s debut performance headlining a set under his own name. Performing as Charlie Gabriel and Friends, the May 4 Economy Hall set features Gabriel on tenor, clarinet and vocals; Roussel and Ben Jaffe; plus Shannon Powell on drums, Kevin Lewis on trumpet and Craig Klein on trombone. Though the band will focus on traditional New Orleans music, Gabriel often credits the vitality of jazz with its unique ability to reflect the modern experiences of those who interpret it along with the history in which it’s rooted. “The secret in playing this music is knowing where it comes from and how it got to where you are,” he says. “This music, when it

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touches you, it does something to you and you does something to the music. That’s why the music stays fresh and bright.” Born into a family of New Orleans musicians dating back four generations, Gabriel began playing music professionally at age 11 with the Eureka Brass Band. His father brought him along to WPA band rehearsals and between his ability to read music well and the dearth of musicians available during World War II, he regularly subbed in on calls for gigs his dad couldn’t cover. “So I was 11 years old and I was playing with Willie Humphrey and Percy Humphrey, Kid Clayton, Kid Sheik and Jim Robinson … George Lewis,” he recalls. His family moved to Michigan when he was a teenager and he By Jennifer Odell

found that the bebop popular in that part of the country was often based on hymns and other foundations of music he’d already been playing for years in New Orleans. “When I got to Detroit … I used to put my head against the radio and listen to the chord changes of the song—not the melody—and then I’d say, ‘Oh, that’s ‘Georgia Brown,’ but that is called ‘Dig,’” he says with a laugh, referring to the Miles Davis tune. “By being from New Orleans and knowing all the hymns and old songs, I was able to really understand modern jazz.” Gabriel spent much of his adult life traveling back and forth between Detroit—where he worked with Lionel Hampton, Donald Byrd and Motown artists including Aretha Franklin—and New Orleans, where

he maintained relationships with the traditional brass band community. That flexibility may have helped forge his strong appreciation for connections between different styles of music. When it came to working on PHJB’s new album, Gabriel says he had been talking about the role of the clave rhythm and habanera music in New Orleans for some time since the group had the chance to travel to Cuba for the Havana Jazz Festival in 2015. Working with music students there, he says he saw his sparks of inspiration within his band as the players found similarities between Cuban and New Orleans culture and developed a deep respect for the seriousness with which music students there approach their art. They returned and began work on the album, he says, with Jaffe and Gabriel sharing many of the initial composition duties and the band pitching in from there as the tunes continued to take final shape. When it came time to record, they headed to an idyllic spot away from the bustle of the city. “We went to El Paso, Texas for a couple weeks,” he says. “It was on a pecan farm, couple thousand acres— nothing but pecan trees and the studio. Silence. No noise nowhere. It’s so silent all we can hear is our own playing. The solitude … we really went away from everything.” Playing live, though, and reaching people like the girl in the front row of his set that night in March, seems to stoke the fire in Gabriel, who smiles warmly when he speaks and is fond of saying “the sweetest sound that’s yet to be heard is in some child’s head.” “Music, it helps you to be human,” he says. “It gives you emotion. It gives you sensitivity. It gives you compassion and all of these components together— that’s what we call art.” O www.OFFBEAT.com

PHoto: golden g. richard, iii

Charlie Gabriel and Friends debuts at Jazz Fest.

NICHOLAS PAYTON NICHOLAS PAYTON & AFRO-CARIBBEAN MIXTAPE: SUNDAY, MAY 7—WWOZ JAZZ TENT, 4:05 P.M.

BAM, BAM! Nicholas Payton’s musical journey through the African diaspora.

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PHoto: scott saltzman

t this year’s Jazz Fest set, don’t expect trumpeter/ keyboardist Nicholas Payton to play the classic jazz that in 1997 won him a Grammy for his album with legendary trumpeter Doc Cheatham. “But Doc’s in there!” declares Payton of the music from his new release, Afro-Caribbean Mixtape (Paytone Records), which he’ll feature at the 2017 festival. Listening to the album, a centurieslong musical journey through the African diaspora, Payton’s response is totally understandable. “On these two discs, I wanted to represent as much of the full spectrum of black music from the beginning to the continuity of forever,” Payton says. “I wanted to represent it all and perhaps shed some light on things to come in the future. All this music is marketed as separate things and they have the same root source.” Payton takes on this obviously joyful task by bringing together acoustic instruments, electronic samplings, a string section and elements of spoken word in a stylistic mix that allows the music to stand side-by-side so one can realize the roots and resemblances. “Whenever I make an album I try to have a flow or a story to it,” Payton explains. “On this one, the thread between the songs is a bit more obvious certainly from a social-political standpoint. This is my most political album. How I put the songs together was as important to me as the songs themselves. Much in the way when I did the Sonic Trance album, it was about these moods and these vibes as opposed to this is a song and this is a song. To me it’s more like a movie, the songs are like characters and they are all central to the story.” Joe Dyson’s drum roll opens “#BAMboula,” a tune that typifies Payton’s concept as even its title

represents the coming together of musical worlds and eras. Payton explains #BAM as an acronymic hashtag for Black American Music. Bamboula is a drum and dance and the name of a composition by the renowned Louis Moreau Gottschalk, who was born in New Orleans in 1829 and was inspired to write the piece from memories of hearing the rhythms during his childhood. Next we hear the spoken word of the late, great trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie offering, “Playing an instrument is a form of worship— I’ve been worshiping all of my life.” Payton pulled this and several musical and spoken samples from lectures and the like that he knew he wanted to include from YouTube. “I’d go through all the information—kind of like a Rolodex in my mind—and pick things out,” he explains. “I kind of knew where all the bodies were so when it was time to go digging, I’d say, ‘Okay, I’ll get this out and get that out.’ I studied these artists and the black By Geraldine Wyckoff

intellectuals like Dr. Carr [Howard University’s Dr. Greg Kimathi Carr] and Dr. Cole [Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, the director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art].” Payton blows some beautiful classic trumpet on “#BAMboula” that seems to speak of the era of Gillespie and Miles Davis while Kevin Hays, onboard a Fender Rhodes, brings on the electrified sound accented by DJ Lady Fingaz’ turntable scratchings. The late drummer Art Blakey has the last word, announcing, “It is an art form because it is black music and because it started in New Orleans.” Like its namesake, “#BAMboula” ultimately turns out to be rhythmic dance music. Throughout the discs, there are numerous musical and personal references—some recognizable and others less obvious. For instance, the groove-oriented “Reflexification (Midnight at Tyler’s)” gives a nod to Tyler’s Beer Garden, a great, now defunct, uptown New Orleans

jazz club. It’s also included as a remembrance to the wonderfully soulful late saxophonist Alvin “Red” Tyler. Payton and company pay tribute to Walter “Junie” Morrison, a keyboardist, producer and composer with the Ohio Players who brought the world such classics as “Pain” and “Ecstasy” and helped drive George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic’s wild ride. “He was a brilliant musician and an important architect of the funk era,” lauds Payton, who plays trumpet, clavinet, Fender Rhodes and synthesizer and adds vocals to the fun and funky tune, “Junie’s Boogie.” A quiet moment comes on Payton’s “Madmwazél Ayiti,” which, in his extensive and insightful liner notes, he describes as a “tip of the hat to the first free Black country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti” and a “salute to the spaces that [pianist] Herbie Hancock and [bassist] Ron Carter were known to get into during their stint in the Miles Davis Quintet. “Madmwazél Ayiti” stands as a rarity as it is simply a lovely duet www.OFFBEAT.com

with Hays on acoustic piano and Payton playing his father’s—the late, wonderful Walter Payton— upright bass. Vicente Archer plays the same, old bass, vintage and brand unknown, throughout the recordings. The reason for using it was simple. “We needed a bass for the session,” Payton explains. “Typically we’ve recorded outside of New Orleans so we didn’t have the opportunity to use it.” “Initially it [the session] was as a rehearsal for our gig at [last year’s] Jazz Fest,” he continues. “We were getting the material together and I decided that while we were here, we should record it and it became my next album. We presented some of the material for the first time there at Jazz Fest—the title track, ‘Jazz Is a Four-Letter Word,’ ‘Junie’s Boogie’ and ‘Call and Response.’” At Jazz Fest, where the trumpeter will take over all keyboard duties and electric bassist Braylon Lacy will replace Archer,

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Payton turns to inspiration from his father, Walter, by inviting dancers to interpret the music. “It actually harkens back to the day when my father used to perform with his band Gumbo File and he used to use Lulu Elzy and a couple of members of her troupe. So I’m kind of recalling that—seeing that. So the dancers will be improvising just like we do.” Dancers are seen on the video of the song, “The Egyptian Second Line,” the title of which certainly inspires the imagination. For the tune on the album, Payton mans the big B-3 organ, among other instruments with percussionist Daniel Sadownick, who will be at the Fair Grounds, mixing it up strongly with drummer Dyson. Payton, who has done a lot of writing for symphony orchestras and other orchestral projects, employs a string quartet for the album as he will at Jazz Fest. He reminds those who don’t necessarily associate violins and cellos with the music of the African diaspora that they too originated on the continent. “Pretty much everything

we have, the beginning came out of Africa—it was the first civilization,” he says. “All those concepts started there and were adopted elsewhere. Early bands had violin players, spasm bands too and there is a whole black fiddle tradition even before jazz. Then there’s the New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra with William Russell on violin.” The list, of course, goes on to the present day. The lyrics of “Jazz Is a FourLetter Word,” which are softly yet passionately spoken by the late drummer Max Roach—the phrase is the title of his unpublished autobiography— sum up the spirit and philosophy of Afro-Caribbean Mixtape. “I don’t separate Charlie Parker from Michael Jordan. I don’t separate Michael Jordan from Michael Jackson. I don’t separate Michael Jackson from Aretha Franklin… All of it exemplifies the intuitiveness of black creativity.”

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Nicholas Payton, a modern man with an old soul, understands this, plays this and extends this knowledge and demonstrates its reality on Afro-Caribbean Mixtape. It’s in this environment where the conga, a descendant of one or more African drums, and the electronic keys and samplings, trumpet and acoustic instruments converse in the language of their ancestry. They are one. “Just come to the Jazz Fest show or listen to the album with as little expectations as possible other than just to relax and enjoy and to be a part of the experience,” Payton advises. “The less you go in thinking what it is, the more it will unfold.” O

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THE REVELERS THE REVELERS: SUNDAY, APRIL 30—FAIS DO-DO STAGE, 2:50 P.M.

If It Makes You Happy The Revelers are never going to be a pop band.

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egend has it that the Revelers began when the ghost of C.C. Adcock appeared to drummer Glenn Fields in the midst of a yoga session and announced there was room for yet another, albeit younger, swamp pop band on the scene. That same night in 2010, Dewey Balfa appeared to accordionist Blake Miller in a dream and informed him that he would be a torch-bearer for generations to come. Whether you believe everything on Wikipedia, what is true is about the Revelers is that its roots run deep in its predecessor band, the Red Stick Ramblers, who played a wide range of Western swing, gypsy jazz and Cajun tunes. During the height of their 15-year run, the Ramblers played 200-plus dates per year, toured all 50 states and played some internationally, in addition to releasing 5 albums. “For good or for bad, some of us learned how to be professional musicians,” Fields says. “And some of us learned it wasn’t the right thing for them so they moved on.” Fields says that towards the end of the Ramblers’ run, apathy began to settle in. “We weren’t practicing,” says Fields. “We weren’t learning any tunes. It wasn’t fun anymore and that’s why were started the Revelers.” “We were into a lot of old swamp pop and I’ve always been into Southern soul music,” says fiddler/ guitarist Daniel Coolik. “So we made a semi-conscious decision to be the kind of band that you would find playing music from Acadiana that people would dance to on a Saturday night.” For a while, both bands operated simultaneously with the number of Ramblers gigs shrinking and the number of Revelers gigs increasing. “Eventually we decided to call it quits and do the Revelers full time,” Fields explains. The Red Stick Ramblers played their last gig at the Blackpot

Festival—a festival the band launched in 2006—on October 24, 2013. Even though the repertoires of both the Red Stick Ramblers and the Revelers are distinct and farreaching in their own right, Coolik sees the commonalities between them, such as being dance-oriented with elements of swing and blues. One thing that allowed the Revelers to turn the corner and not just be an electrified string band with an accordion was the acquisition of Vermont-based saxophonist Chris Miller. Though stories differ on how they met Miller, Justus took a liking to the young, spunky saxophonist and asked him to record on the band’s eponymously titled debut. The chemistry worked so well that eventually the Revelers asked Miller to join the band. “One of the things I’m proud of is the way we play together as a harmonic device,” Fields says about how the different combinations of sax, accordion, fiddle and guitar playing—reminiscent of vintage, hornpowered swamp pop/soul bands. “We borrow a lot from Gatemouth Brown, Count Basie and By Dan Willging

T-Bone Walker where the sections are two different voices and play off of each other or double in contrasting voices and play a riff together,” Fields explains. “It was easy for Chris to pick up on that sensibility because he is such a studied musician.” Over the course of two full-length albums and two EPs, the Revelers have evolved from being interpreters of swamp pop to innovators with in-the-idiom originals, Doug Sahm influences and the adaptation of unexpected covers into their filter. The band’s second full-length album, Get Ready, featured all original material and was nominated for a Grammy in 2016. While Fields cites the arrangements as being among his favorite things about the Revelers, Coolik praises their work ethic. “Everybody’s really present when we are playing onstage. That’s really important because travelling and your personal life can get you down. As soon as we play, nobody sweats that shit and the fun part is the set you get to play.” Whereas a Ramblers booking agent once suggested it was better

to have one lead vocalist because it was too confusing otherwise (even though Justus and bassist Eric Frey sang in addition to Linzay Young), everyone sings lead or background vocals in the Revelers. “The band is totally about doing just what you want to do,” says Fields. “We work together as a group but if you don’t want to do something don’t do it. If you want to do something, let’s do it.” “We made an unwritten rule early on that we wouldn’t say no to anybody as far as musical ideas,” Fields says. “If somebody brought a song to the table, we would do it until we stopped wanting to play it.” “The path that leads to success for this band is just doing things that make us happy,” he explains, as opposed to developing a marketing plan and hiring a manager and a publicist in order to play the game. “We are not Mumford and Sons. We are never going to be a pop band. If we just keep playing the music we love to play, hopefully people will like it and continue to listen and to me, that’s success.” O www.OFFBEAT.com

NAS + SOUL REBELS NAS WITH GUESTS THE SOUL REBELS: FRIDAY, APRIL 28—CONGO SQUARE STAGE, 5:30 P.M.

Rhythm & Rhymes The sky’s the limit with Nas and the Soul Rebels.

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PHoto: robert adam mayer

hen New Orleans’ own Soul Rebels aren’t holding it down at their steady Thursday night Le Bon Temps Roulé gig, they’re hard at work traveling both the physical world and the wide ocean of music. They’ve become a brass band version of the Roots: They have a blossoming solo career, and they’re also versatile enough to collaborate with artists as varied as Metallica, Rakim, Talib Kweli and Green Day. At Jazz Fest, they’ll be backing Nas, the legendary poet of the streets, for only the third time. Nas, who continues to be an innovator, is riding high as an executive producer of Netflix’ The Get Down and has an upcoming BET biopic. “Nas often explores different interpretations of his music in performance settings. Throughout his career, he’s performed with a wide variety of bands, and even a few symphonies,” said his DJ and musical director Green Lantern. As for the Soul Rebels, they’ve also been steadily at their craft since 1991. “Cyril Neville let us open for the Neville Brothers,” said co-founder and co-leader (with Derrick Moss) Lumar LeBlanc. “He said, ‘You all sound like rebels with soul in this music. Why don’t you be the Soul Rebels?’ We loved that name. It was really freedom music that exemplified the Black Power stance at that time as in Public Enemy’s ‘Fight the Power’ and Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing.” Though they are now regularly fronted by sharp lyricists such as Black Thought, Melle Mel, and Raekwon, LeBlanc and Moss were savvy from the band’s inception. “From day one, we always wanted to be a main college act, so we had vocals. College bands, especially the marching bands we were a part of, had a very military-type structure about it. We brought that to the brass band genre. It wasn’t there before,” revealed LeBlanc.

The band kept building and the profiles of the musicians they worked with started rising. “All of the artists we collaborate with are not for commercial effect,” stressed LeBlanc. “We have to have a poignant vibe together where both are satisfied. We don’t just say, ‘That’s gonna be a good promo or career move.’ It has to work artistically.” He emphasized, “We really see ourselves as a Metallica in our own right, as stellar artists of that nature. It just so happens that because we’re a band that’s brass, we have to prove to people that this can come off as a marketable mainstream-type commodity.” That they’ve been constantly working, in particular with a who’s who list of elite rappers, didn’t escape the notice of Nas. In fact, the New Orleanians were stunned to find how they’d been in his ears. “Green Lantern sampled our version of ‘Sweet Dreams’ and had been using it for a while as a lead-in to ‘Street Dreams,’ but we never knew it,” said LeBlanc. The Nas/Soul Rebels collaboration debuted and thrilled the crowd at By Michael Allen Zell

the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival last June. “The Soul Rebels adding their unique brass flavor to the show is another exciting chapter for Nas,” said Green Lantern. Songs crafted by famed producers including Pete Rock, DJ Premier and Large Professor were transposed by what LeBlanc calls “a Soul Rebels spin with a professional air to it.” How did the band go about taking jazz, funk and soul samples from stellar musicians including Donald Byrd, the Gap Band and Olu Dara (Nas’ jazz musician father) to make them live and breathe organically? LeBlanc enthused, “We go all the way in—dissect these songs. Most of the time we listen to the original track so that we can hear where it comes from to where it’s going.” Picture the quintessential New York rapper, arguably the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time), unveiling a New Orleans brass band playing songs woven with the Big Apple to a crowd on the streets of Brooklyn. It was a gutsy move, LeBlanc agreed. “That was a big step for him. Nas is a straight up 110%

professional guy. You’ve got to realize where he’s from. It had to come correct. And I have to say hats off to him and hats off to us.” The polished merging of a stillvital MC in Nas, DJ Green Lantern on the turntables, and the Soul Rebels’ horn and drum sections promises to electrify the Jazz Fest audience. Expect an Illmatic-heavy greatest hits overview of Nas’ artistically rich career transformed in a way you’ve never heard before— heady and visceral at its best. The sky’s the limit for the Soul Rebels, but LeBlanc asserts, “We’re here to make a statement to the world with our music, not just to make money and sell records. We’re gonna keep doing what we do. 26-odd years have passed in a blink of an eye. That’s when you know you’re doing something you love.” The Soul Rebels consist of Lumar LeBlanc on snare drum, Derrick Moss on bass drum, trumpet players Julian Gosin and Marcus Hubbard, trombonists Corey Peyton and Paul Robertson, saxophonist Erion Williams and sousaphonist Manny Perkins. O www.OFFBEAT.com

BOYFRIEND BOYFRIEND: SUNDAY, APRIL 30—GENTILLY STAGE, 12:45 P.M.

Life Is a Rap Cabaret PHoto: jabari jacobs

Boyfriend celebrates self-awareness and self-acceptance.

hen Beyoncé’s Lemonade came out, Boyfriend—New Orleans’ bespectacled, lingerie, robe and hair rollers–clad “rap cabaret” artist—overheard a conversation about the groundbreaking album between two girls in a public restroom. “Why did she call it Lemonade?” asked a voice from behind a stall. “Is it because it’s summer and it’s really hot because they’re in the South?” Rehashing the story in her crisply enunciated Tennessee

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accent, Boyfriend recalls, “I almost vomited in that moment.” She also had an epiphany. Messages about sexuality, identity and the struggles we go through as women in this culture have always been embedded within Boyfriend’s whipsmart rhymes and the choreography, props and costumes she uses in her stage show. But not everybody gets that. “I’m like, ‘Whoa. I’m putting my messages out there for By Jennifer Odell

people that aren’t English majors like me, that don’t take joy in dissecting symbolism and analyzing the meanings of things,’” she recalls realizing after the bathroom incident. “Who knows what [that girl] does? She might be saving the world because she’s a nurse. She doesn’t need to bother with figuring out what, like, Odysseus really was after. Those thought processes and hearing the way I was being talked about as an artist all sort of combined to be like, ‘Ya know

what? I’m gonna make just a bangin’ pop song.’” Actually, she made two—and they both appear on her new EP, Next. In the addictively hooky “Beauty Is Pain,” Boyfriend uses imagery in much the same way she uses costumes and props onstage to show, in her words, “what women go through on a daily basis just to be deemed presentable.” When she sings about the “spikes growing out of” her feet and the “hot caramel” wax on her legs, the images have a way www.OFFBEAT.com

BOYFRIEND of searing themselves into the listener’s brain. Meanwhile, dark lyrics like “I do math when I eat/ I’m countin’ carbs in my sleep/ ’cause I only aim to please” remind us of the flawed logic that feeds eating disorders. The fact that all those elements are at work in music that makes you want to dance and sing along to it intensifies the message. “I finally put on my producer hat with this album,” says Boyfriend, adding that she’s only recently started using the word “musician” as opposed to “performer” to describe herself. “It was really exciting to be a vocally articulate architect of a sonic landscape,” she continues, lapsing into the kind of language-adoring flow she often uses when she raps. “Finally I feel like my Spotify page will reflect what’s happening on the stage. And people who haven’t necessarily been in the room for Rap Cabaret will get a more honest rendering of what I’m all about as a recorded musician.” The other pop-inspired new track on the EP is “Fun Shit,” featuring Cindy Wilson of the B-52s, which flips back and forth between a sweet, almost forlorn-sounding apology from one friend to another about why she’s been socially MIA (“guess I’m too busy workin’”) and a driving electro-clash refrain where the singer says what she really means (“ain’t got time for that fun shit”). Produced in Laurel Canyon by Boyfriend and Pablo Dylan with the help of New Orleans musicians Khris Royal, Joe Shirley and Alvin Ford, Jr., the album also includes what Boyfriend calls her “Beyoncé and Jack White moment”—a vitriolic missive to someone on social media who might have an X-rated history with the protagonist. “Does my name feel strange in your mouth?” she demands in “Sleepin’ On.” “Does it taste like the fucking south?” That track, along with “Next”—part homage to a crush, part brazen vow that said www.OFFBEAT.com

crush will be the next person in her bed—both feel more like vintage Boyfriend. “My early music was responding to the messaging I heard in the songs specifically about love and relationships and what a woman’s role should be,” she explains. “For that reason it was purposefully a little more abrasive.” That’s not to say some of Boyfriend’s more hardcore

repertoire is necessarily negative. Much of what Boyfriend deals with through music and performance is about celebrating self-awareness and selfacceptance—things that can be tough for someone who grew up in a conservative, Church of Christ environment. At her rap cabaret shows, fans often dress like Boyfriend and her dancers—in lingerie

and retro-styled panties like the ones she sells on her website that come with a blood stain graphic on the crotch. “Ultimately, we’re all in this together,” she says. “I mean, everybody has something about their body that they don’t like and if we can all start from that place of honesty, then we’re suddenly all so much more beautiful.” O

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WILLIAM BELL WILLIAM BELL: FRIDAY, MAY 5—BLUES TENT, 4:10 P.M.

Love for the City

known best in cover versions. Did you want to make it your own? Not really. It was John’s idea. I had recorded it myself a couple of times, a version that was one of his favorite tunes. I resisted at first, but he wanted to strip it down and do it totally different. He put me a track together, a swampy back porch kind of version, and he took out the iconic bass line! That’s what I wrote the song around! But I said, ‘Okay, let me live with this a while.’ I went and lived with it at the hotel for a couple of days, and I started to get it. Then I came in and said, ‘Well, let’s see. Let me do a run-through.’ Then when I was done he was jumping up and down, and he was saying, ‘We got it! We got it!’ I said, ‘Hey, I didn’t even start yet!’ [laughs]

or someone who never crossed over to lasting pop success in his day, William Bell has nevertheless had a deep and lasting impact on American music. His 1961 hit “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” a landmark development in Southern Soul, did more than any other song to put the fledgling Stax label on the map, and he practically defined soul-blues with “Born Under a Bad Sign,” later a hit for both Albert King and Cream. He’s definitely getting his due now, however: Bell’s latest album, This Is Where I Live, garnered him lots of critical acclaim and his first Grammy; Otis Redding’s version of “Water” served as a bookend for the first episode of the excellent Cinemax series Quarry, and he played for the Obamas as part of Performance at the White House: Memphis Soul in 2014. Now he takes the stage for the first time at the Jazz Fest on Friday, May 5 in the Blues Tent—another first he’s very happy with. First of all, congratulations on the Grammy! Well, thank you! I was up for two, you know. I won for the Americana album of the year, but I was also nominated in R&B. The album’s producer, John Leventhal, is mainly known for country music. Did it feel like a good fit from the outset? This is actually his first soul project, but he had won Grammys for his wife, Rosanne Cash—just a wonderful producer and songwriter. We worked very well together. We didn’t rush into it; we took two-three weeks to pick each other’s brains and try to figure out the kind of project we were trying to accomplish. The album feels like a tailormade suit. How did you decide on the songs?

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bloomer or something. It’s just wonderful. I have been to the Fest, and I played that Ponderosa Stomp. But it’s great to take the stage finally. I have a lot of love for this city. You know, ‘Water’ first broke out in New Orleans, the first place outside of Memphis. And one of my first performances on the road was here, It does seem to be an attempt at the ILA Hall [home of the old at a more adult type of soul. As we grow older, we hopefully black longshoremen’s union on S. grow a little bit in our thinking, you Claiborne, demolished after Katrina]. Percy Stovall, one of the great know. We wanted to write about original R&B promoters, got me that relationships and love—whatcha gig, and he got me on a tour with all did wrong, whatcha did right, or the greats coming out at that time: whatcha didn’t do. [laughs] Robert Parker, Chris Kenner, Ernie K-Doe. We went all the way from Remarkably, you’ve never Pascagoula to Opelousas. played Jazz Fest before! Looking forward to it? ‘Born Under a Bad Sign,’ which Yeah! I’m getting a lot of firsts you perform on the album, is later in life, so I guess I’m a late We took our time to really figure out what would work. I’ve been known mostly as the ‘love man,’ the ballad singer, but as you get older, that love situation changes from that hot passionate thing to something more… reflective, you know. [laughs]

By Robert Fontenot

As a singer, do you feel you’ve moved beyond soul and blues? You know, I think I am a little bit more than just a soul singer. I started in church, but when I was 14, I started singing in clubs on the weekends, with people like Hank Crawford. I was singing jazz and standards stuff with them. Then, to get the weekend crowd, he wanted me to form a doo-wop group, the Del-Rios. That’s really how I got into the soul thing. Blues, R&B, jazz— when you’re working in a club, you learn everything. What was it like to actually play at the White House? Kind of surreal, you know, meeting the President and the First Lady. They were wonderful hosts. Afterwards we got a wonderful letter from them. You know, looking back, when you’re a little kid coming from a deprived section, then you’re singing before the most powerful family on Earth… I got reflective on that. It was great to see Stax there, too, like old homecoming week— Memphis homecoming week. O www.OFFBEAT.com

PHoto: david mcclister

William Bell returns to New Orleans.

TRUMPET MAFIA TRUMPET MAFIA: FRIDAY, APRIL 28—WWOZ JAZZ TENT, 1:40 P.M.

Hot Horns PHoto: scott saltzman

Trumpet Mafia upholds the tradition of the trumpet.

“We grow up hearing that trumpeters blew down the walls of Jericho, that Gabriel’s trumpet announces the will of God...” —Wynton Marsalis, Sweet Swing Blues on the Road

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t’s gonna be heavy—so don’t come expecting to hear some tender ballads,” Ashlin Parker laughingly warns of the Trumpet Mafia’s Jazz Fest set. Parker calls himself a facilitator rather than the leader of the Trumpet Mafia, which brings together some of New Orleans finest trumpeters. He has also invited visiting artists to join in on the unique collaborative experience. At last year’s explosive performance in the Jazz Tent, there were a dozen trumpet players onstage along with

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special guest the incredible Nicholas Payton. What a joyful noise. “The whole thing is a practice group—that’s what the Mafia is,” Parker explains. “The practice form has basically expanded into a threshold for creating knowledge. The whole point is that I really feel that individual learning sucks. Group learning is the only way to do it. I think learning is a social phenomenon.” The Trumpet Mafia actually grew out of Parker and some of the guys from the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra’s trumpet section getting together regularly to shed. Other trumpeters heard about it and started showing up. A unique twist is that a visiting trumpet player from Russia inspired the band’s name when he remarked By Geraldine Wyckoff

that there were so many trumpeters in the room that it looked like a trumpet mafia. Those who perform with the ensemble do change— some, like Payton, have other obligations and can’t make the date while new musicians frequently join the club. “Who’s not going to be there might be the better question,” says Parker while mentioning a few names: Jason Butler, Chris Cotton, Eric “Benny” Bloom and John Michael Bradford plus the rhythm section of drummer Julian Addison and percussionist Weedie Braimah. “This thing is never going to be the same every time and we’re not the same musicians when we’re beside our colleagues. When we’re there and we’re pushing the guys next to us, we’re teaching each other how

to learn together. You’re going to see that in a musical form— people who have learned together, who have taught each other.” The Mafia will feature former New Orleans resident and fav, trumpeter Maurice Brown. The group will present several tunes off his brand new, hot album, The Mood, including the rhythmically exciting “Moroccan Dancehall.” It happens that percussionist Braimah is heard on the cut and is in the Mafia so they’ll be ready to fly on this one. “Maurice has been to all of the performances,” Parker says. “He’s a hardcore constituent of this band.” “The cool thing about the Mafia is that it’s a group of like-minded musicians with the same mission—to spread the www.OFFBEAT.com

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“The first year at Jazz Fest we had guys playing the valves of other guys’ trumpets. You never know what’s going to happen.”

music and uphold the tradition of the trumpet,” Brown offers. Parker will also contribute several of his own original compositions as well as a number of original arrangements. “I’ve never seen this thing as a platform to get my original compositions off,” he says. “I felt like one of the biggest things that we could do was to preserve trumpeters’ legacies. There will be a special guest at this, the Trumpet Mafia’s third Jazz Fest appearance. It’s a position held first at the festival by Leroy Jones and then Nicholas Payton. Parker, who seems to enjoy elements

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of suspense and surprise, remains tight-lipped about who that might be. “There will be no shortage of excellence,” he assures. Parker, describes the Trumpet Mafia as three-tiered. “I have my colleagues—my friends, my contemporaries— my mentors and the kids I’ve mentored,” he explains. “I’m between legends and the next generation—I’m like the middle man. I’m not even the leader of my own band. For instance, I would never lead Nicholas Payton if he was in the band. When somebody like that is there, the hierarchy sets itself.”

The youngest trumpet player to take the bandstand with the Trumpet Mafia is Leon Brown Jr., the son of Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown. The now eight-year-old goes by the name Chocolate Jr. or Deuce and has wowed the crowds with his confident blowing. “He was there from the beginning and he gets out every time,” says Parker, who hopes he’ll return this year. “He’s our secret weapon.” There is a sense of drama as well as humor that goes on within the jazz–meets–hiphop Trumpet Mafia. Last year, half of the trumpeters stood on one side of the stage and

the other half on the opposite side. Blowing, they slowly started moving towards each other culminating with a show down or face off at center stage. The crowd roared. “That was totally improvised,” Parker informs. “The first year at Jazz Fest we had guys playing the valves of other guys’ trumpets. You never know what’s going to happen—but there will be some tricks. We’re going to pull out all the stops. Every Cuban musician is welcome on my stage,” Parker enthusiastically proclaims. “I want those trumpet players so bad.” O

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JON BATISTE JON BATISTE & STAY HUMAN: SATURDAY, APRIL 29—ACURA STAGE, 3:25 P.M.

Piano-1-O-Fun! PHoto: erika goldring

The social music of Jon Batiste.

“I

t’s like a day job except with instruments,” says a laughing Jon Batiste of his high-profile position as the bandleader and musical director of television’s “Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Naturally, the New Orleans– born pianist, vocalist and composer, who brought his band, Stay Human, to the CBS studio just about a year and a half ago, clarifies that understatement. He concedes that preparing and arranging the music that will be

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heard by millions is “intense,” though he describes actually performing in the 400-seat Ed Sullivan Theater before a live audience as “like a gig.” “By the time we’ve finished, we played for about an hour and a half.” Batiste, whose image for Jazz Fest’s Congo Square poster was produced by fellow NOCCA graduate, artist Brandan “Bmike” Odums, hasn’t let working on the show overwhelm his other musical pursuits. “I love bringing music to people By Geraldine Wyckoff

so we always figure out a way to do it,” he declares, explaining that since the program is taped early in the evening, four days a week it’s workable. “We have a really great schedule to kinda have stuff going on in New York whenever we want. And Friday all the way up until Sunday evening is prime for us to get out and travel and do one or two shows over the weekend.” Batiste’s presence on the show and his interaction with Colbert, a brilliantly quick-

witted, politically-bent host, has increased through time. There is more banter between the two, and Batiste throws in more asides and piano riffs to accent Colbert’s comically insightful monologues. He’s also had the opportunity to further reveal his sense of humor in skits. He hosted a mock public service announcement called “Hey White People!” that was hilarious and with a wink and a smile offered a silly music lesson on “Piano-1-O-Fun!” Batiste calls the “Barbershop Stories” with www.OFFBEAT.com

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“To perform on TV, there is so much pressure and so many variables; it makes you play at the highest level.”

highly respected Congressman John Lewis “comedic and profound.” “I never thought that I’d be in a position where there are bits that are written around my comedic sensibilities,” Batiste says. “I didn’t think they were going to completely just keep me in the music lane but they actually are having me do more comedy than I expected. They want a lot more and I’m open to it so I’m exploring it and trying it out. Like anything else, you get better at it the more you do it.” Batiste also enjoys a reputation as quite a fashion plate and wears his clothes with an attitude that he enjoys them. Usually wearing a jacket accessorized with a scarf, fedora and/or sharp sneakers, a look well depicted in Odums’ poster, he describes his style as “elegant but with an edge.” “I’m coming from a very traditional place but I like to add a twist to it because that’s also a part of my personality.” “Ever since moving to New York back in 2004, I learned a lot about different styles of dress and the culture that comes along with that,” says Batiste, whose sometimes flamboyant look is constantly changing. “It’s such a cosmopolitan city you get exposed to different parts of the world just by living in Manhattan. It’s important to represent yourself when you’re being seen by millions of people every night because they see you before they even hear you.” “If you look back in the history of American music, all of the greats had some kind of way that they represented themselves,” he continues. “Duke Ellington was always dapper and Thelonious Monk

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wore all kinds of hats and glasses with just the frames, no lenses. Everybody had their thing.” For Jazz Fest, Batiste will be bringing down the full, eightpiece edition of Stay Human that includes two of its original members, drummer Joe Saylor and tuba and trombone player Ibanda Ruhumbika. “The thing about the band is that everybody is extremely versatile and diverse—you know you have to have variety for TV,” says Batiste, mentioning that many of the musicians are multiinstrumentalists.” Batiste blows a melodica, a hand-held, keyboard instrument, on the show’s theme song and uses it when he and the band head into the audience, second line fashion. Its mobility was required for the band’s 2011 album, My N.Y., which was recorded live in the city’s subway system. “I play it whenever I feel it though the piano has always been my main instrument,” explains Batiste, who began playing drums at age eight with the kin-filled Batiste Brothers Band. Holding a master’s degree from the Juilliard School, he is also naturally adept on a number of instruments. Stylistically, Jon Batiste & Stay Human is equally diverse, moving freely from genre to genre. The members are quite young, with the oldest being 31 and the youngest in their early twenties, so they bring in the sounds of their musical eras such as hiphop and electronic music with what Batiste describes as a “jazz sensibility.” Batiste, 30, who many remember from his teenage years as a serious young jazz pianist, says his focus used to be on modern and traditional jazz,

New Orleans music and fusion. “It’s all still in there,” he explains. “I guess I call it social music—it’s not any one thing, but it is one thing.” Social Music is also the name of the band’s solid 2013 release that finds jazz, classical music, pop-driven material and a rag all comfortably at home with each other. “They are giving me loads of creative freedom, so much so that I have to plan and curate not only what we’re going to play but musical guests and arrange different collaborations,” he says. “The biggest surprise for me was how much a schedule like this would make the band become tight. To perform on TV, there is so much pressure and so many variables; it makes you play at the highest level.” Batiste understands that some people, especially Crescent City natives, might have expected him to invite more New Orleans artists to sit in with him and the band. “I think it’s been way more in a year and a half than they saw on David Letterman for 33 years,” he quickly responds, while mentioning guests like pianist Harry Connick Jr., trumpeter Kermit Ruffins on Mardi Gras Day and vocalist Aaron Neville. “And there is more to come. We have a good lineup coming for people who want to hear New Orleans music.” “That’s not my gig here,” he thoughtfully adds. “My gig here is to represent the culture because that’s who I am but also to just do what it is that I do and represent myself at the highest level. I think that resonates positively for New Orleans and the culture in the city and I’m proud of that.” The first time Batiste performed at Jazz Fest was at

Congo Square when he was, he guesses, about 14. So there’s a historic aspect of him gracing this year’s Congo Square poster. “Bmike [Odums] did a good job on that and it’s an honor,” Batiste says with sincerity. “We were in NOCCA at the same time so I want to shout out to him and to NOCCA.” Batiste has moved on to bigger stages not only at the Fest, where he and Stay Human will get down on the Acura Stage, but in his career. Walk into a Chase Bank or turn on the television and there he is smiling on an advertisement for the financial institution. Batiste is also the featured artist on the new release by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, The Music of John Lewis. The Jazz Fest audience will get a taste of new tunes from Jon Batiste & Stay Human’s next album, which will be out later this year. It will stand as the band’s first full-length release since 2013’s Social Music and since becoming part of the “Late Show” family. “I’m gonna play a ton of music that is unreleased,” Batiste promises. “There’s going to be a lot of material that hasn’t been performed live ever. That’s exciting to us because we have all this material and playing it back home is always a special thing especially for the first time.” When Jon Batiste joyfully takes the center stage, which he does each weekday night on the Colbert’s show his exuberance appears uncontainable—he’ll dance, jump, wave his arms in the air. His music and mindset share that attitude. “We’re number one now—for like five weeks or something!” he exclaims. O www.OFFBEAT.com

BASIN STREET RECORDS

Kermit, Davell, Jason, Rebirth...

sense of community among musicians has long set New Orleans apart from most other cities. Being a component of a greater whole extends beyond the bandstand and includes fans, radio stations, publications, venues and hometown festivals. Boasting an entire catalog of local artists, Basin Street Records, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, definitely stands as a significant member of this city’s musical family. In the last two decades, the company, owned by Mark Samuels, has released product from some of New Orleans’ most musically representative and recognizable names: Kermit Ruffins, the Rebirth Brass Band, Jon Cleary, Davell Crawford, Irvin Mayfield, Henry Butler and more. That’s an impressive array, yet Basin Street Records earned the embrace of many for its warmly inclusive personality. Many people’s introduction to the label was at the 1998 French Quarter Festival. Here’s this guy, walking around the riverfront wearing one of those old-fashioned sandwich boards advertising Basin Street’s first releases—Kermit Ruffins’ The Barbecue Swingers Live and Los Hombres Calientes’ self-titled album—and their upcoming concert at the Orpheum Theater. Wearing the hilarious board was none other than Samuels himself. “I feel very strongly about capturing the attention of music fans while they’re being music fans,” Samuels wisely offers. “Being hands-on is a lot of my nature. During that first Jazz Fest, I was probably out every night putting posters on telephone poles around the Fair Grounds. We used to go up and down

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Broadway and up and down in the Warehouse District and outside the Maple Leaf and outside Tipitina’s. “It hasn’t changed a lot over the years,” he continues. “Every year we’re still outside the Fair Grounds handing out postcards and now we put posters on windshields.” “The reality is, I don’t really like the recording studio; my interest is the music and the distribution and marketing of music,” he continues. “So I count on producers to do the job. I could not have done this without Tracey Freeman who produced both of Rebirth’s records and all but one of Kermit’s and those artists who self-produced recordings.” By Geraldine Wyckoff

Considering his educational and employment background, Samuels seems like a fairly unlikely candidate to jump into the record business. He earned a master’s in business administration from Loyola University and headed to New York to work in the world of finance. In his younger years, however, the musical spark was lit particularly when he attended Benjamin Franklin High School. He played saxophone in the concert band that included both trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and his brother, trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, at various times. Later, while working in New York, Samuels would meet up with Wynton for lunch or a game of hoops, solidifying their friendship. “I would go to Art Blakey’s

Jazz Messengers’ shows when Branford and Wynton were in the band,” says Samuels. “I listened to a lot of jazz back then.” The early Marsalis connection brought Samuels into some of the inner circles of the music world that would lead him, years later, to establish Basin Street Records. Samuels, who moved to New Orleans at age six, hadn’t anticipated returning to the Crescent City. “I was sitting in my New York office and my father called me and he said that he had a new project in the energy business down in New Orleans and asked me if I was interested in coming back,” he remembers. He took the job. “When I moved back with my late wife Patti, we were big music fans and we used to go see Davell Crawford, Henry Butler, Kermit Ruffins and Jon Cleary,” Samuels recalls. Looking back, it’s significant that all these artists would one day record on the Basin Street Records label. The next step in Mark’s inching towards becoming a record label owner was when his brother, Will, who was the manager for the Cutting Edge Music Conference, invited him to put together the jazz showcases. “I did it just for fun,” says Samuels, adding that he used his contacts as a jazz fan and his friendship with Wynton in booking the artists. As he recalls, Kermit, Delfeayo and saxophonist Wess Anderson participated. Having booked Ruffins, who was then managed by Tom Thompson, Samuels says he began starting conversations with Thompson and telling him he was looking for something else to do—maybe working as a booking agent or manager. The conversations continued for over a year until it was suggested that www.OFFBEAT.com

PHoto: ELSA HAHNE

Basin Street Records celebrates its 20th anniversary.

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20 in 20

A selection of Basin Street releases since 1999. Irvin Mayfield: Irvin Mayfield “Mayfield proves that he is more interested in pushing boundaries than establishing a commercial persona.”—Jonathan Tabak (released April 1, 1999; BSR 0401-2) Jason Marsalis: Music in Motion “Like all truly masterful drummers, he is someone who can quicken your pulse without quickening the tempo.—Jonathan Tabak (released April 11, 2000; BSR 0302-2) Los Hombres Calientes: Vol. 3: New Congo Square “Los Hombres Calientes has transcended the Latin jazz genre with astonishing multi-cultural impact.—Jonathan Tabak (released April 17, 2001; BSR 0203-2) Kermit Ruffins: 1533 St. Philip Street “Kermit’s vocals rival Armstrong’s best work… when Kermit sings “I’m white inside, but that don’t help my case,” he transcends his fun-loving persona and makes one of the most eloquent expressions of blues I’ve ever heard.—Jonathan Tabak (released May 22, 2001; BSR 0103-2) Theresa Andersson: Shine ““Lorraine’s Song,” written by Stavin’ Chain alum Grayson Capps, is easily the highlight of the album; Andersson weilds the pop smarts of the other songs to Capps’ blues melody with intriguing results, boosted along by the authentic zing of Sonny Landreth’s dobro.”—Robert Fontenot (released April 20, 2004; BSR 1001-2) Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen: Pin Your Spin “It is a testament to Cleary’s gargantuan songwriting talent that the record’s best track is a ballad. “Smile In A While” is an old school hip hugger complete with a herky jerk backbeat and a gospel flavored vocal arrangement.”— Christopher Blagg (released April 20, 2004; BSR 0902-2) Kermit Ruffins with the Rebirth Brass Band: Throwback “Some albums might sound like a group is having a bunch of fun. With the meeting of Kermit Ruffins and his previous www.OFFBEAT.com

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“It takes the timing of having money in the bank to do it, having the time and the ability to be helpful to the artist and the artist being ready and willing to sign a deal.”

band and old buddies the ReBirth Brass Band you just know they really are having a ball.”—Geraldine Wyckoff (released April 5, 2005; BSR 0105-2) Henry Butler: PiaNOLA Live “This is the album that people have been waiting for Butler to make, and the wait has been worth it.” —Alex Rawls (released April 29, 2008; BSR 0803-2) Dr. Michael White: Blue Crescent “Blue Crescent is a major American work of art for the new millennium.”—John Swenson (released June 10, 2008; BSR 0504-2) Theresa Andersson: Hummingbird, Go! “Every song on Hummingbird, Go! has interesting textures and shapes, but instead of sounding artificial, the overall effect is that Andersson has found her own musical voice.” —Alex Rawls (released September 2, 2008; BSR 1004-2) Kermit Ruffins: Happy Talk “As interpreters of fancy, of mosey, of the positive go, who’s better than Kermit?”—Brian Boyles (released October 26, 2010; BSR 0111-2) Rebirth Brass Band: Rebirth of New Orleans “As this record attests, the Rebirth still blows doors off quite nicely.” —Brian Boyles (released April 12, 2011; BSR 1202-2) Irvin Mayfield: A Love Letter to New Orleans “Famous people, exotic locations, heartfelt tributes, and even a few Mardi Gras Indians provide a narrative for a disc of sophisticated music.” —Brian Boyles (released April 26, 2011; BSR 0406-2) Dr. Michael White: Adventures in New Orleans Jazz, Volume 1 “It’s masterful in its craft and maturity, a stunning display of restraint, discipline, craft, and pure emotion.” —Roger Hahn (released June 21, 2011; BSR 0505-2)

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they record a live Kermit record. It then evolved to “How about we start a record label?” “We went through a lot of street names,” Samuels recalls, when he and Thompson were deciding what the new label would be called. “It was like St. Charles Avenue Records doesn’t make a lot of sense. When we hit on Basin Street, it was like ‘Bingo, yeah that’s the one.’ A sweet thing about the moniker is that it not only represents a famous New Orleans street but a famous song, “Basin Street Blues,” a tune which Ruffins, Butler and Mayfield have recorded on the label. In September 1997, while Samuels was still working at his father’s firm, he began devoting nights and weekends to the label. “After we had gone through the first French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest and I signed both Kermit and Los Hombres Calientes, that’s when I said I’m going to go ahead and give this my full time.” He soon bought out Thompson and became the sole proprietor. Ruffins was the catalyst for forming Basin Street Records and the selection of the other artists who would be signed happened rather organically— Samuels was a fan or somehow connected. “In almost all cases they’d been on my radar for a long time,” says Samuels. For instance, the newly formed Los Hombres Calientes, who would go on to be nominated for a Grammy and will win a Billboard Latin Music Award, were then led by percussionist/ vocalist Bill Summers, trumpeter Irvin Mayfield and drummer Jason Marsalis, who Samuels, as a regular visitor to the Marsalis home, met as a youngster. Los Hombres led to Basin Street’s prolific association with trumpeter

Irvin Mayfield, a Grammynominated artist on the label who has appeared on Basin Street Records as leader and heading the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Samuels met trumpeter/vocalist Jeremy Davenport while having lunch with Wynton Marsalis in New York. He says in Davenport’s case, like many others’, it would often take years before a talk about making a record with a musician would turn into reality. “It takes the timing of having money in the bank to do it, having the time and the ability to be helpful to the artist and the artist being ready and willing to sign a deal,” explains Samuels. He then mentions similar lag times in wanting to and actually signing Davell Crawford, Henry Butler and the Rebirth Brass Band, which won the label’s sole Grammy for 2012’s Rebirth of New Orleans. One of the exceptions to Basin Street’s usual selection process was clarinetist Michael White. “I signed Michael because Jerry Brock [then co-owner of the Louisiana Music Factory] called me and said, ‘I think you will do really well with Michael White even if the only place you sold it is here.’ I signed him on the strength of that recommendation because I wasn’t aware of Michael’s work. Jerry produced A Song for George Lewis.” “Every year, the Music Factory has been our number one retailer,” Samuels informs. “I hope people continue to buy product from independent music stores and particularly the Louisiana Music Factory. They can use the love. It’s such an important element of our success.” In a musical family, each member is essential for its prosperity and sense of artistic satisfaction. Basin Street Records’ success is New Orleans’ success. O www.OFFBEAT.com

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Theresa Andersson: Street Parade “On Street Parade, she reflects on her last few years without a hint of confession; instead, she makes personal and relentlessly engaging music that is fully emotionally present.” —Alex Rawls (released April 24, 2012; BSR 1005-2) Dr. Michael White: Adventures in New Orleans Jazz, Part 2 “The performance casts a spell of such concentrated and heightened awareness that it takes the raucous carryingson of the six-minute “Tiger Rag,” which follows, to completely dispel it.” —Roger Hahn (released June 19, 2012; BSR 0506-2) Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet: In a World of Mallets “Over the course of the disc he’ll invoke bells, chimes, the signature tunes of cozy wall clocks grown familiar from decades of old Hollywood, not to mention the Indonesian gamelan and for good measure.” —Andrew Hamlin (released February 19, 2013; BSR 0303-2) Davell Crawford: My Gift to You “This 75-minute disc is at various times a New Orleans R&B album, a Creole roots disc, a bunch of

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collaborations, a set of sophisticated pop, and a collection of unlikely singer/songwriter covers.” —Brett Milano (released June 11, 2013; BSR 1402-2) Rebirth Brass Band: Move Your Body “Move Your Body keeps the Rebirth party goin’ with music played by musicians who know their stuff.” —Geraldine Wyckoff (released June 24, 2014; BSR 1204-2) Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet: The 21St Century Trad Band “Alternately elegant, quirky, political and swinging, Jason Marsalis’ third studio outing with his vibes quartet serves as a sequel to the group’s excellent 2013 release, In a World of Mallets.” —Jennifer Odell (released October 27, 2014; BSR 0304-2)

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TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE: SUNDAY, MAY 7—ACURA STAGE, 5:35 P.M.

The New King of Jazz Fest By John Swenson

From a child prodigy to international music royalty, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews rules.

ver the past half-century the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has defined what it means to be New Orleans in a manner rivaled only by Mardi Gras itself. The event has spawned a music festival culture in the city, both with its spinoffs and its imitators, that now runs more or less year-round. Though it’s grown in the twenty-first century to include a who’s who of mainstream popular music artists from outside the city, Jazz Fest’s basic content remains the best of what New Orleans has to offer. A few charismatic figures have given the festival its core identity over the years—Professor Longhair’s rediscovery and revival was a focal point of its mission statement and an early signifier of its identity. Through the 1980s and 1990s the Neville Brothers ruled the Fest from their annual finale at the biggest stage, now known as the Acura stage. The Nevilles eventually abdicated that musical throne, but a new King of Jazz Fest, a child of Treme, was waiting in the wings to take over from the Uptown rulers.

Parking Lot Symphony has a lot of different feels to it, from rock to funk to hip-hop. Music is life. When you go to a different neighborhood, or be around different people, that’s how I look at music also, so when I’m playing in a rock arena, or touring with country bands and playing with them, I like playing with people who are good at their style of music. I’m just like a sponge, soaking everything that I can in. If you couldn’t keep learning, life would become pretty boring and you’d become stagnated. So I’m always intrigued to learn as much as I can about all the styles of music. With that attitude it just comes about. www.OFFBEAT.com

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PHoto: erika goldring

For the fifth year in a row the last statement at Jazz Fest will come from Troy Andrews, a.k.a. Trombone Shorty, and his astonishing Orleans Avenue band—guitarist Pete Murano, drummer Joey Peebles, bassist Mike Ballard, baritone saxophonist Dan Oestreicher and saxophonist BK Jackson. The group has fresh material to showcase with the just-released Parking Lot Symphony, Shorty’s first album for the venerable Blue Note label. The recording is an evolutionary step for an artist who defies categorization through his assimilation of rock, funk, hip-hop, pop and the entire tradition of New Orleans music that runs through a family tree that flows back through the great Jessie Hill and beyond. The year Shorty was born, 1986, Jessie Hill played the Fest. It wasn’t long before young Troy followed in his grandfather’s footsteps. In 1990 Shorty made his first JF appearance at age four, sitting in with Bo Diddley. “I didn’t know who he was,” Shorty admits, “I was only four years old! But I do remember being crowdsurfed, passed up there. My lips were so small I could only play the trombone with a trumpet mouthpiece and it sounded like an elephant. I learned to play a bunch of stuff by ear not knowing that I had the wrong mouthpiece. My mom put it in there ’cause my lips were so small. So I was walking through and my mom, she told me, I kinda remember this, we were walking through the festival and she was gonna buy me a sno-ball and I was playing all these long notes and she said ‘You can’t do that because all these people are playing right now.’ I just kept hittin’ the one note. I would get upset as a child if she wouldn’t let me do it ’cause she kind of let me play it. We were in the crowd and Bo Diddley says ‘Who that steppin’ on my set?’ So all these people pointed at me and lifted me up and crowd-surfed me to the stage. The next thing my mom knew there I was on the stage. She was trying to catch me but they kept pushing me up toward the stage. Years later I’d see Bo on commercials and go ‘Oh that’s the guy I was on stage with!’” Shorty has been at every Jazz Fest since, except for 2006 when he was on tour with Lenny Kravitz. He sat down to talk about Jazz Fest and the new album right after completing a national tour with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

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When you first started playing with this band you were taking the lion’s share of the solos, but over the years it’s gradually become more of a group sound. Coming up with some of those guys, at first they didn’t have as much experience as I had as a kid, so I wanted to develop with them—you know so it’s definitely a band effort, everybody is just out to play and I definitely have to give a lot of credit to them. It’s not leading them, we all lead each other, so sometimes I might lay back in rehearsal and our bass player Mike or Joey, our drummer, he might take over the rehearsal and I try to sit back and catch what they want me to do and we just do a collaborative effort. I’m just happy that not only are we able to grow as a band but we are growing as men together and that’s a bond mentally and spiritually that helps each and every one of us. It’s not just me. I may be the face or whatever but everybody has an equal contribution to this band and I think that’s part of the success we’ve had. The show I just saw at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York was phenomenal. You guys hit the stage and didn’t stop for a moment all the way through. Playing all those rock shows and being around the Chili Peppers and the Foo Fighters that’s just a natural energy. I have a lot of energy and I bring the band with me. That also comes from playing in the streets—all those four-hour parades we could never take a break. So that type of energy just translates to the stage. We all grew together and studied together and we still study together, listening to all the great musicians. We talk about it and break some things down even when we’re on the bus. We check out different bands and different things and the next thing you know we incorporate that into what we’re doing. It’s a process and I’m just blessed to be with a great group of musicians and also grow together. We are open-minded to different things. We listen to each other. We never throw anybody’s idea out. Did you approach making this record any differently from your other recordings? Moving over to Blue Note I just had enough time to sit back and plan it out. The last two records we would go into the studio for two weeks, then go back on the road for six weeks. This time it just came to me naturally. When I felt I had some stuff I went into the studio by myself before I brought the band in. So I went into the studio for about two weeks. I had a circle of instruments—drums, tuba, trombones, trumpets, guitars, bass—and I surrounded myself, just me and the engineer and

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I’d just go in and put down some ideas and get them as close to done as I could before I brought them to the band. I had to get out of touring mode and just let things come to me and hit me. You used producer Chris Seefried (Fitz and the Tantrums, Andra Day) this time. How did he get involved in the project? At first it was just me and engineer Misha Kachkachishvili at Esplanade Studios for about two weeks straight. I had about 20 ideas by myself. Some of them were completed; some needed a lot of work. I let Chris listen to the songs. I had a batch of them that I thought were strong, and there were some where he said we can do something with this. We brought the band in and started applying vocals and melodies because I had just put down a basic foundation and I might have had some things where I was humming. Chris heard some of the songs and he went into the studio and he just added some things. He would say ‘I’m not trying to change this, but if you like it…’ He added some different chordal structures and some lyrics and some melodies, it was a real collaborative effort. www.OFFBEAT.com

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“I’m a big fan of Better Than Ezra. I actually bought their studio in New Orleans.”

After he made some changes I wanted to give him songwriting credit because what he added wasn’t there before. It wasn’t like he was trying to write to write. He added some things to it that made the sound pop to a different level. How did Chris contribute to “No Good Time?” He wrote lyrics and a melody over the music I had put down. He gave me like two or three different chords right before the hook comes in. That buildup right there I didn’t have that and I thought it added to the tune, made it that much more impactful and emotional. You brought in some other writers as well. How did Alexander Ebert get involved in the title track? We were hanging out in L.A. I knew his dad, and I knew he lived in New Orleans. When it was time to start writing I just reached out to him and we went over to the studio. I was playing piano on that session and I came up with that vibe, the main melody. A week later he came back with the lyrics and the title. Everybody in the studio was smiling. Whenever I get on piano I just start playing. I came up with that phrase and we just kept going. I put some horn parts on and it all developed into a really cool piece.

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Ethan Gruska co-wrote “Dirty Water.” We were in this rehearsal room and I showed him some chords on the piano. We worked together on the lyric. What we came up with was much slower than what is on the record. I changed the groove, keeping the piano part. The theme was his. And you brought in Aloe Blacc on “Familiar.” He’s a pretty successful artist on his own. We see each other around all the time. I had a hook and I asked him to put something around it. He was like a machine, he listened to it and then he finished the lyric and the story in less than an hour. He’s a great songwriter. On “Where It At?” you used Kevin Griffin from Better Than Ezra. My manager sent it out to Kevin. I’m a big fan of Better Than Ezra. I actually bought their studio in New Orleans. I just gave him the music and I let him come up with the melody and the lyrics to it. And you credit Keith Robertson on “Like a Dog.” Keith is a friend of mine, more like family. He grew up with my brother. We actually call him ‘Like a Dog.’ That skit in there, I called him on the phone

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because we had the working title ‘Like a Dog’ because everything he say is ‘Like a dog.’ You ask ‘Keith you wanna go get something to eat?’ And he’ll say ‘Like a dog.’ ‘How did you like the concert?’ ‘Like a dog.’ When he texts me in the morning, instead of saying good morning it’s ‘Like a dog.’ That’s a really popular saying in the Seventh Ward of New Orleans where he’s from, St. Bernard. Everybody from different neighborhoods have their own little sayings. I called Keith on the phone so that Chris could talk to him and the first thing he said was ‘Like a dog’ and everybody just fell out. I love the way you frame the album with the two versions of “Laveau Dirge.” The first song we recorded was ‘It Ain’t No Use’ ’cause we already had that under our belt. That little dirge I created is also inside of ‘It Ain’t No Use.’ So that became like the theme for the whole record. The great arrangement of “Here Come the Girls” keeps the feel of the original but adds a Trombone Shorty twist. Allen Toussaint is one of our treasures. I had to keep that theme because that march and that horn figure is such a big part of that. When I got to the verses I wanted to switch it up a little bit and make it a little more Meters like. Ivan Neville is playing the piano on that so he put some funk in there and he took it to another level. That verse part is something I came up with during a live show. My bass player was kind of outlining what Mr. Toussaint had written so we decided to outline the verse so that when we came back to the main theme of the tune it would be that much bigger. Speaking of Ivan, you use his bassist Tony Hall on this album for the bass parts. He’s not my regular bass player. I don’t think Ivan would let that happen. Tony’s on the whole album. Mike is our bass player but Tony played on this record. I’ve always loved Tony’s playing. We always wanted to work together. He’s like an encyclopedia. Last year you released a children’s book, Trombone Shorty, in which you talked about your own childhood. Did you learn anything from looking back on your life? It gave me perspective. Trying to rethink what I was going through back then as a child. There were a lot of things I actually couldn’t remember but when I talked to my cousins and some of my childhood friends, they remember some of these things and remind me about them. I tried to remember as much as I could. It did give me perspective on how much fun it was growing up and how music was my life, as it still is, and how it was guiding me at a young age. Did your childhood become more vivid to you? Yeah it did, it became more vivid when I was writing it down. When you’re a child you can’t remember everything from back then, but I remembered certain things. Like I remember it being extremely hot that first Jazz Fest and I remember walking down there. I remember moments without being able to remember the entire thing. Music can carry those memories. I can be playing a certain song and it will take me back to my childhood. Certain songs that we play take me to a particular place in time. www.OFFBEAT.com

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What did you think about Jazz Fest when you were a child? Did you know it was something special before you went? I always knew that Jazz Fest was coming around and I would be able to get some sno-balls and all kinds of food and I could play with my brother James’s band. As a kid I always looked forward to it. I couldn’t explain the feeling that I had but I just knew there was something exciting going on. I was able to hear a lot of music. I got to march in some of the parades that we had at the Jazz Fest. My mom would go to see the artists and musicians that she liked and take me with her. I just remember it being a really exciting time every time she said we were going to the Festival. I marched with the New Birth Brass Band and the James Andrews All Star Band. James went with me everywhere when we played, if we played on the street, or if we played at the Jazz Fest. If he played on the stage he had me right on his side. There’s a picture my momma has at her house and it’s me and James playing side by side at the Ray-Ban Stage. I remember that I played that stage a couple of times and every time I played they gave out free Ray-Bans. But James had me up on all his stages, and if he was a special guest with someone he had me with him. Your first year leading your own band was 2002. My band played at the Fais Do-Do Stage that year, and then we played at the Jazz Tent the next year. I think we blew the speakers out on the first song. I played two trumpets. I had two trumpets and I was working on some harmony. I haven’t done that since that time. Jonathan Batiste was in your band then. Yeah we grew up together at the Jazz Camp and at NOCCA. I used to have to force him to come out of the house, he just wanted to practice all day. We’re really like brothers. He was in my band up until he went up to New York to go to school, right before the storm. You also played with the Nevilles that year. I’ve been playing with the Nevilles since I was 12, 13 years old. They would bring me and [Cyril’s son] Omari up there and play. Aaron still calls me Trumpet Slim to this day. Is that any relation to “Tripped Out Slim” on the album? Tripped Out Slim, he was a real friend. He passed away last year. That’s just a song in his honor because some of his favorite music was Rebirth Brass Band and James Brown. When I was writing that song I wanted to put those two together. He was like an uncle to me. He looked after me up until the day he died. He called me every day, since I had a cell phone in seventh grade, there’s not one day he didn’t call. Did you meet Lenny Kravitz when he played the festival in 2004? No. I met him when I was 18 years old. I had just finished high school. A mutual friend of ours told me he was looking for some horn players. I was playing with my band and he flew me in the next day. I had no idea I was auditioning for a band, I just thought I was

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“That’s a real dream come true to take over that closing spot and have the Nevilles bless me and help me grow to be in the position I’m in.” making a gig. I went up there and played and I remember my lips were killing me because I had played like 12 hours the day before. I had a gig at the House of Blues, I played a wedding for four hours and I was in the studio with the Lil Rascals. I flew up right after all that. So we go into the rehearsal, he hums some stuff in my ear; I’ll catch that and make up something out of it. So after that he went in the back with the whole band and he came out and said you’re in the band. I was like ‘What band am I in?’ So he called my mama and told her. I stayed in Miami for two or three weeks rehearsing with the band. I had to go home and pack because when I flew up there I didn’t bring any clothes because I thought I was coming back the same day. Since you returned from the Lenny Kravitz tour after Katrina you’ve been all over the place at Jazz Fest. I played a bunch with the Lil Rascals and New Birth, New Orleans Social Club. I played with lots of people at Jazz Fest. I think I’ve played at every stage at the Jazz Fest. It’s fun. I get complete joy out of being able to play with different bands and different styles of music. That’s one of the happiest moments. I’ve shared the stage with Sheryl Crow, Zac Brown, Little Big

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Town, I played on Dierks Bentley’s last album. I’ve played with Earth, Wind & Fire, the Foo Fighters and B.B. King. If nothing else happens in life and I’m just able to share the stage with great musicians in different genres of music, that’s all that matters to me. What is your favorite Jazz Fest moment? Always playing with the Neville Brothers. And now you’ve taken over their spot closing out the festival. This will be your fifth year. Wow, I didn’t realize it was five years. You know that was something that I actually dreamed of. Myself and Omari, we always wanted to join the Neville Brothers and be a part of it. We used to dream as kids when we were like 13, 14 years old that we could someday take over the Neville Brothers band. I remember telling Omari ‘One day we’ll be just like them and play the festival and close it out.’ Next thing I know years later it really happened. That’s a real dream come true to take over that closing spot and have the Nevilles bless me and help me grow to be in the position I’m in. New Orleans loves New Orleans so it always works out. O

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Hats On! PHoto: ryan hodgson-rigsbee

Grab your sunscreen, and let us guide you around Jazz Fest.

ow do you choose from the variety of cultures, rhythms and sounds available at Jazz Fest? Our guide should help. Happy Jazz Fest! Remember that performance information may change. Stage Codes ACU = Acura Stage AM = Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage BLU = Blues Tent CON = Congo Square Stage CUB = Cuba Pavillion ECO = Peoples Health Economy Hall Tent FDD = Sheraton New Orleans Fais Do-Do Stage GEN = Gentilly Stage GOS = Gospel Tent J&H = Jazz & Heritage Stage JAZ = Zatarain’s/WWOZ Jazz Tent KID = Kids Tent

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LAG = Lagniappe Stage NAT = Native American Pow Wow PAR = Parades

101 Runners, 5/4, J&H, 5:50p: Carrying on the proud tradition of fusing Mardi Gras Indian chants with funk, this group includes Chris Jones with War Chief Juan Pardo of the Wild Comanches and a star cast of players. 21st Century Brass Band, 5/5, PAR, 4:15p: This young, Treme-based group finds room in its repertoire for New Orleans jazz standards as well as modern R&B hits. 610 Stompers, 5/6, KID, 5:15p: The good nature, mustaches, red satin jackets and blue short-shorts of the men parading in the 610 Stompers represent the finest in the city’s newschool Carnival swagger, a treat hailed from Mardi Gras parades in New

Orleans to the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade in New York City. 79rs Gang, 5/5, J&H, 2:20p: Big Chief Jermaine and Big Chief Romeo from the 7th and 9th Wards come together to form the 79rs Gang. Jermaine’s baritone voice combines with Romeo’s alto voice as they since about the Mardi Gras Indians’ unique culture. They released their first CD, Fire on the Bayou, in 2015. 7th Ward Creole Hunters, 5/4, PAR, 4:10p: Big Chief Jermaine Bossier leads this 7th Ward-based Mardi Gras Indian gang. Aaron Neville, 4/28, BLU, 5:45p: The golden-voiced Neville brother, whose classic “Tell It Like It Is” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame collection for 2015, brings originals from his latest effort, Apache (Best R&B/Funk Album winner at the 2016 Best of the

Beat Awards), mixed in with some hits from his prolific career. Adella Adella the Storyteller and Amber Zu the Conductor, 5/5, KID, 12:40p: This kids’ performer aims to bring animals to life, make history real, turn ancestors into wise friends and open the imaginations and hearts of her listeners. Adonis y Osain del Monte of Cuba, 5/5, CON, 2:05p, CUB, 4:30p; 5/6, CUB, 1:45p, 3:10p; 5/7, BLU, 2:20p, CUB, 4:30p: Havana, Cuba’s Adonis y Osain del Monte offers a modern interpretation of traditional Afro-Cuban folklore, blending it with timba, Havana’s Conga parade rhythms, and beats from Cuba’s contemporary popular music. This is their first U.S. appearance. Alabama Shakes, 4/29, GEN, 5:15p: Brittany Howard’s raw, soulrattling vocal power has become

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JAZZ FEST A-Z the star of this top-notch southern blues-rock outfit, but her bandmates Zac Cockrell, Steve Johnson and Heath Fogg deliver plenty of fire too. They came out of 2016 with three Grammy awards, including Best Alternative Music Album for Sound & Color. Alex McMurray, 4/28, GEN, 11:20a: This songwriter’s sharp eye, gravelly voice and wicked sense of humor have been well displayed in the Tin Men, Royal Fingerbowl and his current solo career. His song “You’ve Got to Be Crazy to Live In This Town” was a fitting choice to close the third season of HBO’s Treme. Alexey Marti, 4/28, J&H, 4:15p: After relocating to New Orleans, Cuban-born conga player and percussionist Marti has become a key fixture on the local Latin scene, performing a mix of jazz, funk, salsa, son, rumba and more. Algiers Warriors, 5/5, PAR, 2:10p: The West Bank-based Big Chief of the Algiers Warriors came out in sky blue with orange patchwork at this year’s Super Sunday. Alia Shawkat and James Williams with the New Orleans Swamp Donkeys Traditional Jass Band, 5/5, ECO, 4:25p: Alia Shawkat is best known for starring roles in TV shows like Arrested Development and Search Party, but she’s also an impressive jazz singer. Her collaborative EP with trad jazz outfit the New Orleans Swamp Donkeys finds her and James Williams knocking out a series of Ella & Louisstyle duets. See feature in this issue. Alvin Youngblood Hart’s Muscle Theory, 5/5, BLU, 12:10p: This Grammy-winning singer, guitarist and mandolin player was inspired in his youth by the sound of Mississippi country blues, which he makes his own by adding elements of roots rock and a deep knowledge of folk and Americana. Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys, 5/6, GEN, 11:20a: This Cajun fiddle prodigy has been in the spotlight since age 10. Her sets can jump from teenfriendly pop to straight-up Cajun, with a classic rock cover or two thrown in. Amos Lee, 4/29, GEN, 3:25p: Amos Lee has opened for Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Norah Jones, Van Morrison, John Prine, Adele and many more. Those endorsements should be enough to draw fans of the old school singer songwriter style to his blend of soul and folk. Anders Osborne, 5/5, GEN, 3:35p: New Orleans’ Swedish-rooted guitar hero and songwriting titan has won Best Guitarist three years in a row and Best Songwriter twice at OffBeat’s Best of the Beat Awards. Tim McGraw had a number one hit with the Osborne song “Watch the Wind Blow By.” Other artists that have covered Osborne’s compositions include Brad Paisley, Tab Benoit, Jonny Lang and Kim Carnes.

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Andre’ Simmons-Franklin, 4/28, GOS, 5:10p: Although gospel artist Andre Simmons Franklin’s first love is old school gospel, he has created something unique by incorporating urban R&B grooves into the mix. His single “I’m Expecting” is highly regarded by Kirk Franklin, John P. Kee, Diane Barrino and others. Andrew Duhon, 4/28, LAG, 3:05p: With his achingly tender voice and penchant for lyrical depth, folkpop singer songwriter Duhon taps into personal experience to tug at listeners’ heart strings while strumming his way through original music that echoes the blues. Andrew Hall’s Society Brass Band, 5/6, ECO, 1:35p: Hall is a skilled traditional jazz and R&B pianist who has performed with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dr. John, and the Olympia Brass Band. Anya Hollingsworth and ARTS, 5/7, KID, 11:30a: Violinist Anya Hollingsworth is an eighth grade honor student at Wilson Middle School. She believes music tells personal and historic stories that connect humanity. ARTS consist of three singers and songwriters Kir’ Ondria Woods, Jamilla Johnson, and Harper Jones. They are accompanied by pianist Carolyn Donnell and drummer Larry Donnell II. Apache Hunters, 5/7, PAR, 1:45p: Big Chief Preston Whitfield leads this Uptown-based Mardi Gras Indian tribe, headquartered at Third and LaSalle Streets. Archdiocese of New Orleans Gospel Choir, 5/6, GOS, 1:55p: The Archdiocese represents the largest religious demographic in New Orleans. Its choir represents a tradition of Crescent City Catholicism dating back to 1793. Arthur and Friends Community Choir, 5/6, GOS, 12:05p: This New Roads, Louisiana-based gospel choir, founded by Arthur Gremillion, focuses on fostering a spirit of togetherness through music. Ashé Cultural Arts Center Kuumba Institute, 4/29, KID, 11:30a: This Central City community group brings storytelling, poetry, music, dance, photography and visual art to schools and neighborhoods throughout New Orleans. AsheSon, 5/7, J&H, 4:25p: Local guitarist Javier Olondo leads this ensemble primarily through the songs of his native Cuba while drawing on the traditions of other Latin American countries, including Guatemala and Puerto Rico. Astral Project, 4/28, JAZ, 6p: The members of this modern jazz quartet—saxophonist Tony Dagradi, guitarist Steve Masakowski, bassist James Singleton and drummer Johnny Vidacovich—have active musical lives outside of the group, but as Astral

Project they evince a rare chemistry that results from playing together for nearly four decades. Audrey Ferguson and The Voices of Distinction, 4/30, GOS, 11:10p: The “traditional foot-stomping, handsclapping gospel” of this Baton Rougebased quartet has been a Jazz Fest regular since before the storm. Baby Boyz Brass Band, 5/7, PAR, 3p: One of the younger brass groups on the second line and festival circuit, Baby Boyz is led by trumpeter Glenn Hall III, kin to the musical Andrews family. Bamboula 2000, 5/4, J&H, 11:20a: “Bamboula” was originally a form of drum and dance ceremony held in Congo Square. Bamboula 2000 leader Luther Gray brings that spirit into the present with a troupe of players and dancers. Batiste Fathers & Sons, 4/28, ACU, 11:25a: The Batistes of New Orleans have had music in their blood for many generations. The family band includes David on the keyboard, Jamal, Ryan and Russell on drums and percussion, with Damon on vocals. Batture Boys, The 5/6, LAG, 3:40p: Helmed by the lead guitarists for the Subdudes (Malone) and Continental Drifters (Ganucheau), this new Americana-focused act released its debut EP, Muddy Water, in April 2016. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, 5/6, FDD, 2:45p: Fiddler Doucet’s venerable Cajun band was the first of its genre to win a Grammy in 1998. Their sound draws on eclectic influences ranging far beyond Acadiana, from bluegrass to West African music and more. Beloit Memorial Jazz Orchestra, 4/29, JAZ, 11:10a: Under the leadership of Mr. Chris Behrens, the Beloit Memorial High School from Beloit, Wisconsin introduces young people to the jazz traditions of such big bands as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Thad Jones. This is their first appearance at Jazz Fest. The Bester Gospel Singers and The Dynamic Smooth Family Gospel Singers of Slidell, 5/5, GOS, 1p: A cappella gospel harmonies are the specialty of The Bester Singers, a Slidell, Louisiana-based group. Evangelist Rosa Lee Smooth founded the Dynamic Smooth Family group three decades ago, and her daughter Cynthia Smooth Plummer now leads the group. Betty Winn & One A-Chord, 4/28, GOS, 1:55p: Formed in 1995 by Betty Winn and her husband Thomas, this sprawling choir traces the history of gospel from slave spirituals to new compositions. They perform with as many as 40 singers. Big Chief Bird and the Young Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, 5/4, J&H, 12:40p: Coming out of the Carrollton neighborhood each year since 1995, this tribe is led by Big Chief “Bird.”

Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. & the Wild Magnolias, 5/6, J&H, 5:45p: Big Chief Bo Dollis, Jr. carries on the legacy of his father, leading the Wild Magnolias’ impassioned, funk-inspired Mardi Gras Indian music. Big Chief Donald Harrison, Jr., 5/4, CON, 2p: Saxophonist Harrison is a New Orleans Renaissance man who has explored reggae, funk and Mardi Gras Indian music through the filter of jazz. His last CD, This is Jazz, is a trio set with Billy Cobham and Ron Carter. Big Chief Juan & Jockimo’s Groove, 5/7, J&H, 11:20a: Skillful Golden Comanche Chief Juan Pardo, who grew up with the sounds of elder statesmen Indians like Monk Boudreaux and Bo Dollis, updates classic and original Mardi Gras Indian songs with a mix of funk and R&B. Big Chief Kevin Goodman & the Flaming Arrows Mardi Gras Indians, 4/30, J&H, 11:20a: Singer and Big Chief Kevin Goodman, who’s called Austin home since evacuating during Hurricane Katrina, leads this tribe and stage band. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indians, 4/30, J&H, 5:55p: Boudreaux, who performed for many years alongside Big Chief Bo Dollis in the Wild Magnolias, is one of the most prominent Indian performers and a soulful vocalist. The Golden Eagles’ reggae-heavy performances often get into heady, near-psychedelic territory. Big Chief Trouble and the Trouble Nation, 5/6, PAR, 1:30p: This tribe’s Big Chief Markeith Tero also rolls with the Revolution SA&PC. Big Freedia, 5/6, CON, 1:55p: The self-professed Queen Diva put bounce music on the map nationally with her quick-fire rhymes, sweat-inducing rhythms and booty-shaking grooves. Big Nine SA&PC, 4/28, PAR, 4p: Listen for cries of “way downtown” on the parade from this social aid and pleasure club. Big Sam’s Funky Nation, 5/6, ACU, 12:15p: The charisma of former Dirty Dozen trombonist Sam Williams makes him an able focal point for a musical party that blends brass, Meters-style funk, hip-hop and rock. The band has toured hard and earned a following in the jam band world. Big Steppers SA&PC, 4/30, PAR, 2:30p: Steppers hold one of the season’s most popular Sunday parades. Bill Summers & Jazalsa, 5/7, J&H, 1:50p: Known for his membership in Los Hombres Calientes and Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, legendary percussionist Summers explores Latin and world music with his Jazalsa band. Black Feathers Mardi Gras Indians, 4/30, PAR, 12:10p: This 7th Ward-based tribe has been masking Indian for more than 20 years. Black Lodge Singers, 4/28, NAT, 12:05p, 1:15p, 4p; 4/29, NAT, 12p,

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JAZZ FEST A-Z 1:15p, 4:05p; 4/30, NAT, 12p, 1:15p, 3:50p: Black Lodge Singers are a northern style drum group on the powwow circuit. The group includes Kenny Scabby Robe (Blackfeet), his wife Louise (Yakama), and his 12 sons. Kenny is noted on the circuit as one of the leading pow-wow song makers. They have received several Grammy nominations. Black Mohawk and Blackfoot Hunters, 4/28, PAR, 1:20p: Big Chief Byron Thomas and Big Chief Donald lead this twofer Mardi Gras Indian parade. Black Seminoles Mardi Gras Indians, 4/28, PAR, 2:45p: This popular tribe was led by the Cyril “Big Chief Ironhorse” Green until his unexpected passing in 2013. Blodie’s Jazz Jam, 4/29, JAZ, 12:15p: Blodie is better known as Dirty Dozen trumpeter Gregory Davis, whose jamming partners include other members of Dirty Dozen, Trombone Shorty’s Orleans Avenue and other horn men who will be on the Fair Grounds that day. Blue Lu Barker Remembered featuring Meschiya Lake and Quiana Lynell, 4/28, ECO, 5:30p: Singers Meschiya Lake and Quiana Lynell remember Danny Barker’s wife, the jazz and blues singer Blue Lu Barker, who passed away in 1998 at age 84. Expect the program to include “Don’t You Feel My Leg?,” “Look What Baby’s Got For You” and “A Little Bird Told Me,” which peaked at number four on the Billboard chart in 1948. Blues Traveler, 5/7, BLU, 5:35p: This New Jersey group briefly entered the mainstream with their harmonica-laden 1994 hit “Run-Around,” but they’ve been a beloved staple of the jam band scene for a very long time. Expect plenty of improvisational rock and creative song segues during their set. Bobby Lounge, 5/7, LAG, 5:20p: A one-of-a-kind mix of barrelhouse piano, Tom Waitsian poetics, Southerngothic storytelling and just plain outthere-ness. Bonerama, 5/5, ACU, 12:30p: What began as a novelty—a multitrombone band playing jazz, funk and classic rock—has turned into a local and national favorite. Their renditions of rock classics like Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” and the Grateful Deadassociated “Turn On Your Love Light” are full-tilt affairs. Boney James, 5/5, JAZ, 5:40p: Saxophonist and songwriter Boney James has sold over 3 million albums, making him one of the most commercially successful artists in contemporary jazz. Boyfriend, 4/30, GEN, 12:45p: Part rapper and part performance artist, Boyfriend’s “rap cabaret” shows are entertaining and intellectuallyengaging experiences that make destroying gender norms fun for everyone. See feature in this issue.

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Brother Tyrone & the Mindbenders, 4/29, BLU, 11:10p: Tyrone Pollard, a.k.a. Brother Tyrone, is a deep-soul vocalist whose original songs could pass for long-lost vinyl tracks. Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band, 4/30, FDD, 1:35p: A New Orleansreared Cajun, this self-taught accordion player has hosted the Sunday Cajun session at Tipitina’s for decades and the Maple Leaf before that. The Bucktown Allstars 25th Anniversary, 4/30, LAG, 5:20p: This nine-piece R&B band from Metairie is a consistent Best Cover Band winner at OffBeat’s Best of the Beat Awards. Buddy Guy, 5/7, GEN, 3:30p: This Louisiana-born, Chicago-bred luminary of the blues and rock worlds continues to tour, record and inspire new generations of musicians with his blazing guitar style. He recently teamed up with Junior Wells for the two-disc Buddy Guy and Junior Wells Play the Blues. Buffalo Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, 5/7, PAR, 4:15p: The Buffalo Hunters tribe is led by Big Chief Spoon. C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, 5/4, FDD, 6p: Zydeco king Clifton Chenier’s son has long emerged as a bandleader in his own right. His latest album, Can’t Sit Down has a killer version of Tom Waits’ “Clap Hands.” The Caesar Brothers Funkbox, 4/29, J&H, 4:20p: Solid, Uptown funk from keyboardist and drummer Norman and Rickey Caesar, whose musical family members include an assortment of Nevilles. Capoeira New Orleans, 5/7, KID, 4:10p: Participants and students from this local Afro-Brazilian arts program show off their moves. Carsie Blanton, 5/4, LAG, 4:20p: Singer songwriter Carsie Blanton has taken her talents for writing, voice, guitar and piano from the streets of her adopted hometown of New Orleans to acclaim with her seven albums and relentless touring (including a slot opening for Paul Simon in 2014). CC Adcock + The Lafayette Marquis, 4/30, ACU, 12:25p: A bona fide South Louisiana icon, the multi-talented, free-wheeling CC Adcock has earned Grammy nods as a composer for film and is considered one of the finest present-day players of the swamp-rock sound, melding the electric blues, zydeco and Cajun styles. Cedric Burnside Project, 5/4, BLU, 1:30p: Undeniably influenced by his grandfather R.L.’s sound, Burnside brings a powerful, fierce energy to the stage. Switching back and forth between acoustic guitar and drums, the project provides blues in its most essential form, as well as intense upbeat dance tunes.

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole, 5/5, FDD, 11:10a: A popular young fiddler, accordionist and singer, this four-time Grammy nominee boasts equal parts star power and skill; his influences range from Creole and Cajun to West African music and beyond. Cha Wa, 5/4, ACU, 11:20a: Mardi Gras Indian singer Eric “Yettii” Boudreaux (Monk Boudreaux’s brother) formed this band to fuse Indian chants with blues. They’re joined by singer, guitarist and producer Papa Mali, an alum of the 7 Walkers with Bill Kreutzmann and George Porter, Jr. Changüí Guantánamo of Cuba, 5/4, CUB, 1:30p, 3:10p; 5/5, CUB, 1:35p, J&H, 4:45p; 5/6, CUB, 11:20a, KID, 1:15p; 5/7, CUB, 11:30a, 12:40p: Changüí is the precursor to son, and eventually salsa, and is one of the oldest rhythms in Cuba. It originated in the eastern region of Guantánamo Province. Founded in 1945 by tres player Chito Latamblet, Changüí Guantánamo maintains the original Changüí music style and instrumentation. Although they have toured extensively Changüí Guantánamo’s last appearance in the U.S. dates back to 1989. Charlie Gabriel & Friends, 5/4, ECO, 2:55: Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s clarinetist and vocalist Charlie Gabriel makes his Jazz Fest debut under his own name. The band includes Kyle Roussel on piano, Ben Jaffe on bass, Shannon Powell on drums, Kevin Lewis on trumpet and Craig Klein on trombone. Though the band will focus on traditional New Orleans music, Gabriel often credits the vitality of jazz with its unique ability to reflect the modern experiences of those who interpret it along with the history in which it’s rooted. See feature in this issue. Charmaine Neville Band, 4/29, BLU, 12:05p: An exuberant jazz singer whose influences run the gamut of New Orleans music styles, Neville has long been a staple of the city’s scene, particularly at Snug Harbor. Cheyenne Mardi Gras Indians, 5/4, PAR, 4:10p: This Mardi Gras Indian tribe takes its name after one of the most famous tribes of the Great Plains. Chilluns & Dads with Cranston and Annie Clements, Dave and Darcy and Johnny Malone, and Spencer and Andre Bohren, 5/4, GEN, 12:45p: The “Chilluns” showcase is being picked up from Tipitina’s which presented the program last December. This twogeneration show will feature the Malones (siblings Johnny and Darcy of Darcy Malone and the Tangle and father Dave Malone of the Radiators), the Clements (daughter Annie

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Clements of Sugarland and father Cranston), and the Bohrens (father Spencer and son Andre). Chocolate Milk, 4/30, GEN, 1:50p: Inspired by the music of Kool & the Gang, saxophonist Amadee Castenell formed this funk, soul and disco outfit in the late ‘70s in New Orleans. They went on to replace the Meters as Allen Toussaint’s house band before breaking up in 1983. Their occasional reunion shows are a treat for old school soul-loving Festgoers. The Chosen Ones Brass Band, 4/28, PAR, 4p: Just now reaching their 20s, the rock-steady members of the nine-piece Chosen Ones bring a hip hop-infused, high-energy style to traditional New Orleans back beats and horn sections. Chris Clifton & His Allstars, 5/4, ECO, 11:20a: Trumpeter Clifton met and had an association with Louis Armstrong, playing with the great trumpeter’s second wife Lil Hardin. He still honors the traditional sounds of Satchmo. Chris Owens, 4/30, ECO, 5:35p: An old-school burlesque queen and beloved local character, Owens runs the closest thing to a PG-rated club on Bourbon Street. Her Jazz Fest shows tend to include the liveliest version of “YMCA” you’ll ever hear. Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, 4/28, FDD, 1:35p: This third-generation bandleader won the last Best Zydeco or Cajun Album Grammy for his Zydeco Junkie in 2010. Carrier teamed up with Chris Ardoin in 2015 for Zydeco Stuff. Chucho Valdés Quintet, 5/7, JAZ, 5:45p: Over the past 50 years, the pianist has affirmed himself as one of the prime figures in the Cuban jazz world. Founding member of staple band Irakere with Paquito D’Rivera, the multi-Grammy winner brings his quintet to spice up this year’s Cubanflavored Jazz Fest. The Clark Sisters, 4/30, GOS, 3:55p: This gospel vocal group consists of five sisters: Jacky Clark Chisholm, Denise Clark Bradford, Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark-Terrell, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and Karen Clark Sheard. They are the daughters of legendary gospel musician and choral director Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. Their biggest hit “You Brought the Sunshine” was awarded a gold record. They have won three Grammy awards. Clive Wilson’s New Orleans Serenaders with Butch Thompson, 5/4, ECO, 1:40p: Known for their lively interpretations of old New Orleans classics by Armstrong, Kid Ory, and others, the members of the Serenaders have played together in various musical contexts since the ’60s. Comanche Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, 4/29, J&H, 11:20a: Big Chief

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Keith Keke Gibson leads this Ninth Ward gang, performing traditionals like “Indian Red” and Monk Boudreaux’s “Lighting and Thunder.” Conga Los Hoyos of Cuba, 4/30, CUB, 11:30p; 5/4; CUB, 11:30a, 5/5, CUB, 11:30a: From the Los Hoyos district of Santiago, Conga Los Hoyos dates back to 1902. The group is fully ingrained in the culture of Santiago de Cuba, each year closing the traditional carnival parades and participating in the annual Festival del Caribe. The hallmark of conga, the corneta china—or Chinese Cornet— leads a riotous mix of percussions including a pilón (bass drum), bocúes (small conga drums), quinto and requinto drums, redoblantes (snare drums) and llantas (car brake drums struck with a metal rod). This is their first time in the U.S. Connie & Dwight Fitch with St. Raymond & St. Leo the Great Choir, 4/29, GOS, 12:05p: Seventh Ward couple, Connie and Dwight Fitch, have done romantic R&B as well as gospel; she has sung in the past with Ray Charles and Dr. John. CoolNasty ft. Assata Jones and Ray Wimley, 5/5, CON, 11:25a: The young neo-soul jazz band, who hosts the weekly jam sessions, at the Jazz Market back up Chicago R&B singer Jones and New Orleans MC Ray Wimley. COOT, 5/4, LAG, 11:30a: This local five-piece has been putting out original rock music for over two decades. Corey Henry & Treme Funktet, 4/29, CON, 12:30p: Galactic trombonist Henry’s highly energetic funk band has quickly become one of the must-see groups around town in the last few years. Corey Ledet & His Zydeco Band, 5/7, FDD, 12:15p: Ledet was already two years into his music career when he switched from drums to accordion at age 12. He released his latest work, Standing on Faith, last March. Corinne Bailey Rae, 5/4, CON, 3:35p: English singer Corinne Bailey Rae has won two Grammy Awards with her beautiful voice and contemporary approach to soul and R&B. You may recognize her hits “Put Your Records On” and “Like A Star.” Cowboy Mouth, 5/7, ACU, 12:30p: Singer/drummer Fred LeBlanc and guitarist John Thomas Griffith have led this anthemic rock band through a few lineups and any number of full-tilt live shows. Craig Adams & Higher Dimensions of Praise, 4/30, GOS, 6:05p: Hammond player and Houston/New Orleans native Adams leads this dynamic, 16-piece gospel group. Creole Osceola Mardi Gras Indians, 4/29, PAR, 3:15p: Mardi Gras Indian parade.

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Creole String Beans, 5/7, FDD, 1:25p: Fronted by photographer Rick Olivier and featuring former Iguanas and Cowboy Mouth members, the Creole String Beans began as a “Y’at cover band” doing vintage local gems, and moved on to write similarly-styled originals. Crescent City Lights Youth Theater, 4/29, KID, 4:10p: With performers aged 9 to 16, this group plays each summer at Gallier Hall in downtown New Orleans. In 2012, they won Most Outstanding Achievement in Acting at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta. Culu Children’s Traditional African Dance Company with Stilt Walkers, 5/7, KID, 5:15p: Founded in 1988, this New Orleans-based company has toured the US and performed for Winnie Mandela. Curtis Pierre & the Samba Kids, 4/30, KID, 5:20p: The self-professed “samba king of New Orleans” leads the Afro-Brazilian troupe he founded in 1987 on a series of parades and performances. Cynthia Sayer & Her Joyride Quartet, 5/6, ECO, 4:05p: Banjoist and vocalist Cynthia Sayer is joined by Dennis Lichtman on clarinet and violin, Mike Weatherly on bass and vocals and Larry Eagle on drums. Sayer first rose to international prominence as a founding member of Woody Allen’s New Orleans Jazz Band. She is considered one of the top 4-string jazz banjoists in the world today. Cyril Neville & SwampFunk, 4/29, BLU, 2:40p: In addition to stints playing with the Meters and the Neville Brothers, reggae-loving percussionist and singer Cyril has helmed funk outfit the Uptown Allstars and conducted a successful solo career. Da Knockas Brass Band, 4/30, PAR, 2:30p: Formed in 2014, this eight-piece act plays contemporary brass band music, traditional New Orleans jazz and gogo funk. Da Truth Brass Band, 5/6, PAR, 1:30p: Da Truth’s high-energy, tight renditions of New Orleans second line classics and originals have made them one of the best new brass bands in the streets on Sundays. Dale Watson and His Lone Stars, 5/4, FDD, 4:25p: Alabamaborn Austin denizen Dale Watson carries a punk-rock energy into his take on Texas country swing, playing guitar behind original numbers formed by his maverick streak and grooving to his melodic long-time backing band, the Lone Stars. Darius Rucker, 5/4, GEN, 5:30p: Best known as the frontman for Hootie & The Blowfish, Charleston native Darius Rucker has spent the last decade developing a very successful career as a country music artist.

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, 5/5, ACU, 5:25p: Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds have been collaborating for over 25 years, though Reynolds has only been an official member of the massively popular Dave Matthews Band since 2008. As an acoustic duo, the pair primarily sticks to the DMB catalog. However, choice covers and Tim Reynolds originals are often part of the equation. Davell Crawford, 5/5, BLU, 2:45p: Grandson of the late New Orleans R&B great James “Sugarboy” Crawford, Davell is an energetic keyboardist and soulful singer whose repertoire draws on R&B, jazz and gospel. David & Roselyn, 5/5, 1:50p: Local duo David Leonard and Roselyn Lionheart’s blues and jazz sounds have been a French Quarter staple for years. They’ve also performed on the Smithsonian Institute’s PBS “River of Song” documentary. David Batiste Sr. and the ReNEW Schools Turnaround Arts Choir, 5/5, KID, 5:15p: Louisiana Music Hall of Famer, David Batiste, Sr. has been working in ReNEW schools since their inception. His students even performed for Michelle Obama when she was First Lady. David L. Harris, 4/28, JAZ, 11:15a: Baton Rouge native, trombonist, vocalist and composer David L. Harris will be joined by an A-team of young up-and-comers on the New Orleans jazz scene—pianist Shea Pierre, bassist Jasen Weaver and drummer Miles Labat. His debut CD Blues I Felt has been very well received. Dawes, 5/7, FDD, 4:15p: Having cut their teeth creating a unique, atmospheric sound through years of heavy touring on the festival circuit, Los Angeles-based folk-rockers Dawes also have remarkable songwriting chops, as shown on their new album, We’re All Gonna Die. Daymé Arocena of Cuba, 5/7, BLU, 11:15a, CUB, 1:50p: Singer composer and choir director, Daymé Arocena, approaches jazz, soul and classical influences with an innate sense of rhythm. Born and raised in Havana, Arocena’s music draws inspiration from the Caribbean island’s different rhythms and styles from Guantanamo’s fast-paced changüí, to guaguancó and ’70s-style ballads. Deacon John, 4/28, BLU, 4:15p: The singer/guitarist’s long history in New Orleans music includes leading the band at debutante balls, performing at the Dew Drop Inn and playing on some of the city’s classic records like Aaron Neville’s “Tell It Like It Is” and Ernie K-Doe’s “Mother-In-Law.” Deak Harp, 5/7, BLU, 1:10p: A protégé of James Cotton, this harmonica player performs a mix of Mississippi and Chicago blues; he also

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makes custom harmonicas at his store in Clarksdale, Miss. Debbie Davis & the Mesmerizers, 5/6, ECO, 5:35p: Vocalist and ukulelist, Debbie Davis, stands out in the crowd of vocalists like a bird-of-paradise in a roomful of parakeets. Her voice is a magnificent, near-operatic instrument and her theatrical instincts are the stuff of Broadway musical-level performance. The Mesmerizers include her husband, bassist Matt Perrine, pianist Josh Paxton and guitarist Alex McMurray. See a review of Debbie Davis’ latest CD in this issue. Deitrick Haddon, 4/29, GOS, 3:55p: Singer songwriter, music producer, pastor, and actor, Deitrick Haddon is best known for progressive gospel and contemporary styles of music. He is also one of the cast members in Oxygen’s reality television show Preachers of L.A. Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, 4/29, JAZ, 6p: The trombonist, composer and producer recently intrigued with his release Make America Great Again!, his energetic UJO sets balance humor and fun with tight ensemble interplay and memorable solos. The Deslondes, 5/5, LAG, 3:45p: Formerly the Tumbleweeds, this earthy songwriters ensemble describes itself as “country-soul swamp boogie.” The band’s leader is Sam Doores, a former traveler and companion of Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Lee Segarra. Three players share composing duties; fiddle and pedal steel player John James is also a standout. Di Filippo Marionette, 4/30, KID, 1:50p: Italian marionette maker and actor Remo di Fillipo returns after a successful performance at last spring’s New Orleans International Puppet Festival. Dillard University’s VisionQuest Gospel Chorale, 5/5, GOS, 6:05p: This choir’s homebase is the religious life department at Dillard, a local historically black liberal arts college that dates back to 1869. Dirty Bourbon River Show, 4/29, LAG, 5:30p: This self-described “NOLA big brass circus rock” quintet is heavy on the rhythm—and the humor. They released their ninth studio album, Important Things Humans Should Know, in 2015. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, 4/29, ACU, 1:55p: This band was formed in 1977 by Benny Jones and introduced bebop and funk into the brass band sound They’ve continued to evolve by adding drum kit and electric guitar, and will celebrate their 40th anniversary this year. Divine Ladies SA&PC, 4/29, PAR, 11:45a: This Uptown social aid and pleasure club’s annual parades generally kick off in serious style at St. Charles and Jackson Avenues.

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Photo: golden g. richard, III

FEST FOCUS

The Revealers FRIDAY, APRIL 28—CONGO SQUARE STAGE, 11:20 A.M.

“W

e’re in New Orleans, man.” According to leader Chris “DeRoc” DeBose, that explains a lot about the Revealers— including their hanging onto a recognizable sound after a long round of personnel changes. And especially, their being a reggae band who can take on any number of different styles, from funk to gospel and, on the new CD One World, even a touch of Mardi Gras Indians. DeBose says the band made its decisive move a couple decades ago, when they shortened their name from the Reggae Revealers. “At the time bands like Third World and Steel Pulse were coming to town and we were opening for them, so we put our reggae material forward. That’s the foundation we come from, but we never wanted to limit ourselves. I’m a Neville Brothers kind of guy and a Frank Sinatra kind of guy, so I wouldn’t want to put us into any box.” The new CD was a long time coming. They picked the title One World for the follow-up to their 2003 live CD, but then reality intervened—first with the death of a key band member and then Katrina, which caused additional problems for DeBose after he got home. “I stepped on a roofing nail while repairing my house after the storm. I didn’t realize I was a diabetic, and I found out the hard way—I’d always heard that diabetes causes numbness in your feet, and I had a nail stuck in the bottom of my boot, and I didn’t even feel it. So I was banged up for a couple years after that, with four operations on my foot.” Yet the band managed to make most years of Jazz Fest—this one will be their 22nd. The latest changes have brought them closer to their original sound, with a new co-singer (Felice Guimont) adding the long-missing female voice. They’ve also recut “I Like the Sound of That,” a local hit in the late ’90s. “That phrase comes from street slang, a neighborhood ‘who dat’ kind of thing. I did an update of the lyric; after Muhammad Ali died I put him in the lyric with Martin Luther King. It’s become a favorite song of everybody’s—once you put this stuff out there in the world, it takes on a whole different personality.” One thing that hasn’t changed is the band’s trademark positivity, which DeBose says stems from his younger days as a Marine. “That probably taught me the leadership skills to bring people together from different nationalities. Right now our drummer is a Jewish guy, our bass player is Native American, and the 6th, 7th and 9th Wards are all represented. And when I look at the crowds that’s what I see, a multicultural and multiracial thing. That’s what inspires us to write these songs.” —Brett Milano www.OFFBEAT.com

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JAZZ FEST A-Z DJ Captain Charles, 5/7, CON, 5p: The self-proclaimed “most renowned DJ in New Orleans,” Captain Charles has been spinning and fortifying his collection for more than 20 years. DJ Raj Smoove, 5/6, CON, 4:55p: The New Orleans hip-hop DJ has worked extensively with Li’l Wayne and the Cash Money crew. He even performed for Stevie Wonder during a National Urban League conference. DJ Shub, 4/28, J&H, 3p: Formerly of A Tribe Called Red (he parted ways in 2014), DJ Shub is an award winning music producer. His album Nation II Nation contains the popular singer “Electric Pow Ow Drum.” The Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music Band, 5/7, LAG, 11:30a: Students from this Kidd Jordan-directed, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation-sponsored free music program. Don Vappie & the Creole Jazz Serenaders, 5/7, ECO, 3p: An eclectic banjo player and singer, Vappie has made a career of exploring his Creole heritage through music, whether it’s traditional jazz, island music, or with Otis Taylor, Keb’ Mo’, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Corey Harris as part of the Black Banjo Project. Donald Lewis, 5/5, KID, 4:10p: Local actor and educator Lewis teaches drama and storytelling and performs regularly with the group Young Audiences of Louisiana. Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans, 5/5, ECO, 5:55p: Clarinetist Doreen Ketchens and her band perform traditional New Orleans jazz all over the world, and have played for Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr. and Clinton. Doyle Cooper Jazz Band, 5/4, ECO, 5:50p: Alexandria, Louisiana native, trumpeter and vocalist Doyle Cooper started in 2006 playing sousaphone with the Red Hot Brass Band. He is a frequent performer at the Bourbon O Bar. Dr. Brice Miller & Mahogany Brass Band, 5/7, J&H, 5:45p: Trumpeter and ethnomusicologist Miller leads this long-running traditional New Orleans jazz ensemble, his go-to band when he’s not delving into other pursuits like avant-garde jazz and electronic music. Dr. John and the Gris-Gris Krewe, 4/30, ACU, 3:15p: New Orleans piano icon Dr. John has received six Grammy Awards and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Dr. John’s zydeco, boogie-woogie rock ’n’ roll has had New Orleans and the rest of the world enamored since the late ’60s. Dr. Michael White & the Original Liberty Jazz Band featuring Thais Clark, 5/6, ECO, 2:45p: Clarinetist and jazz scholar White frequently fuses traditional and modern styles in his Liberty Jazz Band. He recently produced an album’s worth of new

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recordings tracing the history of modern New Orleans brass band music for Smithsonian Folkways. Clark, his regular Jazz Fest guest, adds a vocal component to the set. Dukes of Dixieland, 5/4, LAG, 12:40p: The Dukes are one of the most storied names in traditional jazz. This incarnation of the venerable jazz band was formed in 1974. For a few years afterward they ran their own club atop the Hotel Monteleone, taking the space over from Louis Prima. Dumaine Street Gang, 4/29, PAR, 11:45a: The Treme-based Dumaine Street Gang Social Aid and Pleasure Club hits the Sixth Ward’s hottest spots during its annual parade. Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, 4/30, FDD, 6p: This second-generation accordion slinger carries on the blues-infused style of his dad Dopsie Sr., often with a whole lot of added speed and volume. E. L. S., 5/4, CON, 12:35p: A three-piece singing group with a multi-decade repertoire that includes classics from Aretha Franklin, the Supremes, Sister Sledge, Petti Labelle, Bonnie Raitt, Whitney Houston and more. E’Dana and Divinely Destin, 4/29, GOS, 1p: Gospel singer and stage actress E’Dana has been touring and recording since she was 15. She hits the Fairgrounds with her Louisianabased group, Divinely Destin. Earth, Wind & Fire, 5/5, CON, 5:25p: Classic R&B group made Jazz Fest history a few years ago when they filled in for Aretha Franklin on less than 24 hours’ notice. Leader Maurice White no longer tours with the group, but Philip Bailey’s trademark tenor is still upfront. Ed Volker’s Quintet Narcosis, 4/30, LAG, 3:50p: The former Radiators keyboardist remains a fine and prolific songwriter. These days he usually performs acoustically with sax and percussion, still doing many of the trademark Rads tunes. Eddie Cotton & the Mississippi Cotton Club, 5/4, BLU, 2:55p: Eddie Cotton is an electric blues guitarist from Clinton, Miss. He grew up singing and playing gospel music at church and playing the music of blues legends, especially B.B. King. Egg Yolk Jubilee, 5/4, LAG, 5:30p: Currently celebrating their 20year anniversary, Egg Yolk Jubilee last played Jazz Fest in 2008. The hardto-describe, yet consummately New Orleans band, are “too rock for the jazz crowd and too jazz for the rock crowd” says trumpeter Eric Belletto. See our feature in this issue. Eleanor McMain “Singing Mustangs,” 5/4, GOS, 11:20a: The McMain Secondary School Gospel Choir, a.k.a. the McMain Singing Mustangs, return for their seventh Jazz Fest performance under the guidance of Clyde Lawrence.

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JAZZ FEST A-Z The Electrifying Crown Seekers, 5/7, GOS, 12:05p: Keep an ear peeled for this Marrero, Louisiana-based group’s rendition of “Walk Around Heaven,” featuring a soloist whose falsetto voice won’t preclude him from topping out on the tune’s highestregister notes. Elle King, 4/30, GEN, 3:50p: Last year, this singer, guitarist and banjo player with a penchant for rocking out released her debut, Love Stuff, which quickly rose to number one on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart and earned her two Grammy nods. Ellis Marsalis Center for Music Jazz Ensemble, 4/28, KID, 1:50p: Located in the Musicians’ Village, the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music offers opportunities for underserved children, youth, and musicians. The Center provides afterschool and Saturday music lessons for children ages 7-18. The students in the Ensemble practice once a week for 90 minutes and perform a varied repertoire that explores all genres of jazz, from traditional New Orleans music to the music of the Swing Era and the Blues. Ellis Marsalis, 5/7, JAZ, 1:30p: The legendary modern jazz pianist and patriarch of the Marsalis family still holds court Friday nights at Snug Harbor. He recorded The Last Southern Gentlemen last year, his first fulllength album with his son, trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis. Eric Lindell, 5/4, BLU, 4:15p: Once a California skate-punk, Lindell had more success as a blue-eyed soul and bluesman after moving to New Orleans. His tight backing band explores the slightly country-influenced edges of Louisiana roots rock on albums such as his last one, Matters of the Heart. Erica Campbell of Mary Mary, 5/4, GOS, 3:45p: Contemporary gospel and R&B recording artist started her music career in 1998 with her younger sister, Tina Campbell, as part of the gospel group, Mary Mary. Her solo music career began in 2013 and has won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album. She is the host of Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell with comedian Griff, that airs on the Radio One show Urban Gospel. Erica Falls, 5/7, CON, 11:20p: This soulful New Orleans R&B vocalist has sung with Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas but her chops—and songwriting skills—warrant recognition on their own merit. Family Ties Social Aid and Pleasure Club, 4/29, PAR, 11:45a: This popular Social Aid and Pleasure Club is based downtown, generally strutting down Basin Street on its annual Sunday parade. Feufollet, 5/5, FDD, 12:10p: This Grammy-nominated crew of young Cajun musicians helmed by Chris Stafford recently expanded their sound by adding violinist, singer songwriter,

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Kelli Jones-Savoy, who co-wrote much of their 2015 release, Two Universes, and keyboardist Andrew Toups. Fi Yi Yi & the Mandingo Warriors, 5/6, J&H, 11:20a: The Fi Yi Yi tribe of Mardi Gras Indians uses African instead of the traditional American Indian themes. Big Chief Victor Harris marched for 25 years with legendary Indian Tootie Montana. First Baptist Church of Vacherie Mass Choir, 4/29, GOS, 11:15a: Minister of Music Joseph B. Warrick leads this Vacherie, Louisiana, based gospel choir whose homebase is the town’s First Baptist Church, which dates back to 1866. First Emanuel Baptist Church Mass Choir, 5/6, GOS, 6:05p: This choir is based in the Central City Church on Carondelet Street and is one of New Orleans’ most celebrated church singing groups. Flow Tribe, 4/30, ACU, 11:15a: “Backbone cracking music” is the chosen genre of this party-friendly funk/rock band, which has Red Hot Chili Peppers, hip-hop to the Meters on its list of funk influences. Franklin Avenue Music Ministry, 5/7, GOS, 6:05p: One of New Orleans’ largest and most powerful church choirs, and a former winner for Best Gospel Group at OffBeat’s Best of the Beat Awards. Free Agents Brass Band, 5/4, J&H, 1:40p: Bass drummer Ellis Joseph formed this band in September 2005 with other musicians who’d returned to New Orleans after Katrina before their regular bands did; don’t miss their moving hit, “Made It Through the Water,” a modern riff on the spiritual “Wade In the Water.” Free Spirits Brass Band, 5/4, PAR, 12:30p: A local festival favorite, the young and heavy-hitting Free Spirits are known for a bringing a rock edge to the typical brass-band sound that proves a dance-friendly fan favorite. The Furious Five SA&PC, 4/30, PAR 2:30p: This acclaimed division of the Young Men Olympian, Jr. Benevolent Association is largely credited with changing the dance style of the SA&PC community’s annual parades, although its members look to Rebirth for providing the music that inspired them to innovate. Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue, 5/4, GEN, 11:20: Big-voiced Maryland native Vanessa Niemann fronts one of the city’s leading Western swing bands, which plays originals, honky-tonk favorites, and less obvious choices like Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.” Galactic, 5/7, ACU, 1:45p: Brass band elements, old-school soul and hard rock figure as prominently as the funk these jam band scene stalwarts are known for. Their high-energy Fest sets often feature a little percussion lagniappe in the form of Mike Dillon.

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, 4/28, FDD, 6p: Originally the drummer in his late father John Delafose’s band, Geno took to accordion and became a popular bandleader specializing in countrystyled zydeco, when not raising horses and cattle at his Double D Ranch outside Eunice, Louisiana. Gente de Zona, 4/30, GEN, 3:35p: Havana, Cuba’s Gente de Zona was founded by Alexander Delgado in 2000. The group combines reggaeton rhythms with more traditional forms of Cuban music. They have collaborated with Enrique Iglesias on “Bailando”. The track was awarded three Latin Grammy awards. George Benson, 4/30, JAZ, 5:40p: The singer/guitarist practically invented crossover jazz with his smash 1976 album Breezin’. His music remains a mix of jazz and smooth R&B. Benson invited New Orleans’ Wynton Marsalis to play on his 2 album, Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole. George French & the New Orleans Storyville Jazz Band, 5/7, ECO, 5:40p: As a bassist, French played on some landmark ’60s sessions with Earl King, Red Tyler and Robert Parker. As a vocalist, he brings a silky touch to jazz and blues standards. George Porter, Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners, 5/4, ACU, 1:35p: As a founding Meter and a jamming partner to just about everybody, bassist Porter is one of the cornerstones of New Orleans funk. The band’s 2011 fulllength album Can’t Beat the Funk applies fresh spins to lesser-known nuggets from the Meters catalogue. Gerald French & the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, 4/29, ECO, 5:50p: The late drummer and colorful WWOZ personality Bob French led this band for 34 years, schooling young talents like Shamarr Allen and Kid Chocolate. When he retired from the band French passed the torch to his nephew Gerald, also a drummer. Germaine Bazzle, 5/5, JAZ, 1:35p: This locally prized jazz singer can caress a ballad or scat-sing an up-tempo number with the best. Her history includes a stint playing bass on Bourbon Street with Alvin “Red” Tyler; both OffBeat and the Jazz Journalism Association recently honored her 50-plus-years of work in music education with awards. Glen David Andrews and the Treme Choir, 4/30, GOS, 1:55p: This singer/trombonist, cousin of Troy and James Andrews, is a brass traditionalist and a testifying R&B vocalist who honed his entertaining chops in Jackson Square. His album Redemption was named the number one album of 2014 by OffBeat Magazine. Here, he explores his gospel roots with a full choir. Glen David Andrews Band, 5/6, BLU, 12,15p: Andrews (see above), performs material from his go-to repertoire.

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Go Getters Social Aid and Pleasure Club, 4/28, PAR, 4p: A parading branch of the Krewe of Zulu. Golden Comanche Mardi Gras Indians, 5/5, PAR, 1p: One of the most in-demand young Indian vocalists, Big Chief Juan Pardo, leads this uptown Indian tribe. Golden Sioux Mardi Gras Indians, 4/28, PAR, 2:45p: Mardi Gras Indian parade. Goldman Thibodeaux & the Lawtell Playboys, 5/6, FDD, 11:15a: This accordion and fiddle-centric band, formed in 1946, plays a form of music called Creole La La, an early American roots style that became one of the components of zydeco. The Gospel Inspirations of Boutte, 4/28, GOS, 11:15a: These Gospel Tent regulars, formed in 1979 by David Diggs Jr. and Kevin Drake, perform music of the spirit. Not related to the local Boutte singing family, the ensemble’s name derives from their hometown of Boutte, Louisiana. The Gospel Soul of Irma Thomas, 5/7, GOS, 3:55p: If you heard 1993’s Walk Around Heaven, you know how stirring Thomas can be as a gospel singer. She has a personal rule against singing gospel during a secular set, but her sacred side feeds into everything the Soul Queen of New Orleans sings. GrayHawk presents Native American Lore, 5/4, KID, 12:40p: This Houma, Louisiana resident shares stories from his Choctaw heritage. Gregg Martinez & the Delta Kings’ Swamp Pop Revue feat. GG Shinn, T.K. Hulin & Tommy McLain, 5/5, FDD, 1:20p:: A trio of celebrated swamp pop stars—Boogie Kings alum Shin and pals—revisit material from their storied pasts. Gregg Stafford & His Young Tuxedo Brass Band, 5/7, ECO, 1:45p: Trumpeter Stafford made his Bourbon Street performing debut in 1970; he has led the Young Tuxedo Brass Band for over three decades. Gregg Stafford’s Jazz Hounds, 4/29, ECO, 1:35p: Stafford’s other traditional New Orleans jazz ensemble, the Jazz Hounds, have been under his direction since the death of Danny Barker in 1984. Gregory Agid Quartet, 5/6, JAZ, 11:15a: Arguably the most impressive young clarinetist in New Orleans today, Gregory Agid elevates his instruments every time he surrounds himself with this top-notch group of New Orleans players. OffBeat named the band’s latest album, Words Are Not Enough, one of the 50 best albums of 2016. Grey Seal Puppets, 4/29, KID, 12:40p: North Carolina-based puppetry group Grey Seal performs prolifically, creating stories that feature members of their wide-ranging character crew. Grupo Caury of Cuba, 4/28, CUB, 11:30a, 2:05p; 4/29, CUB, 11:30a, J&H, 1:45p; 4/30, J&H,

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Photo: zack smith

FEST FOCUS

The Iguanas THURSDAY, MAY 4—FAIS DO-DO STAGE, 2:55 P.M.

f you want to give your visiting friends one of those quintessential New Orleans music experiences, just take them to the Circle Bar when the Iguanas hold court on Wednesdays. Given two sets to stretch out, the band could hit you with anything—not just the revved-up Latin rock they’re known for, but new songs, garage covers (the Turtles’ instrumental “Buzzsaw” is currently one of their best) and a jazz workout or two. It’s the kind of gig that keeps the band hungry a quarter-century down the line. So how does a band stay fresh after 25 years with the same four guys? “Separate hotel rooms,” says the Iguanas’ guitarist/saxophonist Joe Cabral. “Also a lot of openness in communication, that typical longterm relationship stuff. It’s not rocket science; you just need to have a lot of love and respect for each other. And we realize that the power of the band is in the band. We each bring a lot in, but the collective is the thing. You bring your best game and what happens can be pretty special; that’s what motivates us to keep it going.” (They’ll be skipping the Circle Bar between Fest weekends, playing a longstanding gig at d.b.a. instead). The Iguanas—Cabral, guitarist/accordionist Rod Hodges, bassist Rene Coman and drummer Doug Garrison (they’ve been a quartet since saxophonist Derek Huston left after Katrina)—have lost count of the Jazz Fests they’ve played, but it would be hovering around two dozen by now. And certain Iguanas hits—“Oye Isabel,” “Benny’s Cadillac”—are usually safe bets for the setlist. “People come to expect a certain thing from us, and we like to give ’em that,” Cabral says. “But we always like to throw in a couple of offhand pitches, if you will, to give them something to talk about. So they can leave saying, ‘They just did this weird thing, cool.’ We’re definitely not afraid of opening it up to whatever inspirational direction the songs might take. But that being said, the main thing we dig is songs, so we leave it open, but not too open.” They’ve lately flexed their improvisational muscles with a couple of collaborations—one with Papa Mali, working together as Maliguanas. “He’s been a pal of ours for years so we finally said, let’s make this a real thing. His songs seem to lend themselves to our interpretations; we do some of ours and songs neither of us normally do, like Burt Bacharach’s ‘Walk On By.’” Their other ongoing collaboration is with Ed Volker: Cabral’s a regular member of his post-Rads lineups, and the Iguanas have done a few shows with him as a whole. “That’s been awesome because he has a beautiful following and people love his material. We play a tune and his followers are all singing along.” One thing you may not see this year is a new Iguanas album, though it’s been three years since Juarez, one of their stronger ones. “We have some new songs, but that’s the problem with being an independently mismanaged artist. So I can’t tell you when, but a new record is the next step.” —Brett Milano www.OFFBEAT.com

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JAZZ FEST A-Z 12:25p, CUB, 3:15p: Grupo Caury was founded in 2015 in Santiago de Las Vegas, a small community near Havana, Cuba. Its members are musicians and practitioners of Abakuá, a secret mutual aid fraternal society. Grupo Caury presents the percussive rhythms, songs, visual arts, theater and dances of Abakuá, while incorporating other Afro-Cuban traditions unique to Cuba. Grupo Sensacion, 5/6, LAG, 11:30a: Jaime Perez and Yenima Rojas founded this energetic, panLatin ensemble in 2006 after working together in Ritmo Caribeno; both their members and their influences span a variety of Latin American countries. Hardhead Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, 5/7, J&H, 3:15p: This Mardi Gras Indian tribe hails from the 7th Ward. Harry Connick, Jr., ACU, 5:25p: Talk show host, actor, Mardi Gras krewe founder and, of course, formidable jazz pianist and singer, Harry Connick Jr. needs no introduction. He’s one of New Orleans’ favorite sons and we’re excited to have him back at the Fair Grounds. Helen Gillet, 4/28, LAG, 1:50p: This Belgium-born cellist and singer performs avant-garde jazz and French chansons with gusto. She’s become a cornerstone of the city’s music scene in recent years, lending her skills to multiple improvisational projects. Henry Butler’s Jambalaya Band, 5/6, BLU, 4p: Butler brings a mix of James Booker’s Chopin-esque classical virtuosity, Jelly Roll Morton’s theatricality and Professor Longhair’s sense of humor to bear to his deeply funky and jazz-influenced sense of blues piano. Though he was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, the staple pianist continues to perform. Henry Gray, 5/4, BLU, 12:25p: Hailing from just outside Baton Rouge, Gray is a key architect of the Chicago blues piano sound. In addition to playing with Howlin’ Wold for a dozen years, he recorded with the Rolling Stones, Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Robert Lockwood, Jr. and many others. Herb Alpert & Lani Hall, 5/4, JAZ, 6p: Herb Alpert, the trumpetplaying leader of the Tijuana Brass and co-founder of the enormously successful A&M Records, makes his Jazz Fest debut. Singer Lani Hall, Alpert’s wife and former member of Brasil ’66 joins him. See Backtalk interview in this issue. Herbert McCarver & the Pin Stripe Brass Band, 5/5, J&H, 3:25p: One of the best young bands playing traditional brass band music in town, the YPS represents a new generation of the Original Pin Stripes, founded by McCarver’s father.

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High Performance, 4/28, FDD, 12:25p: Although committed to other bands, fiddlers Kevin Dugas and Steve Riley have created a powerful Cajun dance hall vibe. Besides Dugas and Riley, High Performance includes Jamey Bearb, Jason Bergeron, Richard Comeaux and Brazos Huva. High Steppers Brass Band, 5/5, J&H, 11:15a: This young local brass band mixes traditional New Orleans brass sounds with plenty of hip-hop influences. Higher Heights Reggae, 4/30, CON, 11:20a: Performing an array of Studio One classics and other hits, this New Orleans-based reggae act is a staple of Frenchmen Street’s small but growing reggae scene. Hobgoblin Hill Puppets, 5/7, KID, 3p: Humor and satire are priorities in performances by this Louisiana-based puppetry group, which features hand-carved and sculpted puppets. Honey Island Swamp Band, 4/29, BLU, 3:55p: Formed in San Francisco by Katrina exiles who’ve since returned to town, the HISB is a hard-driving rock band with roots in R&B, country and funk. The Iguanas, 5/4, FDD: 2:55p: With Tex-Mex rock ’n’ roll as their base, the Iguanas can swing freely into jazz, country, garage and Caribbean music. Their rock-heavy 2014 release was Juarez. Irma Thomas, 5/6, ACU, 3:05p: With a career that spans more than 50 years, Thomas earned her royal nickname through innumerable contributions to the development of soul and R&B. While she still plays early hits like “It’s Raining” and “Time is on My Side,” she continues to introduce new material. Irvin Mayfield, 5/4, ACU, 12:25p: Trumpeter Irvin Mayfield is the founding artistic director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. He and NOJO recently opened The Peoples Health New Orleans Jazz Market on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. His latest record captured the NOJO’s performance at Newport. See review in this issue. ISL Circus Art Kids, 5/4, KID, 5:15p: Students from the International School of Louisiana in New Orleans make up this young group of acrobats, stilt walkers and clowns. Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk with Art Neville, 5/6, ACU, 1:40p: The well-travelled keyboardist makes some of the deepest funk of his career with this band, which features two bass guitars, giving it a seriously fat bottom. Ivoire Spectacle feat. Seguenon Kone, 5/5, J&H, 5:55p: Percussionist and Ivory Coast native Seguenon Kone made New Orleans his home in 2008. L’Ivoire Spectacle features African rhythms with his virtuoso associates.

J. Monque’D & Lil’ Creole Wild West, 5/6, BLU, 11:10a: The song and album title “Chitlin Eatin’ Music” best describes the output of this longtime harmonica wailer and Uptown character. Jambalaya Cajun Band with D.L. Menard, 5/7, FDD, 11:10a: This group was founded in 1977 by fiddler Terry Huval. They’re joined by Menard, who’s often called the “Cajun Hank Williams.” James Andrews & the Crescent City Allstars, 4/28, BLU, 2:55p: Nicknamed “Satchmo of the Ghetto,” trumpeter Andrews (the grandson of Jessie Hill and brother of Trombone Shorty) has gone in a funky, expansive direction with his Allstars, although Louis Armstrong remains a key influence. James Rivers Movement, 4/30, JAZ, 1:30p: Perhaps the city’s only jazz/ funk saxophonist who doubles as a bagpipe player, Rivers was also known for a longtime (now discontinued) Sunday brunch at the Hilton, and for scoring Clint Eastwood’s The Bridges of Madison County. Jamil Sharif, 4/28, ECO, 12:30p: This local trumpeter studied with Ellis Marsalis at NOCCA and went on to do a number of soundtracks, including the Ray Charles biopic Ray, for which he was music coordinator. Jamison Ross, 5/7, JAZ, 2:40p: Florida native Jamison Ross has become one of New Orleans premier jazz drummers since earning his Masters of Music at UNO. His debut album, Jamison, was nominated for a Grammy in 2016. Jason Marsalis, 5/5, JAZ, 2:45p: This young Marsalis brother began as a vibraphonist but spends more time behind the drums these days. In both situations, he expertly matches agile displays of technique with a deep sense of groove. Javier Gutierrez & Vivaz!, 4/29, J&H, 12:20p: Afro-Caribbean rhythms meet Latin jazz and Flamenco in this spirited, New Orleans-based quintet. Javier’s Dance Company, 4/30, KID, 12:45p: Dancers from Javier’s Dance Studio in Slidell perform under the tutelage of Javier Juarez, Melissa Juarez and Muriel Santana. The Jazz Epistles featuring Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya and Hugh Masekela, 4/29, JAZ, 4:15: South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and his Ekaya Chamber Ensemble, are joined by master trumpeter Hugh Masekela to share the story of The Jazz Epistles. This album produced only 500 copies in 1959 and remained hidden during the terrors of Apartheid. Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, 5/5, FDD, 2:50p: Once a member of the funky Zydeco Force, singer/accordionist Broussard turns to old-school Creole and zydeco with this group.

Jeremy Davenport, 5/6, JAZ, 12:20p: Schooled as the featured trumpeter in Harry Connick, Jr.’s band, this St. Louis native has carved out a solo career with a tender tone to both his playing and singing on romantic standards and originals. Jermaine Landrum & the Abundant Praise Revival Choir, 5/6, GOS, 2:50p: Landrum, the director of this New Orleans-based choir, has been leading gospel groups since the age of 9. Jesse McBride Big Band, 5/4, JAZ, 1:45p: Trumpeter Jesse McBride has led The Next Generation for more than ten years, taking over for his mentor Harold Battiste who passed away in 2015. McBride remains focused on contemporary jazz performing compositions by Harold Battiste, James Black, Clyde Kerr Jr., Ellis Marsalis, Alvin “Red” Tyler and others. Joe Krown Trio feat. Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Russell Batiste, Jr., 4/28, BLU, 1:40p: Three instrumental powerhouses join forces in this organ/guitar/drums trio that has become a full-time band, cutting three CDs, and writing some fine originals including their anthem “You Can Stay But That Noise Gotta Go.” Joe Louis Walker, 4/30, BLU, 3:55p: Electric blues guitarist and singer Walker blends elements of the psychedelic music scene from his hometown of San Francisco and a bit of gospel into his prolific body of work. His 2014 release, Hellfire, features an eclectic range of tracks including a pair of Springsteen and Stones covers. The Joey Alexander Trio, 4/28, JAZ, 4:25p: This Indonesian 13 yearold became an Internet sensation by interpreting complex jazz compositions from Coltrane, Monk and Corea. The young prodigy was then taken in by masters of the music like Herbie Hancock or Wynton Marsalis and has been touring around the world. John Boutté, 4/30, JAZ, 4p: A local favorite with a high and haunting voice, Boutte is an inspired, passionate interpreter of songs. His acclaim spread widely after his tune “Treme Song” became the theme of the HBO series Treme. John Mahoney Big Band, 4/28, JAZ, 12:25p: Trombonist, pianist and Loyola music professor Mahoney leads this large modern jazz ensemble, featuring a slew of the city’s top horn players. John Mooney & Bluesiana, 5/6, BLU, 1:20p: Once a protégé of the late blues great Son House, this blazing blues guitarist has been a local fixture since the mid-’70s, when he arrived from the Mississippi Delta and began sitting in with Professor Longhair and Earl King. Johnette Downing and Scott Billington, 4/29, KID, 3p: This local duo, comprised of children’s author and guitarist Downing and Grammywinning producer Billington, present

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JAZZ FEST A-Z a medley of Louisiana roots music dubbed “Swamp Romp.” Johnny Sansone, 4/28, BLU, 11:20a: A multi-instrumentalist who draws from swamp-rock, blues and zydeco, Sansone has two aces in the hole: his songwriting and his gutshaking harmonica solos. Johnnyswim, 4/29, FDD, 4:35p: After emerging as a rising star duo with huge potential, Los Angeles-viaNashville singer songwriters Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano Ramirez signed with Sony/RED-distributed Big Picnic Records and have released four albums in the past two years. Their unusual combination of boleros, folk, R&B and rock made them a standout at last year’s Bonnaroo festival. The Johnson Extension, 4/29, GOS, 5:10p: New Orleans spiritual leader and matriarch Rev. Lois Dejean leads four generations of family members in sacred song. Jon Batiste & Stay Human, 4/29, ACU, 3:25p: This charismatic, New Orleans-born pianist was already at work redefining the boundaries of jazz and performance art with his band’s “love riots” and “social music” when Stephen Colbert tapped him for The Late Show. His Stay Human Band performs interactive shows fueled by audience participation and positivity. See feature in this issue.

JAZZ FEST 2017

JAZZ FEST A-Z Jon Cleary, 4/29, GEN, 1:40p: Since moving over from the UK in the ’80s, Cleary’s earned a place in the frontline of New Orleans blues singers and keyboardists. He won a Grammy Award for his CD GoGo Juice. His latest CD Live at Chicke Wah Wah was just released in time for Jazz Fest. Jonathon “Boogie” Long, 5/7, BLU, 12:05p: This soulful Baton Rougebased blues guitar slinger has opened for B.B. King and performed with Dr. John, Kenny Neal and many others. The Jones Sisters, 5/4, GOS, 1:50p: Grade school-aged sisters Kayla, Kiera, Dalia and Dejon Jones comprise this gospel quartet, which first performed when the youngest sister was only two. Jonny Lang, 4/29, BLU, 5:25p: Lang’s first taste of musical success came when he released a hit record at 15. Since then, the guitarist has widened his scope beyond blues and expanded his songwriting skills, tapping into personal experience and social injustice on his new album, Fight For My Soul. Jonte Landrum and the Gentlemen, 5/7, GOS, 1:55p: This powerful young voice comes from a long line of gospel singers; Landrum’s grandmother Rev. Lois DeJean sang lead for the popular Johnson Extension.

Josh Kagler & Harmonistic Praise Crusade, 4/28, GOS, 1p: The members of this New Orleans gospel group range from age 17-30 and claim they are “radical for Christ.” Jr. Hebert & the Maurice Playboys, 5/4, FDD, 11:15a: Accordionist Jr. Hebert has won Accordionist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Best First CD, Best Traditional CD of the Year and Band of the Year at the Annual Le Cajun Music Awards in Opelousas, Louisiana. Although his dad gave him his first accordion when he was in his late 20s he didn’t start playing it until he was in his mid-40s. Judith Owen & Krewe de Jude, 5/6, LAG, 5:15p: Singer songwriter and pianist Judith Owen is known for her musical variety, which she melds into a stylistic gumbo all her own. She says of her partner Harry Shearer, “I’m with somebody who makes me laugh.” Her latest recording, Ebb & Flow, was hailed for its seductive sound. Julio y Cesar Band, 4/30, LAG, 12:55p: These local brothers do LatinAmerican music on twin classical guitars, and have lately expanded from duo to band. Kai Knight’s Silhouette Dance Ensemble, 5/7, KID, 1:50p: New Orleans troupe that aims to teach young AfricanAmerican woman about positive

image and self-expression through dance. Kamau & Spirit of the Drums, 5/4, KID, 11:30p: The story of the African drum, the tambourine, and the bass drum in the street rituals and celebrations of New Orleans is told with original poetry and songs. Kat Walker Jazz Band: Scat with Miss Kat, 5/5, KID, 11:30p: Kids learn the art of scat singing with a live band, live-action jazz karaoke style. Kathy Taylor and Favor, 4/28, GOS, 3:55p: Taylor is a singer and choir leader from the Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston. Keep N It Real SA&PC, 4/28, PAR? 12:20p: This young Bayou St. John-based parade club features solid dancers and parades with some of the best brass bands in town. Keith Frank & the Soileau Zydeco Band, 5/4, FDD, 1:40p: Frank leads his hard-driving zydeco band, which formed in 1990. Kenny Barron Trio, JAZ, 4:05p: Giant of modern jazz, this pianist made a name for himself backing Dizzy Gillespie in the 1960s. Since then, Barron’s presence on the jazz scene has been almost uninterrupted. With hundreds of records as both leader and sideman under his belt, he is considered onw of the most influential jazz musicians of his era.

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Kenny Bill Stinson & the Ark-LAMystics, 5/7, LAG, 3:50p: Guitarist and singer Stinson performs a range of Western Louisiana-rooted rock, country and rockabilly. Kenny Neal, 4/29, BLU, 1:10p: Local guitar-slinger and multiinstrumentalist Neal’s brand of laid-back swamp blues landed him an induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, 5/6, BLU, 5:40p: Shepherd has been impressing audiences with his blues guitar prowess since he was 13. Nearly three decades later he’s earned a reputation as one of the finest guitarists in blues, with seven number one blues albums and five Grammy nominations to his name. Kermit Ruffins & the Barbeque Swingers, 5/7, ACU, 3:30p: One of New Orleans’ most beloved trumpeters and personalities, Ruffins digs swingin’, smokin’ and partyin’ … traditional style. Kermit Ruffins’ Tribute to Louis Armstrong, 5/7, ECO, 4:20p: Ruffins shows off his more serious side in this set devoted to his hero, Satchmo. Khari Allen Lee & the New Creative Collective, 5/7, JAZ, 12:20p: This jazz-trained saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist performs spiritually-inspired music from the collective’s third album New Earth. Lately, Lee has recorded with Dr. John, Terence Blanchard, Bobby Rush and Delfeayo Marsalis. Kid Simmons’ Local International Allstars, 4/28, ECO, 11:15a: An early devotee of George “Kid Sheik” Cola, trumpeter Simmons has been active in traditional jazz since his arrival in New Orleans in 1966 and cut his teeth in Harold Dejean’s Olympia Brass Band and the Young Tuxedo Brass Band. KID smART Student Showcase, 4/28, KID, 12:40p: This organization brings arts initiatives to a range of public schools in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes, and its student groups have been a fixture at the kids’ tent. Kim Carson and the Real Deal, 4/28, LAG, 4:20p: A longtime New Orleans local who now resides in Houston, Carson is a classic-model honky-tonk angel, able to charm with bawdy humor and then break hearts with a ballad. Kim Che’re, 5/6, GOS, 1p: This local gospel singer (via New York) has worked as Minister of Music for groups including New Home Full Gospel Ministries, Beacon Light of Hammond and Greater Mount Calvary Church; she’s contributed to the Gospel Music Workshop of America since 1978. Kinfolk Brass Band, 5/6, J&H, 1:40p: Formed in 2006, the Kinfolk are true to the traditional brassband sound, performing classics like “Bourbon Street Parade” and “I’ll Fly Away” along with their originals. King James & the Special Men, 5/5, LAG, 5:20p: These purveyors of classic New Orleans R&B are known

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for digging up and reinvigorating rare gems from the ‘40s and ‘50s in their high-powered, soul-soaked live shows. Kings of Leon, 5/7, ACU, 3:35p: Comprised of three brothers and one cousin (or maybe one man and three cousins depending on how you look at it) Kings of Leon first rose to prominence with a gritty Southern rock sound. Incorporating alternative and stadium rock into the mix has only increased their popularity, making headlining slots at major festivals a regular occurrence. Kristin Diable & the City, 4/28, GEN, 11:20a: This deep-voiced Baton Rouge native made a name for herself in New York City’s singer songwriter community before returning to New Orleans. NPR likened her singing on 2015’s Create Your Own Mythology to that of a lighter hearted Amy Winehouse. Kumbuka African Dance & Drum Collective, 4/28, J&H, 11:20a: Founded in 1983 and based in New Orleans, this troupe brings African music and dance to grade schools throughout Louisiana; members range from ages 10 to 55. Ladies of Unity SA&PC, 4/28, PAR, 4p: These lady steppers hail from Uptown and call the famous Sportsman’s Lounge on 2nd and Dryades their HQ. Lady & Men Rollers SA&PC, 5/5, PAR, 12:10p: Uptown-based social aid and pleasure club. Lady Jetsetters SA&PC, 5/7, PAR, 1:45p: Uptown’s Lady Jetsetters Social Aid and Pleasure Club recently celebrated their 25th anniversary. Lake Area High School “Singing Leopards”, 5/4, GOS, 12:10p: The Singing Leopards are led by choir director Jessica Harvey who also fronts her own gospel group. Lake Area New Tech Early College High School is in the Gentilly area of New Orleans and was established in 2011. Lake Street Dive, 5/5, GEN, 2:05p: Gifted singer Rachel Price leads this outfit, and her considerable talents are bolstered by three incredible backing musicians. It’s really no surprise that this group, whose pop-tinged sound is reminiscent of ’60s favorites likeMotown and the Beatles, was trained at the prestigious New England Conservatory. See feature in this issue. Lakou Mizik of Haiti, 4/30, J&H, 2:55p: Lakou Mizik is a collective of Haitian musicians formed in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake. The group includes elder legends and rising young talents, united in a mission to honor the healing spirit of their collective culture and communicate a message of pride, strength and hope to their countrymen and the world. Landry Walker Charter High School Choir, 5/4, GOS, 1p: A 40-plus member gospel choir from the West Bank school whose brass band recently won $10,000 in the Class Got Brass competition.

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FEST FOCUS

Kim Carson

FRIDAY, APRIL 28—LAGNIAPPE STAGE, 4:20 P.M.

f you don’t always see Kim Carson in New Orleans, that’s because she spends part of her year out of the country: She’s in Europe for three months every year, and hits Costa Rica in the winter as well. Like many artists who do honest, traditionally inspired country music, she’s finding that the real fans are in some surprising places. “This year we’re playing in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and I’ll be doing Spain for the first time,” says Carson, who takes “Don’t Fear the Twang” as her personal motto (it’s also the name of an upcoming compilation CD). “The Europeans don’t care for that Nashville stuff that they play on the radio over here, they love American music and especially the more rootsy things. So I spend a lot of time on the road, and that keeps you young—I feel like a 29-year-old with really bad knees.” Carson had her own run-in with Nashville years ago. “The problem with them was that I didn’t start playing music until I was 32 years old. They thought I was younger and when I told them the truth, they’d say, ‘I was interested in working with you, and that changes how I feel.’ And I’d say, ‘Well, that’s kind of shallow.’ There have been people who’ve said they could turn me into Shania Twain, and that’s not what I’m all about. There was one guy who asked me what I really wanted to be doing and I realized I’d be completely happy being like Bonnie Raitt or Emmylou Harris, playing venues the size of the House of Blues, if I could do the music I wanted.” This year will mark her twenty-second Jazz Fest appearance. Of all those years, she says, one that sticks out was a few years back when the Acura Stage had an all-female lineup, with her band, Theresa Andersson, Susan Cowsill and Alison Krauss headlining. More recently, she’s brought a looseknit supergroup called the Tipsy Chicks. That group’s on hold for now, but the honky-tonk sense of humor remains. “I find that the funny songs are the easiest ones to write. The ones that leave you a little vulnerable, and express what’s really going on in your life—those are the hard ones, like ‘Missing You’ on the last album (Enough Heart Left to Break). I have this sense of privacy that makes it hard to let people look in. But that’s why I’m taking my time with the next album, because I think we set the bar pretty high on the last one.” —Brett Milano

JAZZ FEST 2017

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Lars Edegran & the New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra, 5/5, ECO, 12:30p: Formed in 1967 by Swedishborn pianist Lars Edegran, this band plays rags, cakewalks and other classic pieces from the original ragtime era. The Last Straws, 4/29, ECO, 11:15: This local seven-piece has been playing traditional New Orleans jazz for more than 50 years. Lawrence Sieberth presents Estrella Banda, 4/30, JAZ, 2:40p: New Orleans-based pianist and composer Sieberth has a knack for blending classical and world music with modern jazz. When he’s not leading his own projects, he performs regularly with Germaine Bazzle, Lena Prima and Gerald French. Leah Chase, 5/6, JAZ, 1:30p: A classically trained opera singer who turned to jazz, Chase is also the daughter of two of New Orleans’ most famous restaurateurs. Lee Konitz Quartet, 5/4, JAZ, 3:05p: The saxophonist has played through all jazz ages since the big band era, notably recording on Miles Davis’ Cool sessions. At 89 years old, Konitz released Frescalato in 2017, his 131st record as a leader. See feature in this issue. Leila Phillips Wild Apaches Mardi Gras Indians, 4/28, KID, 3p: From Mandeville, Louisiana, 15 year old jazz vocalist Leila Phillips is inspired by the repertoire of Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Amy Winehouse. Accompanying her will be a band coordinated by Damon Batiste. Leo Jackson & the Melody Clouds, 4/28, GOS, 2:50p: This family group was formed in 1965 and is now led by founder Leo Jackson’s son. It’s known for its rousing vocals and synchronized steps. Leon Bridges, 4/28, GEN, 3:10p: Leon Bridges’ brings ’50s and early ’60s-style soul and R&B to a younger audience with his captivating voice and confident stage presence. It doesn’t hurt that his mother’s hometown of New Orleans gets plenty of shout outs on his debut album, Coming Home. Leroy Jones & New Orleans’ Finest, 4/28, ECO, 3p: Jones draws on his experience with the Fairview Baptist Church Brass Band to play traditional New Orleans brass band music in a variety of popular bands around town, most of which perform regularly at Preservation Hall. Leyla McCalla, 5/5, LAG, 2:20p: This talented multi-instrumentalist and singer draws on the traditions of Haitian, Creole, Cajun and French music on her latest album, A Day For the Hunter, A Day for the Prey. It’s a socially aware and politically minded follow-up to her widely praised 2013 debut. Lil’ Buck Sinegal Blues Band with special guest Barbara Lynn, 4/30, BLU, 1:20p: Sinegal once led an R&B band that included a young

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Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural on organ. The blues guitarist seems to slip effortlessly into soulful grooves. Lil’ Nathan & The Zydeco Big Timers, 4/30, FDD, 12:20p: This young accordion player from Lafayette scored a regional hit with “That L’Argent,” a hip-hop flavored zydeco tune about the power of money. His dad is Nathan Williams of the Zydeco Cha Chas. Lisa Amos, 5/6, CON, 11:15a: New Orleans R&B, hip hop and pop singer Lisa Amos brings her soulful sound to Jazz Fest. Expect to hear her hit single “You Used to Love Me.” Little Freddie King Blues Band, 4/30, BLU, 12:10p: The Mississippi Delta-born King is a rocking jukejoint bluesman, a cousin of Lightnin’ Hopkins, one of the snappiest dressers you’ll see onstage, and a true Fest perennial. Little Freddie King Blues Band, 4/30, BLU, 12:10p: The Mississippi Delta-born King is a rocking jukejoint bluesman, a cousin of Lightnin’ Hopkins, one of the snappiest dressers you’ll see onstage, and a true Fest perennial. The Lone Bellow, 5/6, FDD, 4:15p: Zach Williams, Kanene Pipkin and Brian Elmquist comprise this popular Brooklyn-based alt-country trio. Lorde, 4/30, ACU, 5:45p: New Zealand native Lorde was only 16 when she scored a number one hit with her debut single “Royals” in 2013, making her the youngest solo artist to ever pull off the feat. With her 20th birthday now behind her, she’s gearing up to release her sophomore album in June, so expect some new material. Los Van Van, 5/6, CON, 3:35p: One of the best musical gifts of this year’s Cuban cultural focus, Los Van Van still reigns today as the islandnation’s most popular band of postrevolution era. They’re still going strong even after the death of bassist/ bandleader Juan Formell in 2014. Lost Bayou Ramblers, 4/29, GEN, 11:15a: As their acclaimed Mammoth Waltz demonstrated, this young Cajun band celebrates its genre’s tradition while staying open to new technology and rock influences. Louis Ford & His New Orleans Flairs, 5/5, ECO, 11:20a: Clarinetist and saxophonist Ford’s father was Clarence Ford, who played with Fats Domino. He leads his old-time New Orleans jazz band through a set of traditional music Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble, 4/29, ECO, 12:25p: Fred Star leads this local traditional jazz septet with a focus on tight arrangements of tunes by Sam Morgan and other music from the turn of the century. Loyola University Jazz Ensemble, 5/4, JAZ, 11:20a: Students from Loyola’s jazz program—the oldest in the city—make up this group. JAZZ FEST 2 017

JAZZ FEST A-Z Luke Winslow King, 5/7, LAG, 12:50p: A Michigan native who studied music at UNO, Winslow-King is both a performer and musicologist, combining the sound of early 20th century New Orleans with the street smarts of a modern songwriter. Luther Kent & Trickbag, 4/30, BLU, 2:40p: This Southern-fried soul man, who fronted Blood, Sweat & Tears for a short stint in the ’70s, is best known for leading the funky Trickbag, which returned in 2013 after a few years’ hiatus. Lyle Henderson & EmmanuEL, 4/30, 5:10p: A former radio DJ at R&B station FM98 and gospel station WYLD, Lyle Henderson also coordinates the gospel brunches at the House of Blues. Maggie Koerner, 5/6, GEN, 11:20a: Koerner earned plenty of new fans when she held down the vocal role during a series of Galactic tours a few years back, but her powerful voice and intense stage presence make her solo shows equally exciting. See interview in this issue. Magnificent 7 with Dave Malone, John Papa Gros, Tommy Malone, Mark Mullins, Robert Mercurio, Raymond Weber, and Michael Skinkus, 4/30, ACU, 1:35p: Members of The Radiators, Galactic, Bonerama and Papa Grows Funk make this supergroup a funky force to reckoned with. Major Handy and the Louisiana Blues Band, 5/5, BLU, 11:10a: Blues and zydeco expert Handy hails from Lafayette, where he developed his accordion, bass, piano and singing chops. Marc Broussard, 4/29, ACU, 12:30p: The Lafayette singer/guitarist grew up around vintage swamp-pop, but has since found his niche with a mix of soulful roots music and adultcontemporary pop. He’s opened tours for both the Dave Matthews Band and Maroon 5. Marcia Ball, 5/4, GEN, 2:15p: A Jazz Fest perennial, the singer/pianist from Texas was recently nominated for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year award at the 2014 Blues Music Awards. Margo Price, 5/5, FDD, 4:15p: Considered by many to be the hottest new thing in country music, Margo Price has real-deal roots. The daughter of a Midwestern farmer, she made that identity the title of country’s biggest debut album of 2016. Now she’s a globally touring, Grammynominated artist. Mariachi Jalisco US, 5/5, J&H, 1:15p: Baton Rouge-based alumni of Cuba’s Mariachi Real Jalisco reunite to perform music from their hometown of Havana. Mark Braud’s New Orleans Jazz Giants, 4/30, ECO, 1:40p: The musical director of the Preservation Hall Jazz

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Band, this trumpeter and vocalist leads a different cast of traditional jazz players for a change of pace. Maroon 5, 4/29, ACU, 5:15p: One of the biggest pop rock bands of the last 15 years, Maroon 5 has been a perennial festival headliner for some time now. The group has sold over 20 million albums, and has featured New Orleans native PJ Morton on keys since 2010. Their sixth studio album is currently in the works. The Mavericks, 4/30, FDD, 4:20p: During the ‘90s the Mavericks were one of the most successful groups in the country/Americana world, showcasing Raul Malo’s soaring voice on a string of hits like “O What a Thrill” and “There Goes My Heart.” After splitting for a over a decade, the band reunited and have produced two studio albums since. Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, 5/7, CON, 5:35p: Regular last-set headliner at Congo Square, this classic Philadelphia soul group’s connection with New Orleans goes back to at least 1981, when their live album was recorded at the Saenger Theatre. McDonogh 35 High School Gospel Choir, 5/4, GOS, 2:45p: Thursdays at Jazz Fest traditionally feature high-school choirs in the Gospel Tent, and this Treme school has been a regular. Directed by Veronica Downs-Dorsey, the choir has been the recipient of OffBeat’s Best of the Beat Award for Best Gospel for the last three years. Meghan Trainor, 5/6, GEN, 5:45p: The “All About That Bass” singer earned three top 10 singles with her 2015 debut, and one more with her 2016 follow-up. Men Buckjumpers SA&PC, 5/4, PAR, 1:20p: The Original New Orleans Lady Buckjumpers and Men Buckjumpers have been rolling for more than 30 years. Men of Class SA&PC, 5/4, PAR, 12:30p: This Uptown-based social aid and pleasure club has been parading for 12 years and counting. Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Horns, 4/28, ACU, 2:10p: Once a Royal Street performer, now a marquee name in the local traditional jazz scene, Lake and friends are getting more attention worldwide thanks to her vintage sass, great storytelling and gorgeously raw New Orleans feel. The Meters, 5/7, GEN, 5:30p: The Jazz Fest Meters reunion took place in 2015. Remember the caricatures on the cover of the Jazz Fest Bible? Leo hated his. Formed in 1965 with Art Neville, George Porter Jr., Leo Nocentelli and Zigaboo Modeliste, this band developed the sound that we know today as funk. The Meters acted as the house band for Allen Toussaint’s New Orleans soul classics of the ’60s and are responsible for bringing New

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Orleans’ second line grooves into popular music. Mia Borders, 4/30, GEN, 11:20a: A singer songwriter, and guitarist from New Orleans, Borders was named Best Female Vocalist at the last Best of the Beat Awards. She’s an impressive guitarist too. Michael Skinkus & Moyuba, 4/28, LAG, 11:30a: Percussionist Michael Skinkus explains that “Moyuba means to give thanks or praise.” The band will play music inspired by the Santeria ceremonies of Cuba. See feature in this issue. Midnite Disturbers, 4/30, J&H, 4:30p: It took drummers Kevin O’Day and Stanton Moore to corral a dozen of New Orleans’ busiest players into one wild brass band. Ben Ellman, Kirk Joseph, Trombone Shorty, Big Sam, Matt Perrine, Skerik and Mark Mullins should all be familiar names to Fest-goers. Millisia White’s New Orleans Baby Doll Ladies, 4/30, KID, 4:15p: This performance troupe is passionate about continuing the legacy of dollmasquerading during Mardi Gras. The City Of New Orleans honored Millisia White’s New Orleans Baby Doll Ladies’ with an official Mardi-Gras Day Walking Parade. Miss Sophie Lee & the Parish Suites, 5/6, LAG, 12:55p: One of the proprietors of the Three Muses restaurants, Lee applies a sultry vocal style to her chosen mixture of swing and traditional jazz. Her latest CD Traverse This Universe shows off her songwriting as well as interpretive skills. Her video for “Lovely In That Dress” was nominated for a Best of the Beat Award in 2016. Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, 5/6, PAR, 1:30p: When he’s not sewing or masking, this tribe’s Big Chief, Tyrone Casby, serves as the Principal of the Youth Study Center at Orleans Parish Prison. Mokoomba of Zimbabwe, 4/28, CON, 3:40p: Hailing from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Mokoomba performs a unique mix of traditional tonga and pan with dashes of rap, ska, soukous and Afro-Cuban music. The members include Mathias Muzaza (lead vocals), Ndaba Coster Moyo (drums), Trustworth Samende (guitar), Donald Moyo (keys), Miti Mugande (percussion) and Abundance Mutori (bass). Monogram Hunters, 4/30, PAR, 3:30p: Big Chief Tyrone “Pie” Stevenson recently returned to the Indian nation after a 15-year break. Motel Radio, 5/5, GEN, 11:20a: This young local quintet performs Americana with an indie rock streak. Their debut album Desert Surf Films was released last September. Mount Hermon Baptist Church Praise Delegation Choir, 5/5, GOS, 1:55p: Singers from this North Broad Street-based congregation have become Jazz Fest regulars in recent years.

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Mr. Sipp, 4/28, BLU, 12:30p: Singer songwriter and guitarist Castro Coleman, a.k.a. Mr. Sipp, is from McComb, Mississsippi. He started playing the guitar at age six. He has won several awards for his Malaco recordings and was featured in the James Brown movie Get On Up. Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton, 5/4, BLU, 5:45p: Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton’s music is an organic gumbo of progressive rock, psychedelic soul, and African, Middle Eastern, Caribbean rhythms and classical influences. Fischer is featured in the documentary Twenty Feet from Stardom, which shows a live performance of the song “Gimme Shelter” with Mick Jagger. Keith Richards says of Fischer, “has an amazing power, energy, and projection.” She won her first Grammy in 1991. Muévelo feat. Margie Perez, 5/4, LAG, 1:50p: Muevelo, which means “move it” in Spanish, is a ninepiece Latin music ensemble led by singer Margie Perez and saxophonist Brent Rose. Perez is a versatile singer who performs with many bands and embodies the energy and spirit of Celia Cruz. See food feature with Margie Perez in this issue. Muggivan School of Irish Dance, 4/29, KID, 1:50p: The Muggivan School of Irish Dance is under the direction of Joni Muggivan. The dancers at the Muggivan School are trained in competitive style Irish dancing, which allows them to compete on local, national, and international stages. The Mulligan Brothers, 4/29, LAG, 2:20p: This Americana-meetscountry trio emphasizes strong melodies and original narratives. Their eponymous 2013 album earned high marks from critics in their hometown of Mobile, Alabama. NAS with guests The Soul Rebels, 4/28, CON, 5:30p: Combining one of the most respected names in rap with one of the most respected bands in New Orleans brass music was always a great idea. This exciting collaboration made its debut at the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival in Nas’ hometown, so it’s only natural that its second stop comes in The Soul Rebels’ hometown. See feature in this issue. Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas, 5/5, FDD, 6p: Nathan Williams sprung from his brother’s club, El Sid O’s in Lafayette, to become one of zydeco’s biggest names—and to write its two greatest hog songs, “Zydeco Hog” and “Everything on the Hog is Good.” Native Nations Intertribal, 5/5, NAT, 12:55p, 2:30p, 5:35p; 5/6, 12:05p, 1:15p, 3:45p; 5/7, NAT, 1p, 2:20p, 3:45p: The late Barry Langley of Louisiana’s Coushatta Tribe founded this Native American dance troupe and educational collective, which performs Northern and

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Southern Plains-style dances. The hoop dance is particularly fun to watch. Naughty Professor, 5/5, ACU, 11:20a: This New Orleans-based sixpiece plays a blend of funk, soul and rock that’s earned them a solid following on the jam band scene. Their recent collaborations with Jurassic 5’s Chali 2na, The Revivalists’ David Shaw, Mike Dillon and many more will be compiled in their upcoming album, Identity. Naydja CoJoe, 4/30, LAG, 11:30a: A New Orleans vocalist inspired by Billie Holiday and Patsy Cline, Naydja CoJoe performs jazz, country and R&B material. She’s also made a few TV appearances, includingone in the made-for-TV movie Christmas Angel where she portrayed Della Reese’s daughter. New Birth Brass Band, 4/29, GEN, 12:25p: Formed in the mid-’80s and led by bass drummer Cayetano “Tanio” Hingle, this band has made CDs with both Allen Toussaint and George Porter, Jr. Horn men Glen David Andrews and Trombone Shorty are alumni. New Breed Brass Band, 4/29, J&H, 2:45p: These high school marching band alums fold hip-hop, funk, and soul into the brass tradition at clubs and second lines around the city. New Generation Brass Band, 5/5, PAR, 12:10p: New Generation Brass Band will be parading with Lady & Men Rollers and Scene Boosters Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs. New Generation SA&PC, 5/6, PAR, 1:35p: The New Generation Social Aid and Pleasure Club’s annual Sunday parades roll through Uptown. New Leviathan Oriental Fox-Trot Orchestra, 4/30, ECO, 11:20a: A multi-generational, always-entertaining large ensemble that plays only ’90s music—as in the 1890s, when the shipboard dance music and early jazz they favor was first created. New Look SA & PC, 4/30, PAR, 4:20p: Kids aged 3-16 make up this branch of the Young Men Olympian, Jr. Benevolent Association. New Orleans Classic R&B Revue feat. Clarence “Frogman” Henry, Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, and Robert Parker with the Bobby Cure Band, 5/7, GEN, 11:20a: A few years ago OffBeat’s Best of the Beat Awards featured an R&B revue with Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, Robert Parker and many others. Although Robert Parker looked frail, he was amazing when he got on stage and sang his hit “Barefootin’.” New Orleans Gospel Soul Children, 5/6, GOS, 5:10p: Led by Craig Adams, this long-standing local gospel group delivers energetic and choreographed renditions of gospel standards. The New Orleans Groove Masters featuring Herlin Riley, Shannon Powell, and Jason Marsalis, 5/6, JAZ, 2:45p: Three of

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New Orleans’ finest jazz drummers make it look easy with this ensemble. The New Orleans Guitar Masters with Cranston Clements, Jimmy Robinson, and John Rankin, 5/5, LAG, 12:55p: Started six years ago, this group plays original music and unique versions of New Orleans rock hits. The band consists of guitarists Cranston Clements currently performing with Cyril Neville’s Swamp Band, music teacher at Loyola University John Rankin, and Jimmy Robinson of Woodenhead. The New Orleans Hip Hop Experience ft. Sqad Up, Denisia, Roca B and T - Ray The Violinist and Dreams 2 Reality, 4/30, CON, 12:30p: An assortment of New Orleans hip-hop artists come together to give outsiders a taste of what the city has to offer. New Orleans Jazz Vipers, 4/30, ECO, 5:35p: This swinging drum-less quintet brings a mix of still-timely standards like “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” and lesser known swing tunes to their long-running weekly gigs at the Spotted Cat. New Orleans Klezmer Allstars 25th Anniversary with special guests Henry Butler, Frank London and more, 5/7, FDD, 6p: Innovators of a funked-up localized take on traditional Jewish music, this band’s past and present members include scions of the city’s jazz and funk scenes. They’ll celebrate their anniversary with prestigious guests. New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Rhythm Section, 5/5, PAR, 2:10p: Mardi Gras Indian parading ensemble. New Orleans Nightcrawlers Brass Band, 5/4, J&H, 4:25p: This funky brass band represents the genre’s adventurous edge and includes familiar faces from Bonerama and Galactic. Their last album, Slither Slice, combined funk, hip-hop, Indian chants and a general spirit of rejuvenation. New Orleans R&B Divas featuring The Dixie Cups & Wanda Rouzan, 5/5, BLU, 1:20p: New Orleans’ contribution to the ’60s girlgroup sound, the Dixie Cups scored nationally with “Chapel of Love,” the follow-up, “People Say” and the Mardi Gras Indian-derived “Iko Iko.” They are joined by singer, actress and educator and champion of New Orleans’ R&B tradition Wanda Rouzan. New Orleans Spiritualettes, 4/30, GOS, 1p: Founded a half-century ago by still-current leader Ruby Ray, the Spiritualettes are the longest-active female gospel group in New Orleans. The New Orleans Suspects, 4/28, ACU, 12:50p: The New Orleans Suspects were formed in 2009 for a jam session at the Maple Leaf. At the time the band consisted of Radiators bassist Reggie Scanlan, Neville Brothers drummer “Mean” Willie Green, Dirty Dozen guitarist Jake Eckert, James Brown’s bandleader saxophonist Jeff

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Photo: josette savoie

FEST FOCUS

Gregg Martinez FRIDAY, MAY 5—FAIS DO-DO STAGE, 1:20 P.M.

regg Martinez, the powerhouse swamp pop vocalist from Cajun country, inspires audiences through his big, emotional performances of classic soul and rhythm-and-blues. “I’m a torch singer,” Martinez said. “I’m going to tell a story. It’s going to be heartfelt and passionate. I’m going to deliver the lyrics in a way that there’s no misunderstanding, no doubt about what this song is saying.” When Martinez returns to the Jazz Fest, he’ll lead a swamp pop revue featuring three of his heroes: G.G. Shinn, T.K. Hulin and Tommy McLain. “That’s a huge honor,” he said of being part of the biggest representation of swamp pop at the 2017 Jazz Fest. During one of his earlier Jazz Fest appearance, Martinez found a celebrity fan in the music-loving Ed Bradley. After the late 60 Minutes reporter caught the singer’s Jazz Fest set, he praised Martinez as one of America’s hidden treasures. Martinez grew up near Carencro in Lafayette Parish. He loved listening to national soul stars such as Al Green, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. But he also enjoyed local swamp pop favorites Hulin and Shinn. “Al Green, Sam Cooke, all of those guys, the feeling they have is incredible,” Martinez said. “I studied those guys. But T.K. and G.G., I could go witness them in person. They blew me away. There were as good as anybody out there.” Martinez once worried that swamp pop music would disappear. Both the music’s performers and audience were aging. But he’s not so worried now. “Swamp pop is alive and well,” he said. “We’ve got a lot young people doing it. Junior Lacrosse, Ryan Foret and Foret Tradition, these guys are real popular.” Martinez’s nearly 40 years of professional singing include a four-year engagement in the 1980s at Trump’s Castle casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The showband he performed with definitely had Louisiana soul. By the late ’80s, Martinez was back in the South. After moving to Texas, he sang Christian and gospel music. When he returned to southwest Louisiana in 2006, a lead singer position in the legendary Boogie Kings was waiting for him. He also wrote and sang the title song for the band’s final studio album, 2007’s Never Go Away. Post–Boogie Kings, Martinez knows exactly what his mission is. “I try to lift people up,” he said. “My job is to show them through music how beautiful life can be.” Gregg Martinez and the Delta Kings’ Swamp Pop Revue with G.G. Shinn, T.K. Hulin and Tommy McLain plays at 1:20 p.m. on Friday, May 5, at the Fais Do-Do Stage. —John Wirt

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Watkins and keyboardist CR Gruver. Recently bassist Eric Vogel has replaced Scanlan, but at last year’s Jazz Fest, Reggie joined the band, so he’ll probably be back this time around. Their latest CD Kaleidoscoped placed number seven in OffBeat’s Top CD of 2016. New Wave Brass Band, 4/28, PAR, 12:20p: Snare drummer Oscar Washington is at the helm of this updated traditional New Orleans brass band. Nicholas Payton & AfroCaribbean Mixtape, 5/7, JAZ, 4:05p: In recent years, the #BAM proponent has shifted from trumpet to the keyboard chair, from which he often plays both instruments together. A savvy producer, he’s been delving into electronic music with an R&B sensitivity lately. The Afro-Caribbean Mixtape has influences of bebop, swing, Mardi Gras Indian and Afro-descended dialects. See feature in this issue. Nigel Hall, 4/29, CON, 1:55p: Soulful funk keyboardist and singer Hall moved to New Orleans from Maine in 2013 and was quickly welcomed as an ideal match for the sounds of the city. He’s worked with a slew of contemporary jam and funk acts including Soulive, Lettuce and the Warren Haynes Band. Nine Times Ladies Social Aid and Pleasure Club, 5/6, PAR, 11:45a: The women’s section of the Upper Ninth Ward parade club, the Nine Times. Nine Times Social Aid & Pleasure Club, 4/29, PAR, 4:15p: Formed in the 1980s, this downtownbased parade club is comprised of the 9 Times Men, 9 Times Ladies and Original 9 Times Ladies divisions. Nineveh Baptist Church Mass Choir, 5/4, GOS, 5:55p: Led by Reverend Sam Baker, this choir out of Metairie, Louisiana sings a unique blend of traditional gospel with contemporary songs set to a Caribbean beat. Ninth Ward Black Hatchet Mardi Gras Indians, 4/29, PAR, 3:15p: Mardi Gras Indian parade. Ninth Ward Hunter Mardi Gras Indians, 4/30, PAR, 3:30p: Big Chief Robbe, who has led four Indian tribes, created this Lower Ninth Ward-based group in the 1940s. NOCCA Jazz Ensemble, 4/30, JAZ, 11:10a: Student group from the secondary school whose graduates include Harry Connick, Jr., Nicholas Payton, Trombone Shorty and the Marsalis brothers. Ole & Nu Style Fellas Social Aid and Pleasure Club, 5/7, PAR, 12:15p: The Ole & Nu Style Fellas roll through the Sixth Ward each April, coming out at the Ooh Poo Pa Doo Bar. Omosede Children’s Dance Theatre, 4/30, KID, 11:30a: The group, created by local choreographer,

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performer, and educator, Mama Baderinwa Rolland, has performed at Jazz Festival’s Kids Tent for many years. Omosede is a Nigerian word that translates to “A child is worth more than a king.” Their work is based on the Haitian Folktale “I’m Tipingi,” and is an interactive performance that integrates theater, music, song, and dance. One Love Brass Band, 4/28, LAG, 5:40p: This sprawling ensemble mixes the street-parade soul of New Orleans’ brass-band traditions with the Rastafarian vibe of Jamaica, playing a horn-heavy hybrid of reggae with originals and covers of Bob Marley and others. OperaCréole, 5/4, KID, 1:50p: This vocal ensemble focuses on lost or rarely performed operatic and classical music, often spotlighting the contributions of African-American and Creole artists throughout New Orleans’ history. Orange Kellin’s New Orleans DeLuxe Orchestra, 5/7, ECO, 12:30p: The clarinetist moved from Sweden to New Orleans in 1966; four years later he played at Louis Armstrong’s 70th birthday show. His group plays classic early jazz by King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton and others. Original Big Seven SA&PC, 5/5, PAR, 4:15p: The Original Big 7s formed in 1995 in the St. Bernard housing development. Today, the Big 7 Cultural Heritage Division provides a creative and social center for the community’s youth. Original CTC Steppers SA&PC, 5/7, PAR, 12:15p: Named for their tradition of parading over the Industrial Canal, the CTC (Cross The Canal) Steppers hold one of the season’s most popular Sunday parades. Original Dixieland Jazz Band, 5/6, ECO, 12:25p: Bandleader and trumpeter Nick LaRocca leads this traditional New Orleans jazz band, founded nearly a century ago by his father. Original Four SA&PC, 5/5, PAR, 4:15: Founded in 1986, this social aid and pleasure club takes a unique and long route on its annual parade, marching from downtown all the way uptown through Central City. Original Lady Buckjumpers SA&PC, 5/7, PAR, 3p: The Original New Orleans Lady Buckjumpers and Men Buckjumpers recently celebrated their 32nd anniversary parade. Original Pinettes Brass Band, 5/6, J&H, 4:15p: Billed as “The World’s Only All Female Brass Band,” the Pinettes were formed by a group of students at St. Mary’s Academy in 1991. They won the Red Bull Street Kings brass competition in 2013. Palm Court Jazz Allstars with Sammy Rimington, 4/30, ECO, 2:55p: The house band from the Palm Court, long the HQ of trumpeter Lionel Ferbos, brings their brand of traditional New Orleans

jazz to the Fest along with English reedman Rimington, a longtime proponent of the genre’s revival. Palmetto Bug Stompers, 4/28, ECO, 4:15p: Heavy-hitters like trumpeter Will Smith join the inimitable Washboard Chaz Leary in his traditional New Orleans jazz ensemble. Panorama Jazz Band, 5/6, J&H, 12:20p: Influenced by styles from around the globe, this hip band comprised of top local instrumentalists blends New Orleans jazz traditions with klezmer, Latin and Balkan sounds. Papo y Son Mandao, 5/4, J&H, 3:05p: Born in Cuba, guitarist Alexis Muñoz Guevara “Papo” is self-taught. He began working as a professional musician in 1993 when he joined the group Trio En Sueño. In 2012 he immigrated to Louisiana. His repertoire encompasses multiple musical genres, including Latin Jazz, salsa, Cha-Cha-Cha and more. Pastor Douglas Noel & Friendz, 4/29, GOS, 6:05p: From Hazlehurst, Mississippi, Pastor Douglas Noel & Friendz formed the gospel group in the ’90s. They have received numerous awards and recognitions, from President Obama, Governors and more. Pastor Jai Reed, 5/5, GOS, 5:10p: New Orleans Baptist minister Reed is a soulful singer in the Stevie Wonder tradition, approaching gospel with a contemporary R&B influence. Pastor Terry Gullage & the Greater Mt. Calvary Voices of Redemption, 4/28, GOS, 6:05p: From a young age, Elder Terry Gullage knew he had a gift for music. He leads the choir from this church in Marrero. Pastor Tyrone Jefferson, 4/28, GOS, 12:05p: This New Orleans native is the Senior Pastor of the Abundant Life Tabernacle Full Gospel Baptist Church and the CEO of Abundant Life Ministries. His extensive work serving the community has included efforts to improve voting rates, feed the hungry and get more young people enrolled in college. Pat McLaughlin’s New Orleans Outfit, 4/29, LAG, 3:55p: Born in Waterloo, Iowa singer songwriter Pat McLaughlin was drawn to New Orleans in the ’90s working with drummer Carlo Nuccio. McLaughlin’s compositions have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Trisha Yearwood, Nanci Griffith and many others. Patti LaBelle, 5/7, CON, 3:40p: Singer Patti LaBelle began her career in the early 1960s as lead singer for the Bluebelles. In 1974 she formed the band Labelle, which was signed to Epic Records and recorded the Allen Toussaint-produced single, “Lady Marmalade” while backed by Louisiana musicians. The song sold over a million copies. She has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and was named one of the 100 Greatest Singers of all time by Rolling Stone.

Paul Porter, 5/5, GOS, 3:55p: Singer songwriter Paul Porter is a founding member of the gospel group the Christianaires. Hailing from Detroit, Porter’s influences include Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder and others. Paul Sanchez & the Rolling Road Show, 4/28, GEN, 1:45p: Sanchez has blossomed as a songwriter since parting company with Cowboy Mouth, co-writing the post-Katrina musical Nine Lives and launching a number of projects as a leader, including the Rolling Road Show, Minimum Rage and the Write Brothers. Paulin Brothers Brass Band, 5/4, ECO, 12:30p: Ernest “Doc” Paulin founded this band in the 1920s, and his sons now perform strictly traditional brass-band music, complete with the longstanding black-and-white uniforms and spiffy white caps. The Pedrito Martinez Group, 4/28, CON, 2:10p; 4/28, CUB, 4:30p; 4/29, CUB, 12:35p, JAZ, 2:40p; 5/4, CUB, 12:10p, 4:30p; 5/5, CUB, 12:15p, 2:55p; 5/6, CUB, 12:30p, J&H, 3p: Formerly of the popular Afro-Cuban band Yerba Buena, singer/drummer Martinez plays a complex but infectious fusion of AfroCuban rumba, African Yoruba chants, and Western funk. The group’s latest album, Habana Dreams, was recorded in Cuba and New York. The Perfect Gentlemen SA&PC, 4/28, PAR, 12:20p: This Uptown social aid and pleasure club celebrated its 25th year in 2016. Pigeon Town Steppers SA&PC, 5/6, PAR, 4p: Based way (way) Uptown in the Leonidas neighborhood, this club’s annual Sunday parade follows a unique route. Pine Leaf Boys, 4/28, FDD, 1:35p: This young band has spearheaded the latest revival of Cajun music, bridging new and traditional music and snagging four Grammy nominations. Leader Wilson Savoy is the son of Cajun music’s first couple, Marc and Ann Savoy. Pitbull, 4/30, CON, 5:35p: Having given up his reggaeton roots for bigger sales as a crossover club music hitmaker, first generation CubanAmerican rapper Pitbull is big on shout-outs to ladies, shots, booties and “Mr. Worldwide” (that’s him). PJ Morton, 5/5, CON, 3:30p: New Orleans gospel singer Peter Morton’s R&B-minded son has made a splash on Lil Wayne’s Young Money label, thanks to his debut album New Orleans. He’s also a keyboardist and backup singer with Maroon 5, and has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, India.Arie and Juvenile, among others. Pocket Aces Brass Band, 4/28, J&H, 5:45p: This Bridge City brasshop band began as a few friends who

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JAZZ FEST A-Z got together for an annual Mardi Gras jam before expanding to a full-time touring outfit. The Preservation Brass, 4/30, ECO, 12:30p: Featuring bass drummer Tanio Hingle, snare drummer Kerry “Fat Man” Hunter and trumpeter Will Smith, plus a rotating roster of players, Pres Hall Brass aims to serve as the Hall collective’s go-to brass band arm, like the Olympia Brass Band once did. Preservation Hall Jazz Band, 5/7, GEN, 1:55p: With its 50th anniversary in the rearview mirror, this New Orleans music institution’s profile is higher than ever thanks to heavy touring, and their new release, So It Is. Their guest-heavy Jazz Fest sets are always festival highlights. Preston Frank and Ed Poullard and Family, 4/28, FDD, 11:15a: Fiddler Ed Poullard and accordionist Preston Frank are vibrant elder statesmen of old-time Creole zydeco. Together with the Family they always have a good time. Prince of Wales SA&PC, 5/7, PAR, 3p: Uptown’s Prince of Wales is among the oldest parade clubs in the city; their annual Sunday second line struts through the Irish Channel. Quiana Lynell and the Lush Life Band, 5/4, JAZ, 12:30p: A graduate of LSU’s music program, Lynell is adept at singing both jazz and classical as well as blues. She’s been tapped to perform with artists ranging from Herlin Riley and Don Vappie to the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. Ray Abshire Cajun Band, 4/29, FDD, 11:15a: A Louisiana Folk Artist Hall of Famer, Abshire’s accordion career began in the late ‘60s with the Balfa Brothers; today, his bandmates include his sons, Travis and Brent. Real Untouchable Brass Band, 4/28, J&H, 1:30p: This local brass crew adds congas to its otherwise street-centric sound. Rebirth Brass Band, 4/29, CON, 3:25p: Now entering its fourth decade, Rebirth was one of the first bands to modernize and funkify the New Orleans brass band sound. Most of the younger brass bands you hear in town style themselves after the Rebirth, although there are no duplicates for founding bass drum and tuba players Keith and Phil Frazier, or snare drummer Derrick Tabb. They earned a Grammy in 2012. The Revealers, 4/28, CON, 11:20a: DeRoc Debose and Don Williams lead this long-running New Orleans reggae band, which continues to write new music with drummer Kerry Brown. See feature in this issue. The Revelers, 4:30, FDD, 2:50p: An Acadian supergroup made up of founding members of Jazz Fest perennials the Red Stick Ramblers and the Pine Leaf Boys. See feature in this issue.

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The Revivalists, 5/5, ACU, 3:30p: This increasingly popular New Orleans band has solid songs for the rock ’n’ rollers and free-flowing grooves for the jam band crowd. They were big winners at the most recent OffBeat Best of the Beat Awards. Revolution SA&PC, 5/4, PAR, 1:20p: One of the biggest parade clubs, the Revolution SA&PC is known for mind-blowing dance moves and multiple costume changes along their annual Sunday parade route. Rhiannon Giddens, 5/5, BLU, 5:40p: Giddens unleashed a successful solo project after years singing with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, a longtime Fest favorite. A multi-instrumentalist well-versed in multiple American roots music forms (including New Orleans jazz—check out her big-band “St. James Infirmary” collaboration with Tom Jones) her 2015 debut was recorded by T-Bone Burnett. Richard Smallwood & Vision, 5/6, GOS, 5:10p: Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and pianist Richard Smallwood’s progressive, contemporary sound is known world-wide. His songs have been recorded by Whitney Houston, Destiny’s Child, Kelly Price, Gerald Levert, Ruben Studdard and others. Aretha Franklin, recorded Smallwood’s “Faithful,” on her latest CD. Rising Dragon Lion Dance Team, 5/6, KID, 12:35p, 3:30p: Marrero-based traditional Vietnamese lion dancers display a colorful and acrobatic part of Vietnam’s cultural heritage. Often performed at festivals and holiday events, some say the dance wards off evil spirits. The Robert Pate Project, 5/4, GOS, 5p: New Orleans born singer Pate and his choir return for their second Jazz Fest appearance. Robin Barnes, 5/7, JAZ, 11:15a: This R&B vocalist first sang in the choirs at St. Phillip and St. David Catholic Churches, and later with her family’s jazz band the Soul Heirs. Her 2016 album Songbird Sessions marked a true coming of age for the vocalist. Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters, 5/6, FDD, 5:55p: One of the few rubboard players to lead a zydeco band, Dopsie Jr. plays it wilder than his accordionist dad. His sets are guaranteed party-starters. The Rocks of Harmony, 5/7, GOS, 11:15a: New Orleans gospel in its purest form, this all-male group has been singing praises and spirituals for half a century. Roddie Romero & the Hub City All Stars, 5/7, FDD, 2:40p: This eclectic Cajun, zydeco, swamp pop and rock ‘n’ roll band is built around accordionist/guitarist Romero and pianist Eric Adcock. Their double album The La Louisianne Sessions was nominated for a Grammy. The Ron Holloway Band, 5/5, JAZ, 12:25p: Tenor saxophonist Ron

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Photo: danny clinch

FEST FOCUS

Lake Street Dive

FRIDAY, MAY 5—GENTILLY STAGE, 2:05 P.M.

ake Street Dive has earned quite the following in recent years with a modern take on the old-school pop sounds of the ’50s and ’60s. Fronted by singer Rachael Price, a graceful diva with more than enough chops to justify the confidence she exudes on stage, the band manages to blend impeccable musicianship, catchy melodies and vintage style. They may not have the most original sound out there—the band’s love for Motown, the Beatles and Phil Spector is unapologetic, after all—yet their retro approach is elevated by a commitment to near-perfect technique and high-quality showmanship. It’s a refreshing thing to hear in an era dominated by Auto-Tuned pop singers and computer-generated electronic music, even if it is steeped in nostalgia for a time and place the band’s target audience never knew. “It’s not like we’re against electronic music or produced music,” says drummer Mike Calabrese. “It’s just that, from the outset, we realized this is what we’re able to do so let’s do it. I think there’s just enough vintage in our songs, which has become popular, but the fact that we don’t go full retro or full indie rock helps us stand out.” Formed at the prestigious New England Conservatory in 2004, Lake Street Dive’s members juggled a variety of projects before devoting themselves fully to the band in 2012. In November of that year, Price, Calabrese, bassist Bridget Kearney and guitarist/trumpeter Mike Olson hit the studio to record Bad Self Portraits, though contractual issues would keep the album shelved until early 2014. It was a breakout success for the four-piece, which spent much of the ensuing year taking their high-energy live show on the road. “We finally started making a living, which was great,” Calabrese explains with a laugh. “All jokes aside, this business is not about money—or it wasn’t for us anyway—but we were all starting to get older and wanted to do things with our lives. We wanted to live somewhere, for instance, and eat food.” Things have only gotten better since Bad Self Portraits put Lake Street Dive on the map. In 2016 the group released Side Pony, a worthy follow up they recorded in Nashville with producer Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell). The album debuted at number one on the Billboard alternative chart, and a few months later they were performing for President Obama at the White House. Venues don’t really get more exciting than that, yet they’re still thrilled to be playing the Fair Grounds. “A lot of places tout how much of a music town they are. Few can truly claim to be the place where entire musical styles were born,” Calabrese adds. “In a way it’s like a pilgrimage to all the influences we first came out of.” —Sam D’Arcangelo www.OFFBEAT.com

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JAZZ FEST A-Z Holloway has been a member of the Warren Haynes Band, the Susan Tedeschi Band, the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Gil Scott-Heron’s band and many others. Holloway has also been featured as a guest with Gov’t Mule, Tedeschi Trucks Band, the Allman Brothers Band, Little Feat, Grace Potter, Taj Mahal, Widespread Panic, Dumpstaphunk, Devon Allman, Royal Southern Brotherhood and many others. The Roots of Music Marching Crusaders, 5/4, PAR, 3p: Rebirth snare drum player Derrick Tabb’s program aims to support, teach, and protect at-risk youth through music education while preserving and promoting New Orleans’ musical heritage. Songwriter Ani DiFranco is on the board of directors. The Royal Boys Choir, 5/7, KID, 12:40p: Reginald Varnado, Jr. directs this singing choir, which has called Pleasant Valley Missionary Baptist Church its home base since the closing of McCoy Miller Academy, where the group was formed. Royal Teeth, 5/6, GEN, 3:45p: This young indie rock outfit’s melodic yet danceable pop, highlighted by the pure vocals of Nora Patterson, has been racking up national buzz for a few years. The RRAAMS, 5/6, KID, 4:05p: The River Road African-American Museum Society in Donaldsonville presents an educational program for kids. Rumba Buena, 4/28, CON, 12:45p: This popular New Orleans Latin band is a 12-piece group with four singers, four percussionists, horns and rhythm to spare. Salute to Louis Armstrong featuring Hugh Masekela and Dr. Michael White, 5/4, ECO, 4:15p: South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer Hugh Masekela collaborates with one of New Orleans’ premier clarinetist and composers, Dr. Michael White, in a program paying tribute to Louis Armstrong Sarah Quintana & the Miss River Band, 5/7, LAG, 2:20p: Water and the Louisiana region’s natural beauty provide the inspiration for this ambitious, dreamy and innovative project from one of the city’s top vocalists. Savoy Family Cajun Band, 5/6, FDD, 12:25p: Marc and Ann Savoy have done as much as anyone to celebrate and preserve Cajun music and culture. This group finds the couple with their sons Wilson (of Pine Leaf Boys) and Joel. Scene Boosters SA&PC, 5/5, PAR, 12:10p: The Scene Boosters traditionally roll with the Original Pinstripe Brass Band during their annual Sunday parades. Second line Jammers Social Aid & Pleasure Club, 5/4, PAR, 12:30p: This social aid and pleasure club often teams up with the Undefeated Divas SA&PC for their Sunday parade.

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Seminoles Mardi Gras Indians, 4/29, PAR, 3:15p: Big Chief Keith “Keitoe” Jones leads this Ninth Wardbased tribe. Semolian Warriors Mardi Gras Indians, 4/28, J&H, 12:30p: Big Chief Yam, a.k.a. James Harris, created this Uptown gang after stints with the Creole Wild West and the Wild Magnolias. Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñero of Cuba, 4/28, CUB, 12:45, 3:15p; 4/29, FDD, 12:25p, CUB, 3:20p; 4/30, CUB, 12:20p, 1:55p; 5/6, CUB, 4:30p, 5/7, CUB, 3:10p: Ignacio Piñeiro was a Cuban musician, bandleader and composer whose career started in rumba and flowered in the rise of the son. He started the band Septeto Nacional in 1927. Piñeiro’s composition “Échale salsita” influenced George Gershwin’s Cuban Overture. The fourth generation of Septeto National are all excellent instrumentalists and inspired soneros, who play the fresh-sounding arrangements, as if a time machine had catapulted the original Septeto to this century. Septeto Santiaguero, 5/6, FDD, 1:35p; 5/7, GEN, 12:45p: From the famous Casa de la Trova club in their hometown Santiago de Cuba, the cradle of son and bolero, Septeto Santiaguero is the foremost son music ensemble on the current Cuban scene. Founded in 1995 by tres guitar virtuoso Fernado Dewar, Septeto has taken their contemporary perspective to the septeto format. Sequoia Crosswhite, 4/28, KID, 4:10p: Sequoia Crosswhite is of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and a descendant of Chief War Eagle and Chief Swift Cloud. An accomplished musician, grass dancer and historian much of his music is a fusion of hiphop, rock, and lyrics about Indian heritage and contemporary life. Seva Venet’s New Orleans Banjo, 5/7, ECO, 11:15a: Guitarist and banjo player Seva Venet moved to New Orleans from Los Angeles and performs with many bands. His latest release Musieu Bainjo includes performances by Dr. Michael White, Orange Kellin, Greg Stafford, Kerry Lewis and many others. SFJAZZ Collective Plays the Music of Miles Davis, 5/6, JAZ, 5:40p: This jazz ensemble residing at the prestigious SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco counts as members some of the most gifted young modern jazz musicians on today’s scene. Headed by the dynamic saxophone duo of Miguel Zenon and David Sanchez, the powerful octet pays homage to the most celebrated character in the history of this music. Shades of Praise, 5/5, GOS, 12:05p: This gospel choir is integrated across race, gender and denomination, and had its first scheduled performance on September

12, 2001. T-hey’ve since been dedicated to spreading a message of hope. Shaun Ward Xperience, 5/4, CON, 11:25p: Shawn Ward is the son of jazz violinist Michael Ward. He started playing the violin at a young age and has opened for R. Kelly, Anthony Hamilton, Tyrese and others. Misunderstood do to his instrumentation and musical genre choice Shaun continues to explore how to merge all his passions into one cohesive body. Shining Star Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, 4/30, PAR, 3:30p: The Shining Star Hunters are led by Big Chief Jimmie Ricks, a veteran Spyboy and Second Chief for Larry Bannock’s Golden Star Hunters. Single Ladies Social Aid and Pleasure Club, 4/29, PAR, 4:15p: The Single Ladies SA&PC have been parading through Uptown for two decades. Single Men SA&PC, 4/29, PAR, 4:15p: Uptown parade club the Single Men was established in 1995. Smitty Dee’s Brass Band, 5/6, PAR, 11:45a: This band was formed in 1991 by former Olympia Brass Band sousaphonist Dimitri Smith. They play regularly at Preservation Hall and on the Creole Queen riverboat. Snoop Dogg, 5/6, CON, 5:30p: It’s been 25 years since Dr. Dre’s seminal album The Chronic introduced the world to Snoop Dogg’s laid back flow, but these days his legacy is much greater than one LP. His 2016 set at the Congo Square Stage was called off due to inclement weather, so we’re looking forward to his triumphant return. The Soldiers Brass Band, 4/29, PAR, 11:45a: The Soldiers Brass Band will parade with Dumaine St. Gang, the Divine Ladies and Family Ties Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs. Sonny Landreth, 5/5, ACU, 1:55p: A thoughtful songwriter and scorching slide guitarist, Landreth can claim the likes of Clapton, Buffett, Hiatt and John Mayall as collaborators and fans. Sons of Jazz Brass Band, 4/29, PAR, 4:15p: This local brass band often provides the soundtrack for parades by the Ladies of Unity and Revolution Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs. Soul Brass Band, 4/28, LAG, 12:40p: Named 2016’s Best Emerging Artist at the Best of the Beat Awards, this group of locals—led by Derrick Freeman—has imposed its presence on the New Orleans scene with yet another fresh take on the everevolving brass band sound. The Soul Rebels, 5/6, CON, 12:30p: After the international success of their Rounder debut Unlock Your Mind, this funk-inspired brass band released Power = Power,

an OkayPlayer mixtape of reimagined hip-hop hits. They been collaborating with some of hip-hop’s most respected names in recent years. The Southern Sons of Memphis, 4/29, GOS, 2:50p: The Southern Sons of Memphis are committed to singing traditional gospel music. Their lead vocalist is Bob Holloway. Sporty’s Brass Band, 5/4, PAR, 1:20p: Sporty’s Brass Band will be parading with the Sudan, Revolution, and Men Buckjumpers Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs. Square dance with Lost in the Holler, 4/30, KID, 3:10p: The Swamp Lilies String Band gets kids and grownups moving to the sounds of old-time fiddle tunes and a variety of uptempo blues while caller Dan Wally Baker shouts out invitations to swing yer partner. St. Joseph the Worker Music Ministry, 5/7, GOS, 1p: The choir of this New York-based church plays a key role in their community’s daily activities. Stanton Moore, 4/29, JAZ, 1:25p: Best known for his long tenure as Galactic’s drummer, Moore also maintains a successful modern jazz career, showcasing his prodigious chops and unmatched sense of rhythm. His 2014 solo effort, Conversations, featured David Torkanowsky on piano and James Singleton on bass. Stephanie Jordan Big Band, 4/28, JAZ, 3p: This popular New Orleans jazz singer hails from the esteemed Jordan family (her father is the award-winning saxophonist Kidd Jordan). Stephen Foster’s Family Music Program, 5/6, KID, 11:30a: No relation to the early American composer, this family foundation is dedicated to music education in New Orleans. Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, 4/29, FDD, 1:40p: The venerable band is equally capable of playing straight-up Cajun music as they are of going progressive. Some recent gigs have even included a ten-minute jam on Neil Young’s “Down By the River” in French. Stevie Wonder, 5/6, ACU, 4:50p: One of the most beloved artists of all time, Stevie Wonder needs no introduction. We’re just happy he’s back after last year’s headlining set was cancelled due to a torrential downpour. That “Purple Rain” in the rain was pretty incredible though. Stooges Brass Band, 5/7, ACU, 11:20a: One of the busiest brass bands on the second line circuit, and one of the best. They’ve also performed in Pakistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan as musical ambassadors on US Embassy tours, as well as throughout Europe. Stoop Kids, 4/30, LAG, 2:20p: This eclectic group was nominated for a Best New Artist award at the 2016 Best of the Beat Awards. It was probably their top-notch showmanship and

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JAZZ FEST A-Z seamless blend of disparate genres that impressed us. Storyville Stompers Brass Band, 4/29, J&H, 5:40p: This traditional New Orleans brass band formed in 1981, and it performs a number of rarely-played vintage jazz tunes. Its membership includes some of the top players in town, and it’s always in demand for parades. The Sudan SA&PC, 5/4, PAR, 1:20p: The Treme-based Sudan Social Aid and Pleasure Club rolls with elaborate, ribbon-bedazzled baskets at their annual parades. Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots with guest Pascal Danae, 4/29, FDD, 3:05p: Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes is dedicated to the Creole music traditions. With the Louisiana Sunspots, he plays a slightly urban version of zydeco with an emphasis on the R&B elements. Sweet Cecilia, 5/5, LAG, 11:30p: Sisters Laura Huval and Meagan Berard, along with their cousin Callie Guidry, make up this trio of multi-instrumentalist Louisiana roots rockers from Acadiana. Sweet Crude, 5/5, GEN, 12:35p: New Orleans indie pop septet Sweet Crude plays an energetic brand of percussion-driven, sparkly rock that is often sung in French. Sweet Olive String Band, 4/29, LAG, 12:45p: This self-described

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JAZZ FEST A-Z “old tyme” string trio performs country, blues and bluegrass from eras past. The Swing Setters, 5/4, KID, 4:10p: Singer Jayna Morgan’s spirited new band covers standards, folk tunes and Disney songs with a jazz lilt. Tab Benoit, 5/7, BLU, 3:45p: The Bayou guitar slinger is equally adept at swamp grooves and sizzling blues. As a Voice of the Wetlands founder, he has also been one of the most outspoken advocates for preserving Louisiana’s wetlands. Tank and The Bangas, 5/6, GEN, 2:15p: This band, led by electrifying spoken word artist and soulful vocalist Tarriona Tank Ball, broke out on the national scene this year after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. TBC Brass Band, 5/7, J&H, 12:30p: If a brass band on Bourbon Street ever stopped you in your tracks, it was probably TBC Brass Band. Telmary y Habana Sana of Cuba, 4/29, CUB, 1:55, 4:35p; 4/30, GEN, 2:15p, CUB, 4:30p: The “street poet” Telmary Diaz is a leader of hiphop and urban music in Cuba. As a rapper she promotes a message that contrasts with the genre’s commercial norm. She participated in a tribute to Louis Armstrong with Dr. John at the Hollywood Bowl in 2013.

Terence Blanchard featuring The E-Collective, 5/5, JAZ, 4:10p: This Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and film score composer—whose acclaimed new album Breathless was largely inspired by Eric Garner’s death and the events that followed it—creates ambitious conceptual pieces such as the Katrina-inspired A Tale of God’s Will and Champion: An Opera in Jazz. Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience, 4/29, FDD, 6:10p: One of zydeco’s ambassadors and one of its most energetic performers, Simien has been present on the Jazz Fest stage for over three decades. Theatre on Tap, 4/28, KID, 5:15p: New Orleans’ premier rhythm tap dance company, whose mission is to celebrate, promote, and preserve America’s indigenous dance form. Emmy Award-winning founder, artistic director and principal choreographer Heidi Malnar leads the company. Tim Laughlin, 5/5, ECO, 3p: Clarinetist Laughlin’s compositions fit within the classic idiom, but his skill in bringing traditional New Orleans jazz into the 21st Century gives them a more modern feel. Tin Men, 4/30, BLU, 11:10a: Stripped-down melodies, a wry sense of humor, deep funk sousaphone grooves and blues-soaked washboard

scratches, strums and dings fuel Alex McMurray, Matt Perrine and Washboard Chaz’s long-running trio. Tom McDermott & Friends, 5/4; LAG, 3:05p: McDermott is a virtuoso pianist whose skill and deep knowledge of music history allow him to play everything from New Orleans jazz and blues to Caribbean and classical music. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 4/30, ACU, 5:00p: Tom Petty returns after five years for his second Jazz Fest appearance. The Heartbreakers’ last album, Grammy-nominated Hypnotic Eye, was Petty’s first album to reach the top of the Billboard charts. Tommy Sancton’s New Orleans Legacy Band, 4/28, ECO, 1:45p: This clarinetist took music lessons from Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s George Lewis as a child, an experience he documents in the book Song for My Fathers. Tonia Scott & The Anointed Voices, 5/5, GOS, 2:50p: Primarily comprised of women, this local gospel choir has become a Jazz Fest regular. Tonya Boyd-Cannon, 5/6, ACU, 11:15a: This New Orleans-based singer boasts powerful pipes, lots of soul and a near-winning run on The Voice. Topsy Chapman & Solid Harmony, 5/6, ECO, 11:15a: Once

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FEST FOCUS

Lee Konitz FRIDAY, MAY 5—WWOZ JAZZ TENT, 3:05 P.M.

ith its ever-growing audience and notoriety, New Orleans’ beloved Jazz Fest has gone through a great deal of musical expansion, for better or for worse. The selection of artists performing under the Jazz Tent each year shows that the festival, on top of valuing the forms of jazz deeply rooted in the city’s traditions, has kept up with the different forms its music has evolved into as it historically rose to become a national and global cultural phenomenon. The coming of alto saxophonist and cool jazz pioneer Lee Konitz on May 4 only furthers this acknowledgment of modern jazz history. Defying all stereotypes of jazzmen’s longevity, Konitz remains an active musician today. “I’m going to be 90 years old in October, and I got more gigs than ever,” he says. “People enjoying the music is a big kick for me.” When Konitz was 22 years old he sat in on a recording session that was to bring tremendous changes to the direction of the music—Miles Davis’ Birth of the Cool. In an era when alto saxophonists caught the Charlie Parker frenzy, Konitz managed to develop a voice on the instrument that was truly his, navigating gently from one idea to the next with a tremendous sense for melodic phrasing and a delicate tone. Today, the saxophonist still works at developing his language by improvising on standard songs he spontaneously calls on stage, free to wander in any direction that he feels. “It’s different every time, so I’m not just learning a routine and playing it. That’s important—I never feel like I’m doing a gig, I like that.” From his beginnings with pianist Lennie Tristano and saxophonist Warne Marsh, Konitz has traveled through the ages of jazz recording, putting out new music relentlessly for 50 years and collaborating with artists such as Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus and many more. Despite his nearly unmatched experience as an improviser, the artist still seeks new ways to make his music fresh. On his latest Impulse! release, Frescalalto—where he is joined by fellow jazz legend Kenny Barron, who will bring his piano trio to the Jazz Tent on May 6—he recorded his first vocals, something he says he’s been waiting to do for 85 years. To maintain this sense of growth, a quality most respected among jazz musicians, Konitz continues to practice his craft every day. “There will never be an end to that,” he says. “I hope I can continue when I get up to heaven.” Lee Konitz will be joined by pianist Dan Tepfer, bassist Jeremy Stratton and drummer George Schuller. —Noe Cugny www.OFFBEAT.com

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JAZZ FEST A-Z a singing waitress on Bourbon Street, Topsy Chapman appeared in the musical One Mo’ Time and now appears at home between European tours. Solid Harmony is a five-woman group with a gospel-inspired vocal blend. Torkestra: The Great American Songbook featuring Germaine Bazzle, Kermit Ruffins, Clint Johnson and more, 5/4, JAZ, 4:25p: A special project formed by New Orleans pianist David Torkanowsky, Torkestra is a super group that paints a masterpiece of rhythms and melodies. Included are singer Germaine Bazzle, trumpeter Kermit Ruffins and many others. Tornado Brass Band, 4/30, PAR, 4:20p: Darryl Adams leads this local New Orleans brass band through a mix of tunes from the traditional and modern brass band repertoires. Tower of Power, 5/4, CON, 5:30p: It doesn’t get much funkier than Tower of Power. Nearly five decades after the group’s formation, this horn-centric band is still touring the world on a regular basis. With this much brass, they should feel right at home in New Orleans. The Travelin’ McCourys, 4/28, FDD, 4:25p: Sons of bluegrass legend Del McCoury, Ronnie McCoury (mandolin) and Rob McCoury (banjo) continue their father’s work. With fiddler Jason Carter and bassist Alan Bartram, the ensemble is loved and respected by the bluegrass faithful. Travers Geoffray, 4/29, ACU, 11:20a: Singer songwriter and keyboardist, Travers Geoffray, infuses a youthful vigor into classic New Orleans roots music. Once billed as Mississippi Rail Company, Travers is now performing under his actual name. Treme Brass Band, 4/29, ECO, 2:55p: Led by Benny Jones, the Treme Brass Band is one of the longest-running traditional brass bands in town. The Treme Brass Band contributed to the Carnival repertoire with “Gimme My Money Back.” Trey Anastasio Band, 4/28, GEN, 5p: Trey Anastasio last performed at Jazz Fest when his other band, Phish, headlined back in 2014. He’ll be flanked by a different set of musicians when he headlines the Acura Stage this time around. Tribute to Buckwheat Zydeco featuring Nathan Williams, C.J. Chenier, Corey Ledet and the Ils Sont Partis Band, 5/6, BLU, 2:35p: Stanley Joseph Dural, Jr.—better known as “Buckwheat Zydeco”— passed away last September after a long battle with lung cancer. “Jazz Fest is good about honoring its fallen musicians. They honored my dad (Clifton Chenier),” says longtime friend C.J. Chenier. “Buckwheat did a lot for the zydeco community. It’s

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fitting for them to recognize him for what he did.” See feature in this issue. Tribute to Jo “Cool” Davis, 4/30, GOS, 12p: Gospel singer, and Central City’s pride and joy, Jo “Cool” Davis passed away in August 2016. Davis programed and cohosted the popular Gospel Brunch at House of Blues. He was a tireless advocate for New Orleans, its culture and gospel music. Tribute to Pete Fountain featuring Tim Laughlin, Evan Christopher, Wendell Brunious, Banu Gibson and Izzy Harrell, 4/29, ECO, 4:15p: Pete Fountain passed away from heart failure last August. When Fountain retired in 2014, Tim Laughlin wrote in OffBeat: “Many see you as the alwaysswinging New Orleans clarinet player on stage, with PouillyFuissé in his blood. Just a lucky few know you as that humble, funny, generous and loving man. I am blessed to be one of them.” Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, 5/7, ACU, 5:35p: Trombonist, trumpeter and singer Troy Andrews has become a member of New Orleans music royalty. His “supafunkrock” sets now close out Jazz Fest’s Acura Stage every year. Trout Fishing in America, 5/6, KID, 2:25p: The guitar duo of Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet has been performing together for 40 years. They’ve received four Grammy nominations and are considered one of the 100 most influential independent artists of the past 15 years. Trumpet Mafia, 4/28, JAZ, 1:40p: Skilled local trumpeter Ashlin Parker, of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, brings a hip-hop sensibility to the modern jazz-rooted approach of his forward-thinking, multi-trumpet ensemble. Tucka, 5/7, CON, 2p: This R&B swing singer started out as a member of Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band before taking a turn for the smooth and soulful. Tyler Kinchen & The Right Pieces, 5/5, CON, 12:35p: Singer songwriter Tyler Kinchen hails from Ponchatoula, Louisiana. His band’s energetic style of R&B/Funk is eclectic, electric, soulful, and smooth. Their newest album, Acoustic Disdrometer, has established them as a regional favorite with national and international fan bases sprouting up and growing everywhere. Tyronne Foster & the Arc Singers, 5/7, GOS, 5:10p: These Jazz Fest regulars formed in 1987 when Foster started working with St. Joan of Arc Youth and Young Adult Choir. In 1992, they opened their ranks to singers from all denominations.

Undefeated Divas and Gents SA&PC, 5/6, PAR, 4p: This downtown club paraded with the Young Fellaz Brass Band at their 2015 annual Sunday parade. University of New Orleans Jazz Allstars, 5/5, JAZ, 11:20a: Student group from UNO’s jazz program, which was established by Ellis Marsalis in 1989. Untouchables SA&PC, 4/30, PAR, 2:30p: The Untouchables represent a division of the historic Young Men Olympians. Uptown Swingers SA&PC, 4/29, PAR, 2:55p: Parade club hailing from way Uptown. Uptown Warriors, 5/6, PAR, 2:50p: One of the younger Mardi Gras Indian tribes. Usher & The Roots, 4/29, CON, 5:25p: What happens when you combine one of the most popular R&B singers in the world with one of the most respected bands in the business? We can’t wait to find out when Usher and The Roots team up for a rare collaborative performance. Val & Love Alive Mass Choir, 4/30, GOS, 2:50p: Few things sound more spirited than 100 school-age kids singing praises. Valentine BemissWilliams directs this large choir. Valley of Silent Men SA&PC, 5/6, PAR, 11:45a: This Uptown parade club has been hitting the streets for three decades. Versailles Lions Dance Team, 4/30, KID, 12:25p, 2:50p: Strength, endurance, motivation and respect are the calling cards of this local performance group, specializing in traditional Vietnamese lion dance. VIP Ladies SA&PC, 5/4, PAR, 12:30p: This Uptown social aid and pleasure club usually rolls with all women and children at its annual Sunday parade. Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars, 5/4, ACU, 2:50p: Guitarist and activist Tab Benoit leads a troupe of environmentally conscious musical heavyweights, including Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Cajun fiddler Waylon Thibodeaux and more. Voices of Peter Claver, 4/29, GOS, 1:55p: This adult choir is based at St. Peter Claver Church on St. Philip Street. Walter “Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters, 5/7, CON, 12:35p: A local institution, the Wolfman puts plenty of hot guitar and soulful horns into his funky brand of blues. His singing is emotional and heartfelt. His guitar work is intricate, intimate, and full. There is a little Bobby Blue Bland, a little Kenny Burrell, a little George Benson, a little church, and a lot of New Orleans charm. Walter celebrated 30 years in April 2017.

Walter Mouton & the Scott Playboys, 4/30, FDD, 11:15a: Considered a musician’s musician, the venerable Walter Mouton is the stuff legends are made of. For the past 65 years, he has led the Scott Playboys, and he has played La Poussiere Cajun Dancehall for 45 years, 30 straight on Saturday nights. Washitaw Nation Mardi Gras Indians, 4/29, PAR, 12:30: This Indian tribe takes its name from a group of multi-cultural, yet traditionally black, Americans who claim Native American sovereignty over their nation. Wayne Toups, 5/4, GEN, 3:45p: This Crowley singer/accordionist was one of the first Cajun/zydeco artists to sign with a major label in the ‘80s. While his band draws strongly from rock onstage, Toups has also embraced his roots, most recently on a trio album with Wilson Savoy and Steve Riley. We Are One SA&PC, 4/28, PAR, 12:20p: We Are One Social Aid and Pleasure Club is based Uptown. Wendell Brunious & the New Orleans Gentlemen of Jazz, 5/5, ECO, 1:45p: Trumpeter Brunious took over as the leader of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in 1987 and remained a Hall regular for many years. Brunious has played regularly with Lionel Hampton, Linda Hopkins and Sammy Rimington. Wessell “Warmdaddy” Anderson Quartet, 4/30, JAZ, 12:15p: Wessell “Warmdaddy” Anderson plays alto and soprano saxophones. He began playing the saxophone at age 14 and studied with Frank Wess, Frank Foster, and Charles Davis. Anderson is an Assistant Professor instructor at Loyola University in New Orleans. His quartet includes Mark Rapp on trumpet, David Ellington on organ and Chris Burroughs on drums. His latest CD Natural History was just released in time for Jazz Fest. Westbank Steppers SA&PC, 5/6, PAR, 11:45a: This social aid and pleasure club hails from New Orleans’ West Bank just across the river. White Cloud Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, 5/5, J&H, 12:15p: The White Cloud Hunters’ smooth-voiced Big Chief Little Charles Taylor counts his uncle, Thomas Sparks Sr., Big Chief of the Yellow Jacket Mardi Gras Indian gang, as a key mentor. Widespread Panic, 5/4, ACU, 4:30p: Athens’ famous neo-hippies return with hours of extended jams for their massive following. This sextet can really soar when guitarist Jimmy Herring cuts loose. Actually, they can soar when pretty much anyone in the band cuts loose. Wilco, 5/5, GEN, 5:20p: Jeff Tweedy could have been a first-rate singer songwriter but instead he

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JAZZ FEST A-Z decided to form one of the most enduring American bands of the last two decades. Wilco combines poetic lyricism with an off-kilter approach to rock music and a group of musicians who are good enough to pull it off. Co-founder and bassist John Stirratt was born in New Orleans and grew up in Mandeville, so this is a hometown show for him. Wild Mohicans Mardi Gras Indians, 4/29, PAR, 12:30p: A family tribe founded in 1996 by Big Chief Kentrell and Big Queen Zen, the Mohicans added Wild Man Ivory to their crew after his near-death experience in combat in North Korea left him determined to mask Indian upon his return home. Wild Red Flame Mardi Gras Indians, 5/6, PAR, 2:50p: This tribe made its Jazz Fest debut just a few years ago with Big Chief Thunder and the Cherokee Hunters. Wild Squatoulas, 5/7, PAR, 4:15p: This Mardi Gras Indian tribe has gotten multiple musical shout-outs from the likes of Big Chief Monk Boudreaux. Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians, 5/7, PAR, 4:15p: Allen Toussaint recorded the original eponymous album by the tribe led by Big Chief Jolly. Today, their call and response remains influenced by that early funk-steeped disc, which featured appearances by members of the Meters and the Neville brothers. William Bell, 5/5, BLU, 4:10p: His 1961 hit “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” a landmark development in Southern Soul, did more than any other song to put the fledgling Stax label on the map, and he practically defined soul-blues with “Born Under a Bad Sign.” See interview in this issue. Willie Sugarcapps, 5/6, LAG, 2:20p: Grayson Capps, Will Kimbrough, Corky Hughes and Sugarcane Jane’s Savana Lee and Anthony Crawford formed this country-styled blues rock outfit at Alabama’s Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm. The Wimberly Family Gospel Singers, 5/6, GOS, 11:15a: This Marrero family group has been singing traditional gospel for nearly four decades. Xavier University Jazz Ensemble, 4/29, LAG, 11:30a: Student group from one of New Orleans’ great jazz training grounds. Young Audiences African Dance and Drum Ensemble, 5/4, KID, 3p: Young Audiences of Louisiana is the leading provider of arts education programs and services in Louisiana. Young Audiences African Drum and Dance Ensemble is a fusion of students grades three through 12 from many of the schools in YALA’s network.

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Young Audiences Performing Arts Showcase, 4/28, KID, 11:30a: This top arts education and integration program offers a review of its latest work. Young Brave Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, 5/6, PAR, 2:50p: Big Chief James Battiste leads this Indian tribe. Young Cherokee Mardi Gras Indians 5/5, PAR, 1p: Parading Mardi Gras Indians. Young Fellaz Brass Band, 5/7, PAR, 12:15p: One of the city’s newer brass bands, the Young Fellaz add plenty of youthful swagger to traditional brass-band instrumentation. Young Guardians of the Flame, 4/29, KID, 5:15p: Big Queen Cherice Harrison Nelson, co-founder of the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame, tailors this educational look at Indian culture to a kids’ audience. Young Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians, 5/1, KID, 2:45p: Eric Yetti Boudreaux’s flexible rhythm section frequently backs Gerard “Lil Bo” Dollis and his Young Magnolias during pre-Mardi Gras Indian practices Uptown. Young Men Olympia Aide SA&PC, 4/30, PAR, 4:20p: The Aide or first division of the Young Men Olympian Jr. Benevolent Association handles the governing responsibilities for the organization. Young Pinstripe Brass Band, 4/30, J&H, 1:25p: Formed in 2009 and led by fourth-generation musician Herbert McCarver IV, the group puts a funk and hip-hop spin on the brass band sound. Young Seminole Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, 4/30, PAR, 12:10p: These Ninth Ward-based newcomers to the Indian scene profess to connect today’s Indian generation with historic tribes. Yvette Landry, 5/4, FDD, 12:20p: Singer/guitarist Landry is part of the Cajun supergroup Bonsoir Catin, and her own sets are solid, swinging honky tonk with Richard Comeaux on pedal steel guitar. Zena Moses & Rue Fiya, 4/29, CON, 11:20a: A soulful R&B voice in the tradition of Chaka Khan, Moses does soul with a funky New Orleans flavor. She is the daughter of saxophonist Reggie Houston, a longtime mainstay of Fats Domino’s band. The Zion Harmonizers, 5/7, GOS, 2:50p: This venerable group has been a Jazz Fest favorite since the beginning. The group’s history goes back to 1939, when the first lineup was formed in the Zion City neighborhood. Zulu Ensemble, 5/5, GOS, 11:15p: Zulu Ensemble incorporates saxophones, drums and guitar into their gospel repertoire.

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Lakefront Station 6 105 Metairie Hammond Highway; Tue-Thur 11a-9p, Fri-Sat 11a-10p, Sun 11a-8p, closed Mondays; (504) 345-2936, station6nola.com Sloppy Drew $12 On a toasted bun from Weiss Guys Bakery in Covington, the Sloppy Drew—a combination of braised beef, melted provolone, onion jam and horseradish sauce—requires far fewer napkins than your typical roast beef po-boy. —Peter Thriffiley

Mapping New Orleans neighborhoods one cheap meal at a time. Our guide to where you can eat like a king and spend $20 or less, including tax and tip. This time, we focus on the area uptown from Frenchmen Street, from the river to the lake.

handdrawn map: Monica Kelly

Yum City

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Carrollton/ Riverbend Lebanon’s Café 1500 South Carrollton Avenue; Mon-Thur 11a-9:45p, Fri-Sat 11a-10p, Sun 12-9:30p; (504) 862-6200, lebanonscafe.com Hummus with Lamb $13.99 There are nights I wake up with hummus on my mind. This is reasonable, considering the dish’s popularity for thousands of years. Combined with tender morsels of lamb, sautéed with sweet onions and slightly acidic tomatoes, you get a rich ooze to scoop with pita bread, or eat by the overloaded forkful. —Elsa Hahne

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Riverside Pho Cam Ly 3814 Magazine Street; Mon, Wed-Sat 11a-8:30p, Sun 11a-7:30p, closed Tuesdays; (504) 644-4228; phocamly.com Pho Combo $9 The combination bowl comes with shavings of raw eye of round, glistening brisket, tendon and meatballs. For just $1 more, you get a larger bowl. For $2 more, you get extra vegetables—usually steamed broccoli and carrots. Ask for the special red chili oil to float on the surface if you need to clear your sinuses or are in the mood for something spicy. —Elsa Hahne

Uptown Café Abyssinia 3511 Magazine Street; 11a-9p daily; (504) 894-6238 Doro Wot $13 It’s a modest establishment, but the injera (the spongy, strechy flatbread that serves as both plate, starch and utensil) is impeccable, and so is their rendition of the national Ethiopian dish, Doro Wot, a rich chicken stew served with hardboiled egg. If you prefer beef, get it with collard greens. Most plates arrive with two random vegetable sides. The red lentils are to die for. —Elsa Hahne

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Bayou St. John 1000 Figs 3141 Ponce de Leon Street; Tue-Sat 11a9p, closed Sun-Mon; (504) 301-0848; 1000figs.com Platter: falafel, hummus, beet & carrot slaw, mixed greens, panbread, sauces $12 (add Brussels sprouts or baba ghanouj for another $1) 1000 Figs represents the most successful local transition of a food truck (the Fat Falafel) into a permanent location. The falafel is superb with a crunchy shell surrounding a creamy interior. —Peter Thriffiley

Mid-City Blue Oak BBQ 900 N. Carrollton Avenue; Tue-Sun 11a-9p, closed Mondays; (504) 822BLUE; blueoakbbq.com Chicken Leg & Thigh $12.25 So you think you’ve had good barbecued chicken? That’s great, but you’re going to raise your standards for what constitutes a well-cooked bird as soon as you eat it at Blue Oak BBQ. Their chicken is addictive. Their brisket is fabulous and the ribs are too, but the chicken will keep you coming back for more until they’re sold out—and then you’ll order the smoked wings instead. How anyone can spend the time and sorcery required to serve a chicken plate this good for $12 is a mystery. And it comes with two of many sides; make sure at least one of them is Brussels sprouts. —Elsa Hahne

Garden District Poke Loa 3341 Magazine Street; 11a–9p daily; (504) 309-9993; eatpokeloa.com King Loa Bowl $15 Poke is a simple salad of raw, cubed fish, and the recent phenomenon of combining poke with a rice bowl has vaulted this Hawaiian staple into a national trend. First timers would be wise to order the King Loa Bowl with four scoops of fish (salmon, yellowtail, tuna...) over rice and greens, plus crab meat, thinly sliced baby cucumbers, edamame, seaweed salad, avocado and a rainbow trio of tobiko. The result is salty, sweet and slightly tart from the lemon-miso aioli dressing and crunchy from a sprinkle of sesame seeds that pop in each bite. —Peter Thriffiley

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Lower Garden District Turkey and the Wolf 739 Jackson Avenue; Mon, Wed-Sat 11a-9p, Sun 11a-5p, closed Tuesdays; (504) 218-7428; turkeyandthewolf.com Lamb Neck Roti $10.40 The corner building on Jackson Avenue and Annunciation Street has undertaken a journey towards tenderness in recent years, starting as a starchy dry cleaner before becoming a plaster studio, a chicken wing joint, a barbecue pit—and now finally, Turkey and the Wolf. There is neither turkey nor wolf on the menu, but it doesn’t come without surprises. The lamb neck roti is savory madness with its tender meat cooked in chilies and caraway, served with lemony yogurt, cucumbers, onions and heady herbs on roti bread. At the price, you might afford one of the fun cocktails or a rerun/redo of your favorite childhood dessert—vanilla soft serve topped with either rainbow sprinkles ($4) or the more adult choice of tahini and date molasses ($5). —Elsa Hahne

Treme Willie Mae’s Scotch House 2401 St. Ann Street; Mon-Sat 10a5p, closed Sundays; (504) 822-9503; williemaesnola.com America’s Best Fried Chicken $11 You get three pieces—huge chunks of crispy chicken that stretch wider than your face. Don’t pay extra for white meat— you’re better off with dark. And don’t fret over the sides, such as canned green beans. You can eat your vegetables later. —Elsa Hahne

French Quarter Central Grocery 923 Decatur Street; 9a-5p daily; (504) 523-1620; centralgrocery.com Muffuletta, $10.50 (half) It’s only half a sandwich, but more than enough. Loaded with Italian meats and cheeses and the best olive salad you’ve ever had, this muffuletta drips with enough olive oil to stain at least four outfits. Don’t like olives? Forget about it. Please don’t order a muffuletta “without the olives.” The muffuletta is an olive sandwich. If you want bread with cold cuts, make it for yourself at home— don’t bother these nice Italian folks. —Elsa Hahne

CBD Cochon Butcher 930 Tchoupitoulas Street; Mon-Thur 10a-10p, Fri-Sat 10a-11p, Sun 10a-4p; (504) 588-7675; cochonbutcher.com Le Pig Mac $10 Loaded with two pork patties that melt in your mouth like butter, this is Butcher’s take on the Big Mac. Come hungry; it’s mouth-wateringly delicious—and tall. I always feel like I should eat it Scooby-Doo style, tying it with a ribbon and pulling it smaller just to get it into my mouth. —Kristen Johnson

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Havana Banana Local pop-up Congreso Cubano serves fried plantains and other Cuban goodies at Jazz Fest.

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photos: Elsa Hahne

hen Orlando Vega moved from Miami to New Orleans five years ago, he wasn’t exactly planning on planting his Cuban roots in the Mississippi mud. But an unfortunate combination of a disappointing job and equal servings of homesickness and financial necessity pushed him to start Congreso Cubano, a Cuban pop-up restaurant, together with two friends—Charles Miller and Richard Ostry—in 2014. On a recent evening at Wayward Owl Brewing Company, they sold out of food before this editor, hungry for Rabo de Toro (oxtail braised in white wine with almonds and chilies, served over purple mash) and Flor de Plátano (plantain blossom with savory mint, fried shallots and toasted nuts in citrus vinaigrette), had a chance to get there. Better luck was had the following week at Barrel Proof, where they were serving up traditional Ropa Vieja (braised and shredded steak), along with fried plantains, chickpea stew and a tangy green papaya salad with oyster leaf and bird’s eye chilis. This Jazz Fest, Congreso Cubano will be serving traditional Cuban dishes at the Cultural Exchange Pavilion all seven days. There will be Ropa Vieja, of course, and also black beans (Frijoles Negros), fried plantains (Tostones) and Café con Leche ice pops. Charles Miller, who describes his role in the trio as “looking out for pitfalls,” is busy figuring out how not to run out of food as their modest pop-up now will be serving thousands of customers, all day every day. “The only thing we’re allowed to run out of is ice pops,” he says. Richard Ostry notes that their shared experience running a popup in different environments for various crowds—be it serving bar snacks, a catered breakfast, a backyard barbecue or a plated dinner at a wedding reception—

Charles Miller, Orlando Vega and Richard Ostry in the kitchen at Barrel Proof

has brought a sense of confidence in their own flexibility. “We test maybe three–four different versions of each dish before deciding what’s best,” he By Elsa Hahne

says. “Maybe this tosta should have a chorizo spread, or maybe it’s better with homemade, fresh cheese. Then maybe we top that

with fresh oregano or fried sage or charred apple. As a pop-up, we get a chance to try it all out.” As to how Congreso Cubano landed their exclusive Jazz Fest “gig,” Orlando Vega remembers how a quick bite at Barrel Proof led to a question over email, which then led to a contract. “The menu we’ll be serving is straight out of my grandmother’s playbook,” he says. “This means primarily Cuban or Caribbean food—African mixed with Spanish and French, and Asian influences as well. Here in New Orleans, our food is remixed with those influences again.” Both their Ropa Vieja and their black beans are cooked with sofrito—the Cuban holy trinity of onion, bell pepper and garlic, which is sautéed down with cumin and oregano before adding tomato and red wine. “When I came to New Orleans, I was struck by how much of a www.OFFBEAT.com

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Cuban city this is and how little people know about it,” Vega remarks. “It’s not just the streets and the architecture and the food. When I look up it’s like looking at postcards from Havana.” O

Red Beans and Rice, or Rice and Beans? Margie Perez’s Cuban heritage has her looking perhaps extra forward to listening, playing and eating at Jazz Fest this year.

ocalist Margie Perez is so well versed in everything New Orleans—musically and culturally—that you’d think she was born and raised here. But no. She grew up in a Cuban family outside of Washington D.C. in a small, four-family Cuban community. “D.C. wasn’t Miami,” she says. “We had just this one Latin market and my mom would make her once-a-week trip to buy the spices and the cuts of meat she needed, like flank steak for ropa vieja.” She’d also buy adobo, a salty seasoning mix dominated by garlic, lemon and oregano, which Margie Perez keeps in her kitchen in New Orleans as well. “I love to make mojo sauce, and it’s in almost everything,” she says. “Pork roast or steak, you marinate it in this mojo sauce and keep basting it in the oven—it’s incredible.” www.OFFBEAT.com

Perez admits she’s more familiar with Cuban food than she is with Cuban music, since cords between her parents’ island and the U.S. were literally cut before her birth, after Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959 and the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Her mother’s cooking came to reflect the family’s double belonging, being Cuban and becoming American— or at least Cuban-American. “Growing up, my mom cooked everything in the Cuban style, even when the food wasn’t Cuban,” Perez remembers. “Like, her spaghetti was Cuban. There’s this Cuban dish called picadillo, kind of like sloppy joes. You fry the meat with adobo first, and after that it tastes Cuban, no matter if you add tomato sauce and pour it over spaghetti. With adobo, it’s no longer Italian.” Perez encountered a similar mix of strange and familiar when she first tasted the foods of New Orleans. Jambalaya, or arroz con pollo? Red beans and rice, or rice and beans? The classic “holy trinity” that’s added to almost any traditional Louisiana pot of food (be it Cajun or Creole), with onion, bell pepper and celery—or rather onion, bell pepper and garlic? The connections between her mother’s cooking and New Orleans cuisine were obvious. There was simply less cumin and more cayenne pepper. At Jazz Fest, Perez makes a point of eating Cuban sandwiches (“Delicious—and the guy’s not even Cuban!”) and fried plantains (from Bennachin’s West African food stand). She hopes to hear as much of the Cuban music as she can between her own sets, with percussionist Michael Skinkus and Moyuba on the first Friday and her own band Muévelo on Thursday. She promises sweet JA ZZ FEST 20 17

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photo: kim welsh

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sounds that will be—as they should be—both familiarly strange and strangely familiar. “Imagine all of the collaboration that could have happened between Cuban and New Orleans musicians in the last fifty years,” she ponders. “There is so much to make up for.” As we wait for those sweet sounds, Perez vows to tide us over by sharing her recipe for flan, below.

Margie Perez’s Mom’s Cuban Flan Caramel glaze: 1 cup sugar Flan filling: 6 eggs 14 ounces whole milk 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 can coconut with syrup (found in the baking section, optional) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Start by making the glaze. Heat sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer gently until sugar caramelizes into thick syrup, stirring constantly. Immediately pour syrup into a loaf pan or baking dish, tilting so the syrup covers not just the bottom but

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also the sides. (Take care not to get burned!) Chill quickly in the freezer. Next, make the filling. Combine eggs, milk, condensed milk and coconut in a blender. Process until the mixture is all one color. Remove glaze from freezer. Pour in filling, leaving at least 1/2 inch at the top. Place the pan inside a larger pan to which you add enough water to reach about halfway up the flan pan. Bake in the oven for about 60 minutes (cook time varies greatly depending on the width of the pan), checking every 15 minutes. Once the top is golden and a knife comes out relatively clean, take the flan out and let it cool on the counter for 30 minutes—then cool in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. To serve, loosen sides with a knife. Invert pan onto a plate. It’s a beautiful sight to see all the caramel syrup drip down the sides of this masterpiece. Margie highly recommends that you do this part in front of an audience. Note: There are many flavors you can add during the blending process, including a cup of strawberries, bananas or a block of cream cheese. Margie made pumpkin flan for Thanksgiving. O Muevelo featuring Margie Perez plays on Thursday, May 4 at 1:50 p.m. on the Lagniappe Stage. www.OFFBEAT.com

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photos: Elsa Hahne

Leora Pearl Madden/Pearl

“I

grew up here but spent seven years in California and got spoiled with great wine bars and retailers, so that’s why I opened Pearl. We just had our four-year anniversary. We do live music; I book local acts, or people I know coming through town. I’m a former musician myself; played in high school and college, got a minor in music performance—flute. It will always be part of what I do. I was not a rock ’n’ roll flute girl. I was a total marching band nerd, but I also danced. Dancing took me out to California for drum and bugle corps. Now, I only dance in my kitchen, but I used to teach dance at Tulane. I’m telling you all of this because that’s how Paul [Sanchez] came into my life. His brother taught me in the ’90s when I was doing drum and bugle

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corps—Paul’s brother Johnny lives down the street. I saw a lot of Paul’s shows, whether that was solo or with Cowboy Mouth, because of his brother. And I just knew as soon as I opened Pearl that I needed to reach out to him, and he comes and plays a couple of times a year, which is really special to me. When he plays, unlike most other groups, it’s very concert-style where there isn’t a lot of conversation going on and he’s storytelling and taking questions and requests. It’s one of my favorite days of the year, and I never miss a show. Paul doesn’t have to ask when he comes; I just open a bottle of pinot for him. He’s a gentle soul, and I appreciate that about him. This cocktail was a collaboration. I had an idea in mind—some way to incorporate pinot noir since

By Elsa Hahne

Paul loves pinot, but pinot can be difficult because it’s easily overpowered, overtaken. I also wanted to collaborate with my staff and make it a team effort because if this is something we’re going to keep around [on the menu], I want them to love it too. I want my passion to come through them. People ask, ‘What’s your favorite wine?’ That’s like asking, ‘Who’s your favorite child?’ I like them all. But I do love pinot noir. At Pearl, we try to focus on small producers because those small producers, just like local businesses, are the ones that really make an impact on education, innovation and local—even global—economy, and create quality. If you want to special-order some Barefoot, I’ll let you. But I might try to talk you out of it...”

This Poem Sucks 2 ounces pinot noir wine 1 ounce cognac 1/2 ounce crème de cassis 3 dashes Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas’ Bitters Fresh orange slice, for garnish Stir all the ingredients together with ice in a glass. Garnish with a juicy orange slice. www.OFFBEAT.com

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

GERMAN Jaeger Haus: 833 Conti, 525-9200

ICE CREAM/CAKE/CANDY Aunt Sally’s Praline Shop’s: 2831 Chartres St., 944-6090 Bittersweet Confections: 725 Magazine St., 523-2626 La Divina Cafe e Gelateria: 621 St. Peter St., 302-2692 Sucré: 3025 Magazine St.,520-8311 Tee-Eva’s Praline Shop: 4430 Magazine St., 899-8350

INDIAN Nirvana: 4308 Magazine St., 894-9797

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 Primitivo: 1800 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 881-1775

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

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IRISH The Irish House: 1432 Saint Charles Ave., 595-6755

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 Parkway Bakery and Tavern: 538 Hagan Ave., 482-3047 Sammy’s Food Services: 3000 Elysian Fields Ave., 948-7361 Tracey’s: 2604 Magazine St., 897-5413

ITALIAN

Chiba: 8312 Oak St., 826-9119 Mikimoto: 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., 488-1881 Seoul Shack: 435 Esplanade Ave., 417-6206 Sukho Thai: 4519 Magazine St., 373-6471; 2200 Royal St., 948-9309 Wasabi: 900 Frenchmen St., 943-9433

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 Juan’s Flying Burrito: 2018 Magazine St., 569-0000 El Gato Negro: 81 French Market Place, 525-9846

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 Gattuso’s: 435 Huey P Long Ave., Gretna, 368-1114

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

Meschiya Lake hits the

Adolfo’s: 611 Frenchmen St., 948-3800 Little Vic’s: 719 Toulouse St., 304-1238

JAPANESE/KOREAN/SUSHI/THAI

Ye Olde College Inn: 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-3683 Warehouse Grille: 869 Magazine St., 322-2188

Spot

What are your favorites here? Definitely the Craw Rangoons [with crawfish, cream cheese and spicy honey], and the Pork Belly Buns. They’re big bao buns—I love saying that— like tiny, soft sandwiches— pillowy, and delicous! Chicken dumplings... I haven’t had everything on the menu, but I’ve liked everything I’ve had here. When do you come? Chris [my husband] and I spent our New Year’s Day here, which was pretty funny because I was super pregnant and he was super hung over, but didn’t want to tell me, because then I’d have been like, ‘At least you’re not pregnant!” [laughs] —Elsa Hahne Meschiya Lake will appear twice at Jazz Fest on Friday, April 28. First as Meschiya Lake and The Little Big Horns on the Acura Stage at 2:10 p.m., and then with the Blue Lu Barker Remembered tribute in Economy Hall at 5:30 p.m.

Red’s Chinese 3048 St. Claude Ave. (504) 304-6030 www.OFFBEAT.com

Photo: ELSA HAHNE

Kingfish: 337 Chartres St., 598-5005 Mr. B’s Bistro: 201 Royal St. 523-2078 Restaurant R’evolution: 777 Bienville St., 553-2277

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 Palm Court: 1204 Decatur St., 525-0200 Rivershack Tavern: 3449 River Rd., 834-4938 Southport Hall: 200 Monticello Ave., 835-2903 Snug Harbor: 626 Frenchmen St., 949-0696 Three Muses: 536 Frenchmen St., 298-8746 Three Muses Uptown: 7537 Maple St., 510-2749

DINING OUT

Toast Fairgrounds Festers walking into the Fair Grounds from the Sauvage Entrance have a number of options for grabbing a quick bite, whether that be a slice from Nonna Mia or a cup of gumbo from Liuzza’s by the Track. Those heading in from the Gentilly side, however, are at a dearth of provisions—or at least they were until a second location of Toast opened up next to the Jockey Pub. This year’s Jazz Fest will be the first for Cara and Evan Benson’s new outpost of their wildly successful Uptown breakfast/lunch spot, and the kitchen is gearing up for what surely will be a busy two weeks. While fans of the original Uptown café will be pleased to recognize many of the same menu items, Toast Fairgrounds has one clear advantage in the sibling rivalry: a liquor license. The tiny bar inside the Gentilly location cranks out mimosas, bloody marys and brandy milk punches from opening to close, and the added luxury of alcohol service makes waiting for a table infinitely more

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tolerable. In addition to the standard eye openers, the drink list includes a handful of local beers on tap and a refreshing Aperol spritz. The namesake dish is served in a variety of iterations, one of which features spring vegetables and tomatoes cooked down into a deliciously acidic ratatouille that is then spooned over freshly baked multigrain toast smeared with fresh ricotta and topped with a sunny-side-up egg. Expertly executed omelettes are delicious in their simplicity, as are the flaky biscuits and the rotating selections of muffins and scones freshly baked each morning. No breakfast is complete without an order of aebelskivers—those light and airy pancake globes dipped in Nutella or housemade jam. Morning sweet cravings can be satisfied with any number of crepes, such as a s’mores combination of chocolate, fresh marshmallow cream and crushed graham cracker. Waffles are a new addition to the menu and not to be missed. Dress them with cayenne butter and maple syrup alongside fried chicken, or cure the worst hangover with a waffle sandwich stuffed with pimento cheese, ham, avocado and fried eggs. Perhaps the most underrated dish on the menu is the burger—a proportionately thick patty of ground brisket griddled to perfection and served alongside fresh-cut fries.

Photo: RENEE BIENVENU

EATS

Long lines are a given on the weekend. Patrons congregate on the sidewalk and just like at Jazz Fest, bringing your own chair and packing sunscreen are highly encouraged. —Peter Thriffiley 1845 Gentilly Blvd.; (504) 351-3664; Mon–Fri 6:30a–2p, Sat–Sun 8a–2p; toastneworleans.com

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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

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

Stunningly Good Musicianship

Trombone Shorty Parking Lot Symphony (Blue Note) “Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist extraordinaire” might be the best way to describe today’s Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. As a little kid with a slide trombone, Andrews, 31, first let people in on the trumpet prowess that’s on full display on Parking Lot Symphony. But there is, of course, more. Here, he’s the only guy in the band manning keyboards—B-3 organ, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer electric—and even plays some drums, a vibraphone and a glockenspiel. What’s particularly striking on this release, which comes almost four years after 2013’s Say This to That, is the refinement and sense of confidence heard in his vocals. That’s realized immediately on the Meters’ “It Ain’t No Use.” Andrews’ soulfulness really comes through as he modulates tones, uses vibrato and goes up for the high notes. With Shorty and his talented band diggin’ into this classic, there’s little need for a female “choir.” The women work fine as backup singers but are misplaced and a bit too angelic beneath Andrews’ strong trombone solos.

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Andrews has his own sound, a much sought after treasure by all musicians. “Dirty Water,” which he wrote with Ethan Gruska, is a new tune that moves like an old friend. Shorty has a way with the compositions of the late, great Allen Toussaint, as previously demonstrated on his great cover of “On Your Way Down.” He goes for it again on an exuberant rendition of “Here Come the Girls” with Ivan Neville helping out on piano. Amusingly, it opens with longtime drummer Joey Peebles kicking it off with a march tempo. Too much fun. “No Good Time” offers a swaying change of pace, and “Where It At?” returns to the Shorty sound, complete with a catchy lyrical hook—“I just want my heart back…”—that’s bound to lead to a singalong from live audiences. Andrews keeps the music close to his heart and his hometown and even swaggers a second line rhythm on “Tripped Out Slim,” in honor of his late friend. Parking Lot Symphony continues Trombone Shorty’s personal tradition of stunningly good musicianship, crowd-pleasing good material and just plain good fun. —Geraldine Wyckoff

Bag of Donuts Superpop (Independent) There’s cover bands, and there’s cover bands. Bag of Donuts is arguably the most popular one in town, because they have the most fun with

the format—from their Kissinspired stage getups to the wide variety of party music they dig up to play. None of which means you’d necessarily want to buy a CD of well-executed covers without the live show attached, but here they apply the party-band aesthetic to a trio of original tunes. Two are agreeable homages to classic New Orleans R&B (“Put ’Em Up” evokes the Wild Tchoupitoulas, whose “Battlefront” is also covered here), but the title track’s a particular winner—written by veteran keyboardist Eddie Zip (uncle to two of the Donuts) and co-produced by him and Dr. John, it has an anthemic ’70s sound without referencing any particular bands from that era. The Doctor’s vocal interjections are the icing on the cake. The covers here are… well, they’re covers, and you at least have to admire a band that can jump from “Blitzkrieg Bop” to “Fire on the Bayou” to “Electric Avenue” (and really, how many households still have an original copy of that latter?). Mostly, though, it leaves you wanting a full disc of originals—not the first thing you’d expect to say about a Bag of Donuts record. —Brett Milano

Marc Stone Band Live in Europe (Independent) Well, ain’t this a gift that keeps on giving. Ace blues guitarist, songwriter, singer and bandleader Marc Stone produced this special spring release, which opens in the studio with “Digitized”—a swampy romp that rallies against the soulless, blue-faced reality of people absorbed by their smartphones. A solid protest anthem for the times, to be sure, but the song swings courtesy of an allstar roster: Alvin Youngblood Hart (harmonica), Terry Scott, Jr. (cajon and kick drums), Mike Dillon (congas, bongo, tambourine, shakers, bells), Richard Moten (upright bass), and soul-stirring backing vocals (Marilyn Barbarin, Papa Mali and Deanna Bernard) join Stone on vocals and National steel guitar. The opening single then gives way to a jaw-dropping night of blistering blues recorded last July in Austria. Long a fixture of the local scene (both in the nightclubs and on WWOZ airwaves), Stone has in recent years ramped up his liveperformance game. His annual opening slot for the Radiators www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS reunion run at Tipitina’s and his summer tours of Europe are testament to that progression. Recorded live and later mixed and mastered by Jack Miele at Music Shed Studios, Live in Europe captures lightning in a bottle as it delivers Stone’s voice, words and guitar wizardry in a stellar showcase propelled by the considerable talents of his backing band. Playing originals and covers, he slays both his Stratocaster and Supro slide all night, with particular highlights coming in “I’m a Rock,” which builds to an Allmans-esque climax of “Mountain Jam”

proportion, and his collaborator John Mooney’s tune “Sacred Ground”’ (“for the real blues fans,” Stone says by introduction), which weaves in deft slide-guitar wizardry. The psychedelic swirls filling the jams in “Pterodactyl” carry the frenetic edge of Pigpen-era Grateful Dead. Yet perhaps it’s when all of the Marc Stone Band flexes their individual muscles that they provide this magical night’s best track: the all-instrumental “Bap Bap,” where Hendrix-like licks burn into a series of super-funky piano rolls from Christof Waibel

Seven vibrant, hard-swinging tracks Preservation Hall Jazz Band So It Is (Legacy Recordings) Under Ben Jaffe’s leadership, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band has spent much of the past decade redrawing the boundaries of traditional New Orleans jazz. Four years ago, the band released That’s It!, its first ever all-original recording. Rooted in concepts true to the form of the music PHJB was created to sustain half a century earlier, That’s It! energized and modernized the band’s sound without delving too far outside of New Orleans music traditions. The group’s second all-original recording, So It Is—much of which was written by Jaffe and clarinetist and saxophonist Charlie Gabriel and inspired by the band’s 2015 trip to Cuba—takes a different tack. Across seven vibrant, often hard-swinging, up-tempo tracks, PHJB explores different iterations of the Afro-Cuban clave rhythm that’s central to jazz traditions in both Cuba and New Orleans. Bop concepts figure prominently here, too, particularly on this title track and in Gabriel’s and pianist Kyle Roussel’s contributions. Two of the album’s highlights build on a similar kind of energy as the propulsive “That’s It!” “Santiago,” with its urgent horn line, and the fiery “La Malanga,” which benefits from Ronell Johnson’s sustained trombone growls, both capture the “visceral,” ultra-“alive” sound the album’s co-producer, Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio, has said he was aiming for. The combination of eerie grooves and triumphant horn refrains on “Innocence,” along with the extended elegant melody on “Convergence,” make those tracks standouts well. The album comes to a close in more familiar territory with the lighthearted “Mad,” perhaps the closest song, DNA-wise, to a traditional New Orleans jazz number. Jaffe eschews his upright bass for tuba here as the whole band chimes in on vocals. Between the buoyant rhythm and whimsical group singalong vibe, “Mad” would feel just as at-home on the streets of Havana as it would in a second line parade in the Crescent City. —Jennifer Odell www.OFFBEAT.com

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REVIEWS and a nasty bass breakdown by Lorenzo Wilson that meshes with a grooving drum solo by Terry Scott, Jr. —Frank Etheridge

Ken Swartz & the Palace of Sin

working together. Hopefully they can crowdsource a full album soon. No local act better epitomizes whistling past the romantic graveyard. —Robert Fontenot

Smile the Blues Away (Adelphi)

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah Ruler Rebel (Ropeadope)

Bicycle Jones & Stover Song Shed (Vol. 2) (Independent) This is the second half of a project initiated between Dave Stover, longtime NOLArock scenester and all-purpose songwriter, and Training Wheels singer “Bicycle” Jones, who again adds some Northshore backwoods humanity to what might have been, with some of Dave’s old bands, just a lot of drunken (if witty) selfflagellation. Stover’s songwriting, which has never been tighter, again gets a more profound reading via Jones’ mix of new country and classic Americana aesthetics. Fortunately, most of the musicians are back as well, except that Stover’s longtime confrere Dave Easley now plays a ten-string Weissenborn (which is supposedly an even more expressive instrument than his dobro, and based on his performance here, that may very well be true). The bitter sadness of failed romance is all over these songs, as usual. The otherwise upbeat bluegrass of “Mommas Know” cloaks the desperation of a lastditch drive to save a dead dream, “It Ain’t You” perfectly balances the two halves of a love-hate relationship, and “Thank You Elizabeth” is anything but a testimonial—and Jones is still never more incisive, or Stover more biting, then when they’re

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Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah is, no doubt, a brilliant trumpeter and composer with a serious statement to make. Ruler Rebel represents the first of a series of albums in his “Centennial Trilogy,” which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the initial commercial jazz recording. If this heavily orchestrated, electronically filled album stands as where Adjuah starts this project, it’s a wonder where he will take the music from here. For the most part, Adjuah’s trumpet beckons from atop a mix of “sonic architecture” (his words): keyboards and drums of all natures, generations and continents. African drums stand alongside and/ or are interchanged with a drum machine and a trap set. Obviously, there’s a lot going on here, yet it’s all set in a rather ethereal atmosphere. There’s a darkness in Adjuah’s yearning and rather mournful trumpet wails. The talented Elena Pinderhughes’ flute brightens “Encryption” and “The Coronation of X. aTunde Adjuah” with its lighter essence and higher tonal qualities. The flautist and trumpeter, however, rarely truly engage each other. On the final track, “The Reckoning,” Adjuah seems to discover further power in anticipation of a time of accounting for the lack of changes in social justice and the continued inhumanity found in the world during the last century. It even begins with a

standard drum roll, plus Adjuah blows his trumpet with a more triumphant flavor. Strength proves to be an appropriate way to culminate the ambitious Ruler Rebel. —Geraldine Wyckoff

There may be no single person better in New Orleans at smiling away the blues than Ken Swartz; whether it be Piedmont, East Coast, or Country Blues, Ken likes to keep things whimsical and upbeat, dealing in a real folk blues so ancient it’s got jazz touches. Lots of Mississippi John Hurt, Sleepy John Estes, and Blind Lemon Jefferson. There’s more of it than ever on his third Palace of Sin album, and that’s part of the problem, because he’s also

The spirit of Toussaint Sam Price & the True Believers Sam Price & the True Believers (Independent) Some people make solo albums so they can do something much different than their regular band; others do it just because the band already has enough material. The solo-band debut by Honey Island Swamp Band bassist Price falls into the second category: Though the HISB already has two prolific songwriters, any of the five songs on Price’s CD would’ve worked fine on their last album. The arrangements are a bit different here—more textured, less guitar-driven, and he understandably keeps the bass turned up—but there’s nothing here that fans of the HISB’s brand of groove-rock won’t dig. “Where I Want to Be” opens the disc with a nice local shout-out: Proclaiming his funkiness, the singer says “I’m like WWOZ.” And he does wind up referencing some of the station’s favorite sounds, with a Meters nod in “Down to You” and soulful Southern rock getting a spin on “I Am” (which somehow reminds me of the Atlanta Rhythm Section’s “So Into You”). Another thing you ideally hear on ’OZ is a lot of Allen Toussaint, whose spirit is all over Price’s disc. For one thing, “Keep On Pushing” is up the same inspirational alley as “Yes We Can Can.” And I can’t say whether “Sign of Me” was meant as a Toussaint tribute, but to these ears it registers as one. Musically, it harks back to the deep soul on his ’70s Reprise albums, and Price’s vocal here has some of the same inflections. And the lyric—about the singer’s wish to enrich humanity just a little, and to “leave a sign of me” when he’s gone—seem a fitting salute to a man who did just that. The band’s live-sounding workouts keep this on the right side of the line between slavish throwback and update to the tradition. The one complaint I’d make is that he drops a couple clunky rhymes into the lyrics—“money” with “honey” in one song, “love” with “God above” in another—but the spirits are too high for those to bring them down. —Brett Milano Sam Price & the True Believers will be at the Ugly Dog Saloon at 8:30 p.m. on May 4. www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS

become the city’s finest hand at continuing the country-rock tradition of sober and sometimes bleak Americana done by the likes of Neil Young, Rick Danko, and Gram Parsons. This town needed a sad and shaggy song called “Carrolton Station.” And now it’s got one. Sadly, originals make up exactly 3/16 of this album. Being incredibly good at two necessary things is a pretty good curse to have, as is his simple direct honesty. And the other three residents of the Palace, especially Rick Weston and his amazing harmonica skills, augment his character: they’re that rare modern blues band that doesn’t care much about rocking out, despite the fact that they do a great job with two ancient blues classics grandfathered-in by Ry Cooder (Washington Phillips’ “Denomination Blues,” sadly more relevant now than ever, and the Leake County Revelers’ nearly forgotten “Crow Black Chicken”). Their combined sense of intimacy is so perfect that you almost expect to hear polite applause at the conclusion of Reverend Gary Davis’ “Sally Where Did You Get Your Liquor At?” or Memphis Minnie’s “Nothing in Rambling.” Swartz’ taste also remains exquisite: he steals “Milk Cow Blues” back from Elvis and makes Percy Mayfield’s “Send Me Someone to Love” not sound 20 years too late for the set-list. But you always get the feeling that he could be connecting the two sides of his persona to create something truly magical. As it is now, the silence and reverence are his only connective tissue. —Robert Fontenot www.OFFBEAT.com

Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band Live at the Spotted Cat (Independent) As George Carlin once said, the phrase “jumbo shrimp” is a contradiction in terms. As Carlin didn’t say, so is a progressive traditional band. But the Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band is exactly that, a band that honors tradition while taking plenty of liberties with its arrangements. Take their version of “Oh, Didn’t He Ramble,” which closes out this live disc. It begins like most versions, with a funeral dirge that leads into the second line. But Russell Welch’s electric guitar is the wild card and he makes good of the solo space he gets, doing the kind of skittering solo that Marc Ribot might play on a Tom Waits record. Instead of throwing the band off, it only makes them charge back in with that much more fervor. The arrangements are just as freewheeling throughout: Their “Sunny Afternoon” isn’t especially faithful to the Kinks’ original, but they don’t go oldtimey with it either. Instead they rock it up with horns, letting singer/leader Colin Myers solo up a storm on trombone. Since they’re a young band on a live album, they risk erring on the side of exuberance, getting a bit loungey/campy on the Sinatra standard “Young at Heart”. But the high spirits are usually just what the songs call for, and their best tracks are the ones at daredevil speed: “Mahogany Hall Stomp” puts some rockabilly into their Dixieland, and “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” JA ZZ FEST 20 17

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REVIEWS ends with a bunch of frantic guitar/drum exchanges, and a couple false endings for good measure. If all 65 minutes of this CD were recorded at the same set, and the Spotted Cat was as crowded as it can get, one can only hope there was a doctor in the house. —Brett Milano

Dirty Bourbon River Show The Flying Musical Circus (Independent) The Crescent City is undergoing a golden age of musical burlesque theater, and no one is working harder at it, or arguably reaping greater benefits, than the Dirty Bourbon River Show: This latest studio album is their tenth in just seven years. And yet the formula never grows old, it just gets more refined, partly due no doubt to leader Noah Adams, who knows enough to keep this musical variety show as inclusive as possible. Part brass band funeral, part Balkan folk stomp, part funk throwdown, part Italian wedding, and all P. T. Barnum, the experience incorporates as many musical styles of a busy port town as possible. But there’s a difference this time out: Not only are these ten songs proof that the genres are all blending into one, and also evidence that they’re doing so more economically than ever (they’re stating their business in just about half an hour these days), but for the first time there’s a strong undercurrent of thoughtfulness. Melancholy, even.

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Oh, the carnival is still loads of fun for real. “Roll It Around” and “My Name Is Soul” epitomize the leering, black comic pageantry of the band’s best work. But these days, the five guys at the heart of this dark carnival seem to have mortality, or at least regret, on their mind. The Flying Musical Circus is not quite a concept album about time travel—the plot’s pretty vague, suggesting mainly that time passes in the blink of an eye, especially when you’re having too much fun—but for the first time you feel the weight of the cosmic joke being played on us all. There are a few detours that’ll play as well with pop radio as they do with the red Solo cup crowd: “Poor Boy, Rich Girl” is pretty self-explanatory, and the leadoff single “Knockin’ on Your Headboard” might be the best song Sugar Ray never recorded. But in essence they tweak the formula just enough to keep it interesting—again. Yes, you have to appreciate a song like “Hidalgo’s Lament,” which starts with a man losing his arm in jail, but there’s no punchline. These days, DBRS seem to be saying, we’re our own. —Robert Fontenot Dirty Bourbon River Show performs on Saturday, April 29 at 5:30p on the Lagniappe Stage.

Marcello Benetti Il Vizio! (Independent) In the liner notes for Il Vizio! drummer Marcello Benetti writes, “there’s always a lot of personal meaning in my compositions.” He goes on to credit people like his mother and experiences like his regular trans-Atlantic flights from New Orleans to Italy with inspiring the music on the new album, which takes its name from the Italian word for vice (not as in “strong or bad,” he notes, more like “drinking coffee and wine, smoking and flirting”). The “personal meaning” here goes deeper than the

compositions themselves, though. Benetti’s engaging and accessible mix of march cadences, Eastern influences and shifts in rhythm get complemented and amplified by the audible energy simmering between him and the members of his band, all of whom have contributed regularly to his projects in recent years.

Will Thompson, who forms the other half of Benetti’s improv duo Trapper Keaper, adds a layer of shimmering keys to the breezy and beautiful “Quadroon Girl.” A moment of angular, frenetic bow-work from cellist Helen Gillet, who played on Benetti’s quartet albums, builds on the element of surprise sustained by Benetti’s shifts in mood and tempo on “Flight Connection.” The other members of Benetti’s quartet—trombonist Jeff Albert and Rex Gregory on clarinet, bass clarinet, flute and tenor sax—keep things warm and supple with elongated tones on the breezy “Manu,” while Dave Easley’s steel guitar helps soften and open up certain sections of tunes like “Crawling.” Finally, regular Trapper Keaper guest

The mood is just right Debbie Davis & Josh Paxton Vices & Virtues—A Live Record (Independent) Debbie Davis has always been a musical polymath, with a wideopen definition of what qualifies as a jazz song: Material on this live disc ranges from Duke Ellington to the Beatles (twice) to Tom Lehrer to Alex McMurray, which covers 80 years and a few different worlds. What the songs all have in common is vivid characters in the middle of loving, sinning or both—just what a resourceful singer needs to get her voice around. Davis has usually worked in bigger groups, but here she’s joined by Josh Paxton, a pianist whose instincts are every bit as flexible as her voice. Give them a gorgeous tune (Fats Waller’s “Jitterbug Waltz”) and they’ll do some graceful variations; give them a lusty one (“Lulu’s Back in Town”) and they’ll cavort with it. Their version of “Lady Madonna” is one good example: Before the tune, Davis jokingly tries to rattle Paxton by noting that Fats Domino had covered it with James Booker on keys. And they wind up expanding on both familiar versions: During the first solo, Paxton plays it Paul McCartney–style while Davis sings the horn line; but for the second one, he takes off on some wild, Booker-esque invention. There is in fact no piano solo on the Domino/ Booker version, so here Paxton shows what Booker might have played. Paxton can also match Davis’ sense of mischief: They approach Tom Lehrer’s “Masochism Tango” as a steamy torch song, which of course makes it funnier. But the best track here is also the biggest surprise, Amy Winehouse’s “Love Is a Losing Game.” The song was written to be a heartbreaker—and of course, the original singer was no slouch herself—and they get the mood and the atmosphere just right, making this a performance for sad romantics everywhere. —Brett Milano Debbie Davis & The Mesmerizers perform at Jazz Fest on Saturday, May 6 at 5:35p in Economy Hall. www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS

Producer Scott Billington hits rewind on James Booker’s Classified.

Mike Dillon’s vibes and tabla work add color and vitality to album highlights like the title track. In the context of Benetti’s playful approach to composing, the combined energy of seven of the city’s strongest and most creative instrumentalists is a delight—and a whole lot of fun. —Jennifer Odell

Flow Tribe Boss (Independent)

James Booker Classified (Rounder Records)

“J

ames Booker had a gig every week at the Maple Leaf with Johnny Vidacovich on drums, James Singleton on bass and Red Tyler on sax. That was going to be the band on the record. And Booker had very thoughtfully put together a list of songs that they were going to record and they worked on those at their gigs at the Maple Leaf. It sounded good. Some of those gigs were just spectacular. But a couple of weeks before, Booker ended up in Baptist Hospital. He had some sort of breakdown—a nervous breakdown. But he told me he wanted to go forward with the recording. He was a little shaky but he was ready to go. We recorded over three days [October 18–20, 1982] at Ultrasonic Studio on Washington Avenue across from Xavier University. Sometimes I wonder in those sessions if he was fearful of putting himself on the line and make a new record. I know he never doubted his piano playing—that was the one thing he had confidence in himself in. But the rest of his life was very, very difficult. I always thought he was one of the most lonely people I’d ever met. Sometimes I think he enjoyed the attention of having this producer and engineers [David Farrell and Steve Reynolds] and musicians all waiting on him. He enjoyed being the guy in the spotlight even when he frustrated everybody by deviating from the songs that we thought we were going to record. Johnny and Red and James were such brilliant musicians that whenever Booker started to play something without even telling anybody what it was, or what key it was in, they’d be on it within the first four or five measures. But as soon as they got in the groove again, he’d change direction and go somewhere else.

It was all stuff that was in his repertoire. Songs like Annie Laurie’s ‘If You’re Lonely’—that was the one song he really wanted to record, the only thing from his list that made it. Some, like ‘Classified,’ he’d recorded before while touring in Europe for a live record. The rest were spontaneous ideas. ‘Grits Ain’t Groceries.’ ‘Hound Dog.’ He could play anything he set his mind to playing, but he was such an erratic person in general. There was a point in the sessions where Red and I picked up him and carried him back over to the piano bench. Picking him up, it was like picking up bones. He was a frail person; he didn’t take great care of himself. He’d been in the corner, huddled, hiding his face. It was at that point that I said, ‘This is enough. I’m going to have to call the session if you don’t play that piano. C’mon!’ Before our third day, John Parsons took him out to a meal and after he went to John’s apartment and James stayed there that night in John’s guest room. So he’d gotten a good night’s sleep and something to eat. When I arrived early at the studio the third day to check the tape to see if there was anything actually usable, he was there waiting for me at the door. He said, ‘Hey Scott, can I go play now?’ He wanted me to sit with him in the studio at his piano bench while he played. He was smiling. He was happy. That’s where all the solo piano things on the record came from. I did some prompting but mostly he just played what came to mind—some of it out of nowhere, like ‘Theme from the Godfather.’ At the end of the day he came through for me, came through for himself and he made an incredible record. Like Red said at the end of the session, it was like trying to capture the wind.” —Frank Etheridge

“He wanted me to sit with him in the studio at his piano bench while he played. He was smiling. He was happy. That’s where all the solo piano things on the record came from.”

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There’s plenty of good reason why Flow Tribe has established itself as one of New Orleans’ goto party bands. The homegrown sextet—John-Michael Early (harmonica/washboard), Bryan Santos (percussion), K.C. O’Rorke (trumpet), Chad Penot (bass), Mario Palmisano (guitar), Russell Olschner (drums)—has honed its unique polyrhythmic style, with mixes of rock, funk, jazz, jam and Latin, for more than a decade. For its third studio effort, Flow Tribe takes a turn toward a hip-hop/R&B hybrid with the 33-minute Boss. Which makes sense, considering old-school (former) Cash Money DJ Mannie Fresh produced the album, recorded in two sessions by the band in March and September 2016 at the Parlor Studio. Fresh’s smooth flow introduces the album “future leaders and hasbeens—this is your life” before welcoming (à la old Juvenile tracks) “the incredible sounds of… Flow Tribe!” The band then takes control, as “Hit ’em with the good vibe” welcomes the spacey-smooth guitar and synth waves of “Sexy Body,” which features the killer keys of PJ Morton (Maroon 5). The song’s come-hither vibe foreshadows the following songs, all about love and all drenched in sex. The lyrical takes on romance, however, run the gamut from the spiteful title-track refrain “She wanna be boss/ She wanna be ruler” to the sweet-hearted devotion tribute in “Diamond.” Marked by a focus on vocal harmonies and city backbeats, www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS

familiar Flow Tribe riffs surface on the slick guitar licks at the intro of “I Don’t Want to Be in Love” and the rousing horn play to close the edgy “Blackmail.” —Frank Etheridge Flow Tribe plays on Sunday, April 30 at 11:15a on the Acura Stage

Marco Benevento Woodstock Sessions (Royal Potato Family) Locals probably know Marco best as a late-period member of Garage a Trois, unless you really keep your ear close to the New York experimental rock scene, in which case you may be familiar with his many scene collaborations, his artist collective Royal Potato Family, his self-owned studio called Fred Short, or his array of mostly instrumental solo releases. Benevento may have fully revealed himself with this album, however, as the Millennial Todd Rundgren: a pop classicist sporting a deeply weird streak, a genuine studio rat with genuine blue-eyed soul, a piano-rock maven with a flair for the psychedelic, and a wizard/ true star who’s secret is that his music is as warm and inclusive as it is stylistically expansive. It all comes to a head on this 6 (or 7) song release, a full-length addition to the Woodstock Sessions imprimatur that seeks to popularize Applehead Studios in upstate New York with live, in-house performances. Armed with his usual arsenal of rhythm machines, laptops, and a ridiculously augmented bank of various keyboards, with only a slightly modified bass and drums duo to back him up, the www.OFFBEAT.com

maestro mainly reproduces the core of last year’s breakthrough album The Story of Fred Short, including the epic 22-minute long title track, as well as a few earlier selections, mostly from his first vocal album, 2014’s “Swift.” Normally someone so fixated on sound collages might seem alien and intimidating live, but on Woodstock Sessions he perfectly blurs the line all live albums are meant to, exhorting his audience to sing, dance, and even whistle along. Turns out Marco’s idea of psychedelia, like Todd’s, is a canvas on which to explore big, universal emotions, so what came off as intriguing impressionism with earlier Spotify hits like “At the Show” and “Dropkick” now gets transformed into one big giddy sonic foam party. Whether blowing minds with an exploratory jam like “Bus Ride” or downshifting into nerdfunk on “I Can’t See the Light.” Benevento has his cult’s heart right in the palm of his hand. Which would suggest they may not be a cult much longer. —Robert Fontenot

Sam Friend Twin (Independent) A true Jack of all musical trades, Sam Friend is perhaps best known to New Orleanians for his tenure in the New Orleans Swamp Donkeys Traditional Jass Band he co-founded (and their hit take on the “Game of Thrones” theme, which transported it into “Boardwalk Empire” territory). His first full-length solo album finds him taking yet another JA ZZ FEST 20 17

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REVIEWS version is distinct, given Brian Brignac’s second line rhythms and Esneault’s rollicking ivories. Swamp Fever is a rare breed given its sonic diversity, especially considering a lot is packed into this 47-minute / 8-song affair. —Dan Willging

Bon Bon Vivant dramatic turn, this time into indie pop singer-songwriter territory—but the recent death of his twin sister, to whom this work is dedicated, makes it necessarily about something more than a rebranding. Friend’s voice has the warmth of James Taylor but also the endearingly awkward earnestness of Ben Folds and more than a little of Dr. John’s natural jazzblues drawl; the music follows suit, piano-rock with jazz and blues shadows and only slight stylistic detours. The ballads, like “Settle Down” and “Strange Love,” come with a strong soul streak, replete with swelling organ and electric piano, but otherwise he’s keeping it light—actually, more to the point of the title of one of his songs, he’s actively trying to “Generate Light,” celebrating his sister’s life in his own return jazz funeral trip by focusing on the joy and the beauty. And that’s where Twin gets really interesting, because the main lyrical thrust of the album seems to be about what happens when a major life change has to be made; Sam left New York state for NOLA some years ago, reflected in reams of lyrics about the fallout it left in his personal life (“Way back in New Rochelle / in a Rangers jersey / smoking an L”). It gives the entire album an extra level of meaning: what was probably intended to be a concept album about a relationship torn apart is transformed into a treatise on what it means when circumstance forces you to leave someone behind. —Robert Fontenot

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Chris Belleau Swamp Fever (Proud Dog Records) The great thing about a Chris Belleau record is that you never know what the Baton Rouge roots musician is going to do next, but guaranteed, an indigenous identity will be present. Belleau’s fourth release focuses on blues and jazz, the latter being a genre that he has the most performance experience in as a trombonist. As usual, he surrounds himself with good studio musicians such as saxman Jon Smith of White Trash fame and keyboardist/guitarist/producer Nelson Blanchard. His harp lines have respectable burning power, as evidenced by the Kenny Neal– inspired “Blues Is on the Rise.” While “Hold the One Who Cares” is obviously steeped in swamp pop, it’s also bluesier than most. Lyrics for three songs were written by former Muscle Shoals FAME Studios lyricist Billy E. Henderson, while Belleau crafted the melodies. The similarly themed “The Healer” and “The Treater” are bluesy swamp rockers while the title track is interpreted as a sultry jazz ballad. Of the two jazz instrumentals, Belleau’s “Bienville Blues” is a swanky swing shuffle while Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” proves that Belleau, Smith and keyboardist Mike Esneault have the chops to tackle the heavier stuff. Though there are millions of renditions of “When You’re Smiling,” Belleau’s euphoric

Paint & Pageantry (Independent) You might well guess, from both their band name and the title of their debut full-length album, that the cabaret is strong with this sextet, and you’d be right: Song titles like

“Lost Soul,” “Saints & Sinners,” and “Hard Way of Livin’ When You’re Dead” can also give you some idea just how seriously this group takes its commitment to alternative lifestyles of all kinds. But not for them is the nihilistic coldness of European murder

The breadth of diversity Irvin Mayfield + The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra Live at Newport (Basin Street Records) Complete with introductions and crowd reaction, Live at Newport, by trumpeter Irvin Mayfield leading the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, was captured at the 2015 edition of the highly respected Newport Jazz Festival. Its Crescent City origins were immediately apparent in the opening cuts, the Mardi Gras Indian–influenced “Tune Up (Rising Tide)” and the traditional jazz flair of “The Elder Speaks.” Introductions were in order for the members, so a big nod to Mayfield for thoughtfully crediting each of the soloists and eventually the entire band. Trumpeter Ashlin Parker is the first to rule center stage, offering a bounty of strikingly slinky, high-flying blowing on Mayfield’s composition “Angola,” one of six originals from his sharp pen. As always, saxophonist Ed Petersen impresses with his free-flowing creativity on another of the leader’s fine works, “Sweet Bread on the Levees.” The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO) is filled with the cream of this city’s jazz artists, including a rhythm section that boasts longtime members pianist Victor Atkins and drummer Adonis Rose. So whether in support of soloists or taking a tune on its own, it comes together as one remarkably super-tight ensemble. The very varied program features vocal numbers on cover tunes by trombonist Michael Watson (“Overjoyed” and “We Will Rock You”) and Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown (“I’ve Got the World on a String”). Mayfield’s trumpet becomes the emotional voice on Lennon and McCartney’s “Yesterday.” The trumpeter’s passionate tribute to his father, who died in Hurricane Katrina, “May His Soul Rest in Peace,” remains heart-wrenching yet so beautiful. Live at Newport demonstrates the breadth of talent and diversity of Irvin Mayfield, the members of NOJO and the qualities that define the city itself. —Geraldine Wyckoff Irvin Mayfield plays Jazz Fest on Thursday, May 4 at 12:25p on the Acura Stage. www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS ballads; while they do a great job at mixing gypsy jazz, trad jazz and pre-war pop into a slightly tawdry but never tacky frission, lead singer and songwriter Abigail Cosio—for whom this band serves as a vehicle for her musical sketches—also has a large streak of Americana running through both her voice and her lyrics. Which means that when the band stops to reflect every so often, as on “Poplar Tree,” “Rio Grande” or the title track, she comes off more Alison Krauss than Kurt Weill. It’s an odd but intriguing juxtaposition—decadence with real heart—and even if the arrangements fluctuate between the two styles, Cosio’s rich, expressive vocal turns contain equal amounts torch and twang, and it’s enough to hold the duality together. And the potential to blend both styles into one, though unrealized here, is a heady one: The world is waiting for a group that connects Storyville to Abbeville, and when Abigail sings a line like “We are the king and queen of nothing/ but we play the part so well,” she demonstrates the shared humanity that might one day lead them to it. In the meantime, we can enjoy the surprisingly danceable beats of “Lady Luck” or the millennial chant that pops up in “Lost Soul.” Maybe they have even bigger things on their mind. —Robert Fontenot

Black Laurel Black Laurel (Independent) If rock and roll, like any other form of music, stops growing, is it still alive? More to the point, is it still relevant? Gregg Yde apparently thinks so. An audio engineer from Chicago, his debut EP as part of a power trio delivers seven concise blasts of meat-and-potatoes heartland rock; as a singersongwriter, he’s sort of what might happen if Roger McGuinn of the Byrds suddenly decided he wanted to write with the www.OFFBEAT.com

Replacements’ Paul Westerberg. His songwriting’s not on their level—who is?—but after an obligatory song about the perfect unattainable woman, he segues into some very relevant, very modern commentary on the state not just of New Orleans but of America itself. Check out his view of an ideologically driven Post-K New Orleans: “We’re going to march into your town / we’ll knock all your statues down / be you a Christian, Muslim, Jew / we’ll paint you all red, white, and blue.” The sheer force of the band’s usual attack—fast and muscular, but not metal—seems to lend weight to what is probably irony, especially given the very next track, “Back on Camp,” which talks about people who “march on this state in protest / they confuse fear for contempt / everything they know they forget / everything they feel they regret.” And what’s all this about the ERA and the Berlin Wall? It probably doesn’t matter. As someone who in actual practice comes on like a countryish Jackson Browne who’s finally learned to rock out with some Southern-rock guitar licks, he certainly makes everything sound compelling. Which is all rock and roll did most of the time, anyway. —Robert Fontenot

The Tangiers Combo Are You in the Mood? (Independent) If you were a New Orleans expat in the early days of the Great Depression, one who suddenly needed to leave town JA ZZ FEST 20 17

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REVIEWS hurt either: it often literally sounds like the corner of a small foreign club, with Carl Keith’s guitar near your table and Eric and Jason a little further out near the window. Window? More like porthole. The Tangiers Combo prove to be perfect travel agents, moving not just through musical culture but time. —Robert Fontenot for reasons best left unsaid by booking passage on an ocean liner to Morocco, the 78s you might listen to in your tiny stateroom over the next few days probably would sound a lot like the Tangiers Combo. Their vagabond pre-war jazz instrumentals—acoustic guitar and bass, with violin, sax, clarinet and the occasional flute fighting for solo supremacy— are engineered to span the Western Hemisphere just like that. When their bio talks about that “vibrating land of poets, writers, musicians and cultural refugees,” you can bet they’re drawing a connection between North Africa and South Louisiana. Django Reinhardt and his gypsy jazz are represented here, of course, on a handful of tracks (they even cover the Rosenberg Trio, modern-day hiveminds themselves heavenly influenced by the master) but they also make ports of call in the Caribbean and parts of South America, thanks to Lionel Belasco’s “Luna De Maracaibo” and Goyeneche’s “Chiquilin de Bachin.” Not to mention nods to the early Great American Songbook in the exotica classic “Similau” and the original Moulin Rouge’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” and two tributes to Johnny Green’s Orchestra in the form of “Coquette” and “Two Cigarettes in the Dark.” It’s a perfect cultural pastiche, sad romanticism for those at least temporarily without a home, set off by Eric Rodriguez’s wistful violin and Jason Danti’s nearly avant-garde turns on everything else. The mix doesn’t

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The Rayo Brothers Take You for a Drive (Independent) With a family that includes members of the Lost Bayou Ramblers and the late Hadley Castille, it would seem more likely—and easier—for the Rayo Brothers (and sister Sarah Jayde Williams) to find themselves in a Cajun band, playing handed down songs from their wellknown kin folk who came before them. Instead, not only have they struck out into Americana/ folk country rock sounds, they have done so with original materials. Take You for a Drive, the follow up to Gunslinger, does commit a few sins of borrowing from their genre, seemingly hitting a list of Americana prerequisites. Sure, some moments come off as very familiar, but the saving grace is how well all of it comes together. Daniel Reaux’s voice is tailor-made for Americana the way their vintage clothes are tailor-made for a roots band’s image. Much of Drive is in the same gear, but the pace is wrapped in very well-written songs that show off not only their songwriting chops but great banjo playing that takes the lead, subtle steel guitars and dynamic string work. At the same time, it is back porch music and, thanks to Chris Stafford of Feufollet’s Staffland Studio, has a concert hall feel. Drive is quintessential Americana not only in sound but the stories it weaves. Catchy with a strong songwriting depth that transcends both old-timey and country limitations, Drive www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS a Drive’s stellar songwriting and sounds give it a few extra miles to the gallon. —Nick Pittman

Captain Green Jazz Noise (Independent)

is not merely a “paint by numbers” affair. It ends with the strongest cut on the album, “Maps to the Moon,” which features elements that build tension. This stride away from the genre’s core is reminiscent of their standout tune from Gunslinger, “City of Blues.” Likewise, it didn’t play by the rules and was a great cut because of it. Were the entire album in this spirit, it would buoy it even further. Although the theme of the road and some of the sounds are nothing new, Take You for

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It’s always possible that they’re just being self-effacing, but the members of Captain Green probably meant the title of their third full-length studio album as a challenge, a la Public Enemy: this is the time of jazz-funk hybrid that dares you to listen to it, not because it’s musically inept—far from it—but because it’s sonically fearless. Time after time, on song after song, they carpetbomb the space between your headphones, unleashing a commanding beat and then using every other weapon in their arsenal to lay down a psychedelic firestorm, one through which the brass section

can march like a conquering king. Oh, it’s a party, but a terrifyingly fun one, the kind you’re not sure you’re going to come back from. But then, you know how those Baton Rouge free-jazz funksters are. Wait. Baton Rouge? Yes. The centerpiece of all this glorious mayhem is a 14minute, two-part blockbuster, correctly identified as “Dinogasm,” which can only be understood as Jurassic Park writ even larger, with stately brass exhibits suddenly exploding into action-packed chase scenes where a terrified saxophone tears ass across lush primitive soundscapes with a squalling guitar hot on its heels. It’s quite a stomper for a band that doesn’t utilize much distortion, and much more indicative of what a Godzilla reboot should have been like than P. Diddy ruining Zeppelin or some John Williams retread. And when you’ve caught your breath

from that onslaught, you’re welcome to “Revenge of the Swedish Chef,” whose silly title belies the fact that listening to it is like riding a rickety, disused roller coaster down an avalanche. Hell, even an ostensibly quieter number like “Kitties Go to Sleep” gets up and wanders around after a few minutes, exploring its territory. Rarely has a 21st century jazz album from anywhere sounded this predatory; it bodes well for the survival of the species. And you can dance to it. (Carefully.) —Robert Fontenot

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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

MONDAY APRIL 24

B.B. King’s Blues Club: Justin Donovan (BL) 12p, Steve Mignano (BL) 3p, Benny Turner (BL) 7:30p Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Helen Gillet (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Alex Belhaj Jazz Trio, Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers, Swinging Gypsies, Sunshine Brass Band (VR) 12p Banks Street Bar: Lilli Lewis Project (JV) 9p Blue Nile: Jeff Chaz and NOLA Blues (BL) 7p, Brass-A-Holics (BB) 10p BMC: Yeah You Right Band, Lil Red and Big Bad, Keith Stone Band (VR) 5p Bombay Club: David Boeddinghaus (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Café Beignet (Musical Legends Park): Steamboat Willie Jazz Band (TJ) 10a Café Negril: Noggin (VR) 6p, In Business (JV) 9:30p Chickie Wah Wah: Justin Molaison (VR) 5:30p, Alex McMurray (SS) 8p Circle Bar: Phil the Tremelo King (VR) 7p, the Poppy Field (EL) 9:30p Columns Hotel: David Doucet (KJ) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Insta-Gators (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Chappy (SS) 7p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 10p Dmac’s: Danny Alexander and the Monday Night Blues Jam Session (BL) 8p Dos Jefes: John Fohl (BL) 9p Dragon’s Den: Monday Night Swing feat. Steve DeTroy and the Swing Revue (JV) 7p, DJ Ill Medina (VR) 11p

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Funky Pirate: Willie Lockett Band (BL) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Danielle Nicole (SS) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Gerald French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Kim Carson (FO) 8:30p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Little Tropical Isle: Frank Fairbanks (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Maison: Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, the Resident Aliens (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: the Porter Trio feat. George Porter Jr., Michael Lemmler and Terrence Houston (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 6 & 8p Rare Form: Nervous Duane (BL) 1p, Apple Juice Jones (FO) 6p, RetroFit (FK) 10p Siberia: Comic Strip (BQ) 9p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Royal Street Winding Boys (JV) 12p, Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 2p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. AllStars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses: Monty Banks (JV) 5p, Keith Burnstein (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Beach Combers (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Graham Robertson (RK) 5:15p, Trop Rock Express (RK) 9:15p

TUESDAY APRIL 25

B.B. King’s Blues Club: Justin Donovan (BL) 12p, Steve Mignano (BL) 3p, Benny Turner (BL) 7:30p Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mark Weliky (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Bryce Eastwood Jazz Trio, Joe Goldberg Jazz Trio, Dana and the Boneshakers, Chris Mule Blues Band (VR) 12p Blue Nile: Water Seed (VR) 9p BMC: Jersey Slim, Jack Cruz and Los Valientes, the Budz (VR) 5p Bombay Club: Matt Lemmler (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras with Vanessa Carr (VR) 8p Café Beignet (Musical Legends Park): Steamboat Willie Jazz Band (TJ) 10a Café Negril: 4 Sidemen of the Apocalypse (JV) 6p, John Lisi and Delta Funk (FK) 9:30p Carver Theater: David L. Harris (JV) 8:30p Chickie Wah Wah: Albanie Falletta (VR) 6p, Jon Cleary (VR) 8p Circle Bar: Carl LeBlanc (RB) 7p, Space Bass S.I.Night with DJ O.B.1 and Slick Leo (EL) 9:30p Columns Hotel: Neoclassic Jazz Trio with Charlie Fardella, Tommy Sancton and John Rankin (JV) 8p Crazy Lobster: AC and the Heat (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Dinosaurchestra (JV) 7p, Treme Brass Band (BB) 10p Dmac’s: JT Lewis (VR) 8p Dos Jefes: Tom Hook and Wendell Brunious (JV) 9p Funky Pirate: Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Aaron Cohen Band, Danny Abel Band, Shhh (MJ) 8p

Hi-Ho Lounge: Tuco Taco Presents Outlaw Nation, R2D3, Marshland, Johnny Dilks (FO) 6p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Jazz National Historical Park: Richard Scott (TJ) 12p Jazz Playhouse: Shannon Powell (JV) 6p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 4:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Charlie Miller (PI) 7p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Pentone (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Mag’s 940: the All-Star Covered-Dish Country Jamboree (CW) 9p Maison: McKenna Alicia, Gregory Agid, Brass Lightning (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (FK) 11p Old U.S. Mint: Down on Their Luck Orchestra (JV) 2p, Bella Mia, Richard Rourke and the Voodoo Collective (SO) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 6 & 8p Prime Example: Sidemen +1 Jazz Quintet (JV) 8p Rare Form: Mark Appleford (BL) 3p, the Unnaturals (PK) 7p Ray’s on the Avenue: Bobby Love and Friends (BL) 8p Siberia: HorisOnt, the Dirty Streets (RK) 9p SideBar NOLA: Simon Berz and Jeff Albert Duo (JV) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Stanton Moore Trio (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses Maple: Gypsyland (JV) 7p Three Muses: Andre Bohren (CL) 5p, Messy Cookers (JV) 8p Trinity Episcopal Church: Organ and Labyrinth with Albinas Prizgintas (VR) 6p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 5p, Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 9:15p

WEDNESDAY APRIL 26

B.B. King’s Blues Club: John Lisi (BL) 12p, Chucky C. (BL) 3p, B.B. King’s Blues Club All-Star Band (BL) 7:30p Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Jesse Morrow (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Dave Hammer Jazz Trio, Bamboulas Hot Trio feat. Giselle Anguizola, Gentilly Stompers, Mem Shannon Band (VR) 12p Banks Street Bar: Major Bacon (BL) 10p Blue Nile: New Orleans Rhythm Devils (VR) 8:30p, New Breed Brass Band (BB) 11p BMC: Set Up Kings, Sierra Leone, XX-Y Band (VR) 5p; Balcony Room: Sasha Masakowski presents Tra$h Magnolia, Chelsea Hine’s Toonces (VR) 10p Bombay Club: Josh Paxton (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p Café Beignet (Musical Legends Park): Steamboat Willie Jazz Band (TJ) 10a Café Negril: Maid of Orleans (VR) 6p, Another Day in Paradise (VR) 9:30p Candlelight Lounge: Andrews Brass Band (BB) 8p Carousel Bar: James Rivers Movement (JV) 8:30p Celebration Hall: TBC Brass Band (BB) 10p

Chickie Wah Wah: Rubin Wilson Folk Blues Explosion (BL) 6p, Meschiya Lake and Tom McDermott (JV) 8p, Mike Doussan Band (VR) 10p Circle Bar: the Iguanas (RK) 7p, Karma Bank (RK) 10p Columns Hotel: Andy Rogers (FO) 8p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tin Men (RK) 7p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 5:30p Dmac’s: Kim Carson (VR) 8p Dos Jefes: George French Trio with Wendell Brunious and Freddie Lonzo (RB) 9:30p Dragon’s Den: Groove Therapy (HH) 9p, Reggae Night (RE) 10p French Market: Gumbo Marie and Richard Scott (JV) 3p Funky Pirate: Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Boyfriend album-release show (PO) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Kommentary feat. KNMDK Horns (RB) 8p House of Blues (the Parish): Brandy Clark, Charlie Worsham (CW) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): the Fortifiers (RK) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Glen David Andrews (JV) 8p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 4:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 8:30p Lafayette Square: Wednesdays at the Square feat. Flow Tribe, Robin Barnes (VR) 5p Little Gem Saloon: Zakk Garner Duo (JV) 7p Little Tropical Isle: Jay B. Elston (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Maison: Heather Holloway and the Heebie Jeebies, Jazz Vipers, Danny Abel and friends (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Hook Line and Dine feat. Frogs Gone Fishin’ (VR) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a, Krewe du Two (VR) 1p Old U.S. Mint: Ashlin Parker, Alex Dyring and Cori Walters with Jon Beebe and James Barry (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Café: George Lewis Tribute with Sammy Rimington and Tom Sancton (TJ) 8p Pour House Saloon: Oscar and the Blues Cats (BL) 8:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 6 & 8p Prime Example: Jesse McBride presents the Next Generation (JV) 7p Rare Form: Nervous Duane (BL) 1p, Beardsley and Joe Pollock (FO) 5p, Champion Swag feat. Matt Galloway (FK) 9p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (SI) 8p Saenger Theatre: Alton Brown: Eat Your Science (VR) 8p Sandbar at UNO: Jazz at the Sandbar feat. Don Vappie (JV) 7p Siberia: Brant Bjork, Royal Thunder, Black Wizard, Poison Rites (ME) 9p SideBar NOLA: Dayna Kurtz and Robert Mache with guests (JV) 7p Snug Harbor: Terrance Taplin 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 Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Three Keys (Ace Hotel): SONO presents the Shape of Jazz to Come with Ashlin Parker Trio (JV) 9p Three Muses Maple: Lynn Drury (BL) 7p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Russell Welch (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajungrass (KJ) 7p 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 APRIL 27

Apple Barrel: Big Al and the Heavyweights (BL) 10:30p B.B. King’s Blues Club: Willie Lockett (BL) 12p, Brent Johnson (BL) 4p; B.B. King’s Blues Club All-Star Band (BL) 7:30p Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, the Courtyard Kings (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers, Kala Bazaar Swing Society, Jenavieve Cook and the Royal St. Winding Boys, Swamp Donkeys (JV) 12p Banks Street Bar: Dave Jordan and the NIA (RR) 10p Blue Nile: Blue Nile: Micah McKee and Little Maker (FO) 7:30p, Bayou International Reggae Night with DJ T-Roy (RE) 11p; Balcony Room: Higher Heights (RE) 11p BMC: Mike Darby and House of Cards, Maid Of Orleans, Claude Bryant and All-Stars (VR) 5p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski Duo (JV) 8p Botanical Garden (City Park): Threadhead Thursday feat. Marcia Ball, Brass-A-Holics and Paul Sanchez (VR) 6p Buffa’s: Mike Doussan and Globalist Lizardman (VR) 5p, Tom McDermott and Aurora Nealand (JV) 8p, Shake ‘Em Up Jazz Band (JV) 11p Bullet’s: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 6p Café Negril: Revival (JV) 6p, Soul Project (FK) 9:30p Carousel Bar: Antoine Diel Jazz Quartet (JV) 5p, Nayo Jones Experience (JV) 8:30p Carrollton Station: the Sunliners with Anson Funderburgh and Eric Lindell (RR) 10p Carver Theater: Stooges Brass Band (BB) 9p Chickie Wah Wah: Dylan LeBlanc (VR) 8p, John “Papa” Gros Band (VR) 11p Church of Yoga: Jazz at the Church (JV) 7p Circle Bar: Natalie Mae and Gina Leslie (CW) 7p, 99 Playboys (KJ) 9:30p Columns Hotel: Marc Stone (BL) 8p Covington Trailhead: Rockin’ the Rails Concert Series (VR) 5p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Jon Cleary (VR) 7p, Little Freddie King (BL) 10p, Lightnin’ Malcolm, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Brady Blade (BL) 1a Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 5:30p Dmac’s: Jason Bishop, Josh Hyde, Nolafied (VR) 7p Dos Jefes: Betty Shirley Band (JV) 9:30p Dragon’s Den: McKenna Alicia, Caitlyn Harris (VR) 10p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Sinkane, Eric Slick (RK) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Evan Oberla with Jeff Dazey and Benny Bloom, the Grid (VR) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): Ab-Soul, Little Simz (HH) 8p House of Blues: Pierce the Veil, Sum 41, Emarosa (RK) 6:30p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Jazz Playhouse: Ashlin Parker Trio (JV) 5p, James Rivers Movement (JV) 8p Joy Theater: Dark Star Orchestra: Continuing the Grateful Dead Concert Experience (CR) 9:30p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 4:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Will Dickerson (FO) 8:30p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre: Moe. (FK) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Orleans Record Jazz Fest KickOff feat, Guitar Slim Jr., Kipori Woods, Carlo Ditta Trio (BL) 7:30p

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Little Gem Saloon: Instrumenthead Super Jam (VR) 7p Little Tropical Isle: Allen Hebert (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Louisiana Music Factory: Johnny J. and the Hipshots (VR) 12p, Jason Neville Band (VR) 1p, Jazz Vipers (VR) 2p, Michael and David Doucet (VR) 3p, Josh Hyde (VR) 4p, Big Chief Juan Pardo and Voices of a Nation Project (VR) 5p, Trombone Shorty (VR) 6p Maison: Tuba Skinny, Good For Nothin’ Band (VR) 4p, the Original Stanton Moore Trio (FK) 9:30p Maple Leaf: Johnny Vidacovich, George Porter Jr., Eric Krasno and Eric Benny Bloom (FK) 11p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Tom McDermott and Chloe Feoranzo (JV) 6p Old Point Bar: Dick Deluxe (RK) 9:30p One Eyed Jacks: Fast Times ‘80s and ‘90s Night (VR) 10p Orpheum Theater: St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Naughty Professor (SO) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Leroy Jones and Katja Toivola with Palm Court Jazz Band (TJ) 8p Pour House Saloon: Dave Ferrato Open Jam Series (SS) 8:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Gregg Stafford (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Louis Ford (TJ) 8p Prime Example: Khari Allen Lee Quintet play the Music of Marvin Gaye and Bob Marley (JV) 8p Rare Form: Deltaphonic (FK) 10:30p Republic: Manic Focus, Russ Liquid, Marvel Years, Daily Bread, Dino Brawl (EL) 9p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Chris Ardoin, Geno Delafose and Chubby Carrier (ZY) 8:30p Siberia: Redd Kross, Terry and Louie, Trampoline Team, DJ Anita Bump (PK) 9p SideBar NOLA: James Singleton’s Time Bandits with Justin Peake and James Evans (MJ) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Neal Caine Quintet (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 12p, Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 3p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 7p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Soundbytes with PJ Morton and friends (FK) 9p Three Muses Maple: Mia Borders (SO) 7p Three Muses: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (CW) 8p Tipitina’s: Anders Osborne, Ryan Montbleau Band (RR) 9p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 5p, Nonc Nu and Da Wild Matous (KJ) 9p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Beach Combers (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p Vaughan’s Lounge: DJ Black Pearl (VR) 9p, Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet (FK) 10p W XYZ Bar (Aloft Hotel): the Deslondes (CW) 5:30p

FRIDAY APRIL 28

AllWays Lounge: Helen Gillet and Tephra Sound (MJ) 10p B.B. King’s Blues Club: Willie Lockett (BL) 12p, Doc Lovett (BL) 4p, B.B. King’s Blues Club All-Star Band feat. Eric Gales (BL) 8p Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Harmonouche (JV) 5p, Willie Green Project (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Co. and Co. Travelin’ Show, Chance Bushman’s Rhythm Stompers, Smoky Greenwell, John Lisi (VR) 11a Banks Street Bar: Egg Yolk Jubilee (BB) 10p Blue Nile: Soul Rebels (BB) 10p, Adam Dietch Quartet (VR) 11:59p; Balcony Room: Mike Dillon Band (MJ) 10:30p, the Werks (VR) 11:59p BMC: Terra Terra, Sean Riley, Hyperphlyy, One Mind Brass Band, RnR Music Group (VR) 3p Bombay Club: Banu Gibson (JV) 8:30p Brooks’ Seahorse Saloon: Po Boyz Organ Group with Simon Lott (FK) 10a & 5:30p Buffa’s: Greg Schatz (JV) 5p, Davis Rogan (VR) 8p, Alexandra Scott and Josh Paxton (JV) 11p Bullet’s: Original Pinettes Brass Band (BB) 9p

JA ZZ FEST 20 17

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Café Negril: Jamie Lynn Vessels (RK) 4p, Dana Abbott (JV) 7p, Higher Heights (RE) 10p Carousel Bar: Robin Barnes and her Jazz Trio (JV) 5p, Tom Hook Band (JV) 9p Carrollton Station: Grayson Capps (RR) 10p Chickie Wah Wah: Michael Pearce (BL) 6p, Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen (VR) 9p Circle Bar: Rik Slave’s Country Persuasion (CW) 7p, DiNOLA, Gools (RK) 10p Civic Theatre: Moe., Turkuaz (FK) 8p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Jazz Vipers (JV) 6p, George Porter Jr. and his Runnin’ Pardners (FK) 10p, Honey Island Swamp Band (RR) 2a Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 9p Dmac’s: Jezebel’a Chillin, Dave Ferrato and Stan Cuquet Jam Session (VR) 5p Dos Jefes: Antonio (JV) 10p Dragon’s Den: Loose Marbles (JV) 7p, the Tipping Point with DJ RQ Away (HH) 10p; Upstairs: Comedy Fuck Yeah (CO) 7p, Latin Night (LT) 11p Frenchmen Theatre: Wake of the Dead feat. Papa Mali, Dave Easley, Peter Bradish, Thomas McDonald (VR) 10p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Red Baraat, Debauche (GY) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Burris (FK) 8p, Relapse Dance Party with DJ Matt Scott (VR) 10p House of Blues (the Parish): Where Y’acht (PO) 11:59p House of Blues: the California Honeydrops, Deva Mahal (SO) 9p Howlin’ Wolf: the Mixtape Mashup feat. Dumpstaphunk, the Motet, Roosevelt Collier Band, Gravy (FK) 10p Jazz National Historical Park: D’arcy McGee High School Jazz Band (JV) 10a, Higley High School Jazz Band (JV) 2p Jazz Playhouse: Joe Krown (JV) 4p, Quiana Lynell (JV) 7p, Burlesque Ballroom feat. Trixie Minx and Romy Kaye and the Mercy Buckets (BQ) 11p Joy Theater: Dark Star Orchestra: Continuing the Grateful Dead Concert Experience (CR) 9:30p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Guitar Slim Jr. (BL) 9p Kerry Irish Pub: the One Tailed Three (FO) 5p, Chip Wilson with Bob Gagnon (FO) 9p Le Bon Temps Roule: Joe Krown (PI) 7:30p Little Gem Saloon: Marc Stone’s Louisiana Blues Throwdown (BL) 10p, Stanton Moore Trio with James Singleton and David Torkanowsky (JV) 11:30p Little Tropical Isle: Reed Lightfoot (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Maison: Novos Sapatos, Swinging Gypsies, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 1p, Brass-A-Holics, Big Easy Brawlers (BB) 10p Maple Leaf: Johnny Vidacovich, Skerik, Oteil Burbridge and others (FK) 11p, SSHH feat. Zak Starkey of The Who and Oasis with Nikki Glaspie, Nate Edgar and others (FK) 3a Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old Point Bar: Rick Trolsen (PI) 5p, Jamey St. Pierre (RK) 9:30p One Eyed Jacks: Kristin Diable and the City, CC Adcock and the Lafayette Marquis, Dylan Leblanc (VR) 9p Orpheum Theater: Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Lillie Mae (FK) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Lucien Barbarin with Palm Court Jazz Band (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Brass feat. Daniel “Weenie” Farrow (TJ) 7p; Midnight Preserves: A Benefit for the Preservation Hall Foundation feat. Preservation Hall Jazz Band and special guest (TJ) 11:59p Prime Example: Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson Quintet (JV) 8p Rare Form: Nervous Duane (BL) 1p, Justin Donovan (BL) 4p, Junko Beat (FK) 8p, Post Pluto, Deltaphonic (VR) 11p Republic: North Mississippi All-Stars and Anders Osborne present N.M.O., the Record Company (BL) 8p, NERO (EL) 11:59p

128

JAZZ FEST 2017

Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Kermit Ruffins, Bonerama, Tab Benoit (VR) 8:30p Saenger Theatre: Gov’t Mule (VR) 8:30p Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center: Flow Tribe, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles (FK) 10p Siberia: Tasche and the Psychedelic Roses, Esther Rose, Max Bien-Kahn (FO) 9p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quintet (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 12p, Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (JV) 6p, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Sugar Mill: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, JJ Grey and Mofro, New Breed Brass Band with Big Chief Monk Boudreaux (VR) 9p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): 79ers Gang, the Yisrael Trio (FK) 10p Three Muses Maple: Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 5p, Monty Banks (JV) 8p Three Muses: Matt Johnson (JV) 5:30p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: St. Paul and the Broken Bones (SO) 9p, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe (FK) 2a Touro Synagogue: Jazz Fest Shabbat feat. Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots, Panorama Jazz Band, Touro Synagogue Choir (VR) 7:30p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Bayou Cajun Swamp Band (KJ) 5p, T’Canaille (KJ) 9p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SATURDAY APRIL 29

B.B. King’s Blues Club: John Lisi (BL) 11:30a, Brent Johnson (BL) 3p, B.B. King’s Blues Club All-Star Band feat. Eric Gales (BL) 8p Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Red Organ Trio (JV) 4p, Jasen Weaver Band (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Kala Bazaar Swing Society, G and her Swinging 3, Johnny Mastro, Dysfunktional Bone (JV) 11a Banks Street Bar: Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes (RK) 10p Blue Nile: Robert Walter’s 20th Congress (FK) 10:30p, WimBASH All-Star Tribute to Wood, Brass and Steel feat. Doug Wimbish, Khris Royal, Big Sam, Nigel Hall, Maurice Brown (FK) 11:59p; Balcony Room: Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 7p, Stooges Brass Band, the FuFu All-Stars (BB) 10p BMC: the Jazzmen, Willie Lockett and Blues Krewe, Mia Borders, MainLine, Iceman Special (VR) 3p Bombay Club: Duke Heitger (JV) 8:30p Brooks’ Seahorse Saloon: Po Boyz Organ Group with Simon Lott (FK) 10a & 5:30p Buffa’s: Red Hot Jazz Band (JV) 11a, Shake ‘Em Up Jazz Band (JV) 5p, Asylum Chorus (VR) 8p, Keith Burnstein (VR) 11p Café Beignet (Musical Legends Park): Steamboat Willie Jazz Band (TJ) 10a Café Negril: Jamie Lynn Vessels (RK) 4p, Jamey St. Pierre and the Honeycreepers (SO) 7p, Another Day in Paradise (VR) 10p Carousel Bar: Luther Kent and his Jazz Trio (JV) 9p Carrollton Station: Dash Rip Rock, the JimJims (RK) 10p Carver Theater: Zydeco Fest with Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Wayne Singleton and Same Ole 2 Step (ZY) 9p Chickie Wah Wah: Tephra Sound with Helen Gillet, Brian Haas, Skerik, Nikki Glaspie and Jessica Lurie (MJ) 8p, Pat McLaughlin Band (VR) 10p, James Singleton’s Mid-Night Matinees with Skerik, Johnny Vidacovich and Jonathan Freilich (VR) 11:59p Circle Bar: Zap Bain, Albedo Feature (ID) 7p, Mod Dance Party with DJ Matty (RB) 10p Civic Theatre: Moe., Turkuaz (FK) 8p Columns Hotel: Andrew Hall (JV) 4p 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.: Bo Dollis Jr. and the Wild Magnolias (MG) 7p, Rebirth Brass Band (BB) 10p, Royal Fingerbowl (FK) 2a Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 9p Dos Jefes: Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots (ZY) 10p Dragon’s Den: Fruta Brutal (JV) 5p, Geovane Santos (JV) 7p, Southern Dynasty DJs (VR) 10p; Upstairs: Talk Nerdy to Me (BQ) 7p, Sexy Back with DJ Dizzi (VR) 10p Frenchmen Theatre: Johnny J. and the Hitmen (VR) 10p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 2p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Travers Geoffray, Maggie Koerner (BL) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Wait, What? Comedy (CO) 7p, Hustle feat. DJ Soul Sister (FK) 11p House of Blues (the Parish): Where Y’acht and Bad Girls of Burlesque (BQ) 10p House of Blues: David Shaw (SS) 9:30p, Wyclef Jean and guests (HH) 11:59p Howlin’ Wolf: Breakscience, the Russ Liquid Test, the Werks (EL) 11p Jazz Playhouse: Michael Watson and the Alchemy (JV) 8p Joy Theater: STS9 (EL) 10p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Neisha Ruffins (JV) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Speed the Mule (FO) 5p, Roux the Day (FO) 9p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre: Cowboy Mouth (RK) 10p Lighthouse Bar and Grill: Hot Sauce Band (KJ) 6:30p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 8 & 10p; Flow Tribe (FK) 11:59p Little Tropical Isle: Jay B. Elston (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Mahalia Jackson Theater: Kountry Wayne (CO) 8p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillianaires, Royal Street Winding Boys, Swamp Donkeys (JV) 1p, Eric Krasno Band (FK) 10p, the Heat feat. Ivan Neville, Stanton Moore, Oteil Burbridge, Eric Krasno (FK) 2a Maple Leaf: Secret Show (VR) 10p, New Orleans Suspects 4th Annual Leafopotomous feat. Eric McFadden, Vince Herman, Bobby Lee Rogers, Roosevelt Collier and others (FK) 11:59p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe (VR) 10p, the Nth Power presents Wake Up and Live: the Music of Bob Marley (VR) 2am Orpheum Theater: the Meters with Cyril Neville and Ivan Neville, 7 Come 11 (FK) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Brian O’Connell and Palm Court Jazz Band with Lester Caliste (TJ) 8p Polo Club Lounge: John Royen (JV) 6p, Robin Barnes (JV) 9p Pontchartrain Vineyards: Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 6:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars feat. Shannon Powell (TJ) 7p; Midnight Preserves: A Benefit for the Preservation Hall Foundation feat. Preservation Hall Jazz Band and special guest (TJ) 11:59p Prime Example: Maurice Brown Quintet (JV) 8p Rare Form: Will Dickerson (RK) 1p, Justin Donovan (BL) 6p, Steve Mignano Band (RK) 10p Republic: Dead Feat feat. Anders Osborne, Jackie Greene, Paul Barrere, Fred Tackett, Brady Blade, Midnight North feat. Grahame Lesh (FK) 8p, Twiddle (FK) 1:30a Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Eric Lindell, Kenny Neal (BL) 8p Saenger Theatre: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave.’s Treme Threauxdown (FK) 8p Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center: Honey Island Swamp Band, the London Souls (VR) 10p Siberia: Shannon and the Clams, Katey Red, Gushers (VR) 9p SideBar NOLA: New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars Duo (JV) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Jason Marsalis 21st Century Trad Band (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 12p, Jazz Band Ballers (JV) 2p, Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p

Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses: Chris Christy (JV) 5p, Sarah McCoy (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Time Out: Andre Bouvier and the Royal Bohemians (VR) 11a Tipitina’s: Galactic (FK) 9p, the Motet (FK) 2a Tropical Isle Bayou Club: the Troubadour (KJ) 1p, Bayou Cajun Swamp Band (KJ) 5p, T’Canaille (KJ) 9p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p Twist of Lime: Saint Roch, Bad Mimosas, Bayou Dred (VR) 9p Willow: Deacon John’s Jump Blues (RB) 8p Woldenberg Park: AbstractNOLA Concert Series (VR) 6p

SUNDAY APRIL 30

AllWays Lounge: Little Coquette Jazz Band (TJ) 9p Apple Barrel: Big Al and the Heavyweights (BL) 10:30p B.B. King’s Blues Club: Willie Lockett (BL) 11:30a, Brent Johnson (BL) 3p, Kenny Neal with Eric Gales (BL) 7:30p Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, the Tradsters (JV) 4p, Roamin’ Jasmine (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Co. and Co. Travelin’ Show, Gentilly Stompers, Messy Cookers, Ed Wills and Blues4Sale (JV) 11a Banks Street Bar: Winslow (RK) 1p, Ron Hotstream and Tina Jamieson’s Open Mic (VR) 4p Blue Nile: Tank and the Bangas, the Wahala Boys (SO) 10p BMC: Bayou Wind, Ruth Marie’s Modern Jazz Band, Mignano (VR) 3p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski Trio (JV) 8p Brooks’ Seahorse Saloon: Po Boyz Organ Group with Simon Lott (FK) 10a & 5:30p Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 10:30a, Little Coquette (JV) 4p, Gerald French Trio (JV) 7p, Arsene DeLay (VR) 10p Bullet’s: Teresa B. (RB) 6p Café Negril: Ecirb Muller’s Twisted Dixie (JV) 6p, John Lisi (VR) 9:30p Carousel Bar: Nayo Jones Experience (JV) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Song Swap with Alex McMurray, Seth Walker and Will Kimbough (SS) 8p, Erica Falls (JV) 10p, James Singleton’s Mid-Night Matinees with Mike Dillon, Johnny Vidacovich, Will Bernard and Aurora Nealand (MJ) 11:59p Circle Bar: Micah McKee and friends, Blind Texas Marlin (FO) 7p, John Mooney (BL) 10p Civic Theatre: the Wailers, DJ T-Roy, ZionTrinity Band (RE) 9:30p Columns Hotel: Chip Wilson (JV) 11a Crazy Lobster: the Gator Bites (VR) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Cowboy Stew Blues Revue feat. Lil’ Buck Sinegal, CC Adcock, Curley Taylor (BL) 7p, Funk and Chant with John Papa Gros and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux (FK) 10p, Lost Bayou Ramblers (KJ) 2a Dos Jefes: Michael Liuzza and Co. (BL) 9p Dragon’s Den: Open Jazz Jam with Anuraag Pendyal (JV) 7p, Church (EL) 10p Frenchmen Theatre: Chris Mule and the Perpetrators (VR) 10p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Willie Lockett Band (BL) 8p Gasa Gasa: Backup Planet, the Heavy Pets, Roxy Roca (FK) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic (CO) 8p, the Wahala Boys (FK) 10p House of Blues (the Parish): Richard Thompson, Colin Lake (SS) 9p House of Blues: Big Sam’s Funky Nation, the Original Pinettes, the Crooked Vines (FK) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Night of the Dead: A Tribute to the Fallen Musicians of 2016 feat. members of Turkuaz and the Motet (FK) 11p

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Jazz Playhouse: Germaine Bazzle (JV) 8p Joy Theater: STS9, Axe the Cables (EL) 9p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Will Dickerson (FO) 8p Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre: Morgan James (SO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Leroy Jones Quintet (JV) 7:30p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 11:59p Mag’s 940: Sunday Night Jazz Series feat. Sasha Masakowski (JV) 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the NOLA Jitterbugs, Kristina Morales (JV) 10a, Loose Marbles (JV) 4p, Brad Walker, Higher Heights (VR) 7p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Russell Batiste (FK) 8p, Maple Leaf Bar All-stars feat. Jon Cleary, Ivan Neville, Tony Hall, Derwin “Big D” Perkins and Raymond Weber (FK) 11p, Johnny Vidacovich, John Medeski, Adam Deitch (FK) 3a Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Old Ironworks: the Go-Go feat. Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours, Todd Day Wait’s Pigpen (KJ) 6p Old Point Bar: Amanda Walker (PI) 3:30p One Eyed Jacks: Neon-Medeski feat. John Medeski, Mono-Neon, Robert Walter, Daru Jones, Skerik, DJ Logic and guests (VR) 9p, Stanton Moore, Eric Krasno, Wil Blades (FK) 1:30a Palm Court Jazz Café: Lucien Barbarin and Mark Braud with Palm Court Jazz Band (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 7p; Midnight Preserves: A Benefit for the Preservation Hall Foundation feat. Preservation Hall Jazz Band and special guest (TJ) 11:59p Rare Form: Clyde and Iggy (TJ) 10a, Heather Holloway and the Heebie Jeebies (JV) 12p, RetroFit (FK) 6p, the Set Up Kings (BL) 10p Republic: Dead Feat feat. Anders Osborne, Jackie Greene, Paul Barrere, Fred Tackett, Brady Blade, Sockeye feat. Alwyn Robinson, Greg Garrison, Erik Deutsch, Vince Herman (FK) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Josh Garrett feat. Jeff McCarty, Tab Benoit, Sonny Landreth (BL) 8p Saenger Theatre: Dan TDM (VR) 3p Saturn Bar: Chelsea Lovitt and Boys, West King String Band, Naomi and the Double Wells (FO) 10p Siberia: Dirty Bourbon River Show, Magnetic Ear (VR) 9p Snug Harbor: Herlin Riley Quintet (JV) 8 & 10p Southport Hall: Hinder, Nonpoint (VR) 6p Spotted Cat: Carolyn Broussard (JV) 12p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 2p, Kristina Morales and the Inner Wild (JV) 6p, Pat Casey and the New Sound (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Tipitina’s: Lettuce (FK) 9p Trinity Episcopal Church: Patrick Parker (VR) 5p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass (KJ) 2p, Bayou Cajun Swamp Band (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p Valiant Theatre: Big Deal Burlesque (BQ) 8p Zeitgeist: Helen Gillet and the New Orleans Film Society presents Belgian Avant Garde Films with live soundtrack by Mars Williams, Mark Southerland and Doug Garrison (MJ) 9p

MONDAY MAY 1

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Helen Gillet (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Alex Belhaj Jazz Trio, Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers, Swinging Gypsies, Sunshine Brass Band (VR) 12p Blue Nile: Red Baraat, Soul Brass Band (VR) 10p, Dr. Klaw (VR) 11:59p; Balcony Room: Brass-AHolics (BB) 11p

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BMC: Yeah You Right Band, Lil Red and Big Bad, Keith Stone Band (VR) 5p Bombay Club: David Boeddinghaus (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Carrollton Station: Andrew Duhon Trio (RR) 7p Chickie Wah Wah: South Memphis String Band with Luther Dickinson, Jimbo Mathus and Alvin Youngblood Hart (VR) 8p, Nola Crayfish Fest with Cris Jacobs and Papa Mali (VR) 11p Circle Bar: Richard Bates, Alison Young (FO) 7p, Ultra, Mystic Inane, Rim Job, the Birch Boys (PK) 10p Columns Hotel: David Doucet (KJ) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Insta-Gators (VR) 5p d.b.a.: 1st Annual Stampede and Prairie Party feat. Lost Bayou Ramblers, CC Adcock and the Lafayette Marquis, Corey Ledet (KJ) 2p, Johnny Vidacovich Trio feat. John Medeski and Oteil Burbridge (VR) 8p, Glen David Andrews (FK) 11p, Toubab Krewe (FK) 2a Dos Jefes: John Fohl (BL) 9p Dragon’s Den: Monday Night Swing feat. Dr. Sick’s Gypsy Jazz Juke Box (JV) 7p, DJ Ill Medina (VR) 11p Funky Pirate: Willie Lockett Band (BL) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 9p House of Blues: WWOZ Piano Night feat. Ellis Marsalis, Marcia Ball, Joe Krown, David Torkanowsky, Tom McDermott and others (PI) 8p Howlin’ Wolf: Nthfection feat. Nikki Glaspie, Nate Werth, Corey Henry and others, Sexual Thunder (FK) 10p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 12p & 6p Kerry Irish Pub: Kim Carson (FO) 8:30p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Evan Christopher’s Clarinet Road (JV) 7 & 9p Little Tropical Isle: Frank Fairbanks (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Louisiana Music Factory: Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson (VR) 12p, Debbie Davis and Josh Paxton (VR) 1:30p, Bon Bon Vivant (VR) 3p, Dirty Bourbon River Show (VR) 4:30p, John Mooney (VR) 6p Mag’s 940: All-Star Country Fest (CW) 8p Maison: Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, Raw Deal (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: the Porter Trio feat. George Porter Jr. and Khris Royal (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Love Glove feat. G-Love, Corey Glover, Eric Bolivar, Wil Blades, Andrew Block, DJ Logic and guests (VR) 1:30a One Eyed Jacks: Frequinox, Fockstar (VR) 9p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 5 & 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Musicians Clinic Tribute to Snooks Eaglin (BL) 8p Siberia: Comic Strip (BQ) 9p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 12p, Royal Street Winding Boys (JV) 2p, Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. All-Stars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): WWFM Jazz Fest Jam with Gilles Peterson (VR) 9p Three Muses: Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 5p, Joe Cabral (JV) 8p Tipitina’s: Instruments a Comin’ feat. Galatic, Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers, Honey Island Swamp Band and others (VR) 8:30p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Beach Combers (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Graham Robertson (RK) 5:15p, Trop Rock Express (RK) 9:15p

TUESDAY MAY 2

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mark Weliky (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Bryce Eastwood Jazz Trio, Joe Goldberg Jazz Trio, Dana and the Boneshakers, Chance Bushman and the Rhythm Stompers (VR) 12p

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PLAN A: Hurray for the Riff Raff Hurray for the Riff Raff is Alynda Lee Segarra, a New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent who has settled in New Orleans. Segarra says of her adopted hometown: “The community I found in New Orleans was open and passionate. The young artists were really inspiring to me… Apathy wasn’t a part of that scene. And then the year after I first visited, Katrina happened, and I went back and saw the pain and hardship that all of the people who lived there had gone through. It made we want to straighten out my life and not wander so much. The city had given me an amazing gift with music and it made me want to settle there and be a part of it and help however I could.” OffBeat has covered Segarra several times. In our cover story for the February 2014 issue, John Swenson wrote: “Out of her small, unprepossessing frame comes the voice of a generation. Segarra’s direct, emotionally charged songwriting manages to take the personal observations she draws from her life and influences and turn them into a larger story about aspiration in a world of diminished possibilities. It’s the human spirit talking through her, and she’s a humble medium for its revelations.” More recently, our April 2017 interview by Alex Johnson revealed that Segarra was engaged. “I got engaged at the railroad tracks! That spot on the tracks at Press and Burgundy is where I started playing music.”

Hurray for the Riff Raff’s latest album, The Navigator, was reviewed in our March 2017 issue by John Swenson. He explained: “The album concept is loosely based on the title, the superheroine avatar of a street kid named Navita who is trying to connect with her past in order to ‘pa’lante’—to move forward. The story mirrors Segarra’s own journey from her birthplace in the Bronx and her upbringing in a tenement surrounding, referenced in ‘Living in the City’ and ‘Fourteen Floors,’ to the self-realization she began to achieve hanging out on the Lower East Side of Manhattan listening to music, writing poetry and exploring her Latina roots as part of the Nuyorican Cafe group. The music ranges from the kind of folk ballads that her longtime fans will recognize in songs like ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change That Girl’ and ‘Halfway There’ to a daring mix of salsa, rap and rock featured on the title track, ‘Rican Beach’ and ‘Finale.’” Swenson added: “Segarra is incorporating clavé rhythms and Puerto Rican dialect into her songs, but she clearly is building on rather than abandoning the lessons she learned on the streets of New Orleans. The last show of her current European/American tour will be at the Civic Theatre in New Orleans on May 5. That’s another sort of homecoming.” —Joseph Irrera Hurrah for the Riff Raff plays the Civic Theatre on May 5, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18. Opening are Leyla McCalla and Ron Gallo.

Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Aloha Got Soul feat. Maryanne Ito (SO) 9p Three Muses Maple: Gypsyland (JV) 7p Three Muses: Sam Friend (VR) 5p, Messy Cookers (JV) 8p Trinity Episcopal Church: Organ and Labyrinth with Albinas Prizgintas (VR) 6p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 5p, Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 9p Vaughan’s Lounge: Jamaican Me Breakfast Club (RE) 9p, the Fortifiers (BL) 10:30p Willow: Tribute to Professor Longhair and the Meters, Gentilly Brass Band, Michael O’Hara and Resurrection (FK) 4p

WEDNESDAY MAY 3

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Jesse Morrow (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Dave Hammer Jazz Trio, Bamboulas Hot Trio feat. Giselle Anguizola, Gentilly Stompers, Mem Shannon Band (VR) 12p Blue Nile: Ivan Neville Piano Sessions Vol. 7 (PI) 9p, the Main Squeeze (VR) 11:59p; Balcony Room: New Breed Brass Band (BB) 10p BMC: Set Up Kings, Sierra Leone (VR) 5p Bombay Club: Josh Paxton (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p Bullet’s: Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots (ZY) 6p Candlelight Lounge: Andrews Brass Band (BB) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: John Cleary and Piano CDrelease show (PI) 8p, Nola Crayfish Fest with Roosevelt Collier and friends (VR) 11p Circle Bar: Plantain (ID) 9:30p Columns Hotel: Andy Rogers (FO) 8p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Soul Brass Band (BB) 4p, the Iguanas (FK) 7p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p, Bayou Gypsies (VR) 2a Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 5:30p Dos Jefes: George French Trio (RB) 9:30p Dragon’s Den: Groove Therapy (HH) 9p, Reggae Night (RE) 10p Funky Pirate: Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Twin Peaks, Chrome Pony, Post Animal (RK) 9p House of Blues: Loyola Music Industry Showcase (RK) 8p Howlin’ Wolf: Megalomaniacs Ball feat. Mike Dillon Band with Dean Ween, JP Gaster and others, Stanton Moore Trio (VR) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Glen David Andrews (JV) 8p Joy Theater: New Orleans Heavyhitters Drum Championship feat. Zigaboo Modeliste, Alvin Ford Jr. and others (VR) 4p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 12p Kerry Irish Pub: Beth Patterson (FO) 8:30p Lafayette Square: Wednesdays at the Square feat. Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, Marcia Ball Band (VR) 5p Little Gem Saloon: New Soul Finders feat. Marilyn Barbarin with Papa Mali, Reggie Scanlan and Kirk Joseph (BL) 7:30p; John Medeski’s Mad Skillet feat. Will Bernard, Kirk Joseph and Terence Higgins to benefit Pass the Beat (JV) 10p Little Tropical Isle: Jay B. Elston (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Louisiana Music Factory: Harmonouche (VR) 12p, Jon Cleary (VR) 1p, Rayo Brothers (VR) 2p, Ernie Vincent (VR) 3p, Chloe Feoranzo and Tom McDermott (VR) 4p, Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra (VR) 5p, Little Freddie King (VR) 6p Mag’s 940: Tephra Sound feat. Helen Gillet, Nikki Glaspie, Brian Haas and Jessica Lurie (MJ) 10:30p Maison: Royal Street Winding Boys, Jazz Vipers, Wahala Boys (VR) 4p, Megawatt Future Dub

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Blue Nile: DRKWAV (VR) 10:30p, Bitches Bloom (VR) 11:59p; Balcony Room: Too Many Zooz (VR) 10:30p BMC: Jersey Slim, the Budz (VR) 5p Bombay Club: Matt Lemmler (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras with Vanessa Carr (VR) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Anders Osborne, John Fohl, Johnny Sansone and Cris Jacobs (VR) 8p Circle Bar: Carl LeBlanc (RB) 8p Columns Hotel: John Rankin and Washboard Chaz (JV) 8p Crazy Lobster: AC and the Heat (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tin Men (VR) 2p, Palmetto Bugs Stompers (SI) 5p, Treme Brass Band (BB) 8p Deutsches Haus: Kulturabend presents Musaica (CL) 6p, Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen (FK) 11p, Will Bernard’s Blue Plate feat. John Medeski, Eric Kalb and Victor Little (FK) 2a Dos Jefes: Tom Hook and Wendell Brunious (JV) 9p Funky Pirate: Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Twin Peaks, Chrome Pony, Post Animal (RK) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Iceman Special (FK) 9p House of Blues: Gojira, Kyng (ME) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Howlin’ Wolf: Earth, Wind and Power: the Nth Power performs Earth, Wind and Fire, the All Brothers Band, Organ Freeman (FK) 11p Jazz Playhouse: Gerald French and George French (JV) 8p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 12p & 6p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Lafayette Square: Tuesday at the Square feat. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Tipitina’s Interns (VR) 5p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre: Marcia Ball (PI) 9p Lee Circle: GiveNOLA Fest feat. Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Irma Thomas, Rebirth Brass Band (VR) 4:30p Little Gem Saloon: Honey Island Swamp Band (RR) 11:30p, Little Freddie King (BL) 7:30p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Pentone (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Louisiana Music Factory: Sam Price and the True Believers (VR) 12p, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes (VR) 1p, Mia Borders (VR) 2p, Lynn Drury (VR) 3p, Erica Falls (VR) 4p, Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p, Anders Osborne (VR) 6p Mag’s 940: All-Star Country Fest (CW) 8p Maison: Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers, Gregory Agid, Big Easy Brawlers (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (FK) 11p Marigny Recording Studio: United Bakery Records Revue feat. Julie Odell, Anna Pardenik, Maggie Belle Band, the Salt Wives, Up Up We Go, Shane Sayers, Toonces (VR) 3p Old Ironworks: Threadhead Patry feat. Asylum Chorus, Erica Falls, Do Rad Choppers, Feufollet, Naughty Professor, the Subdudes (VR) 11a One Eyed Jacks: Dragon Smoke feat. Stanton Moore, Ivan Neville. Eric Lindell, Robert Mercurio and guests (VR) 9p, the Whip feat. Brian J., Mike Dillon, Eric Bolivar, Corey Henry and guests (VR) 1:30a Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 5 & 8p Prime Example: Sidemen +1 Jazz Quintet (JV) 7p Ray’s on the Avenue: Bobby Love and Friends (BL) 8p Siberia: Mike Dillon Band, Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers, Lyrical Cock (VR) 9p SideBar NOLA: James Singleton’s Strings of Pink Orpheus (MJ) 8:30p Smoothie King Center: Neil Diamond (SS) 8p Snug Harbor: Donald Harrison and Congo Nation (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 12p, Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 10p

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Soundclash feat. Bajah, Adam Deitch, Borahm Lee and others (RE) 11:59p Maple Leaf: John Medeski and Johnny Vidacovich (VR) 8p, the Trio +1 feat. Johnny Vidacovich, George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville and June Yamagishi (VR) 11p Marigny Recording Studio: United Bakery Records Revue feat. Keisha Slaughter, Shane Sayers, Tasche and the Psychedelic Roses, Duke Aeroplane and the Filthy Trumps, Garden Marbles, the Tumbling Wheels (VR) 3p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a, Krewe du Two (VR) 1p Old U.S. Mint: Pete Fountain Tribute feat. Tim Laughlin Band (JV) 7p One Eyed Jacks: Daze Between Band feat. Eric Krasno, Oteil Burbridge, Danny Louis, Scott Metzger and Duane Trucks, DJ Soul Sister (VR) 11:59p Palm Court Jazz Café: Lars Edegran and Topsy Chapman with Palm Court Jazz Band (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 8p Prime Example: Jesse McBride presents the Next Generation (JV) 7p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Creole Stringbeans, Amanda Shaw (KJ) 8:30p Saenger Theatre: the Pixies (RK) 8:30p Sandbar at UNO: Jazz at the Sandbar feat. Donald Harrison (JV) 7p Siberia: United Bakery Record Revue Afterparty feat. Christin Bradford Band, Chelsea Lovitt and Boys, Up Up We Go (FO) 9p SideBar NOLA: Dayna Kurtz and Robert Mache with guests (JV) 7p Snug Harbor: Piano a Trois: Ball, McDermott and Krown (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 12p, Chris Christy (JV) 2p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Antoine Diel and the New Orleans Power Misfits (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Ponderosa Stomp presents Ride in my 225 feat. Spyder Turner, Dennis Coffey and Lil Buck Senegal and his Buckaroos (BL) 10p Three Muses Maple: Lynn Drury (BL) 7p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 8p Tipitina’s: the New Pornographers, Waxahatchee (RK) 8p 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 Truck Farm: Chaz Fest (VR) 12p Willow: Celebration of Coco Robicheaux, Spirit Land Band and guests (BL) 5p

THURSDAY MAY 4

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, the Courtyard Kings (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers, Kala Bazaar Swing Society, Jenavieve Cook and the Royal St. Winding Boys, John Lisi (VR) 12p Banks Street Bar: Dave Jordan and the NIA (RR) 9p Blue Nile: Toubab Krewe (FK) 10:30p, Sputacular’s Funk Party (FK) 11:59p; Balcony Room: Stooges Brass Band (BB) 1a BMC: Mike Darby and House of Cards, Groovement (VR) 5p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski Duo (JV) 8p Brooks’ Seahorse Saloon: Po Boyz Organ Group with Simon Lott (FK) 10a & 5:30p Buffa’s: Gumbo Cabaret (JV) 5p, Tom McDermott and Chloe Feoranzo (JV) 8p, Gentilly Stompers (JV) 11p Bullet’s: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7p Carrollton Station: John Mooney and the Bluesiana Band (BL) 10p Chickie Wah Wah: Bill Kirchen and Too Much Fun (VR) 8p, South Memphis String Band with Luther Dickinson, Jimbo Mathus, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Louie Michot and Corey

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Ledet (KJ) 11p, Triangle Club with Louie Michot and Corey Ledet (KJ) 11:59p Circle Bar: Natalie Mae and Gina Leslie (CW) 7p, Helen Gillet (MJ) 10p Civic Theatre: Medeski Martin and Wood, Nels Cline (MJ) 9p Columns Hotel: Marc Stone (BL) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 6p, Jon Cleary (VR) 8p, Sweet Crude (ID) 11p, Cedric Burnside Project (VR) 2a Dos Jefes: Todd Duke Trio (JV) 9:30p Dragon’s Den: Geovane Santos Brazilian Quartet (JV) 6p, Loose Willis, Trevarri, Noruz (VR) 9p Frenchmen Theatre: Harmonica Extravaganza (VR) 7p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Stoop Kids, Stop Light Observations, Organized Crime (FK) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Spare Change album-release show, Caddywhompus (RK) 9p House of Blues: Trombone Shorty Foundation’s Shorty Fest feat. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave., the Seratones, New Breed Brass Band (JV) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p, Joe Marcinek Band (FK) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Jurassic 5, Blackalicious (HH) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Ashlin Parker Trio (JV) 5p, James Rivers Movement (JV) 8p Joy Theater: Rage Fest feat. Lettuce, Marco Benevento, DJ Soul Sister, RaShawn Ross (FK) 10p Kerry Irish Pub: Three with Mark Carson (FO) 8p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Little Gem Saloon: Glen David and the Andrews Family Brass Band (JV) 8p, Kristina Morales, Swamp Donkeys, Soul Brass Band (JV) 9p Little Tropical Isle: Allen Hebert (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Mag’s 940: the Grid feat. Nesby Phips, Tra$h Magnolia (HH) 10p Maison: Good for Nothin’ Band, Sweet Substitute, Dysfunktional Bone (VR) 4p, Fiya Powa 5 feat. Leo Nocentelli, Ivan Neville, Stanton Moore, Tony Hall, Big Sam, Skerik, Roosevelt Collier and Maurice Brown (FK) 1a Maple Leaf: Johnny Vidacovich, Marco Benevento and Oteil Burbridge (VR) 8p, Johnny Vidacovich, Sonny Landreth and Oteil Burbridge (VR) 11p, Nthfectious Contagious: Nth Power, Nigel Hall, Viveca Hawkins and Adam Joseph (VR) 3a Music Box Village: Mike Dillon’s Punk Rock Percussion Consortium with many special guests (VR) 6:30p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Ogden After Hours (VR) 6p One Eyed Jacks: Kamasi Washington (JV) 8p, Fast Times ‘80s and ‘90s Night (VR) 10p, Kamasi Washington (JV) 1a Orpheum Theater: the Revivalists (FK) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Butch Thompson and Clive Wilson with New Orleans Serenaders (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars feat. Lucien Barbarin (TJ) 7p; Midnight Preserves: A Benefit for the Preservation Hall Foundation feat. Preservation Hall Jazz Band and special guest (TJ) 11:59p Prime Example: John Michael Quintet CD-release party (JV) 8p Republic: Foundation of Funk feat. Zigaboo Modeliste, George Porter Jr., Jimmy Herring, Jojo Hermann (FK) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Geno Delafose, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, Terrance Simien (ZY) 8:30p Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center: Tank and the Bangas, Mia Borders (SO) 10p Siberia: Bo Dollis and the Wild Magnolias, Mikey B3 Band (FK) 9p SideBar NOLA: Simon Berz and Dave Easley Duo (JV) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Davell Crawford Organ Combo (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Davis Rogan (JV) 12p, Monty Banks (JV) 2p, Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30 & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): King Britt and friends present Sister Gertrude Morgan Let’s Make A Record (SO) 9p Three Muses Maple: Sam Cammarata (VR) 7p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p, Luke Winslow King (JV) 8p Tipitina’s: JJ Grey and Mofro, Lawrence (FK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p Vaughan’s Lounge: DJ Black Pearl (VR) 9p, Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet (FK) 10p

FRIDAY MAY 5

Apple Barrel: Adam Crochet (BL) 6:30p Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Harmonouche (JV) 5p, Willie Green Project (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Co. and Co. Travelin’ Show, Chance Bushman’s Rhythm Stompers, Smoky Greenwell, Ed Wills and Blues4Sale (VR) 11a Blue Nile: Kermit Ruffins (JV) 10:30p, Big Sam’s Funky Nation (FK) 1a; Balcony Room: Ike Stubblefield Trio (FK) 10:30p, Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet (FK) 12:30a BMC: Mignano, One Mind Brass Band (VR) 8p Bombay Club: Jon-Erik Kellso Quartet (JV) 8:30p Brooks’ Seahorse Saloon: Po Boyz Organ Group with Simon Lott (FK) 10a & 5:30p Buffa’s: Luna Mora (LT) 5p, Pfister Sisters (JV) 8p, Davis Rogan (VR) 11p Bullet’s: Original Pinettes Brass Band (BB) 9p Carrollton Station: Mia Borders Band (RB) 10p Carver Theater: Mystikal, Partners-N-Crime, DJ Jubilee, TBC Brass Band (HH) 10p Castillo Blanco: Wake of the Dead feat. Papa Mali, Pete Bradish, Dave Easley and Reggie Scanlan (VR) 10p Chickie Wah Wah: Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show (RR) 8p, Eric “Benny” Bloom Jazz Extravanza with the Melodies (VR) 11p, Funk Big Band with Brian Thomas and Alex Lee Clark (VR) 12:30a Circle Bar: Rik Slave’s Country Persuasion (CW) 7p, the Iguanas (RK) 10p Civic Theatre: Hurray for the Riff Raff, Leyla McCalla, Ron Gallo (ID) 8p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tuba Skinny (JV) 6p, Soul Rebels (FK) 10p, Naughty Professor, Chali 2na, Nate Werth, Soul Rebels (FK) 2a Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 9p Dos Jefes: Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 10p Dragon’s Den: Loose Marbles (JV) 7p, the Tipping Point with DJ RQ Away (HH) 11p; Upstairs: Comedy Fuck Yeah (CO) 7p, Latin Night (LT) 11p Frenchmen Theatre: the Lime Tree Jazz Society, Marigny Street Brass Band (JV) 9:30p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: San Fermin, Andy Shauf, Julia Jacklin (PO) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Relapse Dance Party with DJ Matt Scott (VR) 10:30p House of Blues (the Parish): the Nth Power, Pimps of Joytime (FK) 9p House of Blues: Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox (SI) 9p Howlin’ Wolf: 15th Annual Bayou Rendezvous (FK) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Joe Krown (JV) 5p, Brass-A-Holics (BB) 8:30p, Burlesque Ballroom feat. Trixie Minx and Romy Kaye and the Mercy Buckets (BQ) 11:30p Joy Theater: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (FK) 10p, the New Mastersounds (FK) 2a Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 5p, Tin Pan Highway (FO) 9p Le Bon Temps Roule: Jeff “Snake” Greenberg (PI) 7:30p Little Gem Saloon: Basin Street Records 20th Anniversary Party feat. Irvin Mayfield, Kermit Ruffins, Jason Marsalis, Henry Butler, Davell

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Crawford, Dr. Michael White and others (VR) 8:30p Little Tropical Isle: Reed Lightfoot (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Mag’s 940: Debauche, Helen Gillet (GY) 10p Maison: Swinging Gypsies, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 7p, Dirty Dozen Brass Band (BB) 10p, Worship My Organ feat. Marco Benevento, John Medeski, Robert Walter, Skerik, Daru Jones and DJ Logic (FK) 1:30a Maple Leaf: James Brown Birthday Tribute feat. Tony Hall, Jeff Watkins, Raymond Weber and others (FK) 11p, Lil Baby Jesus Peasant Party feat. Eric “Jesus” Coomes (VR) 3a Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Kamasi Washington (JV) 8p & 1a Orpheum Theater: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe presents Exile on Bourbon Street (FK) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Lucien Barbarin and Kevin Louis and Palm Court Jazz Band (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Brass feat. Daniel “Weenie” Farrow (TJ) 7p; Midnight Preserves: A Benefit for the Preservation Hall Foundation feat. Preservation Hall Jazz Band and special guest (TJ) 11:59p Prime Example: Joe Krown Trio with Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Russell Batiste (JV) 10p Republic: Tab Benoit and Samantha Fish (BL) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (CW) 9p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: John “Papa” Gros Band, Eric Lindell, Honey Island Swamp Band (BL) 8:30p Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center: the Main Squeeze, Too Many Zooz (VR) 10p Siberia: Givers, Feufollet (VR) 9p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quintet (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 12p, Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (JV) 6p, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses Maple: Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 5p, Monty Banks (JV) 8p Three Muses: Royal Roses (JV) 5:30p, Doro Wat Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: the Funky Meters, 7 Come 11 (FK) 9p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Bayou Cajun Swamp Band (KJ) 5p, T’Canaille (KJ) 9p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Vaughan’s Lounge: Morning 40 Federation (RK) 10p W XYZ Bar (Aloft Hotel): Noah Young Trio feat. Khris Royal (FK) 5:30p

SATURDAY MAY 6

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Red Organ Trio (JV) 4p, Jasen Weaver Band (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Kala Bazaar Swing Society, G and her Swinging 3, Johnny Mastro, Dysfunktional Bone (VR) 11a Blue Nile: Bureau of Sabotage feat. Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Franca, John Kadlecik and Aron Magner (FK) 10:30p, Pedrito Martinez’s Rumba Project, Weedie Braimah and the Hands of Time (VR) 11:59p, Marco Benevento (FK) 1a; Balcony Room: Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles (FK) 10:30p BMC: the Jazzmen, Willie Lockett and Blues Krewe, Soul Company, Maid of Orleans, Groovment (VR) 3p Bombay Club: Tim Laughlin (JV) 8p Brooks’ Seahorse Saloon: Po Boyz Organ Group with Simon Lott (FK) 10a & 5:30p Buffa’s: Red Hot Jazz Band (JV) 11a, Joe Krown (JV) 5p, Doyle Cooper Jazz Band CD-release party (JV) 8p, Dave Ferrato Trio (VR) 11p Carrollton Station: Debauche (GY) 10p Carver Theater: Honey Island Swamp Band, John Mooney, Walter “Wolfman” Washington (BL) 10:30p Champions Square: Future, A$AP Ferg, Kodak Black (HH) 7p Check Point Charlie: Woodenhead (VR) 7p

Chickie Wah Wah: Willie Sugarcaps (BL) 8p, Jimbo Mathus’ Southern Soul R&B Revue with Robert Finley (RB) 11p Circle Bar: Dash Rip Rock (RK) 10p Civic Theatre: Lake Street Dive, Sweet Crude (FO) 9p Columns Hotel: Andrew Hall (JV) 4p 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.: John Boutte (JV) 7p, Dirty Dozen Brass Band (BB) 10p, New Orleans Klezmer All-Star’s 25-Year Anniversary Bash (JV) 2a Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 9p Dos Jefes: Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots (ZY) 10p Dragon’s Den: Mighty Brother, Katie Kuffel (SS) 5p, McKenna Alicia (RB) 7p, Kompression (VR) 10p Frenchmen Theatre: Jason Neville Band feat. Lirette Neville, Da Wild Tchoupitoulas Indians (FK) 10p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 2p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Motel Radio (RK) 9p Green Zebra Bar: the Deft Funk DJ’s Uptown Getdown (FK) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Close Me Out (CO) 7p, Hustle feat. DJ Soul Sister (FK) 11p House of Blues: Greensky Bluegrass (BU) 9p, Soulive, the Shady Horns (FO) 2a House of Blues (the Parish): Cowboy Mouth, Airpack (RK) 9p House of Blues (Voodoo Garden): Big Al and the Heavyweights (BL) 7p Howlin’ Wolf: Anders Osborne and friends, Pimps of Joytime, New Orleans Suspects (FK) 9:30p Jazz Playhouse: Tom Hook (JV) 5:30p, Delfeayo Marsalis (JV) 8:30p Joy Theater: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (FK) 10p, the New Mastersounds (FK) 2a Kerry Irish Pub: Mark Appleford (FO) 5p, Hurricane Refugees (FO) 9p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 8 & 10p, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 11p Little Tropical Isle: Jay B. Elston (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillianaires, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 1p, Rebirth Brass Band, Sexual Thunder (FK) 10p Maple Leaf: Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen with Nigel Hall (VR) 11p, FessHead Late Night feat. Terence Higgins, Joe Marcinek, Roosevelt Collier, Nigel Hall, Nate Edgar (VR) 3a Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Music Box Village: Dub Down Babylon by Dustan Louque feat. Nels Cline (VR) 7p NOLA Comedy Theater: ComedySportz (CO) 8p One Eyed Jacks: Kamasi Washington (JV) 8 & 1a Orpheum Theater: Galactic, the Infamous String Dusters, San Fermin, Too Many Zooz (FK) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Brian O’Connell and Palm Court Jazz Band (TJ) 8p Polo Club Lounge: John Royen (JV) 6p, Robin Barnes (JV) 9p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars feat. Shannon Powell (TJ) 7p; Midnight Preserves: A Benefit for the Preservation Hall Foundation feat. Preservation Hall Jazz Band and special guest (TJ) 11:59p Prime Example: Nicholas Payton Trio (JV) 8p Republic: Big Freedia and the Soul Rebels, Tank and the Bangas (VR) 8p, Voodoo Dead feat. Steve Kimock, Jackie Greene, George Porter Jr., Jeff Chimenti and JM Kimock (FK) 1:30a Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Eric Lindell, Dale Watson, Flow Tribe (VR) 8:30p Saenger Theatre: New Orleans Is Waiting For Columbus feat. Warren Haynes, Jamey Johnson, Dave Malone, John Medeski, Don Was, Terence Higgins, Mark Mullins (VR) 9p Siberia: Kyle Huval and the Dixie Club Ramblers, Jordan Thibodeaux (KJ) 9p Snug Harbor: the Bad Plus with Ethan Iverson, Reid Anderson and Dave King (JV) 8 & 10p

Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 12p, Antoine Diel and Arsene DeLay (JV) 2p, Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Davis Rogan (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses Maple: Messy Cookers (JV) 8p Three Muses: Chris Christy (JV) 5p, Sarah McCoy (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Time Out: Andre Bouvier and the Royal Bohemians (VR) 11a Tipitina’s: North Mississippi All-Stars, the Deslondes (FO) 9p, the Greyboy All-Stars (FK) 2a Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p Willow: Russell Batiste, Bones Explosion, Dysfunctional Bone, the Shapeshifters with Daryl Johnson and Dave Ezell (FK) 9p

SUNDAY MAY 7

AllWays Lounge: Haruka Kikuchi and the Big 4tune (TJ) 9p Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, the Tradsters (JV) 4p, Roamin’ Jasmine (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Co. and Co. Travelin’ Show, Smoking Time Jazz Club, Carl Leblanc, Ed Wills and Blues4Sale (VR) 11a Blue Nile: Funky But Better feat. Big Sam, Doug Wimbish, Roosevelt Collier, Maurice Brown and Ike Stubblefield (FK) 10p; Balcony Room: Juju Fest Finale (VR) 10p BMC: Bayou Wind, Ruth Marie’s Modern Jazz Band, the Reality (VR) 3p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski Trio (JV) 8p Brooks’ Seahorse Saloon: Po Boyz Organ Group with Simon Lott (FK) 10a, Po Boyz Organ Group with special guests (FK) 5:30p Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 10:30a, Beatles and Brews with John Meunier (JV) 4p, Steve Pistorius, Orange Kellin, James Evans and Benny Amon (JV) 7p, ZooKeys feat. Beth Patterson and Josh Paxton (VR) 10p Bullet’s: VL and Just Right Band (RB) 6p Carver Theater: Zydeco Fest with Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Corey Ledet and his Zydeco Band (ZY) 9p Chickie Wah Wah: Shinyribs (VR) 8p, Mid-City Mid-Night Matinee with James Singleton, Brian Haas, Mike Dillon and Annie Ellicot (VR) 11:59p Circle Bar: Micah McKee and friends, Blind Texas Marlin (FO) 7p, the Skyliners with Eric Lindell and Anson Funderburgh (BL) 10p Columns Hotel: Chip Wilson (JV) 11a Crazy Lobster: the Gator Bites (VR) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Ike Stubblefield Organ Trio with Grant Green Jr. and Terence Higgins (FK) 7p, Stanton Moore Trio (FK) 10p, FrequiNOT (FK) 1a Dos Jefes: Tangiers Combo (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Open Jazz Jam with Anuraag Pendyal (JV) 7p, Church (EL) 10p Frenchmen Theatre: Chris Mule and the Perpetrators (VR) 10p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Willie Lockett Band (BL) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic (CO) 8p, Azzfest (AF) 10p House of Blues (the Parish): HeartByrne: Talking Heads Tribute (RK) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Michael Jackson vs. Stevie Wonder feat. Eric “Benny” Bloom, DJ Williams and others, Zigaboo’s Funk Revue, Organ Freeman (FK) 11p Jazz Playhouse: Glen David Andrews Tribute to Louis Armstrong (JV) 8p Joy Theater: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (FK) 10p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 8:30p Little Tropical Isle: Frank Fairbanks (RK) 5p, Mark Parsons (VR) 9p Mag’s 940: Sunday Night Jazz Series (JV) 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the NOLA Jitterbugs, Kristina Morales, Loose Marbles

www.OFFBEAT.com

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC (JV) 10a, Royal Street Winding Boys, Higher Heights (VR) 7p Maple Leaf: Green Is Beautiful: Grant Green Tribute with Eddie Roberts, Skerik, Alan Evans and others (VR) 11p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Russell Batiste (VR) 8p, Marco Benevento (FK) 3a Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Khruangbin (FK) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Lucien Barbarin and Mark Braud with Sunday Night Swingsters (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 7p; Midnight Preserves: A Benefit for the Preservation Hall Foundation feat. Preservation Hall Jazz Band and special guest (TJ) 11:59p Republic: Voodoo Dead feat. Steve Kimock, Jackie Greene, George Porter Jr., Jeff Chimenti and JM Kimock (FK) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Tab Benoit, Sonny Landreth, Jonathon Boogie Long (BL) 8:30p Siberia: Lynn Drury, Dynado, Alexandra Scott and her Magical Band (FO) 9p Snug Harbor: Henry Butler Quartet (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Carolyn Broussard (JV) 12p, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses (JV) 2p, Kristina Morales and Bayou Shufflers (JV) 6p, Pat Casey and the New Sound (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Una Mezcla, Bill Summers and friends (LT) 9p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Tipitina’s: Dumpstaphunk, Naughty Professor, DJ Soul Sister (FK) 9p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass (KJ) 2p, Bayou Cajun Swamp Band (KJ) 7p

www.OFFBEAT.com

Tropical Isle Bourbon: BC and Company (RK) 1p, Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p

MONDAY MAY 8

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Helen Gillet (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Tangiers Jazz Combo, Swinging Gypsies, Sunshine Brass Band (VR) 2p Blue Nile: the Nth Power (FK) 10:30p; Balcony Room: Brass-A-Holics (BB) 10p BMC: Yeah You Right Band, Lil Red and Big Bad, Keith Stone Band (VR) 5p Bombay Club: David Boeddinghaus (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Ed Volker’s Quintet Narcosis (VR) 9p Circle Bar: Phil the Tremelo King (VR) 7p, the Geraniums (RK) 9p Columns Hotel: David Doucet (KJ) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Insta-Gators (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Alexis and the Samurai (ID) 7p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 10p Dos Jefes: John Fohl (BL) 9p Dragon’s Den: Monday Night Swing feat. Andy Reid’s Imagination Counsel (JV) 7p, DJ Ill Medina (VR) 11p Funky Pirate: Willie Lockett Band (BL) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 9p House of Blues: Chevelle (RK) 7:30p Jazz Playhouse: Gerald French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Kim Carson (FO) 8:30p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Louisiana Music Factory: Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show feat. Royal Fingerbowl (VR) 12p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (VR) 1:30p, John “Papa” Gros (VR) 3p, Eric Lindell (VR) 4:30p, Preservation Hall Jazz Band (VR) 6p

Maison: Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, RnR Music Group (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: the Porter Trio feat. George Porter Jr. and Eric Krasno (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 5 & 8p Siberia: the Obsessed, Karma to Burn, Lo-Pan, Mountain of Wizard (ME) 8p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Royal Street Winding Boys (JV) 12p, Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 2p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. AllStars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses: Bart Ramsey (JV) 5p, Washboard Rodeo (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Original: Graham Robertson (RK) 5:15p, Trop Rock Express (RK) 9:15p

TUESDAY MAY 9

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mark Weliky (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Pink Magnolias, Joe Goldberg Jazz Trio, Dana and the Boneshakers, Ed Wills and Blues4Sale (VR) 12p BMC: Jersey Slim, the Budz (VR) 5p Bombay Club: Matt Lemmler (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras with Vanessa Carr (VR) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Albanie Falletta (VR) 6p, Jon Cleary (VR) 8p Circle Bar: Carl LeBlanc (RB) 7p, Bob and the Thunder (CW) 9:30p Columns Hotel: New Orleans Guitar Masters with Jimmy Robinson, Cranston Clements and John Rankin (JV) 8p Crazy Lobster: AC and the Heat (VR) 5p

d.b.a.: Dinosaurchestra (JV) 7p, Treme Brass Band (BB) 10p Dos Jefes: Tom Hook and Wendell Brunious (JV) 9p Funky Pirate: Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Progression Music Series (JV) 9p House of Blues: Chevelle (RK) 7:30p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Jazz Playhouse: Nayo Jones Experience (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Charlie Miller (PI) 7p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Pentone (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Maison: Eight Dice Cloth, Gregory Agid (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (FK) 11p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 5 & 8p Ray’s on the Avenue: Bobby Love and Friends (BL) 8p Republic: Highly Suspect (RK) 8p Siberia: Sir Richard Bishop, Robert Mills (ID) 9p SideBar NOLA: Martin Krusche and Prone to Fits (MJ) 8:30p Smoothie King Center: the Weeknd (SS) 7:30p Snug Harbor: Charles Neville and the New England Nevilles (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses Maple: Gypsyland (JV) 7p Trinity Episcopal Church: Organ and Labyrinth with Albinas Prizgintas (VR) 6p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 5p, Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 9:15p UNO Lakefront Arena: Blink-182 (VR) 7p

JA ZZ FEST 20 17

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC

WEDNESDAY MAY 10

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Jesse Morrow (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Bamboulas Hot Trio feat. Giselle Anguizola, Messy Cookers, Mem Shannon Band (VR) 2p BMC: Set Up Kings, Community Center (VR) 5p Bombay Club: Josh Paxton (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p Bullet’s: Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots (ZY) 6p Candlelight Lounge: Andrews Brass Band (BB) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Meschiya Lake and Tom McDermott (JV) 8p, Mike Doussan Band (VR) 10p Circle Bar: the Iguanas (RK) 7p Columns Hotel: Andy Rogers (FO) 8p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tin Men (RK) 7p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 5:30p Dos Jefes: George French Trio (RB) 9:30p Dragon’s Den: Groove Therapy (HH) 9p, Reggae Night (RE) 10p Funky Pirate: Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: the Besnard Lakes, the Life and Times (ID) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Creed Bratton (CO) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Glen David Andrews (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Tim Robertson (FO) 8:30p Lafayette Square: Wednesdays at the Square feat. PJ Morton, Andrew Duhon Trio (VR) 5p Little Gem Saloon: Reid Poole Duo (TJ) 7p Little Tropical Isle: Jay B. Elston (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Maison: McKenna Alicia, Jazz Vipers, Brasszilla (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Raja Kassis Presents Space Dub feat. members of Toubab Krewe and others (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a, Krewe du Two (VR) 1p Old U.S. Mint: Dwayne Dopsie (ZY) 8p Palm Court Jazz Café: Lars Edegran and Topsy Chapman with Palm Court Jazz Band (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 6 & 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Mitch Woods and the Delta 88s (SI) 8p Siberia: Gunpowder Grey, God Fearing Fuck (PK) 9p Snug Harbor: Terrance Taplin 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 Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses Maple: Sam Cammarata (VR) 7p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajungrass (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p

THURSDAY MAY 11

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, the Courtyard Kings (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Kala Bazaar Swing Society, Jenavieve and the Royal Street Winding Boys (VR) 2p Banks Street Bar: the 99 Playboys (KJ) 9p BMC: Mike Darby and House of Cards, Maid of Orleans (VR) 5p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski Duo (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Gumbo Cabaret (VR) 5p, Tom McDermott and friends (JV) 8p Bullet’s: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7p Chickie Wah Wah: Phil DeGruy and Emily Robertson (VR) 6p, Songwriters Circle with Paul Sanchez, Jimmy Robinson, Lisa Mills (SS) 8p Circle Bar: Natalie Mae and Gina Leslie (CW) 7p

134

JAZZ FEST 2017

Columns Hotel: Marc Stone (BL) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Roamin’ Jasmine (JV) 7p, Luke Winslow King (JV) 10p Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 5:30p Dos Jefes: Tom Fitzpatrick and Turning Point (JV) 9:30p Dragon’s Den: Abner Delite (JV) 6p, New Creation Brass Band (BB) 9p; Upstairs: Mcreally Real, Blu Ray Libo, Ra BTW, Vickielo, Da HBK Fresh, DJ Tare It Down on the Wheels of Steel (HH) 9p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: K.I.D., Cupcakke (HH) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Kelcy Mae (FO) 7p House of Blues (the Parish): King Lil G (RK) 8:30p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Jazz Playhouse: Ashlin Parker Trio (JV) 5p, James Rivers Movement (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Beth Patterson (FO) 8:30p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Little Gem Saloon: Michael Watson presents the Alchemy (TJ) 7p Maison: Good For Nothin’ Band, Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers, Dysfunktional Bone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich and guests Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Ogden After Hours (VR) 6p One Eyed Jacks: Fast Times ‘80s and ‘90s Night (VR) 10p Palm Court Jazz Café: Duke Heitger and Tim Laughlin with Crescent City Joymakers (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Gregg Stafford (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Lucien Barbarin (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Wayne Singleton and Same Ol’ 2 Step (ZY) 8:30p Siberia: Holy Golden, Little Girl, Sweater Creep (RK) 9p SideBar NOLA: David Bandrowski and friends (JV) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Sasha Masakowski and Art Market (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 2p, Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Little Cosmicana (FO) 9p Three Muses Maple: Mia Borders (VR) 7p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p, Meschiya Lake (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 5p, Nonc Nu and Da Wild Matous (KJ) 9p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Beach Combers (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p

FRIDAY MAY 12

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Harmonouche (JV) 5p, Willie Green Project (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Co & Co Travelin Show, Chance Bushman’s Rhythm Stompers, Smoky Greenwell, Troy Turner (VR) 11a BMC: Hyperphlyy, One Mind Brass Band (VR) 5p Bombay Club: Los Tres Amigos (JV) 8:30p Buffa’s: Greg Schatz (VR) 6p, Silver City Bound (JV) 9p Bullet’s: Original Pinettes Brass Band (BB) 9p Chickie Wah Wah: Michael Pearce (BL) 6p, Papa Mali (VR) 8p Circle Bar: Rik Slave’s Country Persuasion (CW) 7p, Alligator Chomp Chomp with DJs Pasta, Matty and Mitch (RB) 10p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 6p, Kenny Brown (VR) 10p Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 9p Dos Jefes: Vivaz (LT) 10p

Dragon’s Den: Loose Marbles (JV) 7p, the Tipping Point with DJ RQ Away (HH) 11p; Upstairs: Comedy Fuck Yeah (CO) 7p, Latin Night (LT) 11p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Smino, Monte Booker, Jay 2, Bari (HH) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: Deaf Poets, Merkablah, StereoEater (RK) 8p, Relapse Dance Party with DJ Matt Scott (VR) 10:30p Jazz Playhouse: Joe Krown (JV) 4p, Quiana Lynell (JV) 7p, Burlesque Ballroom feat. Trixie Minx and Romy Kaye and the Mercy Buckets (BQ) 11p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Guitar Slim Jr. (BL) 9p Kerry Irish Pub: Mark Appleford (FO) 5p, One Tailed Three (FO) 9p Little Tropical Isle: Reed Lightfoot (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Maison: Swinging Gypsies, Shotgun Jazz Band, Chegadao, Big Easy Brawlers (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: MoFess: June Yamagishi, Tom Worrell, Lance Ellis, David Hyde, Billy Gregory, Leslie Smith (VR) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Hamilton Leithauser, Walker Lukens (VR) 9p Palm Court Jazz Café: Lucien Barbarin and Kevin Louis and Palm Court Jazz Band (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 5p, Preservation Brass feat. Daniel “Weenie” Farrow (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Mixed Nuts (VR) 9:30p Siberia: Luke Spurr Allen, Alex McMurray, Ryan Scully (SS) 6p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 2p, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (JV) 6p, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses Maple: Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 5p, Monty Banks (JV) 8p Three Muses: Matt Johnson (JV) 5p, Doro Wat Jazz Band (JV) 9p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Bayou Cajun Swamp Band (KJ) 5p, T’Canaille (KJ) 9p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p W XYZ Bar (Aloft Hotel): Deltaphonic (CO) 5:30p Willow: Grad Bash with Elysian Feel (RK) 9p

SATURDAY MAY 13

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, Red Organ Trio (JV) 4p, Jasen Weaver Band (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Kala Bazaar Swing Society, G and her Swinging 3, Johnny Mastro (VR) 11a Blue Nile: Balcony Room: Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 7p BMC: the Jazzmen, Willie Lockett and Blues Krewe, Keith Stone (VR) 3p Bombay Club: Don Vappie (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Red Hot Jazz Band (JV) 11a, Yardbird Sweethearts (JV) 6p, James Evans Trio (JV) 9p Chickie Wah Wah: Jim McCormick and John Gros: 6 Strings and 88 Keys (VR) 8p Columns Hotel: Andrew Hall (JV) 4p 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.: Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 7p, Little Freddie King (BL) 11p Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 9p Dew Drop Social and Benevolent Hall: Phil DeGruy and Emily Robertson (VR) 6p, Roamin’ Jasmine (JV) 7:30p Dos Jefes: Betty Shirley Band (JV) 10p Dragon’s Den: Elizabeth McBride (SS) 5p, Southern Dynasty DJs (VR) 10p; Upstairs: Talk Nerdy to Me (BQ) 8p, Sexy Back with DJ Dizzi (VR) 10p

Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 2p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Tribute to Weezer and the Smiths feat. Julius Weezer, the Gentlemen Commoners (RK) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Brown Improv (CO) 7p, Hustle feat. DJ Brice Nice (FK) 11p House of Blues: Blackbear (HH) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Stoked (CO) 10p Jazz Playhouse: Tom Hook (JV) 5:30p, Shannon Powell (JV) 8p Joy Theater: Victor Wooten Trio (VR) 8p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Neisha Ruffins (JV) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Vali Talbot (FO) 5p, Beth Patterson (FO) 9p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Lighthouse Bar and Grill: Hot Sauce Band (KJ) 6:30p Little Tropical Isle: Jay B. Elston (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Mahalia Jackson Theater: Jessica Lang Dance (DN) 8p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillainaires, Leah Rucker, Smoking Time Jazz Band (JV) 1p, RnR Music Group (FK) 11:59p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Ron Hacker Band with Jason Ricci (VR) 8p One Eyed Jacks: Sondre Lerche (VR) 8p Palm Court Jazz Café: Brian O’Connell and Palm Court Jazz Band with Lester Caliste (TJ) 8p Polo Club Lounge: John Royen (JV) 6p, Robin Barnes (JV) 9p Pontchartrain Vineyards: Kenny Neal (BL) 6:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation Jazz Masters feat. Leroy Jones (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Shannon Powell (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: 90 Degrees West, the Strays (VR) 9p Siberia: Shonen Knife, Dummy Dumpster, Casual Burn (PK) 9p Smoothie King Center: the Chainsmokers, Kiiara, Emily Warren (VR) 7p Snug Harbor: Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Monty Banks (JV) 12p Spotted Cat: Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 2p, Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses Maple: Davy Mooney (JV) 5p, Russell Welch (JV) 8p Three Muses: Chris Christy (JV) 5p, Debbie Davis (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Time Out: Andre Bouvier and the Royal Bohemians (VR) 11a Tropical Isle Bayou Club: the Troubadour (KJ) 1p, Bayou Cajun Swamp Band (KJ) 5p, T’Canaille (KJ) 9p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

SUNDAY MAY 14

AllWays Lounge: Smoking Time Jazz Club (TJ) 9p Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, the Tradsters (JV) 4p, Roamin’ Jasmine (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: American Spirit Jazz Band, Messy Cookers, Ed Wills and Blues4Sale (VR) 1p BMC: Bayou Wind, Ruth Marie’s Modern Jazz Band, Mignano (VR) 3p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski Trio (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 10:30a, Jenna Guidry Mother’s Day Tribute (VR) 4p, Gerald French Trio (VR) 7p Bullet’s: John Pierre (RB) 6p Café Beignet (Musical Legends Park): Steamboat Willie Jazz Band (TJ) 10a Chickie Wah Wah: Shaggy’s Crawfish Boil (VR) 3p, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 8p

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Circle Bar: Micah McKee and friends, Blind Texas Marlin (FO) 7p, Country Night with DJ Pasta (CW) 10p Columns Hotel: Chip Wilson (JV) 11a Crazy Lobster: the Gator Bites (VR) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (SI) 6p Dragon’s Den: Open Jazz Jam with Anuraag Pendyal (JV) 7p, Church (EL) 10p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Willie Lockett Band (BL) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic (CO) 8p, the Olio: A Live Band Variety Show with Burlesque (BQ) 10p 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: Chip Wilson (FO) 8p Little Tropical Isle: Frank Fairbanks (RK) 5p, Mark Parsons (VR) 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the NOLA Jitterbugs, Roamin’ Jasmine, Eight Dice Cloth (VR) 10a, Meghan Stewart, Higher Heights (VR) 7p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio (VR) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a New Orleans Healing Center: Moulin Rouge Fete feat. New Creation Brass Band, Nyce, the Pinettes and others (VR) 4p Palm Court Jazz Café: Lucien Barbarin and Mark Braud with Sunday Night Swingsters (TJ) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Legacy Band feat. Gregg Stafford (TJ) 5p, Preservation All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Bruce Daigrepont (KJ) 5:30p Siberia: Katey Red’s Birthday Bash Bounce (BO) 9p Snug Harbor: Sidney Bechet Birthday Tribute with Aurora Nealand (JV) 8 & 10p

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Spotted Cat: Carolyn Broussard (JV) 12p, John Lisi (JV) 2p, Kristina Morales and Bayou Shufflers (JV) 6p, Pat Casey and the New Sound (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Saints and Sinners Sunday Swing with Bon Bon Vivant and friends (SI) 12p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass (KJ) 2p, Bayou Cajun Swamp Band (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5:15p, Late As Usual (RK) 9:15p

MONDAY MAY 15

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Helen Gillet (JV) 7:30p Bamboulas: Tangiers Jazz Combo, Swinging Gypsies, Sunshine Brass Band (VR) 2p BMC: Yeah You Right Band, Lil Red and Big Bad, Keith Stone Band (VR) 5p Bombay Club: David Boeddinghaus (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Café Beignet (Musical Legends Park): Steamboat Willie Jazz Band (TJ) 10a Chickie Wah Wah: Justin Molaison (VR) 6p, Alex McMurray and John Fohl (SS) 8p Circle Bar: Phil the Tremelo King (VR) 7p Columns Hotel: David Doucet (KJ) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Insta-Gators (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Chappy (SS) 7p, Soul Brass Band (BB) 10p Dos Jefes: Matt Lemmler (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Monday Night Swing feat. Shake ‘Em Up Jazz Band (JV) 7p, DJ Ill Medina (VR) 11p Funky Pirate: Willie Lockett Band (BL) 8p Gasa Gasa: Hoops, Parts, Lawn (ID) 9p

Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 9p Jazz Playhouse: Gerald French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (JV) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Kim Carson (FO) 8:30p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Lucky Lee (SS) 9p Little Tropical Isle: Frank Fairbanks (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Maison: Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, New Legacy (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: the Porter Trio (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation All-Stars (TJ) 5 & 8p the Saint: Motown Mondays with DJ Shane Love (SO) 10p Siberia: Comic Strip (BQ) 9p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Royal Street Winding Boys (JV) 12p, Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 2p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. AllStars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Steamboat Natchez: Duke Heitger’s Steamboat Stompers (TJ) 11:30a & 2:30p, Dukes of Dixieland (DX) 7p Three Muses: Monty Banks (JV) 5p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Beach Combers (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Graham Robertson (RK) 5:15p, Trop Rock Express (RK) 9:15p

is seven days of exciting music, food, art and culture at the Fairgrounds. Look for OffBeat’s Jazz Fest Bible at the gates. NOJazzFest.com

FESTIVALS

SPECIAL EVENTS

APRIL 26-30 Festival International de Louisiane in downtown Lafayette features musical acts on multiple stages, regional cuisine and arts and crafts. FestivalInternational.com

APRIL 27 Covington Trailhead presents a Rockin’ the Rails concert at 5 p.m. Covla.com

APRIL 28-30, MAY 4-7 The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

MAY 1-3 The NOLA Crawfish Festival celebrates live music, beer and crawfish at Central City BBQ. NolaCrawfishFest.com MAY 3 Chaz Fest takes place at the Truck Farm in Bywater featuring performances by Supagroup, Luke Allen, Valparaiso Men’s Chorus, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, Shotgun Jazz Band and others. ChazFestival.com MAY 4-6 The Alex River Fete takes place in downtown Alexandria and includes dragon boat races, food and art vendors, kids’ activities and live music. CityOfAlexandriaLA.com/AlexRiverFete MAY 13 The Crawfish Mambo at UNO’s university campus features live music, all-you-can-eat crawfish and art vendors. CrawfishMambo.com MAY 26-27 The Little Walter Music Festival takes place at the Alexandria Amphitheater. Facebook.com/ LittleWalterMusicFestival

ONGOING The New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint presents the exhibit “Pete Fountain: A Life Half-Fast.” MusicAtTheMint.org

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BACKTALK HERB ALPERT & LANI HALL: THURSDAY, MAY 4—WWOZ JAZZ TENT, 6 P.M.

Herb Alpert H

erb Alpert, the trumpet-playing leader of the Tijuana Brass and cofounder of the enormously successful A&M Records, makes his New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival debut on May 4. In the 1960s, Alpert’s infectious, South of the Border sound sustained a ubiquitous presence on pop radio. His sales of 72 million albums led Billboard to rank him number 7 in the Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Artists chart; listed a few spaces below the first- and second-ranked Beatles and Rolling Stones, Alpert places above Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin and Madonna. This is an amazing achievement for a mostly instrumental act who, despite massive pop success, is essentially a jazz artist. Alpert’s Top 40 hits began in 1962 with his styledefining “The Lonely Bull.” The hits continued with “Mexican Shuffle,” “Spanish Flea” and the Grammy-winners “A Taste of Honey” and “What Now My Love.” Alpert’s uncharacteristic vocal performance of Burt Bacharach’s “This Guy’s in Love with You” reached number one in 1968. More than a decade later, his hypnotic “Rise” became a dance-hit phenomenon. The best-known Tijuana Brass recordings also include “Whipped Cream.” New Orleans composer-pianist Allen Toussaint wrote “Whipped Cream” for Al Hirt. After the local trumpet star rejected it, Henry Hildebrand, A&M Records’ distributor in New Orleans, played the “Whipped Cream” demo over the phone for Alpert. “Whipped Cream” became the title track for the hit 1965 album Whipped Cream & Other Delights, and the theme song for TV’s The Dating Game. Alpert’s sales statistics include 5 number one hits, 15 gold albums and 14 million-selling albums. He won his ninth Grammy for his 2014 album, Steppin’ Out. In this decade, his recent creative surge produced four albums in three years, including 2016’s electronic- and dance music-inspired Human Nature. A painter and sculptor, Alpert, 82, stays busy making both music and art. He’s also a philanthropist who supports many arts and cultural organizations, including UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music. Alpert and his wife, former Brasil ’66 singer Lani Hall, live in Southern California on a six-acre estate above the Pacific Ocean. Alpert, Hall and their threewww.OFFBEAT.com

piece band have been performing together for the past 11 years. In advance of his Jazz & Heritage Festival appearance, Alpert spoke to OffBeat. Are you looking forward to your Jazz Fest debut? Are you kidding? I’m excited. We’ve been trying to get there for years. Can you give us a preview? We’ll have a great band. Very transparent. Just bass, drums, keyboards, myself and Lani. We’re not hiding behind a thousand strings. We know the basic forms of the songs we play, but within that context the guys are free to play whatever they want. I’m free to play whatever I want. You didn’t have that kind of freedom on stage with the Tijuana Brass? By John Wirt

talks back

When I played the Tijuana Brass music in the ’60s, it was the same thing every night, give or take a little bit of this, that and the other thing that happened. Do you feel lucky? Absolutely. Timing plays such an important part in the success I’ve had. You can be prepared, but if your timing is wrong, it’s not going to happen. There are a lot of great musicians out there struggling. It’s a matter of being at the right place. The sound of your trumpet—and the sound of the Tijuana Brass recordings—is immediately identifiable. What led you to that sound? All artists should be looking for their own voices. I went through a period of JA ZZ FEST 20 17

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“I’m a melody guy. A melody is the thing that turns me on. But I also think all art is a mystery.”

trying to sound like Harry James and Louis Armstrong and Miles [Davis]. And then when Clifford Brown came along, it was almost discouraging. The guy was so good! But I kept at it. I loved playing. And then when I heard Les Paul multitrack his guitar on recordings, I tried that with the trumpet. Boom—that sound came out. After I released ‘The Lonely Bull,’ the record that started A&M in 1962, a lady in Germany wrote a letter to me. She said, ‘Thank you, Mr. Alpert, for sending me on a vicarious trip to Tijuana.’ I realized that music was visual for her, that it took her someplace. I said, ‘That’s the type of music I want to make. I want to make music that transports people.’ Before you picked up a trumpet at eight years old, you were a shy Jewish kid in East Los Angeles. Did the trumpet become your voice? I still am super shy—a card-carrying introvert. But when I played the trumpet, it talked for me. You studied classical trumpet early in your life. But that style ultimately wasn’t what you wanted to play? I wasn’t crazy about playing other people’s notes. Miles [Davis] and the great jazz musicians seduced me. I wanted to close my eyes and just invent and play. Before you developed the Tijuana Brass concept, you and your songwriting partner at the time, Lou Adler (future founder of the Dunhill and Ode record labels), wrote “Wonderful World” and “Only Sixteen” for Sam Cooke. Did Cooke make a big impression on you? Sam didn’t know it, but he was a mentor. He came out of gospel music. It was all about feel for him. And he used to say, ‘Herbie, you were just listening to a cool piece of wax, man. It either makes it or it don’t.’ It’s not about technique. It’s not about how wonderful you look. It’s about the feeling. Early in your career, you signed with RCA Records as a solo artist. Did your experience at RCA influence

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your approach to making music and also leading A&M Records, the label whose artists included the Police, Peter Frampton, the Neville Brothers, Aaron Neville, the Carpenters, Sheryl Crow, Janet Jackson, Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66, Cat Stevens and Supertramp? I wasn’t crazy about the way the major label treated me. I was a number, not a name—38257, tape two. And their recording facilities were very cold. White on white on white. I never felt comfortable. So, I said, ‘Man, if I ever have a chance to have my own company, I will do it a different way.’ I took all that information and put it into A&M. With “Whipped Cream,” you met Allen Toussaint via the phone and then, nearly 50 years later, you and him were among the 2013 National Medal of Arts Award recipients, presented by President Barack Obama. I spent a little time with Allen at the White House. He was a real creative guy. He had a unique way of presenting himself. You also met and performed with New Orleans native and jazz great Louis Armstrong. The two of you performed a duet of “Mame” for a 1967 episode of TV’s The Kraft Music Hall. Was he a major inspiration for you? He influenced anybody who played an instrument. Louis’ music and his personality were totally in sync. His personality came right through the horn, and it was beautiful. What was working with Armstrong like? I was anxious about doing it because of his reputation. But it was fun. An experience I’ll never forget. Because he was such a stellar person. No pretense. He was real. Earlier you mentioned the importance playing with feeling. Is Armstrong an example of that kind of expressiveness? When you talk about feel, he’s at the top of the list. You visited New Orleans in 1968 to film your TV special The Beat of the Brass. While you were here, you and the Tijuana Brass

rode a float in the Krewe of Rex parade on Mardi Gras day. Quite an experience? People were throwing the doubloons. I got hit in the head. The spirit was amazing. I never had anything like that happen before or since. During that visit, didn’t you also sit in with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band? Playing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, that was an experience all by itself. And New Orleans is probably the most unique city in the whole country. When we did the Mardi Gras, I was there for a couple of weeks. I had a lot of time to get a feel for that city that swings hard. Swinging forward almost 50 years, you’ve been prolific recently, releasing four albums in three years. It’s out of my control. I’m a right-brained guy. I love taking a song that’s familiar to people and doing it in a way that hasn’t been done before. I also sculpt and paint. My days are filled with creative stuff. You have three Burt Bacharach songs on your latest album, Human Nature— “Alfie” and “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” (by Bacharach and Hal David) and “Look Up Again” (by Bacharach and Elvis Costello). You’ve always had a knack for picking material. What do you look for in a song? I’m a melody guy. A melody is the thing that turns me on. But I also think all art is a mystery. When you think about the Western lexicon of music, there are only 12 notes. Mozart and Beethoven had those notes. So did Thelonious Monk. Just those 12 notes, but they can be scrambled up in so many different ways. You apparently have no interest in retiring, but how important is being creative to you now? It gives me life. I wake up in the morning excited about what I’m going to do. And I must tell you that my incredible wife, Lani, is my muse. She’s one of the reasons life hums for me. We’ve been married for 43 years. We’ve been together close to 50 years. My life wouldn’t be nearly as fulfilling without her. It’s been a fun ride. It’s not over. O www.OFFBEAT.com