OffBeat Magazine January 2016 by OffBeat Magazine

201 5

ESTof

the

JOIN THE PARTY!

B EA

The Radiators

A LIFETIME IN MUSIC

LOUISIANA MUSIC, FOOD & CULTURE—JANUARY 2016 Free In Metro New Orleans US $5.99 CAN $6.99 £UK 3.50

Top 50 CDs Bobby Rush Best of the Beat Germaine Bazzle Roland and Mary Von Kurnatowski Catherine Lasperches

The Radiators

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Lifetime Achievement in Music Page 34

"The Radiators: Fishheads Forever!" By John Swenson, January 2003

LETTERS

MOJO MOUTH

FRESH

Five Questions with Peggy Scott Laborde, Captain of the Phunny Phorty Phellows; Five Questions with Detroit Brooks, musician and founder of the Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Festival; Pat McLaughlin with Carlo Nuccio, John Fohl and Rene Coman; My Music with Dave Anderson; New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival; All Louie-Louie Playlist and more.

CELEBRATE LOUISIANA’S LOVES

IN THE SPIRIT

REVIEWS 18 22

BEST OF THE BEAT 26

Germaine Bazzle

Roland and Mary Von Kurnatowski

T’Monde, Gregg Martinez, Charlie Halloran & the Quality 6, Mike Zito & the Wheel, the New Orleans Steamcog Orchestra, Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band, Bobby Rush, Danny Barker and more. Nick Pittman rewinds South of I-10 with Sonny Landreth.

HEARTBEAT AWARD

Alexandra Scott is In the Spot at the Sneaky Pickle and Peter Thriffiley reviews Pizza Delicious.

REWIND

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC BUSINESS

Lu Brow at Brennan’s mixes up the Wild Yamagishi for guitarist June Yamagishi.

The 50 best albums of 2015.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC EDUCATION

The Radiators on disc.

OFFBEAT EATS

The nominees for Best of the Beat.

BURNING BRIGHT

WILD AND FREE

LISTINGS

Lesseps Street Block Party is Plan A.

BACKTALK Bobby Rush

Ed Volker talks about the Radiators 25th Anniversary and the future. “Our little picture is that we’re fighting for our future… It’s a struggle right now. It’s very healthy right now because we’re trying to look at the future.” To read more, this issue can be purchased at www.offbeat.com/ shop/2003/offbeatmagazine-january-2003/.

Catherine Lasperches JAN U A RY 2016

Letters

“The history of the town is based on the principle of living life to the fullest. No matter what changes, life, death, celebrations, tragedies are all taken with maximum intensity.” —Al Dunn, Salisbury, North Carolina (quoting Les Blank)

NOT JUST ANOTHER CITY Loved reading “Same As It Ever Was” in the October issue [Mojo Mouth]. I do read newspapers and other papers so I now have read about where many journalists stopped off. I know Ian McNulty came here from Rhode Island and has made his mark on our city. I hear him talking a lot about food these days. No, New Orleans will never be just another city. Yes, I do like the Saints, but in my volunteer job at The Historic New Orleans Collection, there’s one room devoted to music. So I can show folks from all over the world how much music has meant and means to this great city. I never talk about sports, but I do tell them about our music, our architecture, Jazz Fest, food, and much more. For example, yes, Mardi Gras; different writers who have lived and worked here; and there’s a room with some politics. Such an interesting place, such a beautiful place to volunteer, and to keep learning. Thank you and everyone at OffBeat for reminders of where we came from, and we must keep on going. —Carolyn Noah Graetz, New Orleans, Louisiana

TOUSSAINT CIRCLE Let us change the name of the monument at the circle on Saint Charles and Howard Avenues from that of a slave-owning traitor to his oath under God to that of a gentleman, a scholar and a musician who dedicated his whole life to the betterment of the people not only of his city (with his formation of a charity to improve the lives of its citizens) and his country (serving honorably in the military) but of the whole world, with his message of love and peace and that “We Can!” Why can’t we if we want to? —David Leonard and Roselyn Lionhart, New Orleans, Louisiana

ALLEN TOUSSAINT With the unexpected passing of Allen Toussaint it strikes me as a long-time Jazz Fest attendee that the stages are overdue to be renamed (or co-named) to recognize the founders and influences who made the festival what it is. I know with commercial considerations Jazz Fest is not going to cancel contracts with Acura,

Southern Comfort, Sheraton, etc. But how about these ideas: The Allen Toussaint Stage at Gentilly The Fats Domino Stage at Acura The Pete Fountain Stage at Economy Hall I could go on and on but you get the point. Who could be against honoring these human treasures and what could be a more significant and appropriate salute to the soul and jazz, rock and blues and Americana of all New Orleans music? —N. Gelfond, Los Angeles, California

HOT AND COOL For years I hoped to catch Allen at Snug Harbor, or anywhere in New Orleans, whenever we came to visit, but we never lucked out. Imagine my joy when I saw his name on the bill to perform at the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival last July. It was freakishly hot, in the upper 100s, yet he was the epitome of cool, and it was one of my very favorite performances. I feel blessed to have had that chance to see him so soon before we lost him. I can’t remember where I read this comment, but someone posted on how so many people have enjoyed Allen’s music and did not know it. RIP to one of the greatest songwriters ever. —Mary Raymond, Hillsboro, Oregon

IT HAS SOUL I never met Allen Toussant, unfortunately. But your point would have been embraced by him, I’ll bet [Mojo Mouth, December 2015]. Life moves on. Enjoy it now. Be nice to people now. Love those around you now. Improve your city now. And all the more protect the music. It changes. It always has and that will continue to be. The changes will incorporate many values, but much of it will be exemplified by living life now. A few years back, I met Les Blank, the late documentary filmmaker, at a film festival. We discussed Always for Pleasure. What made New Orleans so special for him? “It has a soul,” he said. “The history of the town is based on the principle of living life to the fullest. No matter what changes, life, death, celebrations, tragedies, are all taken with maximum intensity.” Embrace it. Then let it go. Zen master Jan. Change is where it’s at, baby. —Al Dunn, Salisbury, North Carolina

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.

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

Louisiana Music, Food & Culture

January 2016 Volume 29, Number 1 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 Sam D’Arcangelo, Laura DeFazio, Frank Etheridge, Robert Fontenot, Elsa Hahne, Jeff Hannusch, David Kunian, Brett Milano, Jennifer Odell, Nick Pittman, John Swenson, Peter Thriffiley, Dan Willging, Geraldine Wyckoff Cover Elsa Hahne (special thanks to Mary Beth Alvarez) Art Director/Food Editor Elsa Hahne, elsahahne@offbeat.com Web Editor Sam D'Arcangelo, sam@offbeat.com Videographer/Web Specialist Noé Cugny, noecugny@offbeat.com Copy Editor Theo Schell-Lambert, theo@offbeat.com Advertising Sales Quay Frazier, quay@offbeat.com Advertising Design PressWorks, 504-944-4300 Business Manager Joseph L. Irrera Interns Jacqueline Kulla, Phil Rached 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 © 2016, 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

Glad You’re Here

ears ago, I had an idea of doing an awards show to honor local musicians. I tried to push it through my staff, which at the time included Keith Spera, our editor (now the new music writer at the New Orleans Advocate). Keith was reluctant to do anything like this because the local weekly already did an awards show… but I wanted OffBeat’s to be different. Every year, we’d had a big Christmas party for our advertisers, subscribers and the local music community. We offered free booze (ah, the good old days—can you imagine?) and food and music. One of our first performers was a band then known as Galactic Prophylactic (they’ve gotten rid of

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

By Jan Ramsey

the Prophylactic over the years). Everyone had a blast. The second year we did it, the party was crashed by innumerable people who drank the musicians’ booze, got wasted and passed out on the floor in front of the bathroom (we didn’t have tickets, you see; we were a lot more trusting then). While planning the party the next year, we had an incident that included an OffBeat staffer embezzling money, which brought the party to a halt. But closer to Christmas, I decided that it was time that OffBeat took a stance and do the awards show anyway. We were the city’s music magazine, right? So, I got the House of Blues involved as a sponsor, called in some favors, and started planning the first official OffBeat

music awards. We called it “Best of the Best” first (well, duh… Best of the Beat seemed a natural, so we used that after the first year). HOB was kind enough to host the event for the next six years as a sponsor. We moved to Generations Hall; one year we had it at the old TwiRoPa Mills building when Gen Hall couldn’t accommodate us. I think we had 23 bands that year and it was so freaking cold that night that icicles were hanging from the rafters. It didn’t matter much because everyone had a fantastic time. We moved back to Gen Hall, then back to HOB, and now we’re back at Generations Hall once again, and this year, we have planned a lively show honoring our Best of the Beat Lifetime in Music recipients,

the Radiators. We also have Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes paying homage to the Radiators, Roddie Romero and the Hub City Allstars, ROAR!, Young Fellaz Brass Band and DJ Quickie Mart plus Klutch and C-LaB and a special tribute to Allen Toussaint featuring Tony Hall, Cyril Neville, Davell Crawford and David Torkanowsky. The food has become an important part of the event, and we have about 30 restaurants confirmed this year so far. So we’d be most pleased and happy if you could join us on January 21 to honor our local musicians. You can vote for your favorite band, musician and album through January 5, 2016. Don’t hesitate. Show ’em you love ’em. O

www.OFFBEAT.com

FRESH

OffBeat.com

Photo: DEREK BRIDGES

Five Questions with Detroit Brooks, musician and founder of the Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Festival

SWEET TWEETS

his month we celebrate the Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Festival. What would you consider Danny’s greatest gift to New Orleans and the world? Giving back his talent and his expertise to the young people. He traveled the world, so he got an opportunity to see and deal with other people. He’d teach [young people] to be ambassadors and that there was more to that than just playing music. He’d hear kids playing in the parks, on the street and in some clubs. He would stop and have a conversation with them and ask them about music—if they were willing to learn, did they want an education? He was available for them. How did he influence you as a musician? I met Danny through my sister [vocalist] Juanita and my brother [bassist] Mark who was playing with his group. He gave me books to read, people to listen to and things to practice. He talked to me mainly about, for whatever reason, [guitarist] Django Reinhardt. He said listen to guitars, listen to banjo players and listen to all kinds of music, not just traditional jazz. Holding clinics and workshops at area schools is a central part of the Danny Barker festival. When you go to the schools is it difficult to explain Barker’s uniqueness and importance? It’s an opportunity to actually give the kids an overview of the banjo and its [African] origins and its importance in traditional music. We get their attention pretty good—it’s not as bad as you would think it would be. There’s a need for [this information]. What do you tell students about Danny Barker? Is there is one thing that everyone should know about him? He was a great human being, he was witty, he was a funny man and he was a person to be admired by everybody. We tell the students about his contributions to the music, the culture and the youth of New Orleans. We explain about some of the people who were mentored or taught by Danny, like trumpeters Gregg Stafford and Leroy Jones and trombonist Lucien Barbarin. Danny’s thing was teaching kids how to live—not to be a nuisance but an asset—and becoming adults and living a clean life and representing the music. You have a lot of different elements in this festival—some of the events are free, others are by admission. Was this purposeful in order to embrace the larger community? We’re trying to do this without taxing the community for something that's really supposed to be reaching out and giving back. We have some sponsors and we’re waiting on some. I think we’re blessed to have a festival. —Geraldine Wyckoff

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

@JohnPapaGros I am excited to announce that I have begun recording the new John Papa Gros record at Dockside Studio in Maurice. @T_Blanchard (Terence Blanchard) While here in Italy on this #musicmonday, I’ve been thinking of all of those musicians who built bridges with Europe, especially Ms. Simone. @Meschiya (Meschiya Lake) Just saw a homeless man laying under a bridge staring at his smartphone. #modernworld @BantamFoxes Dude there’s some chick in the green room screaming about #lsu didn’t win the championship this year. Like, SCREAMING. @jonclearymusic Thanks for all the kind words regarding my Grammy nomination for "best bowl of porridge cooked by a pianist last week in Louisiana." Cheers! @djsoulsister Yesterday, I ran into LEGENDARY DJ Slick Leo, whose Famous Disco and WAIL FM sets influenced many in 80s, like me!

www.OFFBEAT.com

Photo: NOE CUGNY

Spencer Bohren with Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers at One Eyed Jacks

SOUNDCHECK

FRESH

McLaughlin, Nuccio, Fohl & Coman

ashville-based ace songwriter Pat McLaughlin won’t be hurting for a good band when he hits town next month. At Siberia on January 22, he’ll be backed up by drummer Carlo Nuccio, guitarist John Fohl and bassist René Coman—the all-star crew that backed him at Chickie Wah Wah during Jazz Fest last year, giving McLaughlin’s thoughtful songs a swift rock ’n’ roll kick. McLaughlin and Nuccio go back together to 1988, when McLaughlin cut his first album for Capitol. “Steve Berlin [producer and Los Lobos member] was responsible for me getting that band together. I thought Carlo was a great hang, and I learned that there’s a little bit of trust involved when you play with people—especially when the drummer is that strong a personality. That’s more a New Orleans thing.” Though McLaughlin hadn’t yet spent much time in New Orleans, he had an affinity for the music, putting the great (and then little-known) Toussaint song “Wrong Number” on the Capitol album. “That came from a friend from New Orleans who gave me a cassette of Meters-related stuff, beyond just the hits.” McLaughlin’s song “Highway of the Saints” later became an anthem for Nuccio’s next band, the Continental Drifters. Since then McLaughlin’s done a few more solo albums, played in the subdudes spinoff band Tiny Town and written a country Number One, “Lynda” for Steve Wariner. “I was never attuned to country radio, but I had friends in Nashville who were co-writing and making money. But I realized that wasn’t my ideal situation; there was a lot of nose-to-the-grindstone writing that I wasn’t real good at.” For the past decade he’s been with John Prine, as lead guitarist and occasional co-writer. “Working with him is pretty unique because you can’t help but be aware of the catalogue, and you start thinking ‘How does a guy write like this?’ Which is not a great question to have on your mind when you sit down to write together—it would be better if you maybe had something to say. But I’ve had some success with him, and he’s liked them well enough to put them on his albums.” His rock ’n’ roll side got more of a workout in another of McLaughlin’s bands: the World Famous Headliners, which he cofronts with ex-NRBQ mainstay Al Anderson. They made a terrific album in 2012 and a follow up is now in the can. “We did it in a couple of afternoons so it’s a little stinky, people playing with a lot of abandon. You’ve got a lot of studio players wanting to cut loose.” Indeed, many of McLaughlin’s Nashville associates have parallel careers as studio players and hit-to-order songwriters. “That’s what’s interesting about going to New Orleans. A lot of people there haven’t gone over to the dark side yet.” Pat McLaughlin (right) on the cover of —Brett Milano OffBeat with Tiny Town in September 1998.

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

ALL "LOUIE LOUIE" PLAYLIST

anuary 20 marks the 19th anniversary of the death of Richard Berry (born in Extension, Louisiana), the man who wrote the sacred rock ’n’ roll text known as “Louie Louie.” In his honor we present an all“Louie” playlist with ten of our favorite versions—in no particular order, except that the greatest of ’em all is up top. (While we only found one Louisiana version online, we’ve got the cassette to prove that the Radiators have played it at least once—New Years Eve 2004, to be exact.) Iggy & the Stooges (1973): The album Metallic K.O., recorded at his last pre-reunion gig with the Stooges, is punk rock at its most deathdefying. Specifically to bait the bikers in the crowd, Iggy sings all the naughty words that were (mistakenly) assumed to be part of the lyric. He nearly got himself killed for it; the last thing you hear is him dodging a bottle and daring them to throw more, which they do. Michael Doucet & Cajun Brew (1990): Whether you knew it or not, you needed to hear “Louie Louie” sung in French with accordion. Just bears out Doucet’s belief that anything great is really Cajun if you play it right. Stanley Clarke & George Duke (1980): It was shocking enough when these two fusion titans did the song as Caribbean-infused funk/rap, especially since it actually worked. Conspicuously not included in their set when they played together, for one of the last times, at the Jazz Fest in 2013. Led Zeppelin (1972): Yes, Zeppelin played it a couple times on their 1972 US tour—and just as ferociously as you’d hope, with loads of Page firepower and Bonham kick. What really makes this version, though, is that funky Hammond organ from John Paul Jones—hammer of the gods indeed. Toots & the Maytals (1971): You’d think that a reggae “Louie Louie” might be a little campy or ironic, but this early Toots gem is nothing of the sort. And since the lyric is about someone longing to be in Jamaica, it winds up working perfectly. Ike & Tina Turner (1973): Great as all the above versions are, they aren’t really sexy. Tina Turner remedies that situation, with her come-hither calls to Louie at the start of their version. And Ike’s fuzz guitar is almost enough to make you forgive all his later sins. Paul Revere & the Raiders (1963): Though Richard Berry lived in California, it was the Northwest garage-punk groups who really took “Louie Louie” to heart. In fact damn near every Seattle/Portland band did it, including the Sonics, the Wailers and of course the Kingsmen, who had the hit. The Raiders version gets the nod though, both for Mark Lindsay’s hormone-driven vocal and his immortal ad-lib of “Stomp an’ shout and work it on out!” The Flamin’ Groovies (1971): The great California rock ’n’ roll band— still touring as we speak—tried to bridge the garage-rock and Grateful Dead worlds by treating “Louie Louie” as a vehicle for seven minutes of jamming. Worked better to these ears than the Dead’s own version, sung by Pigpen around 1969. Bruce Springsteen (2014): The Boss has hauled this out many times over the years, most recently on his last tour with the E Street Band. Hear his version and you’d assume it was always a workingman’s anthem. Motörhead (1978): Not quite the metal onslaught you’d expect, as Lemmy and company employ a bit of syncopation and Jamaican lilt in their version. So yes, “Louie Louie” is one of the more sophisticated things in their repertoire—that’s why we love Motörhead. —Brett Milano www.OFFBEAT.com

FRESH

SOUNDCHECK

HAVE A CIGAR

ow would you describe the scene in 1878 when the Phunny Phorty Phellows first hit the streets on Mardi Gras? The original Phellows wore costumes of the silk-pajama style you typically see of riders today. They were a very topical, very satirical krewe that would have poked fun of their times through their float’s themes, such as “Songs of the Day,” mocking popular songs from that era. The parade followed Rex’s route, which I don’t know exactly but generally went down St. Charles Avenue toward what we call the Warehouse District today and past Canal Street into the Quarter. So you can image the crowd’s laughter at this silly satire that followed all the beauty, pageantry of Rex. Why did the krewe stop parading in 1898? I’m not sure. I’ve heard a couple different versions as to what happened exactly, but nothing we can verify for sure. It could have been finances; it could have been a lack of members. Sometimes things just peter out. Why did a Mardi Gras historian refer to the original Phunny Phorty Phellows as the “Dessert of Carnival”? That refers to their placement in the procession behind Rex and their very fun, very satirical nature. What was the inspiration to revive the krewe in 1981? We were all part of the Krewe of Clones, which started out with people connected with the Contemporary Arts Center. We had all these subkrewes—such as Mama Roux, among others, that you still see marching in Krewe du Vieux—and when all these various sub-krewes morphed into Krewe du Vieux, we decided to do our own thing in 1981. We started riding the St. Charles streetcar on Twelfth Night in 1983. What can we expect from krewe members’ costumes this Carnival? The biggest difference between the Phunny Phorty Phellows of the 19th century and today is that the original Phellows were all fellows. Also, we don’t have a parade, we have a ride, so we don’t have floats— thus, we pay homage to the original Phellows’ use of satire through our costumes. We’ll have local tributes such as the Benny Grunch, “Ain’t Dere No More” style. This year, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some satire of the national presidential candidates. The Phunny Phorty Phellows roll down the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line from the Willow Street Car Barn (8201 Willow St.) at 6:30 p.m. on Twelfth Night, January 6. Visit phunnyphortyphellows.com for more info. —Frank Etheridge

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

hane Speal’s goal is simply stated: “I want to help make New Orleans home to the premier cigar box festival in the world.” A musician and historian hailed as “King of the Cigar Box Guitar” and the man responsible for the instrument’s recent revival, Speal spoke with OffBeat from his backyard woodshop in York, Pennsylvania as he put final touches on a handmade cigar box guitar—he’s built more than 2,000 since 1993. “The cigar box guitar had been completely forgotten about,” Speal explains. “In the early 2000s—I had been building them for years by then—I was searching Google for information on them but couldn’t find anything. So I published online a free set of plans [for] how to build one and it took off. I continued to publish anything I could find on cigar box guitars just to help bring my favorite instrument back to life. Soon I had a chat room with several thousand members and from there built CigarBoxNation.com, an online community of more than 14,000. Three years ago, Paul McCartney played a cigar box guitar with the remaining members of Nirvana [at the 12.12.12 Hurricane Sandy benefit concert and then on “Saturday Night Live”].” Billed as “a celebration of the cultural and musical dimensions of improvised stringed instruments,” the inaugural New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival has Speal, 45, excited. And for good reason. During his exhaustive research into the instrument’s origins (which traces back to the mid-1800s, when cigar imports began arriving in small boxes to avoid hefty taxation), Speal learned about New Orleans’ Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band. Largely credited as the first band to bear the “jazz” label, the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band played in Storyville in the 1890s and featured a cigar box guitar. Though the instrument was born of crushing poverty among aspiring African-American musicians in the lower Mississippi Delta, the cigar box guitar revival today is a global phenomenon. Exploring its past while celebrating its present and building its foundation, the New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival features a documentary film screening, history seminars, handmade instrument contest, building workshops and demos, plus performances from national (April Mae & the June Bugs) and local (New Orleans Swinging Gypsies) acts, headlined by Shane Speal’s Snake Oil Band, “the world’s loudest jug band.” “I get emotional even talking about playing in New Orleans,” says Speal, who has recorded more than 10 albums on the instrument. “I’ve never been more excited to play anywhere before in my life.” The New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival takes place Thursday– Saturday, January 14–16, at Frenchmen Theatre (514 Frenchmen St., back of Bamboula’s). Tickets $11–26. More info at neworleanscbg.com. —Frank Etheridge

Photo: JENNIFER DIEHL

Photo: judi bottoni

Five Questions with Peggy Scott Laborde, Captain of the Phunny Phorty Phellows

www.OFFBEAT.com

FRESH

MY MUSIC Photo: ZACK SMITH

Dave Anderson

“I

started on the trombone. My dad’s a trombone player—he was the bass trombone with the Cleveland Orchestra—and I’ve always liked that range. As a kid, I was listening to all kinds of music and then I heard Led Zeppelin. ‘The Lemon Song.’ When I heard that tune, at the end of it where John Paul Jones is freely playing the jazz thing, I said, ‘I got to do that.’ Not long after that I discovered Stanley Clarke. Then Weather Report. I was playing with an orchestra in New York, and doing some freelance jazz stuff, when I met [late Weather Report bassist] Jaco Pastorius. I only took a few lessons, but each lesson lasted all day. A lot of people were intimidated by him, but I had a very tough teacher in college who was real strict about everything. So I was used to it. It’s hard for me to define my approach to composing. Sometimes I’ll have my upright bass out, playing the bow, and write down an idea that pops up. Other times, if I have some tempo growing in my head, turn the metronome on to that time and sort of improvise along with it. The ideas, the instrument combinations, come to me from everywhere. My favorite composers, like [Gustav] Mahler, all have different approaches. I have a piece coming up in May with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. I wrote a piece a few years for the Britt Festival out West, in Oregon, for their 50th anniversary. So I wrote this piece ‘Celebration’ for orchestra; covered some people that helped build the festival, memorials for some people that we’ve lost over all those years. I’m doing one now for the LPO in celebration of their 25th year. That’s a lot of different eras to cover; it’s hard to do that. But I think it’s turning out great. Dave [Easley] is a phenomenal musician and one of the most creative guys I’ve ever run into. When we write together, we have sections that open up to free jazz. I’ve always wanted to do that but never really had a chance to do that before I started playing and composing with Dave. It worked out beautifully. We hear each other really well. We have tunes we play together all the time but they are never, ever played the same. After I started playing bass, the struggle for me was, ‘Which style am I going to play?’ I refused to say, ‘I’m only going to play this one style.’ I don’t want any division between jazz or classical or rock musicians. And I feel New Orleans is one of the few towns where that approach could really work out well.” —Frank Etheridge

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

www.OFFBEAT.com

NOMINATIONS

Celebrate Louisiana's Loves The nominees for Best of the Beat.

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

and Cultural Arts Foundation. The Foundation was developed to create opportunities that support Louisiana artists in leading sustainable creative lives. The OffBeat Music and Cultural Arts Foundation merges education, advocacy, community engagement and creative collaboration to foster and uplift Louisiana music, arts and culture. Sponsors for this year’s Best of the Beat Awards include OffBeat Media, Generations Hall, The Orpheum Theater, WWL-TV, New Orleans Live!, WWNO, WYES, WWOZ, the Voice of The Wetlands Foundation, the

the

T S E of

201

photo: GINGER KELLY

n early December OffBeat solicited nominations from musicians and others in the music community. We gave these results to our writers and editors and, with input from both, determined the nominations in each category. Public voting on the resulting ballot began on December 17 with voting ending on Tuesday, January 5. Winners will be announced at the Best of the Beat, which returns to Generations Hall on Thursday, January 21. OffBeat will recognize our Lifetime Achievement honorees: The Radiators (Music); Germaine Bazzle (Music Education); Roland and Mary Von Kurnatowski (Music Business); and Catherine Lasperches, nurse practitioner at the New Orleans Musicians Clinic and LSU Health Network, will receive our Heartbeat Award. Publisher Jan Ramsey will host the awards on January 21 with an assist from WWL-TV’s Eric Paulsen at the Music Business Awards on January 13 at the Orpheum Theater. The 2015 Best of the Beat Awards will feature performances by Walter “Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters, Young Fellaz Brass Band, ROAR!, Roddie Romero and the Hub City Allstars, DJ Quickie Mart, A Tribute to Allen Toussaint featuring Tony Hall, Cyril Neville, Davell Crawford, David Torkanowsky, and Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes pay homage to the Radiators and more. Many of the city’s finest restaurants will be serving complimentary cuisine, including Barcadia, Bratz Y'all, Bittersweet Confections, Gumbo Shop, Custom Catering, Dat Dog, Fulton Alley, Creole Cuisine Concepts, Praline Connection, Nola Foods & Whoodoo BBQ, The Norwegian Seaman’s Church, Whole Foods, Susan Spicer’s Mondo, Tee-Eva's and many more. The Best of the Beat Awards are presented by the OffBeat Music

B EA

Positive Vibrations Foundation and the New Orleans Advocate. Discounted advance tickets for the Best of the Beat are on sale now at OffBeat.com; tickets purchased day-of are $45. We hope to see you at the Best of the Beat: two stages, plenty of food, mingling with your favorite musicians—all for the cost of a good lunch.

Album of the Year

Artist of the Year

Best Emerging Artist

Jon Cleary Kristin Diable Galactic Steve Riley Christian Scott

The Deslondes New Breed Brass Band Jamison Ross Kyle Roussel Jamie Lynn Vessels

Terence Blanchard: Breathless (Blue Note) Jon Cleary: Go Go Juice (Thirty Tigers) Galactic: Into the Deep (Provogue) Aurora Nealand and Tom McDermott: City of Timbres (Independent) Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys: Voyageurs (Independent) Write Brothers: First Flight (Independent)

www.OFFBEAT.com

NOMINATIONS

Song of the Year “Boneyard” by Jon Cleary “Does it Really Make a Difference” by Galactic and John Michael Rouchell “I’ll Make Time for You” by Kristin Diable “It’s How You Hold Me” by Dayna Kurtz “Everything That Ends Begins Again” by Paul Sanchez “Cane River Waltz” by Malcolm Welbourne

Best Blues Performer Brint Anderson Sonny Landreth Little Freddie King Johnny Sansone Walter “Wolfman” Washington

Best Blues Album Brint Anderson: Covered in Earl (Independent) Colin Lake: One Thing That’s for Sure (Louisiana Red Hot Records) Sonny Landreth: Bound by the Blues (Provogue) Johnny Sansone: Lady on the Levee (Shortstack Records) Marc Stone: Poison & Medicine (Louisiana Red Hot Records)

Best R&B/Funk Artist Jon Cleary Galactic Naughty Professor New Orleans Suspects Nigel Hall George Porter, Jr.

Best R&B/Funk Album Jon Cleary: Go Go Juice (Thirty Tigers) Galactic: Into the Deep (Provogue) Naughty Professor: Out on a Limb (Independent) Nigel Hall: Ladies & Gentlemen... Nigel Hall (Feel Music/Round Hill Records) George Porter, Jr.: It’s Time to Funk (Independent) Royal Southern Brotherhood: Don’t Look Back: The Muscle Shoals Sessions (Ruf Records)

Best Rock Artist Bantam Foxes Breton Sound Lonely Lonely Knights The Revivalists Sweet Crude www.OFFBEAT.com

JA N U A RY 2 016

NO MIN

ATIO NS

Best Rock Album Givers: New Kingdom (Glassnote) Junior League: Also Rans (Kool Kat Musik) Lonely Lonely Knights: Lonely Lonely Knights (Independent) The Revivalists: Men Amongst Mountains (Wind-Up) Yojimbo (now ROAR!): Ghost Birthday (Independent)

Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artist Boyfriend Chase N. Cashe Dee-1 Pell Nesby Phips

Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album/Mixtape Boyfriend: Love Your Boyfriend: Pts, 1 & 2 (Independent) Dee-1: 3’s Up (RCA Inspiration) Lil Wayne: Sorry 4 The Wait 2 (Be Music) Pell: Limbo (Federal Prism Records) Young Greatness: I Tried To Tell Em (Independent)

Best Bounce Artist 5th Ward Weebie Big Freedia Cheeky Blakk Katey Red Sissy Nobby Tenth Ward Buck

Best Traditional Jazz Artist Tom McDermott Leroy Jones Steve Pistorius Trio Preservation Hall Jazz Band Kermit Ruffins

Best Traditional Jazz Album Sasha Masakowski & the Sidewalk Strutters: Old Green River (Independent) Aurora Nealand and Tom McDermott: City of Timbres (Independent) New Orleans Jazz Vipers: Going! Going! Gone (Independent)

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers: #imsoneworleans (Basin Street Records) Seva Venet: Revisiting New Orleans String Bands: 1880-1949 (Threadhead Records)

Best Contemporary Jazz Artist Terence Blanchard Nicholas Payton Jamison Ross Christian Scott James Singleton

Best Contemporary Jazz Album Terence Blanchard: Breathless (Blue Note) Nicholas Payton: Letters (Paytone Recors) Jamison Ross: Jamison (Concord) Christian Scott: Stretch Music (Ropeadope) James Singleton: Shiner (Independent)

Best Brass Band Hot 8 Brass Band Original Pinettes Brass Band Rebirth Brass Band Soul Rebels Young Fellaz Brass Band

Best Cajun Artist Feufollet Magnolia Sisters Roddie Romero & the Hub City Allstars Steve Riley T-Monde

Best Cajun Album Feufollet: Two Universes (Feufollet) Doug Kershaw & Steve Riley: Face to Face (Valcour Records) Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys: Voyageurs (Independent) Sweet Cecilia: Sweet Cecilia (Old Man Records) T-Monde: Yesterday’s Gone (Valcour Records)

Best Zydeco Artist Chris Ardoin Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers Ruben Moreno Lil’ Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers

Kristin Diable: Create Your Own Mythology (Speakeasy Records/ Thirty Tigers) Dayna Kurtz: Rise and Fall (Kismet/ M.C. Records) Louie Ludwig with the Moss Pickers: Elevation 13 (Independent) Sarah Quintana: Miss River (Indep.)

Best Zydeco Album

Best Gospel

Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band: Zydeco Stuff (Swampadelic) Doghill Stompers: We On the Rise (Independent) Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers: Calling Your Name (Sound of New Orleans) Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys: Raw! (Independent) Ruben Moreno: Complique (Indep.)

Electrifying Crown Seekers Tyrone Foster and the Arc Singers Joyful McDonough 35 High School Gospel Choir

Best Roots Rock Artist Dash Rip Rock The Deslondes Papa Mali Paul Sanchez Write Brothers

Best Roots Rock Album Dash Rip Rock: Wrongheaded (Drag Snake) The Deslondes: The Deslondes (New West Records) Papa Mali: Music is Love (429 Records) Paul Sanchez: The World is Round Everything That Ends Begins Again (Independent) Write Brothers: First Flight (Independent)

Best Country/Folk/ Singer-Songwriter Artist Spencer Bohren Kristin Diable Dayna Kurtz Kelcy Mae Sarah Quintana

Best Country/Folk/ Singer-Songwriter Album Spencer Bohren: Seven Birds (Valve Records)

Best Cover Band Bag of Donuts Bucktown All-Stars Bobby Cure & the Summertime Blues Gris Gris Topcats

Songwriter of the Year Jon Cleary Danya Kurtz Jim McCormick Alex McMurray Paul Sanchez David Shaw

Best Female Vocalist Germaine Bazzle Susan Cowsill Kristin Diable Erica Falls Maggie Koerner Meschiya Lake

Best Male Vocalist John Boutte Antoine Diel Nigel Hall Colin Lake Jamison Ross

Best Bass Player Roland Guerin Tony Hall Matt Perrine George Porter, Jr. James Singleton www.OFFBEAT.com

NS ATIO N I M NO

Best Guitarist

Best Piano/Keyboardist

Colin Lake Sonny Landreth Alex McMurray Jimmy Robinson Walter “Wolfman” Washington

Jon Cleary Nigel Hall Tom McDermott Josh Paxton David Torkanowsky

Best Drummer

Best Accordionist

Derrick Freeman Joe Lastie, Jr. Jason Marsalis Stanton Moore Johnny Vidacovich Raymond Weber

Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes Chubby Carrier Andre Michot Steve Riley Roddie Romero

Best Saxophonist

Kelli Jones-Savoy Louis Michot Matt Rhody Amanda Shaw Kevin Wimmer

Derek Douget Rex Gregory Donald Harrison Derek Huston Aurora Nealand

Best Clarinetist Gregory Agid Evan Christopher Charlie Gabriel Tim Laughlin Aurora Nealand Dr. Michael White

Best Trumpeter Jeremy Davenport Irvin Mayfield Nicholas Payton Kermit Ruffins Christian Scott

Best Trombonist Glen David Andrews Troy Andrews Corey Henry Craig Klein Mark Mullins

Best Tuba/ Sousaphonist Edward Lee, Jr. Phil Frazier Jon Gross Ben Jaffe Jason Jurzak Matt Perrine www.OFFBEAT.com

Best Violin/Fiddle Player

Best DJ Captain Charles DJ Matty DJ Soul Sister Mannie Fresh Quickie Mart

Best Other Instrument Debbie Davis (ukulele) Mike Dillon (vibes) Helen Gillet (cello) Johnny Sansone (harmonica) Seva Venet (banjo) Washboard Chaz (washboard)

Best Music Video “A Fine Romance” Alia Shawkat, James Williams & the New Orleans Swamp Donkeys, by Ramell Ross “Dangerous” Big Freedia, by Bert Company Media “I’ll Make Time for You” Kristin Diable, by Scott McKibben “It’s How You Hold Me” Dayna Kurtz, by Cameron Wheeless “Run” Helen Gillet, by Michael Lancaster “The World Alive” Colin Lake, by Nathan Tape “That’s It!” Lyrics Born/Preservation Hall Jazz Band, by Jermaine Quiz JA N U A RY 2 016

TOP 50 ALBUMS

Burning Bright The 50 best albums of 2015.

e’ve polled our writers and editorial staff and have gathered 50 of our most recommended albums of the year. We didn’t include reissues and only included releases reviewed in 2015. Some titles released in December will be considered in the 2016 “best-of” list.

1. Jon Cleary:

5. Write Brothers:

Go Go Juice (Thirty Tigers) “Boneyard” is the happiest song you’ll ever hear about dying (or specifically, about not dying just yet); and the groove underlines the song’s message: “Before I make it to the boneyard, I’m gonna have some fun.”— reviewed September 2015 by Brett Milano

First Flight (Independent) Right off the bat the record is great fun to listen to, a damn good excuse to raise a glass to the deep fried whimsy of “Cup Full of Soul,” the happy go lucky loveis-gone ballad “Losin’ You” and the merry lost ambition anthem “Ballad of Lito Benito.”—reviewed February 2015 by John Swenson

2. Terence Blanchard: Breathless (Blue Note) Breathless with its funk and groove vibe as heard on the trumpeter’s self-penned, “See Me As I Am,” and elsewhere, clearly reveals Blanchard’s New Orleans musical roots.—reviewed July 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff

6. Christian Scott:

3. Aurora Nealand and Tom McDermott:

7. Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys:

City of Timbres (Independent) McDermott’s musical imagination is matched here by a player of such virtuosity in Nealand that even his most outside-the-box thinking is instantly realized.— reviewed Jazz Fest Bible 2015 by John Swenson

Voyageurs (Independent) It’s a deep listen with highlights too numerous to mention. … Riley’s vocals soar over a swelling chorus and leave the listener with frissons (goose bumps), the ultimate Cajun music high.—reviewed June 2015 by Dan Willging

4. Galactic:

8. Nicholas Payton: Letters (Paytone Recors) Nicholas Payton serves up an alphabet soup with fully developed flavors and tasty surprises. It’s exemplary of the great musician that he is.— reviewed September 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff

Into the Deep (Provogue) Eight different singers appear over these 11 tracks, and it’s the first Galactic album that’s all about the songwriting, rather than the grooves or the jams.—reviewed July 2015 by Brett Milano

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

We understand the difficulties in ranking and decided this year to only rank the Top 10. We hope that the readers use this list merely as a guide to the best music that Louisiana has to offer: There’s a lot of great music out there!

Stretch Music (Ropeadope) The brilliant trumpeter challenges the mainstream and hard-boppers with electronics, a large ensemble rather than a combo and music that is often somewhat ethereal. That by no means diminishes the passion and inspiration heard in his horn.—reviewed November 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff

www.OFFBEAT.com

The Next 9. Jamison Ross: Jamison (Concord) As a vocalist, Ross doesn’t simply sing a song; he feels its depth and musical possibilities and shares the joy of discovery.— reviewed July 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff

10. The Deslondes: The Deslondes (New West Records) The album is awash in sin and loneliness set to mournful piano and horns, and achieves the uncontrived purity and raw emotion that New Orleans, and now the outside world, loves about this band.—reviewed September 2015 by Frank Etheridge

www.OFFBEAT.com

P TO

S BUM L A 50

(in alphabetical order)

79rs Gang: Fiyo on the Bayou (Sinking City Records) —reviewed February 2015 by David Kunian Brint Anderson: Covered in Earl (Independent) —reviewed December 2015 by John Swenson Germaine Bazzle: It’s Magic (Musik Bloc) —reviewed March 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff Spencer Bohren: Seven Birds (Valve Records) —reviewed Jazz Fest Bible 2015 by John Swenson Boyfriend: Love Your Boyfriend: Pts, 1 & 2 (Independent) —reviewed January 2015 by Robert Fontenot Dee Dee Bridgewater, Irvin Mayfield & The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra: Dee Dee’s Feathers (Okeh) —reviewed August 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band: Zydeco Stuff (Swampadelic Records) —reviewed December 2015 by Dan Willging Dash Rip Rock: Wrongheaded (Drag Snake) —reviewed November 2015 by Brett Milano

JA N U A RY 2 016

TO P

50 A

LB U

Kristin Diable: Create Your Own Mythology (Speakeasy Records/Thirty Tigers) —reviewed March 2015 by Stephen Maloney Big Chief Alfred Doucette: Originals (Independent) —reviewed January 2015 by David Kunian Feufollet: Two Universes (Feufollet Records) —reviewed March 2015 by Nick Pittman Nigel Hall: Ladies & Gentlemen... Nigel Hall (Feel Music/Round Hill Records) —reviewed December 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff Hot 8 Brass Band: Vicennial (Tru Thoughts) —reviewed November 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff Billy Iuso: Overstanding (Nawlins Music) —reviewed June 2015 by Brett Milano The Junior League: Also Rans (Kool Kat Musik) —reviewed December 2015 by Rory Callais Doug Kershaw & Steve Riley: Face to Face (Valcour Records) —reviewed February 2015 by Dan Willging Dayna Kurtz: Rise and Fall (Kismet/M.C. Records) —reviewed May 2015 by John Swenson Sonny Landreth: Bound by the Blues (Provogue) —reviewed July 2015 by Robert Fontenot Colin Lake: One Thing That’s For Sure (Louisiana Red Hot Records) —reviewed October 2015 by Brett Milano Lonely Lonely Knights: Lonely Lonely Knights (Independent) —reviewed August 2015 by John Swenson Louie Ludwig with the Moss Pickers: Elevation 13 (Independent) —reviewed Jazz Fest Bible 2015 by Robert Fontenot Papa Mali: Music Is Love (429 Records) —reviewed April 2015 by Brett Milano Naughty Professor: Out on a Limb (Independent) —reviewed April 2015 by Frank Etheridge

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

Sarah Quintana: Miss River (Independent) —reviewed September 2015 by John Swenson The Revelers: Get Ready (Independent) —reviewed Jazz Fest Bible 2015 by Dan Willging Jimmy Robinson: Three (Independent) —reviewed August 2015 by Brett Milano Kyle Roussel: Rookie of the Year (Independent) —reviewed January 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff Royal Southern Brotherhood: Don’t Look Back: The Muscle Shoals Sessions (Ruf Records) —reviewed Jazz Fest Bible 2015 by Dan Willging Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers: #imsoneworleans (Basin Street Records) —reviewed Jazz Fest Bible 2015 by Geraldine Wyckoff Irene Sage: Love Is Good (Independent) —reviewed June 2015 by John Swenson Paul Sanchez: The World Is Round Everything That Ends Begins Again (Independent) —reviewed January 2015 by John Swenson Johnny Sansone: Lady on the Levee (Shortstack Records) —reviewed Jazz Fest Bible 2015 by John Swenson Greg Schatz: Everything That You Wanted (Hot Spazz Records) —reviewed August 2015 by David Kunian James Singleton: Shiner (Independent) —reviewed April 2015 by John Swenson Marc Stone: Poison & Medicine (Louisiana Red Hot Records) —reviewed Jazz Fest Bible 2015 by Frank Etheridge Sweet Cecilia: Sweet Cecilia (Old Man Records) —reviewed April 2015 by Dan Willging T-Monde: Yesterday’s Gone (Valcour Records) —reviewed by Dan Willging Seva Venet: Revisiting New Orleans String Bands: 1880-1949 (Threadhead Records) —reviewed January 2015 by Tom McDermott Woodenhead: Live at Tipitina’s (Independent) —reviewed June 2015 by Brett Milano Yojimbo (now ROAR!): Ghost Birthday (Independent) —reviewed February 2015 by David Kunian www.OFFBEAT.com

MUSIC EDUCATION AWARD

Lifetime Achievement in Music Education

Germaine Bazzle photo: ELSA HAHNE

“T

eaching was what I was supposed to do— the [music] gigs are what I could do,” says an emphatic Germaine Bazzle, the 2015 recipient of OffBeat’s Lifetime Achievement in Music Education award. “As far as I was concerned, I had the best of both worlds.” Bazzle’s public persona is that of brilliant jazz vocalist whose accomplishments as such were acknowledged by her winning two Best of the Beat awards—in 1996 as the Best Contemporary Jazz Vocalist, and in 1997 in the Best Female Vocalist category. Many people have opined that she “sacrificed” what could have been a successful career as a nationally renowned singer to remain in the teaching profession. “That’s not true,” declares Bazzle, who after some 50 years as a fulltime educator, retired in 2008. “It was not a sacrifice to me. I enjoyed teaching. I enjoyed the smile on [her students’] faces and when they would clap their hands. I would sometimes hear them walking out of my classroom singing the songs as they were going across the schoolyard. You can’t buy that.” Music has been a part of Bazzle’s life since childhood. “I grew up in a family where everybody played piano,” she explains. “That’s where I think it really starts. My mother, father, aunts, uncles all played. That was the instrument of the day. You could walk down one block and at least three families in that block had a piano in their home. I wasn’t even aware that it was an influence because it was just an everyday kind of thing.” Bazzle began playing piano by ear and remembers picking up the song “Sweet Sue, Just You” which her father would play. She began her formal training at age 12 when her mother enrolled her in the Xavier Junior School of Music, located

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

By Geraldine Wyckoff

www.OFFBEAT.com

“If I want the students to grow to appreciate music, you have to expose them to it.”

on the Xavier University campus. “That’s where I met [pianist] Ellis Marsalis and [bassist] Richard Payne,” says Bazzle, who also encountered a significant influence in her musical life, Sister Letitia. Bazzle recalls that when she was in Sister Letitia’s fourth grade classroom an itinerant teacher would come in and give lessons to other students and she had the opportunity to watch him. The experience sparked her interest in the process. It was Sister Letitia too who selected Bazzle to be included in the newly established voice program at the school. Surprisingly, in retrospect, Bazzle had never really sung before. Sister Letitia was also prophetic concerning the future of her young student. “One day when I was in her class she just said to me, ‘You’re going to be a teacher.’ It didn’t sound very strange to me because there were teachers in my family. I said, ‘Okay,’ and didn’t think anything of it at all. She saw in me what I am.” Sister Letitia’s approach to teaching and the standards she set followed Bazzle into her own classrooms. Bazzle began teaching in Thibodaux soon after she graduated from Xavier University. It was in that small south Louisiana town that she made her first professional gig, having been asked to sit in on bass, an instrument she learned during high school. The combo broke up but Bazzle continued working in a duo format, with her on piano teamed with a trumpeter. Even in this situation, Sister Letitia’s influence came into play, resulting in one of Bazzle’s signature vocal elements—the ability to mimic brass instruments. Bazzle explains that when Sister Letitia would lead the school’s orchestra and wanted to demonstrate something to the trumpet or trombone section, she would do it vocally, imitating www.OFFBEAT.com

the instrument. “So I would start harmonizing with [the trumpeter] by doing what I saw Sister Letitia do. That’s how I got started.” Bazzle placed a sign at the top of the bulletin board in her classroom at Xavier Prep where she taught high school girls. It simply said: “Yes I Can.” “I used to tell them there is no such word as ‘can’t.’ ‘How do you know you can’t? Have you tried it? No. So what’s the answer? Well, I’ll try it.’ That’s all I was asking. I wasn’t asking for it to be beautiful, I wasn’t asking for it to be perfect. All I was asking is that you try. If you keep trying something good will happen.’ And we stuck to that.” “If they were working on a passage or a song and said, ‘I’m having a problem,’ that’s better because it makes them take ownership in their learning. That’s what was passed on to me from Sister Letitia. You take ownership in your learning and you’ll find out that you’ll learn much more than you expected.” Bazzle also posted—and never took down—three other inspirational messages on her walls. “Keep an Open Mind,” “Listen and Learn” and “Respect Others.” “When the students came into the classroom and you do your introductory speech, I had them understand that these things were important.” One of the reasons that Bazzle stands out as a great jazz vocalist— and there are many—is that she is always one with the band. Naturally, she shares the importance of that frame of mind with her students. “I don’t think there is a separation,” Bazzle says. “Basically, music is sound. When I go on a gig, I just bring another sound to the organization. It’s not about me at all. I am aware of the individuality of the performers that I work with. My job, and the

individualism that I’m bringing, is that I want to be a part of it.” “I very seldom assigned solo work,” Bazzle continues. “If there was a part that was written for a soloist, I’d have two or three people do it. I say, ‘We have to do this as a unit because there is no star.’ I didn’t want them to get caught up in some of that hoopla that kids can get caught up in.” Bazzle always told her students that the stage is a classroom where one learns to work with different personalities and appreciate each person’s contribution. “Most important” she emphasizes, “is learning to listen. You just have to have your ears open to everything that is going on.” Bazzle used a unique approach to make sure that her students were audibly aware of their surroundings. She would tell them, “Once we’ve learned the song and then when we get ready to really sing it you are required to listen to everybody’s part—listen to the sopranos, listen to the alto and listen to your neighbor so you can sense when your neighbor is going to take a breath. Now that we’ve learned the lyrics and we’ve learned our parts, now you have to close your eyes. I want to hear from you what this song means to you. ‘Close your eyes and sing!’ It’s amazing because then they are able to go within themselves and that’s where the music really comes from.” Bazzle didn’t conduct the Xavier Prep chorus at its performances. She gave the ensemble the key, tempo and downbeat and when they started singing, she’d walk off the stage. “That was the joy—they didn’t need me.” Germaine Bazzle has retired from her longtime teaching job at Xavier Prep. However, passing along her knowledge and love of music

D AR U. AW D E SIC MU

still inspires her. She continues to teach vocal students at the Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp, as she has almost since its inception 20 years ago. “We are all of one mind at that camp—we’re all on the same page about trying to do things for the kids regardless of their development as music students,” Bazzle says, adding that it doesn’t matter if someone has a great voice. “We maintain and demand high standards no matter what level you are on—beginning or advanced. Even at the beginning stage you must reach for your highest performance. We all demand excellence.” Diversity and exposure to all styles of music is essential to Bazzle, a jazz vocalist who also sang classically with the Moses Hogan Choral. “Oh my gosh, exposure is very important. If I want the students to grow to appreciate music, you have to expose them to it,” exclaims Bazzle, whose students studied and performed music from Bach to Broadway hits, from operas to spirituals and jazz. “The music was there—why not teach it? Not only did I want them to know the opera I wanted them to know that we had a New Orleans woman, black woman, Shirley Verrett, who was in this as a career and that it was possible. One of the students said, ‘Oh, Miss Bazzle I didn’t know black people sang opera.’ I mean I just stood there for a while and just looked at her because it had never dawned on me that these kids did not have that exposure.” “I did as much as I could in the time that I had. The blessing of it all that is that I was in a situation at Xavier Prep where I was allowed to do what I was supposed to do—I was allowed to teach.” O JA N U A RY 2 016

MUSIC BUSINESS AWARD

Lifetime Achievement in Music Business

Roland and Mary Von Kurnatowski

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

photo: ELSA HAHNE

or New Orleans music devotees, Tipitina’s has long served as an icon of the city’s music history and the local music scene’s communal spirit. But that’s not what compelled Roland Von Kurnatowski to buy the historic club in 1996. For the wealthy, New Orleans–born real estate developer, purchasing Tip’s was a pragmatic solution to a dollars and cents problem. He and his wife, Mary, were converting the old Fontainebleau Hotel on Tulane Avenue into a storage facility and had decided to rent out some of the units as rehearsal space for musicians. Von Kurnatowski figured a relationship with a local club would be a boon to the Fontainebleau’s rehearsal space rental business. “The next thing I know, I own it,” says Von Kurnatowski, who freely admits he didn’t comprehend the club’s significance when he made the purchase. It wasn’t until he saw a Tipitina’s reference in a Walt Handelsman cartoon that he began to understand what Tip’s represented on a greater scale. Pegged to controversy around plans to build a permanent casino on Canal Street, the comic showed two men, one gazing skyward as the other peered at a newspaper. “The guy looking up says, ‘I wonder if a casino in New Orleans will change our culture,’” Von Kurnatowski recalls. “And the guy reading the paper says ‘Hmm, looks like Wayne Newton is playing at Tipitina’s tonight.’” “The inference is that Wayne Newton at Tipitina’s was a sellout and yes it will change the culture,” he continues. “But all I got out of it was that Tipitina’s is a benchmark for the health of the culture of New Orleans.” Two decades later, Roland and Mary Von Kurnatowski—who will receive OffBeat’s 2015 Best of the

Beat award for Lifetime Achievement in Music Business this month—are leaders in supporting and sustaining that culture. Once a touch-andgo financial venture, the Tipitina’s Uptown outpost now supports foundation work that has placed $3.15 million worth of instruments in 101 schools across the state, taught hundreds of students fundamental By Jennifer Odell

information about survival in the music industry, provided more than 1,000 musicians with access to computer software and office amenities and paired hundreds of young players with master musicians in a workshop setting. The club, meanwhile, retains much of the spirit with which it was founded in 1977, by a group

of music lovers who wanted to give an aging Professor Longhair a place to play on a regular basis. “I believe it became significant because for the people who started it, it was personal,” says Roland. He’s seated in a plush chair in a quiet, second-floor section of the Roosevelt Hotel, which has become his impromptu office as he’s worked www.OFFBEAT.com

MUSIC BUSINESS AWARD to renovate and reopen the nearby Orpheum Theater. “The club was their baby and their hangout and it wasn’t all about making money. They were more interested in bonding with the musicians and the musicians weren’t used to that and they loved that. That’s what gave Tip’s its character.” Once they understood what the club meant to the music community, Roland and Mary both say they became determined “not to screw it up,” especially in light of the fact that their lack of music industry credentials created some suspicion around their motives. “If I had to live off it I would have sold it the second day,” Roland says, matter-of-factly. Instead, they tried to move slowly and cautiously, giving careful attention to details that were key to the history of the venue while updating other elements of the space that needed to change in order for the club to function properly. “We spent a long time cleaning it,” says Mary, thinking back to their initial work on the space. “We did wiring and electrical work, put in a new sound system—but we tried to keep the whole Tipitina’s vibe that people love in place.” Joking that the extent of her music background added up to eight years of piano lessons, she credits the fact that she and Roland had already carved out careers in real estate when they got involved with Tipitina’s, so they didn’t rely it financially. “Roland and I were older and we already were kind of on our path,” she explains. “The fact of the matter is the club had gone through a lot of difficult years for a variety of reasons. It needed somebody to come along who was going to look at it like a business and make sure the lights were paid and the musicians were paid and the equipment you were paying to rent was working or replaced.” That approach worked. But as time went on, Roland began to look ahead and wonder what would ensure that Tipitina’s would stay relevant. “You can’t just say, ‘We’re gonna be nice to musicians because that’s what the founders did back then www.OFFBEAT.com

and that’s gonna make everything grand,’” he says. “But we did feel like if we could help young people who were getting into the field to have some steps up, maybe in a little different way than the New Orleans veterans did because they really had to slug it out, then that would make us relevant. That’s what the Tipitina’s Foundation is supposed to be about.” Once the foundation launched in 2003, its primary focus was a

fundraiser held on the Monday between Jazz Fest weekends. WWOZ had recently moved Piano Night to a new location after years of presenting the annual show at Tip’s. Knowing there was an audience in town that had become used to attending a charity event on that night at the club, the Von Kurnatowskis and their staff saw an opportunity and staged the foundation’s first major event—a

fundraiser for Mardi Gras Indians called Injuns a Comin’. The next year, the organization shifted its efforts to placing instruments in schools, a mission Roland credits Tipitina’s former talent buyer Adam Shipley with suggesting. Soon, the team went one step further, adding an internship program directed by Donald Harrison that offers high school students after-school lessons in

JA N U A RY 2 016

M US IC B USIN ESS A WA RD

music performance, recording and what the foundation website describes as “career professionalism.” Today, the program also maintains ties to the Berklee School of Music, which has awarded full scholarships to a dozen of the 200-plus intern alums. “You’d worry about high school kids losing enthusiasm,” Roland says. “But the thing is, it’s Tipitina’s. It’s not corny or anything, it’s hip, so we have a really good follow-through. Kids don’t drift off, they stay with it.” Over time, the foundation has continued to expand its programming, adding the popular Sunday Youth Music Workshop and music office co-ops in New Orleans and across the state, as well as a legal assistance arm. “So many of our young people don’t have someone in their court,” Mary points out. “They may intellectually want to do it but they may not have the tools.” That’s where she hopes the foundation can step in and provide some support. Bethany Paulsen, who’s served as the foundation’s executive director for the past three years, sees the organization’s continued growth as an offshoot of the Von Kurnatowskis’ shared vision and “hands-on” approach. As far as the division of labor, Paulsen maintains the couple makes most tasks a team effort. “It’s hard to say what their defined roles are because they’re both willing to jump in and help wherever they’re needed,” she says. “[Roland] has a really good way of keeping his eye on the ball way down at the other end of the field,” Mary says of how she and her husband share the workload, “and I’m the one making sure the

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

grass is getting mowed and all the lines get painted on the field.” Lately, there are a lot of “lines” in need of being painted. In addition to managing the Fontainebleau and a number of apartment complexes, the club and the foundation, the Von Kurnatowskis are still renovating the Orpheum, which Roland bought in 2014 for $1.5 million. While the theater has already opened, providing a home base for the Louisiana Philharmonic, construction continues on the basement level of the building, which is slated to become a multiuse space, complete with banquet rooms and a basement kitchen. With both Tip’s Uptown and the Orpheum, Mary says, the goal has been to preserve a piece of New Orleans history. “You have this sense that you’re really just here as a caretaker,” she muses, adding that she tries to remember that with both projects, she and her husband are dealing with something “that had meaning before you were here and will have meaning after you’re gone.” Meanwhile, plans are in the works for the swath of lakefront property in New Orleans East where Tipitina’s hosted the inaugural Landing Festival, a collaborative effort with Galactic, in September. The space will likely include an amphitheater, recording studio and retail space, Roland said, although little had been finalized at press time. Despite all of this, Roland becomes visibly antsy when asked to reflect on the impact the Von Kurnatowskis have had on the city’s music scene over the years. “The only really credible thing I can claim in full with Tipitina’s,” he says, “is I didn’t sell it out.” O www.OFFBEAT.com

HEARTBEAT AWARD

Heartbeat Award

Catherine Lasperches photo: ELSA HAHNE

hen Catherine Lasperches walks into an examination room at the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic or meets a patient in the hall, she enthusiastically greets them using their first name. Since so many of her clients are known exclusively by their nicknames, their response, she says, is often, ‘Oh, only my mother calls me this way.’” Immediately, a warmth is established. Lasperches, who was born in France and moved to New Orleans in 1989, has worked as a nurse practitioner at the clinic since 2004. Her love of jazz brought her to the Crescent City and her involvement with the music—studying it, interviewing and meeting artists, going out to hear jazz—has served her well in understanding the needs of her clients. “When I started the people that I knew on the music scene became my patients,” says Lasperches. “It was like closing the circle and that was a nice touch.” Lasperches understands that most musicians work on a freelance basis and thus haven’t had the luxury of paid health insurance. Many—if not most—don’t enjoy high-paying jobs or regular paychecks. So routine check-ups weren’t really on their agenda. They would go to the doctor or check in at an emergency room purely out of necessity. “That’s what we’re trying to do, we’re trying to make sure that they come in and not wait until they get sick because then it gets complicated,” she explains. “You have to educate and you have to teach them about prevention and to not be afraid of getting free care,” she offers, explaining that for some, getting involved in the system can be worrisome. “You have to tell them the same thing over and over until they get it done. I don’t give

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

By Geraldine Wyckoff

www.OFFBEAT.com

RD WA AT A E B T AR HE

up. Then they tell me how grateful they are and say, ‘Thank you for being like my mother.’” Lasperches’ lively personality and caring demeanor makes going to the Musicians’ Clinic—where everyone is friendly and helpful— feel much like seeing a family doctor of old. Her clients aren’t strangers to her; they are a community to which she belongs. She’s aware that some artists perform a physically challenging seven shows a week on Bourbon Street or deal with dental issues that hamper their ability to play and make a living. She expresses her extreme thankfulness that she is able to refer her clients to a dentist or a specialist if the situation calls for it. “That allows us to provide the best care that we can because we have access to public and private services,” she says. “You know my patients call me Dr. Catherine though I’m not an MD—and I like it,” she confides. “I’m familiar with musicians’ lives and personalities so it’s comfortable for me and for them.” Lasperches, who most simply call Catherine, likens her job to being a detective. “I’m very good at asking questions. I like to know the details. I like to know their stories. I want to know everything. I’m curious. I’m never bored. I’m interested and every time it’s a new adventure with a patient. And I learn from my patients and I hope that I can use everything I learn to give back to the other patients.” “I think my patients like that I’m French,” Catherine says with the laugh that often sprinkles her conversations. “I think it makes it more enjoyable. The artists are interesting people; they travel, they go to my country more than I do. They come back and ask me to translate newspaper clips. When [Cajun accordionist] Bruce Daigrepont comes in we speak www.OFFBEAT.com

French because it’s fun. So the relationships go way beyond just New Orleans.” Outside of the Musicians’ Clinic, Lasperches was recognized for her importance to the community by the folks at HBO, who cast her in “Treme,” where she, of course, played herself. “I was glad I got to do my own lines because I’m terrible at memorizing,” she readily admits. “I would be a bad actress.” Before Lasperches’ arrival in New Orleans, she worked as a registered nurse in Paris and Tahiti. After work as a teaching assistant in the French department at the University of New Orleans, and in other French-related jobs, Ochsner Hospital hired her; subsequently she received her green card, allowing her to work in the country. She earned her nurse practitioner’s degree in 1999. Great luck and superb timing facilitated Lasperches’ hiring at the Musicians’ Clinic. She was looking for a job and attended a nurse practitioner convention that just happened to be in New Orleans. There she was introduced to the person who was leaving the position at the clinic and was informed that they were looking for a replacement. Lasperches couldn’t be more grateful to Bethany Bultman—the founder, in 1998, of the Musicians’ Clinic— for hiring her. “It’s really a privilege that I can do things that I like,” Catherine says with her typical sincerity and enthusiasm. “I can’t really separate my work and my life. I couldn’t do this job anywhere else in the world. So it’s very unique to me. That’s the beauty of the job." O JA N U A RY 2 016

The Radiato

ors

By John Swenson Photography by Elsa Hahne

Lifetime Achievement in Music

ike all great New Orleans musicians, the Radiators are about where they came from. Though they’ve contributed more new material to the eccentric lexicon of New Orleans songwriting than any of their contemporaries, they are as much about their influences as their originals. If you could plot an algorithmic nexus that finds the spot where Jelly Roll Morton, Leadbelly, Champion Jack Dupree, Hank Williams, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, the Beatles, Professor Longhair, the Rolling Stones, Earl King, the Grateful Dead and the Meters intersect, that would be the black hole into which the Radiators pull everything. The alternate dimension that ensues might be glimpsed one night while staring at the suddenly animate ceiling of the Dream Palace (now called the Blue Nile) as the band plays “Tomorrow Never Knows”; it certainly pops out during once-legendary middle-of-the-night sets at Tipitina’s, perhaps to the accompaniment of “UFOs Exactly,” “Smokin’ Hole” or “Get Your Rocks off”; or on the rails of an impossible night at Mardi Gras World during a M.O.M.s Ball where naked fans dance ’til never, some gently whipped by a stealthy dominatrix in “Crazy Mona” costume, while the Rads roll the beat and Theresa Andersson appears in full body makeup as Nina Simone to sing “See-Line Woman.” Even stranger things have happened when the Rads summon their krewes to party. Those who know, know. Otherwise I have to say you missed it, even though the band reconvenes to pay tribute to its loyal following periodically. Over the years those fans built what amounts to a secret society of satellite krewes in various locales—San Francisco, South Florida, New York, Rhode Island, Minneapolis and Colorado, to name a few. And of course Sweet Home New Orleans. Fishheads from these locales, including expatriate New Orleanians or fans that became hooked on the Rads while attending Tulane, held regular gatherings, particularly the Halloween balls thrown by the Krewe of DADs in Minneapolis, Heat Gen in Rhode Island and the Monkey Balls in Fort Lauderdale. I first encountered the band at a New York gig in the mid-1980s and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, three sets of the most inspired mix of rock, blues, country, New Orleans R&B and psychedelic alien tongues I had ever heard. I thought I was pretty up-to-date on what was going on musically, but the Radiators caught me by surprise and they had a houseful of people who knew the material by heart. Bassist Reggie Scanlan noted that the band’s relationship with its audience was partly due to a liberal live taping policy. At a time when musicians from Bruce Springsteen to U2 were so paranoid about unauthorized material being offered to the public that they actively policed their shows for recording devices, the Rads followed in the footsteps of the Grateful Dead, allowing all their shows to be taped and traded among their fans. It doesn’t seem like such a radical idea now that everything rains from the digital cloud, but back then it was a daring and effective way to build loyalty and educate potential listeners. “People would come in and ask if they could tape shows,” said Scanlan. “We said ‘Sure, if you want to go to the trouble to tape the show you can have it.’ We didn’t realize that the tape traders were sending these things back up to the East Coast. When we went up there to play, people already knew who we were. It was an amazing grass roots advertising system. But also, people following the Heat Gen, which is the Radiators listserv, people were talking about what part we had played in their lives, and you start seeing that we were really the soundtrack for a pretty good chunk of most of these people’s lives. Whatever else was going on in their life, this was the constant. So I think that’s one of the things that people kind of latched on to.” The Radiators beckoned me to New Orleans, where I marveled through hundreds of shows, never reaching the bottom of their barrel of musical tricks. You could go to a dozen shows in a row and not only hear no repetition of individual songs, but no single night that took the same course. With a book of hundreds of originals and an uncountable number of ever-changing covers that were taken apart and Unfortunately, Reggie Scanlan (center) could not attend our cover photo shoot due to an emergency. DECEMBER JA N U A RY 2 016 015

CO V

ER S TOR Y

“It’s just a lot of old friendships... We have fun, we’re starting to make a little money, and we’re starting to change clothes every day. It’s great.”

reassembled in the moment, you never knew what to expect when you lined up for another romp through their omniverse. Like most great rock bands, the group gestalt overwhelms the individual elements that make it up. There’s a simpatico that runs along vectors among the members, but it’s stretched to near breaking point by clashing elements. Dave Malone and Ed Volker are the two main vocalists, and they are as different as you could want, yet they interact like Siamese twins. Keyboardist Volker writes most of the songs and specializes in deconstructing pre-existent material and brewing recombinant mutations; Volker’s singing is like the utterances of a Greek poet instructing the choir or channeling a message from the gods. He enters a trance state as he performs. Malone is the classic rock frontman, carrying the weight vocally and on guitar, completely unselfconscious as he smiles to the audience. Malone is the soul of affability, a genuinely friendly guy who accounts for a good deal of the band’s visceral appeal to its fans. He’s also a good songwriter, whose compositions tend towards country romanticism and back porch certitudes. Somehow Malone and Volker contrast perfectly with each other over the course of a show. Malone and co–lead guitarist Camile Baudoin are among the best twoguitar combos in rock history. Malone writes many of the guitar hooks for Volker’s songs and plays those melody lines as well as soloing; Baudoin has a unique style, combining unusual skill at R&B rhythms and fills—often accenting whatever Malone is playing to give it a bigger sound—with what Volker describes as “stunt” guitar solos, jaw dropping recastings of a song’s harmonics that blast the tune into another world. “He has an uncanny ability to listen to whoever he’s playing with and play whatever they’re playing back at them,” Volker noted. Baudoin also plays hellacious slide guitar and he and Malone double beautiful harmony lines in some of the arrangements. The interaction between the two often sounds more like hard bop jazz tenor saxophonists battling each other. The rhythm section embodies contradictions. Reggie Scanlan honed his craft playing with Professor Longhair and James Booker; he’s capable of delivering an activist bassline or dropping the bomb in a reggae pattern,

WILD AND FREE The Radiators on Disc By Brett Milano

Work Done On Premises (Croaker, 1980): Recording at Tipitina’s and releasing it themselves, the Radiators (who’d only been a band for about two years) got it right on the first try. Sure, the playing sounds a little cautious at times, and the guitar sounds would get meatier over the years. But Ed Volker’s worldview and the band’s chemistry were well in place. You won’t find a savvier cheating song

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

and can get involved in the guitar conversations the way Phil Lesh does in the Grateful Dead’s improvisations. Frank Bua is a powerhouse rocker, a classic pocket drummer with a penchant for the stately march rhythms of New Orleans second lines. It’s a style that clashes in some ways with Scanlan’s, yet somehow the section manages to swing and rock hard at the same time. When another percussionist is involved, like Glenn Sears during the ’80s and ’90s and Michael Skinkus more recently, the rhythms tend to float more, which is ideal for collective improvisation. When I first met Volker, in the dressing room at New York’s Lone Star Cafe, I asked him what the band was about. “It’s just a lot of old friendships,” he said. “We have fun, we’re starting to make a little money, and we’re starting to change clothes every day. It’s great.” Those friendships are the key to understanding a group whose roots are in the dozens of local bands they played in during the 1960s and ’70s, long before they joined forces as the Radiators in January 1977, rehearsing at Volker’s Waldo Avenue garage out by the lakefront.

Beginnings Growing up in close proximity in Uptown, Volker, Baudoin and Scanlan knew each other long before they became professional musicians. “Ed and I have known each other since kindergarten,” said Baudoin. “The neighborhoods we lived in were right next to each other, where Napoleon and Broad kind of meet into each other.” Baudoin recalls that Volker “had a sense of humor” even in kindergarten, and that they used to play with their milk and cookies at recess. After kindergarten the two were in different Catholic grammar schools at first, but met up again a few years later at St. Matthias. “In fourth or fifth grade,” Volker recalled, “my family moved out of Broadmoor to the area by where Carrollton meets Claiborne, where I went to St. Rita.” Volker and Baudoin went to De La Salle high school. By then both of them knew they wanted to be musicians. Baudoin’s family visited their relatives in Cajun country on most weekends, where “my Paran

than “Stealin’ a Feelin’,” and “Cannibal Girls” is a glimpse of those fabled ’70s bacchanals. Every song here would remain in live rotation for the duration; in later years they played the whole damn album once or twice. The finale, “Number Two Pencil,” shows why the term “jam band” never quite applied: Camile Baudoin’s guitar breaks are in fact carefully worked out, to suit the lyric’s lust-to-love scenario.

Heat Generation (Croaker, 1981): The first studio album is probably the one most steeped in New Orleans; songs like “Sunglasses On,” “Smokin’ Hole” and “Monkey In Her Heart” immortalized the colorful characters in their orbit. Less remarked on was Volker’s ability to write an honest love song without saying the obvious—exhibit A, “Nail Your Heart to Mine.” This album also explains why they started defining themselves as “fish head music”: The sound was getting too eclectic to define otherwise. www.OFFBEAT.com

“When I got the LP of Joey Dee & the Starliters Live at the Peppermint Lounge, I got to hear a much simpler approach in a live, spirited setting, so it was a more practical stimulus.”

[grandfather] Alton taught me how to play guitar,” said Baudoin. Alton played in a country band, the Dufrene Brothers, and let the pre-teen Camile sit in on a gig. “After that,” said Camile, “I pretty much knew what I was going to be doing for the rest of my life.” Volker also acquired his love of music through family ties. “Both my parents loved music,” Volker explained. “My dad met my mother when she was working in a record shop. Mom always had the radio on while she was doing chores around the house. My older brother, Richard, had a little 45 disc player in a closable case, and he had Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly. Hearing this stuff mesmerized me. “One day I faked being sick on a school day that I knew was a day my Mom would be out shopping and, having the whole apartment to myself, I played all this wild music loud and danced in some convulsive manner. Actually playing music didn’t really occur to me ’til a few years later when, in order for my brother to be ‘with it,’ he had to purchase the Ray Charles What’d I Say LP for the party he was hosting at our home. That sealed the deal, as far as the desire, but the music of Ray Charles daunted me by its sophistication. When I got the LP of Joey Dee & the Starliters Live at the Peppermint Lounge, I got to hear a much simpler approach in a live, spirited setting, so it was a more practical stimulus.” By the time he and Camile met up again, Volker had already started imagining what it would be like to make his own music, designing potential album covers for his band. “When I was a kid,” he said, “first starting to get turned on to music, when I first started to write songs I would design my own LP covers and write the whole back cover and list all the songs.” Volker had a record player in his basement, where he and Camile would go to listen to his 45s. “He was one of the few people who would sit down and listen to stuff with me,” said Volker. “I turned him on to Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, before they were well known. I turned him on to a lot of stuff.” “I remember him in his basement,” said Baudoin. “I remember the record player was a really good one. And I remember he was playing

Law of the Fish (Epic, 1987): The band has expressed some reservations about its threealbum stay in the clutches of a major label, but in retrospect, they got out fairly unscathed. The production does scream ’80s at times—good Lord, that drum sound—and three-minute songs weren’t usually their style. But they didn’t get saddled with outside material or studio players, and Frank Bua’s slinky grooves are www.OFFBEAT.com

V ER CO

RY ST O

bongos then. He had a good record collection, a lot of blues. It was amazing to listen to that stuff.” Volker convinced Baudoin to form a band in the basement.

The Bands “He had a friend named Jack Montz who played guitar,” said Volker, “and I played piano and bongos. The three of us would get together and I would sing and play harmonica and bongo drums. That’s how we got our first band together, the Fugitives. It was Camile and Jack on guitars, me on bongos, harmonica and vocals and Mike Hartel on drums. We tried to enlist my brother Richard to play bass, but it didn’t take. Eventually, a mutual friend of Camile’s and mine from De La Salle, Eddie Whiteman, decided to pursue bass playing. His older brother Stark Whiteman had a local hit, ‘Graduation Day.’” In addition to CYO dances, the Fugitives played dances and parties at the Beaconette Lounge at Napoleon and Claiborne. “At least half the clientele drinking in the place, as well as playing on the stage, were underage,” Volker recalled. “Eddie got asked to join another band, the Other Side, and I was so pissed, I called up the front man, Vaughn, and asked to join. The Other Side played on Bourbon Street the summer of ’66 when we were still in high school. [The band] won a rigged battle of the bands and recorded a single at Cosimo’s of a song called ‘Run.’ On the flip was a tune of mine, ‘Aw Honey I’m Juiced.’ It was actually CBS who recorded us, but they scrapped the Cosimo sessions and flew Vaughn up to New York to do the song. CBS had three different winners from this rigged band contest it was recording and they made us change our name to Them Cajun Boys. Briefly, we went under a CBS-chosen name that another winning band ended up with, the Plebeian Rebellion. The Other Side lasted into my brief sojourn at Tulane, until late ’67, when I was invited to join Yesterday’s Children, whose tambourine player, Quint Davis, I had become fast friends with, our listening sessions reaching marathon proportions. Eddie and Camile joined Yesterday’s Children, but in a configuration that never played a gig despite months of dedicated rehearsals. After my sojourn with Yesterday’s Children, Camile,

intact, especially with the temporary addition of percussionist Glenn Sears. Interestingly, Volker claimed in a recent OffBeat Rewind that he’s embarrassed by his singing here— the vocals on the Epic discs are actually notably improved. Note Volker’s gritty treatment of “Doctor, Doctor” and Malone’s expressive take on “Like Dreamers Do,” both of which deserved the radio polish they got. But the crawfish double-entendre on “Suck the Head” proved their entrée to that era’s rock radio. Zig-Zaggin’ Thru Ghostland (Epic, 1989): Okay, the production does get a little out of hand this time, with twice the drum volume

and three times the reverb; but the album did give them their biggest mainstream hit, “Confidential.” The band sounds unusually speedy throughout, and sometimes it works: The energy level on “Red Dress” and “Hardcore,” both reworked from the live debut, is downright exhausting. Less frenetic is “Fall of Dark,” Volker’s first great ballad and one of Malone’s best vocals. JJ Jackson’s “But It’s Alright” is perfectly fine, but it’s JA N U A RY 2 016

photo: Elsa Hahne

CO V

ER S TOR Y

Eddie and I got together with a succession of different drummers under the name Daniel and the Sand Fly, mainly playing Bourbon Street.” Camile was also in a band called Souls of the Slain, while, at the same time, Frank Bua played in the very popular Palace Guards, who recorded for local label U-DOE records. Volker actually co-wrote a pair of songs with Jeff Miller of the Palace Guards: “Looking Everywhere” and ”Gas Station Boogaloo Downtown,” a jangly psychedelic romp. Reggie Scanlan, who was a couple years younger than Volker and Baudoin, remembered watching some of the Fugitives’ sessions.

anyone’s guess why this got the nod over the hundreds of covers in their repertoire. Total Evaporation (Epic, 1990): The installation of legendary producer Jim Dickinson results in a more organic sound and a more relaxed band. While the previous two emphasized their kinship to Feat/Allmans rock, this one put the band’s own personality upfront, giving them

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

“I grew up on Burdette Street, a block off of Fontainebleau,” said Scanlan. “It was around the corner from Ed’s parents. I was friends with his younger sister so I used to listen to his bands rehearse in the basement. I went to Our Lady of Lourdes elementary school. Renard Poche was one grade behind me. I went to De La Salle for freshman year and was invited not to return, Redemptorist for sophomore and junior year and invited not to return after being accused of being a subversive and a scofflaw. I graduated from Fortier and went to LSUNO (now UNO) for college.”

time to stretch out and favoring Volker’s more idiosyncratic, less obviously commercial tunes. Acoustic guitars and slower tempos appear for the first time. “Let the Red Wine Flow” is the highlight, a reggae tune immersed in life’s mysteries. Snafu (Croaker, 1992): As their first post-Epic move, the band released this live souvenir of their annual hometown party, with plenty of one-off covers and a few leftover originals. The Snafu shows were famous for their wild abandon, which is evident here from the opening take

on “Got My Mojo Working.” Consider this a precursor to the heyday of tape trading, where fans would acquire entire shows to add those one or two elusive songs to their collections. Bucket of Fish (Croaker, 1994): With Epic out of the picture, the Rads went back to recording fresh material in front of an audience, taking the occasion to show what they really sounded like. They go full-tilt funky on the album’s opening stretch, with the extended “Nightmare On the Misery Train” (including a P-Funk snippet), the nasty swamp-rocker www.OFFBEAT.com

V ER CO

RY ST O

Bua was born in New Orleans and grew up in Metairie. “I went to East Jefferson High School,” he said. “After graduation I attended the University of New Orleans and received a degree in political science. I was going to be governor but decided to play music instead. “After the Palace Guards I started playing with the Arthur Brothers. At first we called ourselves Indian Fire, then Salt Meat. We were playing at the Ivanhoe on Bourbon Street at night and Ed and Camile were playing on Bourbon Street backing up Chris Owens. I invited them to my apartment on Chartres to smoke some Acapulco Gold. We did that and I said ‘Let’s go jam’ because our equipment was set up at the club. We went down there, Camile and Ed and me and the bass player, and it was magic, one movement went into the next with no stops. I told the guys in my band I was tired of doing the copycat music, I’m gonna quit and join these guys. They said ‘You quit us you gonna go to the dogs.’ So we named the band the Dogs. “Ed and Camile and I and Eddie Whiteman formed the Dogs and moved to California and lived there in a hippie commune for about a year. There were 30 people all from Louisiana in this giant log cabin. We came back because Traci Borges out at Knight Recording Studio in Metairie wanted us to come back and be the studio band. I hesitated to go because I had an invitation to try out for the Doobie Brothers, who we had opened for out in California and who’d just lost one of their drummers. But Ed and Camile were like my family, so we went back to New Orleans and worked as the studio band for a while. We wound up playing on Bourbon Street again, which I just couldn’t do anymore. We were playing at the Ritz and this cheetah that they had there shit all over my drums.” Meanwhile, upriver in Edgard, Louisiana, Dave Malone was learning to be a musician from his older brothers John and Billy. Malone was born in New Orleans but his family moved around a lot before settling in Edgard, where his brothers taught him to play guitar and he grew up listening to his parents’ country records and idolizing the Beatles. He played with his older brother John’s band before forming his own group, Family Dog.

“Drinkin’ Dragons Blood” and the spooky reggae “Kamikaze.” But the buried treasure here is the grand and anthemic “March on Down to Valentine,” a moving moment on the relatively few occasions they performed it. New Dark Ages (W.A.R., 1995): In some ways this is the band’s deepest album, with a mood well-suited to the haunting Reggie Scanlan photo on the cover. Since Epic had recently put out a budget compilation with the unflattering title Party On, maybe the band felt it was time to get a little more mystical and meaningful. Quite a few ghosts turn up in Volker’s lyrics, among them Professor Longhair (“Long Hard Journey Home”) and a couple lost friends (“Ghosts Along the Mississippi”). www.OFFBEAT.com

JA N U A RY 2 016

CO V

ER S TOR Y

“I quit Dustwoofie because the manager wanted me to sign an exclusive contract where he got 25 percent of all my earnings.”

Malone is the only Radiators member who developed his musical personality outside of the Bourbon Street–centered interactions of the other four. But he still crossed paths with them because he “couldn’t wait to get out of Edgard” and moved to New Orleans to live with his brother John before he graduated from high school. He played with John in Dustwoofie, saw Frank Bua play with the Palace Guards and even had a meeting with a talented young songwriter at Tulane. “Ed Volker was going to Tulane,” said Malone. “He was already a wellknown songwriter which I knew ’cause I had the Palace Guards 45. I had an acoustic guitar with me and we played some songs. The first song Ed and I ever played together was ‘In the Summertime’ by Mungo Jerry.” Eventually Dave moved in with his brother to the band’s communal living and rehearsal space, “Woofie House,” on Robert Street by Dryades. That’s when he met Reggie. “I went over there one day,” said Scanlan, “Dave was there with Suzie, his wife to be. His brother, who was also living there, was a bass player. We went down in the basement studio and started jamming on some Taj Mahal stuff. A few months later his brother left the band and Dave asked if I wanted to be the bass player. I said ‘Fuck, I’m in.’ They were doing a lot of Poco, Pure Prairie League, country rock. We had several bands, starting with Dustwoofie, and then Road Apple with Spencer Bohren. I quit Dustwoofie because the manager wanted me to sign an exclusive contract where he got 25 percent of all my earnings. I went up to Baton Rouge for a while and played there. Ed came up to Baton Rouge and he was putting together a band to play on Bourbon Street. It was me, Ed, Becky Kury, Clark Vreeland and Bruce Raeburn on drums. We played in the French Quarter for four months until the strip club we worked at fired us. That band was called Sophie and the Heart Regulators. At that point Kury was the singer, she didn’t play an instrument. Becky started playing bass after that with the Rhapsodizers. She asked me to teach her. It was strictly a matter of economics as far as she was concerned. Ironically, she developed a very unique and interesting style of playing.”

“Umbilical” and “Fine Life” both sport doubleedged sentiments behind their surface sunniness, and the band’s spiritual side gets aired on “River Run” and Jesse Winchester’s “How Far to the Horizon?”— both live staples. Not to be outdone, Malone contributes the existential “Last Getaway” and the deep-soul ballad “If You Wanna Be Somebody,” two of the greatest songs he ever wrote.

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

The Rhapsodizers The Rhapsodizers—Volker, Kury, Bua, guitarist Clark Vreeland and eventually Baudoin—had a good run during the 1970s. Volker wrote a lot of songs for that group that eventually became Radiators material. The Rhapsodizers were on the verge of a major label deal with Atlantic Records when the band suddenly broke up. “Ahmet Ertegun heard the Rhapsodizers at Jazz Fest in 1976,” said Bua. “They flew Ed and Becky to New York to sign the deal and when they went up there they wanted to make Becky the star. They were gonna put Becky with a studio band in New York. Ed asked Becky what she was going to do. She said she was going to take the best offer. So Ed said ‘Okay I quit,’ and so I quit too and Camile quit with us.” Volker wasted no time. He called for a rehearsal with Dave Malone and Reggie Scanlan, who were just finishing up with Road Apple. “I thought we would just go out there and drink some beer, smoke some pot, play a couple of tunes and just hang out,” said Scanlan. “But when we got there we started playing and after a while we looked at each other and said, ‘Did this really just happen?’ So Ed said, ‘Look, I don’t know what’s goin’ on here, but let’s do a rehearsal on Monday and we can learn one of my songs. Then we’ll see if we can be a band.’” The song was “Red Dress,” which Volker had written for Becky Kury during the latter days of the Rhapsodizers. Ed showed them the song and Dave immediately came up with a guitar intro that fit like a glove. “Dave was just doing a very simple figure,” said Camile, “a funk lick, something like the marching band you would hear coming down the street in your neighborhood.” Volker was blown away. “Not only did the Rads nail the ‘tune’ part I had written, but the guitar figure set the groove up perfectly.” They never looked back. Rehearsals turned into live performances at a pizza joint a few blocks from Volker’s house, Luigi’s Pizza Parlor. “From that point on we just took off,” said Scanlan. “Ed just opened up the fountain and all these songs came flowing out. We just fell into a

Songs From the Ancient Furnace (Epic, 1997): A best-of the Epic years including a bunch of outtakes and rarities (but not the song it’s named after). Essential for a live “Love Is a Tangle” that shreds the studio version. Live at the Great American Music Hall (Popmafia, 1998): On the other hand, if you were missing the band’s hedonistic guitarslinging side, you’d find plenty of it here. After

years of constant touring, the band’s synchrony onstage was something to behold. Consider “Lucinda,” whose lengthy Baudoin/Malone guitar showdown resolves with the Meters’ “Cissy Strut”: It’s a long, flowing jam where not a note is wasted. This set gave an official home to songs that had been live perennials for 10 years or more, with a hidden gem in “Between Two Fires”—another of those funky, mysterious numbers with depth to match the groove. Tape www.OFFBEAT.com

“He never stopped writing songs, he never stopped pushing whatever his imitations were. And because he was always bringing new stuff in it kind of kept the band like that.”

groove. Everybody had different kinds of approaches to it, but it all came out as one groove. We could do a cover song and we didn’t care if it sounded like a cover song. The whole thing was an absolute surprise and the more it kept blossoming, the more we couldn’t wait to do more with the music. That’s why our shows in the beginning were like four and five hours long, because we couldn’t get enough of playing.” The fans became part of the package, wild supporters like “Willie-burnyour-shirt,” who would dance in a frenzy to the music and burn his shirt. Volker wrote about some of these characters in his songs. The Radiators quickly took over the venues where the Rhapsodizers had played—the Dream Palace, then Tipitina’s—and the legend grew. “The difference between the Rhapsodizers and the Radiators was that Becky didn’t really know how to play bass but she had great feeling,” Baudoin explained. “She could make one note played over and over sound great. There are some bass players that can’t do that. There were a lot of originals, and the Rads were able to take those originals and expand on them. The simplicity of the Rhapsodizers’ versions was good but inside of those songs were little dialogs and road maps that you could touch on. In between those places good things happened that made the Radiators what we were.”

Fishheads Volker dubbed the Rads’ style “fish head music.” The band began to expand its audience and gradually realized that fans calling themselves Fishheads were spawning all over the country. “I remember one of the first gigs out east, I think it was in North Carolina, we started playing and people were yelling out the names of the songs—our songs,” said Volker. “It was astonishing. I wanted to make it interesting for me and for the other members of the band, but the audience picked up on it. We would mix it up going from a Muddy Waters song to a Meters type of song to a Merle Haggard song as well as the whole New Orleans canon. We were firmly grounded in the eclecticism of the 1960s.”

traders already owned multiple versions of these songs, but they welcomed it anyway. The Radiators (Rattlesby, 2001): Picking up where New Dark Ages left off, this was another serious studio album, sometimes with an even darker tinge: Taking on the era of downsizing, “Falling Through the Bottom Line” is one of the grittiest songs in the catalogue, with a suitably intense vocal. There was a move www.OFFBEAT.com

RY ST O

The band signed to Epic Records and made three nationally distributed albums from 1987–89 before Epic was bought out by Sony. That would have been a logical time for most bands to break up. But the Radiators felt that leaving Epic freed them to be themselves again, and the band gleefully returned to touring in the spots where there was a strong fan base, and to making albums on their own. “I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that whatever Ed’s vision is or whatever his approach is to what he’s doing, he never stopped,” said Scanlan. “He never stopped writing songs, he never stopped pushing whatever his limitations were. And because he was always bringing new stuff in it kind of kept the band like that. It’s not like those bands that’ve all got big egos and start saying ‘Well, I’m the guy that made it happen’ or whatever. We knew there was something about us as a unit. We didn’t talk about it but that was always the Prime Directive. It was in the band, not about the individuals.” Nevertheless, the margins of error for a touring rock band were shrinking, and though the band continued to play memorable shows and make great recordings (see Brett Milano’s “Wild and Free: The Radiators on Disc”) the high wire act became more and more difficult to accomplish. “After 9/11 the road started squeezing tighter and tighter,” Volker said. “There was enhanced security, and our fortunes started waning a little bit so we weren’t playing multiple nights when we traveled, so there was a lot more roadwork which meant a lot of riding from town to town.” Entropy eventually catches up with everything. The pressures Volker started noticing continued to mount, and the band was forced to make more concessions to the shrinking economic margins. The flood and subsequent evacuation of New Orleans posed another challenge, which may have actually extended the band’s life, as New Orleans musicians shouldered the awesome responsibility of maintaining their city’s cultural identity in the aftermath of the deluge. Like many of their peers, the Radiators represented why New Orleans mattered at a time when the city’s future was very much in doubt.

here to broaden the sound—bringing backup singers and percussionist Michael Skinkus into the studio—and to have a real variety of material, from reggae to hometown R&B to soul ballads (“I Don’t Speak Love,” a live perennial) to greasy roadhouse rock. One of their slide-guitar rockers, “Long Way Down,” is a moment of flatout joy. Earth vs. the Radiators: The First 25 (Image, 2004): The band celebrated its 25th anniversary

V ER CO

with its most ambitious recording project, recording three nights of anniversary shows at Tipitina’s for a DVD and double CD. It’s their all-star jam album with horn players Mark Mullins and Karl Denson given plenty of room to move. Gregg Allman turns up to sing “Midnight Rider,” and Scanlan even turns the bass chair over to George Porter, Jr. for a few tunes. There are still a few tastes of straight-up Rads, including some new gems: At least one Radiators fan—specifically a fan who writes articles like this one—got engaged to “Lovely You.” Dreaming Out Loud (SCI Fidelity, 2006): Though their final studio album wasn’t intended as a post-Katrina statement (most JA N U A RY 2 016

CO V

ER S TOR Y

“It was a lot of fun being in the Radiators but even more important is the fact that we made a difference in a lot of people’s lives.”

Last Watusi Finally, Volker told his bandmates he was retiring from the road, and the group played its “Last Watusi” shows in June of 2011. Volker gave the others his blessing to continue on with a new lineup, but they also knew it couldn’t really be the Radiators without him. Malone, Baudoin and Bua formed a couple of offshoot groups, Raw Oyster Cult and Fishhead Stew. Scanlan put renewed energy into a band he had already been playing with, the New Orleans Suspects. And Volker concentrated on writing, cleaning up his archives, and playing in smaller lineups like Jolly House and Trio Mollusc. The Radiators had broken up, but the fans were relentless in clamoring for an encore. After their last shows, the band was convinced by Quint Davis to reform and play at Jazz Fest. Annual January anniversary reunions at Tipitina’s followed suit. To this day Fishheads can still convene a couple times a year to celebrate that community. As some of the most prominent of those fans pass on, including krewe organizers and tapers like Karl Bremer, Paul Toracinta and Eric Vandercar, the reunions become as much about memorializing them as keeping the party rolling.

of the songs were written earlier) it plays like one, with dogged optimism in a few places and sober taking-stock in others (like “Don’t Pray For Me,” a rare Rads version of a Dave and Tommy Malone song). There are surprises here too, with “Rub It In” being a fairly intense love song that features rare Volker/Malone harmonies. The inspirational finale “Shine Tonight” joins the ranks of first-class Radiators songs that were hardly ever heard again. Wild & Free (Radz, 2008): After all these years there was still a lot of unreleased material yet to be collected. Much of it found a home on this double rarities collection, including the newly recorded, insanely catchy “Where Was You At?” One of Volker’s more ambitious pieces, the four-song suite “Songs From the Ancient Furnace,” was a highlight, as

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

“Looking back it’s been a great run,” said Baudoin. “But what really stands out is how so many people that we’ve met over the years got so much out of it. It was a lot of fun being in the Radiators but even more important is the fact that we made a difference in a lot of people’s lives.” “I was so fortunate to hook up with this group of guys, especially a songwriter as good as Ed Volker,” added Malone. “I’m very proud of what we did. We called our own shots and danced to our own music. All we had to do was look at our fan base to be reassured. We had a damn good run. If you sit back and try to put into perspective the different kinds of songs Ed wrote or I wrote or Ed and I wrote or someone else wrote it’s a hell of a body of work. Of all the things I might have been or might be, nothing will top being a Radiator.” “I think it’s one of the best bands America ever produced,” concluded Scanlan, “and I think Ed is one of the greatest songwriters around. I can’t believe he isn’t better known for his songwriting. There have been bands that played better than us, but our biggest legacy is that we were the catalyst for the creation of an amazing community. Everybody made everybody feel welcome. That’s our lifetime achievement, bringing people together.” O

was the original indie-single version of “Suck the Head.” A sequel volume was released in 2014. The Lost Southlake Sessions (Radz, 2009): Rediscovered after nearly 20 years, this was an abandoned session that preceded Total Evaporation, with which it shares a few songs. While Evaporation was a better album overall, this one’s looser with more of a soul vibe. Since a few of the songs were scrapped along with the album, they were new to even diehard collectors when it was finally released. A chorus hook like “Where there’s a free will, there’s got to be a freeway” was too good to leave in the dumper.

the greatest hits, it also catches a few never-recorded scragglers from their catalogue, like the Meters homages “Monkey Meet” and “Metric Man.” The set catches the high spirits of those farewell shows, but you’ll have to imagine the emotions that welled up when songs like “Last Getaway” and “Fall of Dark” came around. The three CDs don’t have everything that was played—as always they did three unique shows over three nights—and the last night’s final song, “Screwloose,” is notably missing. But of course, this only turned out to be the last time until the next time.

The Last Watusi (Radz, 2012): Bringing things full circle, the Rads end their recording career where it began, live at Tipitina’s. Partly a last tear through www.OFFBEAT.com

EATS

photos: Elsa Hahne

Lu Brow/Brennan's

“J

une Yamagishi is an amazing guitarist and performer and somebody I’ve enjoyed seeing so many times—his presence and his energy is really something to behold. I do [have an affinity for guitarists], but I always dated drummers... [laughs] Live music is one of the biggest draws of New Orleans. The amount of live music we have—we know this is a food city and a cocktail city, but the music is such a big part of it. Every time we get out-of-town visitors, they just go on and on about the amount of live music we have and how accessible it is—and how affordable! Maybe we don’t appreciate it enough because we have so much of it. June is one of my favorite people to see. The first time I saw him was maybe 15 years ago. For a while I thought he was our secret and that nobody else knew

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

about him... With Japan, we have this connection—they appreciate cognac and whisky and they make their own, so when I was putting together this cocktail for June, I wanted to use Japanese whiskey. It’s soft and beautiful, and I wanted to add the aromatic shiso leaf in there. I wanted to make a whiskey drink approachable to the guest—guests might not want to start with a glass of whiskey, so putting it into a cocktail is a great way to introduce them. You know, now that I think about it, I’ve never seen June drink anything. Maybe he doesn’t drink? Maybe all that energy is coming from a light source within him. I drink Chartreuse and love it. I was looking for something to add a bit of spice and pepper to this cocktail, so I played around with a few things and kept going back to Chartreuse. Shiso has almost a white pepper aroma, and I wanted to honor New

By Elsa Hahne

Orleans by putting a few dashes of Peychaud’s bitters in here too. I wanted the drink to not be sweet, because I wanted you to want to order a second one. Last night, I was out with friends having cocktails and I ordered us Last Words [gin, lime juice, Maraschino liqueur, Chartreuse] at another bar and my friends had never had one before—Chartreuse is an ingredient in that cocktail. And my friend said, ‘When we get back to Colorado, how will we find Chartreuse in the liquor store?’ And I said, ‘Look for the dustiest bottle, right next to the Galliano, where no one ever looks.’ Chartreuse is delicious. Sometimes when I want something to drink, end-ofnight, and can’t think of what I want and I’m kind of all over the place, then I have Chartreuse. Sometimes just neat.”

The Wild Yamagishi 5 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 1/4 ounce Benedictine 1/2 ounce Chartreuse 2 ounces Hakushu Single Malt Japanese Whisky 1 fresh shiso leaf Gently rub the inside of a cocktail coupe with the shiso leaf (saving the leaf). In a mixing glass, combine all liquid ingredients. Stir (with ice) and then strain into the cocktail coupe. Use the shiso leaf for garnish. 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 Gelateria: 3005 Magazine St., 3422634; 621 St. Peter St., 302-2692 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

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

JAPANESE/KOREAN/SUSHI/THAI

COFFEE HOUSE

LOUISIANA / SOUTHERN

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

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

CREOLE/CAJUN

MEDITERRANEAN

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.,

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

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 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 Hard Rock Café: 125 Bourbon St., 529-5617 House of Blues: 225 Decatur St., 412-8068

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 LeBayou Restaurant: 208 Bourbon St., 525-4755 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 Clover Grill: 900 Bourbon St., 523-0904 Mimi’s in the Marigny: 2601 Royal St., 872-9868

Alexandra Scott hits the

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

The Joint: 701 Mazant St., 949-3232 Whoodoo BBQ: 2660 St Philip St., 230-2070

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

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 Parkway Bakery and Tavern: 538 Hagan Ave., 482-3047 Phil’s Grill: 3020 Severn Ave., Metairie, 324-9080; 1640 Hickory Ave., Harahan, 305-1705 Sammy’s Food Services: 3000 Elysian Fields Ave., 948-7361 Tracey’s: 2604 Magazine St., 897-5413 Ye Olde College Inn: 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-3683

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; 1913 Royal St., 948-9309 Wasabi: 900 Frenchmen St., 943-9433

BARBECUE

NEIGHBORHOOD JOINTS

Warehouse Grille: 869 Magazine St., 322-2188

Spot

When did you first come here? Not long ago, to get a sandwich and it was a great sandwich [beet flatbread with sunflower seed puree]. I'm a connoisseur of good vegetarian sandwiches. What's the landscape of those in the city? I'm sure there are many I don't know about because I tend to cook my own food, but my longrunning favorite is the Californian from Martin's without the turkey, and Stein's has a pressed one called the Hippie that's unbelievable.

What's good about the Sneaky Pickle? I love this place because you can eat a lot and come away feeling bouncy and energetic. That's the kind of food I like. When I first became vegetarian I just ate bagels all the time, and I was always exhausted. It took me a long time to figure that out. I would have bet literally a million dollars when I was 17 that a plate of food like Sneaky Pickle these greens would never be something I just 4017 St. Claude Ave. had to have—more than a bag of Doritos. (504) 218-5651 —Elsa Hahne www.OFFBEAT.com

Photo: ELSA HAHNE

899-8221 Kingfish: 337 Chartres St., 598-5005 Mr. B’s Bistro: 201 Royal St. 523-2078 Restaurant R’evolution: 777 Bienville St., 553-2277

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

DINING OUT

Pizza Delicious In the tidal wave of entrepreneurism that has washed over the city throughout the last decade, Michael Friedman and Greg Augarten are clear winners for the most delectable success story. Longing for the wide, pliant slices of pizza indigenous to their native New York, and unsatisfied with the local attempts at replication, the two Tulane graduates began experimenting with their own dough and sauce recipes in a shared catering kitchen in the Bywater simply called Delicious. Adopting the name of their venture from that location, Pizza Delicious became the city’s first pop-up restaurant in 2010, offering takeout service on Sunday nights to customers who eventually had to call in their orders before noon in order to reserve a pie for that night. Thursday night service was soon added, and the menu expanded with nightly salad and pasta specials. The snowballing momentum inspired the little pizzeria that could to move into a permanent location in 2012, transforming a corner of an

www.OFFBEAT.com

industrial warehouse space on Piety Street into a shining beacon of the power of small business. Six years after their humble founding, the pizzas are as good as ever, combining a mildly tart sauce with an ethereal crust that is simultaneously crispy and chewy. Purists may favor the simplicity of a slice of cheese or pepperoni for full appreciation of the crust, sauce and an appropriately minimal amount of cheese. But the rotating list of special pies is where the owners put their own spin on the New York classic. Chopped mushrooms are slow-cooked with garlic to a creamy consistency and interspersed with morsels of pancetta and sweet peppadews. Spicy béchamel replaces the standard tomato sauce as a base for thinly sliced potatoes seasoned with rosemary. Everyday sides include a house salad with mixed greens, shaved provolone and roasted red peppers in a balsamic vinaigrette, and a classic Caesar salad available with white anchovies. The house specialty rolls are pinwheels of pizza dough interlaced with melted mozzarella and pepperoni, cauliflower roasted into caramelized perfection, or a mixture of spinach and ricotta. The list of pastas changes seasonally but almost always includes firm, almost crunchy bucatini carbonara studded with pancetta and peas and showered in grated parmigiana.

Photo: renee bienvenu

EATS

Service is brisk when ordering by the slice, but patience is required when ordering whole pies. Pass the time by choosing from the short but smartly curated list of draft beers and wines by the glass or the bottle. As long as the weather is dry, the best seating is to be found on the patio where propane heaters warm customers awaiting a taste of the Big Apple in the Big Easy. —Peter Thriffiley 617 Piety Street, (504) 676-8482, Tue–Sun: 11a–11p, pizzadelicious.com

JA N U A RY 2 016

REVIEWS

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

Packaging Yesterday for Tomorrow

T’Monde Yesterday’s Gone (Valcour Records) Though trios have long been part of the Cajun musical landscape, don’t count on this threesome to be staunch traditionalists. T’Monde is Kelli Jones-Savoy (fiddle), Megan Brown (acoustic guitar), and Drew Simon (accordion). Though its members are masters of their respective instruments, T’Monde distinguishes itself further by singing and harmonizing in different combinations. Occasionally everyone sings; often Jones-Savoy or Brown will start a song with the other joining in on harmony. The rendition of the Davis Sisters’ “Just Like Me” is a real jewel, as Brown and Jones-Savoy sing angelically together for the song’s duration. The song selection isn’t more regurgitation of familiar standards but a creative fusion of classic country material and out-of-theway Cajun selections. Besides “Just Like Me,” T-Monde covers other French-translated country songs, like Hank Williams’ “Wedding Bells” and George Strait’s “When Did You Stop Loving Me,” but truthfully these songs have always been there, having been previously recorded by Belton Richard and Lesa Cormier and the Sundown Playboys, respectively. The title inspiring track, Webb Pierce’s “I

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

Don’t Care,” makes its Cajun music debut here. Simon exhibits impressive pushpull action on the Breaux Brothers’ instrumental “Tiger Rag Blues,” while Carl Hollier’s “My Life Will Continue” is beautifully rendered. “Bombay Bounce” comes from a bootleg recording’s unnamed interlude with a second verse and a turn added by Simon. If not for Brown’s poignant performance, “Knowing You Will Never Be Mine” could have withered away in obscurity. It’s one of only two sides recorded by the late Merlin Alleman, as part of Shorty Sonnier & the Lafayette Playboys, and interestingly was written by his wife Della. While many of these selections will probably enjoy a second life, expect Brown’s “Kara’s Bounce” and Simon’s “Tracasse Pas” to be fine additions to the repertoire. Yesterday may be gone but T’Monde takes slivers of it and packages it for tomorrow. —Dan Willging

Mike Zito & the Wheel Keep Coming Back (Ruf) This might be just another good album of hopped-up blues-rock in the Winter/Thorogood vein if not for Zito’s lyrics, which give things a little more of an emotional kick. The hard-charging title track is about his struggles as a musician, while “Chin Up” and “Get Busy Living” are both about the same thing—trying not to get discouraged despite a bunch of good excuses to do so. In each case, the wailing slide guitars and hopped-up tempos are there to underline the lyrical pep talks. The album’s centerpiece is “I Was Drunk”, written and sung with

Anders Osborne. It’s hardly the first confessional song Osborne’s written, but this one is unusually brutal in its self-assessment: Both singers admit to their failings as husbands and parents, until the last verse when a woman shows up and offers to help straighten them out. This is usually the point where this kind of song turns around, but not this time: “She’s gone, she’s happy, and I’m drunk” is the only resolution. The rest is more upbeat, but most of the songs have a point to make: “Cross the Border” isn’t specifically about immigration (though it has a nifty Spanish-styled guitar solo), but the universal need to leave the worst parts of life behind. The only lesser tracks are a pair of bar-band covers: “Get Out of Denver” doesn’t add much to Bob Seger’s original (or Dave Edmunds’ 1978 cover), and the sax solo on “Bootleg” misses the spare groove of Creedence’s original. Besides, after “I Was Drunk” you’re not quite ready to hear a happy song about liquor. —Brett Milano

Charlie Halloran & the Quality 6 Charlie Halloran & the Quality 6 (Independent) “Rollicking” best describes the music on this self-titled release by trombonist and leader Charlie Halloran. Since arriving on the New

Orleans scene from his St. Louis home in 2008, Halloran has turned up blowing with a number of likeminded, traditional jazz groups as a denizen of Frenchmen Street. Here he heads his own band filled with well-known artists including trumpeter Charlie Fardella, clarinetist Tim Laughlin, pianist Steve Pistorius, bassist Tom Saunders and drummer Walter Harris with Jimbo Mathus stepping in on vocals. If these guys’ music is familiar, it’s possible to have a good idea of the style—and goodtime vibe—they create when they merge as the “Quality 6.” For one, there’s a lot of old-school flavor in the horn players’ approach to the music. Halloran doesn’t forget that the trombone in particular holds what seems to be an innate quality to be humorous, with its low groans and slippery notes. The trombonist takes advantage of those personality traits throughout the album and it jumps out on the frisky “The Ramble.” Halloran and Pistorius go head to head on “Weather Bird,” as the composers—trumpeter Louis Armstrong and pianist Earl “Fatha” Hines—once did long ago. It’s a good selection on an album full of classics that are thankfully not the most familiar chestnuts in the traditional jazz songbook. —Geraldine Wyckoff www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS

The New Orleans Steamcog Orchestra Victory Through Steam (Lab Rock Records) By now you’ve probably heard of COG, that is, the Consortium of Genius, the ever-expanding melange of nerd-rock showoffs happily

pursuing world domination under the direction of mad scientist Dr. Milo T. Pinkerton III (who may actually be one Lewis D’Aubin IRL). Further muddying the waters, Lewis—never one to let a sci-fi trend go to waste—debuted the Confabulation of Gentry, a steampunk version of COG now doing business, with the

A Funky Investment Bobby Rush Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush (Omnivore) A four-disc box set containing 74 tracks that spans 1964 to the present day. The hardest working entertainer on the Chitlin’ Circuit and one our favorites; what immediately jumps out at the listener is that Rush is capable of jumping backing forth across the line between funk and blues while often saddling that line. A clever songwriter, he has the rare ability to create songs that are humorous and serious, often simultaneously. Born at Homer, Louisiana in 1933, he’d been around the block several times before moving to Chicago in the late 1950s. On his earliest energetic Chicago singles, Rush sounded eerily similar to fellow Windy City artist Syl Johnson. Although sides like “Gotta Have Money” and “Camel Walk” were only West and South Side hits, Rush’s sessions were put in the hands of legendary producers like Sonny Thompson, Monk Higgins, Calvin Carter and Vic Despenza. Rush’s breakout in 1971 turned out to be “Chicken Heads” (what can be funkier than a chicken head?) which appeared on Galaxy, a West Coast signature. Ironically, the national hit lead to an association with Shreveport’s Stan Lewis, who released several Rush singles on his Jewel imprint. Highlights from this era definitely include “Bowlegged Woman, Knock-Kneed Man” and “Niki Hoeky.” After Jewel, he flirted with the majors, cutting 45s for Warner Bros. and London as well as an LP, Rush Hour, produced by Gamble and Huff which appeared on Philadelphia International. Since most of Rush’s work was now in the Deep South, in 1981 he moved to Jackson, Mississippi where began an association with James Bennett at La Jam Records. Funky regional hits like “Sue” and “What’s Good For the Goose Is Good For the Gander Too” were added to Rush’s repertoire. A move to Urgent provided another Rush standby, “I Ain’t Studdin’ You.” Rush then made stops at the last two Southern powerhouse labels that still recorded down-home black music, Ichiban and Malaco. Highlights from Malaco—actually Waldoxy— were 1995’s “One Monkey (Don’t Stop No Show)”, “Lovin’ A Big Fat Woman” and the hilarious chucks of funk “Be Still” and “Hoochie Man” from 2000. By the new millennium, Rush’s audience began getting a little paler. To appease his new listeners, in 2003 he formed the Deep Rush label and released the CDs Undercover Lover and Folkfunk. Rush’s 2013 effort Down in Louisiana was on many folks’ list of best CDs for that year. With the set containing five hours of music, it would be impossible in this space to note all the great sides here. Plenty of vintage pics and informative notes, just as you’d expect. A wee bit pricy—also just as you’d expect—but if you unexpectedly find two or three Jacksons in your wallet, Chicken Heads would be a funky musical investment. —Jeff Hannusch www.OFFBEAT.com

JA N U A RY 2 016

REVIEWS incestuous family than a collection of separate bands, and the particular combination known as Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band (fronted by trombonist/vocalist Colin Myers) is one that hasn’t yet gotten the ink it deserves. Their latest release, Louder Than Last Time, kicks off with the celebratory “South Rampart Street Parade”—an instrumental that addition of some new collaborators, as the New Orleans Steamcog Orchestra. If you were expecting some darkwave, industrial cabaret, however, or even gypsy jazz— forget it. After the opening “Circus of Nightmares,” during which he accurately nails that Brecht-meets-Elfman dark carnival thing that’s swept over the city, he mostly settles into a selection of wacky trad-jazz, both his own (“28 Skidoo,” “Top Hat,” “Taco Supremo”) and others (takes on standards like “Sheik of Arabi,” “Tiger Rag,” and “Bill Bailey”). It’s fun, but not as much as COG’s original “Mystery Science Theater 3000”–meets–”Spinal Tap” construct: The covers are mostly hokey, ornamented as they are with lots of cartoonish xylophone and slide whistles, and the originals don’t have that mad scientist elan. The steampunk movement may not need a version of “Darktown Strutters’ Ball” which merely replaces “taxi” with “airship,” and “Ragtime Gal” (here titled “Hello My Baby”) should probably be left with Michigan J. Frog. Yet there are a few spots where you can see the Orchestra’s full potential. Lead singer and Round Pegs vet Tiffany Pollack does a damn fine job tackling both Josie Miles’ “Mad Mama Blues” and the deathless hidden cover “Buddy Bolden’s Blues,” and in their finest moment, the Orchestra transforms an old COG favorite, “Everyone Dies (But Me),” into some menacingly hilarious Sweeney Todd outtake. As for the rest, well, going Victorian is a bad time to lose your morbid edge. —Robert Fontenot

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

Jon-Erik Kellso and the EarRegulars In the Land of Beginning Again (Jazzology) Detroit-born, New York City resident, trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso and guitarist and vocalist Matt Munisteri, a regular member of the EarRegulars, meet up with New Orleanians clarinetist Evan Christopher and bassist Kerry Lewis for In the Land of Beginning Again. The session was recorded here in the Crescent City. Because of the instrumentation of the drumless quartet, as well as the selections—originals and covers (none of which are composercredited)—the music often represents a softer side of traditional jazz. Any time Evan Christoper blows his clarinet, he contributes a certain elegance to a situation. And though Kellso’s trumpet offers a brasher tone, it pairs well in a musical conversation with the clarinetist on “Kissing My Baby Goodnight.” Lewis’ bowed bass brings richness to “Blues in My Heart,” with Munisteri’s strummed guitar providing the essential rhythmic foundation. The guitarist then takes over for a fine solo of his own. We learn from the liner notes that one of the few upbeat, swinging tunes on the album, “Out of the Gate,” comes from Kellso’s pen. It offers a good contrast to the quieter, bluesier and more romantic moments on the disc. —Geraldine Wyckoff

Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band Louder Than Last Time (Independent) Frenchmen Street’s trad jazz all stars are more like one big,

shows off the group’s infectious energy and the seamless way their brass and reeds meld together—and ends with “Enjoy Yourself, it’s Later Than you Think,” a lively dance tune with a very New Orleans message set to the cheeky vocal stylings of guest singer Meschiya Lake. The lineup of big band crooner classics and Big Easy favorites is consistently enjoyable and delivers

A Fitting Tribute Danny Barker Danny Barker—New Orleans Jazz Man and Raconteur (GHB Records) Danny Barker—New Orleans Jazz Man and Raconteur stands as a wonderful musical portrait of the legendary guitarist, banjoist and composer through five decades of his recording career. The two-disc package includes a 24-page booklet complete with a comprehensive biography of Barker and vintage photos—including the first of him taken as a musician. The music was compiled by drummer Trevor Richards and pianist Lars Edegran, who acted as producer and executive producer, respectively. It’s obvious from the care and attention paid to the sound quality of the recordings, some dating back to the 1940s, and the complete listings of artists on each of the 34 tracks, that producing this set was a labor of love. The lagniappe of the package are two interviews with Barker, which are historically informative and offer a peek into his great wit and style. Disc one primarily highlights Barker’s adeptness as a rhythm guitarist and sideman with a variety of groups, starting with a 1944 version of “Stompin’ at the Savoy.” It’s wonderful that the solid rhythmic base that he brings to the swinging classic can be experienced so clearly. It speaks to why Barker’s prowess on rhythm guitar was utilized by bandleader Cab Calloway. Barker does have the opportunity to show off some of his intriguing fingerwork when soloing on “Squeeze Me,” which was recorded in 1947 in New York with an all-star band. The second disc, which presents selections from the 1950s to 1991, features Barker more as leader, as a banjoist (though he’s still heard on guitar), as a vocalist and as a composer. It starts out with one of his classics, Mardi Gras Indian–influenced “Tootie Ma Is a Big Fine Thing,” which was recorded in New York circa 1955. He’s also heard playing in his uncle Paul Barbarin’s band on the drummer’s “Second Line.” His wife, the marvelous Blue Lu Barker, turns up to sing several numbers, including a slippery version of “Gulf Coast Blues” and the humorous “It’s Right Here,” recorded in 1965 in New Orleans. Lots of familiar names from New Orleans start turning up on disc two, with Barker performing with band leaders like clarinetist Pud Brown, trombonist Louis Nelson and fellow sidemen such as trumpeter John Brunious and pianist Jeanette Kimball. Danny Barker—New Orleans Jazz Man and Raconteur is set for release just in time to celebrate his 117th birthday on January 13. It’s a fitting tribute to a great man and musician and a gift to all those who loved him and generations to come. —Geraldine Wyckoff www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS

what you’d expect of modern New Orleans–style trad jazz. The group is at their most ear-catching when they stray into more exotic territory: the galvanic Middle Eastern-sounding intro to “San,” a few impossibly nimble solos by gypsy jazz guitarist Russell Welch, the tresillo-heavy “Moon Over Cuba,” the way “I’m Crazy ’Bout My Baby” dips unexpectedly into a heavy-swinging island lilt for a brief moment and the jingly fiesta percussion of “Tijuana Taxi.” These moments tend to better highlight Paul Thibodeaux’s versatile drumming abilities and knack for using unconventional timbres. And as a side note, more frequent and more prolonged Thibodeaux solos probably couldn’t hurt any album. Typical of this style of jazz, the recorded version is never quite the same as watching the fingers fly in real time (and the vocals in particular didn’t translate in the studio with quite the same force.) Anyone familiar with the individual musicians might wish for a few more really distinctive, drawn out solos to show off what each of them can do, but on the flip side, a real strength of the album is how it shows off the chemistry of the group as a whole. Louder Than Last Time is a lively, danceable, well-balanced, and overall solid recording, the perfect memory to take home after a boisterous live show. —Laura DeFazio

Ironing Board Sam Super Spirit (Big Legal Mess) The iconoclastic punks of Big Legal Mess music and producer/ guitarist/blues mystic Jimbo Mathus are great music people to bring out the goods in the mysterious piano man Ironing Board Sam. These folks www.OFFBEAT.com

are great at either taking an artist’s music and putting it in a whole new context or amping it up way past 11. Sam has never had a problem with his intensity, creativity, or soul, but Mathus and producer Bruce Watson hone it and update it. There is a good mix of 1990s rock ‘n’ roll and 1970s slow-burn rhythm and blues. Some numbers here, such as “The Thrill Hunt,” gradually stretch the tension like a rubber band before letting it release slowly or, like the philosophical spoken word statement title track, never let it go at all. Those songs give an ominous and eerie texture to this record. Sam’s keyboard work, while present, is toned down. There are fewer solos and fewer pianos in the arrangements. However, the record puts the focus on Sam’s voice, which has the grit of a man who has earned every blues he thinks and says. The band is loose enough to roll with Sam’s feel but tight enough to keep everything together. The sound here is modern and slightly adventurous for a blues record. However, when highlighting a man who once performed in a 1500-gallon water tank at Jazz Fest and whose hot air balloon concert was only canceled by bad weather, it is the next step in this inventive musician’s career. —David Kunian

Deltaphonic Texas, Texas (Independent) New Orleans’ twisted take on Americana is naturally faster, funnier, funkier, and drunkier than Appalachian balladry or baroque folk or Southern garage blues or whatever. And at first blush, it looks like you’re about to get more of the same from Deltaphonic, especially if JA N U A RY 2 016

REVIEWS

Sonny Landreth reminisces about recording his fourth studio album, South of I-10, which featured Mark Knopfler.

Sonny Landreth South of I-10 (Zoo Entertainment)

“T

he fact that it has been 20 years has been a real slap of reality. I kind of always marked times of my life around whenever I made albums. That’s a point of reference for me. South of I-10 has a real sense of place that was brought to bear by every aspect of making it. Like the songs, production and especially the location, which was at Dockside Studios, on the Vermilion River in Maurice. Since everyone who was involved in the project stayed on the property, it also had a cool tribal vibe that gave a real strength-in-numbers feel to the tracks. That had never really happened before. We would all work hard, take a break and go outside and get inspired by the beauty of South Louisiana and bring that back into the songs about South Louisiana. It was a beautiful exchange and definitely one of the greatest experiences I ever had. It [Dockside] is on 11 acres. The property is beautiful. The studio was originally a barn which they revamped to a world-class studio. It had really nice rooms upstairs and a double-wide trailer right by the pool, which is right by the river. And there is a pond stocked with fish, a gazebo and a walkway to it. So, Kenneth Blevins—our drummer—he’s really into fishing. He’d spend a lot of time down there between tracks. When Mark Knopfler [of Dire Straits] came to town … I had my hand-me-down Oldsmobile from my parents, this huge Oldsmobile 98. Mark and his wife Kitty got on the back seat and they loved that. I drove them to Breaux Bridge … going down the Breaux Bridge Highway, listening to all this cool zydeco music on the radio, the windows are down. It was really magical. I took them to Mulate’s, ate and danced. So, it was a great time and all of that really influenced the

songs. The spirit of that was really captured and set the bar of excellence for anything I’ve done since. I was in the double-wide at one point, working late at night and suddenly the whole room lit up and everything was moving and shaking. It was like an earthquake out in Los Angeles that I have been through before. Apparently, this opossum holed up in the back of the console and I hadn’t realized it. I heard all this scratching, and it came flying out of there and ran down the hall and jumped in the—they had a place for a washer and dryer that wasn’t in there. But, they had the PVC pipe for it, for the outflow. I had no idea anything that big could fit through that, but he dove through the pipe. I had this speaker box from this company that I really didn’t care for. I didn’t know what to do with it, so I put that on top of the drain pipe. Steve Nails, the owner, he got a lot of mileage out of that. He started calling it ‘Opossum Holler.’ When I overdub, I play with my eyes closed, and next thing I know everything is moving, shaking and there is just this white light all over everything. It was bizarre and the only thought I had was being abducted by a UFO and then realizing that my last moment would be with my guitar and this opossum. We are going to disappear into the sky. It was a tug boat that had pulled up alongside the trailer. They had this really pretty red glass lamp in the window, so I don’t know if these guys got the idea that there was something else going on in there and shot the flood light through there to check out [what] was going on. But it was just me and my guitar working on the album.” —Nick Pittman

"When Mark Knopfler came to town … I had my hand-me-down Oldsmobile from my parents... Mark and his wife Kitty got on the back seat and they loved that. I drove them to Breaux Bridge..."

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

you missed last year’s debut EP Outlaw: The cover of the new album paints an alien mural on a car and then sets it on fire in the middle of nowhere, as if titles like “Skank,” “Jailbird,” “Two Cigarettes” and “Forgiveness” didn’t already clue you in. Listen closely to this local roots power trio, however, and you’ll find a surprising depth, not just in leader Andrew T. Weekes’ compositions, but in his arrangements as well. Yes, these 11 tracks work just fine as road trip music for problem drinkers who like to think of themselves as one step ahead of the law, but there’s a real humanity here, not to mention the kind of regret you can only feel once opportunities and not just dive bars start closing. Usually you feel it in the bitter chill of a minor key or a sad harmony that blows in out of nowhere, but occasionally a shift in musical direction happens, too, like the band inexplicably shifting into disco in the middle of “The City” or getting reflective in the apocalypse of “Six Miles” or suddenly backing off their typical Clutchy redneck vocals and badass wah-wah to contemplate the true nature of “Forgiveness.” And “Skank” is… okay, that one’s pretty much one-dimensional (“Met her down by the Flying J”), though not to the point of slut-shaming (“Still she hopes I’m shooting blanks… I’m a skank too”). Most impressive might be the way Weekes keeps Deltaphonic from wearing out their welcome— there’s not a wasted note here, and even the contemplative stuff makes its case in five minutes. All that introspection starts to kill the party near the end of Texas, Texas, www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS but it seems like a fitting end: Weekes even throws in a hidden track of nonsense, as if to confirm that he’s ultimately running from his own truth. Those bad boys, always afraid of their feels, am I right? —Robert Fontenot

Lars Edegran’s Palm Court Jazz All Stars Hello Dolly (GHB Records) This recording was issued in conjunction with an upcoming European tour by Lars Edegran’s Palm Court Jazz All Stars. Hello Dolly represents the third in a series of CDs released under that moniker and in similar fashion. The target audiences were naturally the loyal fans of New Orleans traditional jazz from “across the pond.” Thus, there are no real surprises here though the cast of characters is stellar. It includes New Orleans residents and natives coming from several generations, with Edegran on piano and guitar, vocalist/trumpeter Gregg Stafford, trombonist/vocalist Robert Harris, vocalist Topsy Chapman, cornetist Kevin Louis, bassist Richard Moten and drummer Jason Marsalis. Clarinetist and saxophonist Sammy Rimington, a native of England and frequent visitor to New Orleans and especially to the Palm Court Jazz Cafe, is highly featured on both instruments throughout the program. His horn weaves well among the group. Though Louis Armstrong’s version of “Hello, Dolly!” won a Grammy in 1965, among classic jazz aficionados it is considered a step away from his real art into commercialism. It’s not the best song here either. Chapman, who sings the album’s title cut, fares better on the bluesy “Trouble in Mind.” The slower songs like “Moonlight Bay,” on which Stafford vocally reaches deep into old-school, seem to fare the best in the repertoire. It is unfortunate and surprising that no credits are given to the composers of any of the classic tunes that fill

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

the album. It’s important that the writers’ names be remembered along with their music. —Geraldine Wyckoff

Will Payne Harrison Louisiana Summer (Independent) If Louisiana Summer were a person—and this reviewer has no idea how closely it resembles its artist, former Onlies leader Will Payne Harrison—it would be a likable chap, earthy but upbeat, genial, open-hearted, honest. Realness has never been his problem. But Harrison’s voice hasn’t gotten any stronger or more assured since leaving his old band, and neither have his lyrics. Without former co-lead Fawn Wilson’s cowboy chanteuse vocals, his songs are remarkably plain, almost amateurish on his solo debut, and that’s not said idly. There are any number of phrases here borrowed from other, better sources, like his assertion of “three chords and the truth” (thank you, Harlan Howard) or his problem with “grasping at the wind” (Donovan trying to be Dylan) or the first of his “102 Reasons” to be in love: “Because you’re you” (Victor Talking Machine Company, 1907). Summer certainly sounds like a first-rate Americana album, recorded as it was in Nashville with fiddle and mandolin accompaniment, and you certainly can’t fault Will’s faith, his openness, or his positivity. On “Louisiana Rain,” he even comes pretty close to creating something personal, a travelogue about meeting sketchy people

in sketchy places and then finding yourself drenched in longing for home. For once, his often flat and wobbly vocals sound vulnerable, not merely hesitant. But that moment is a rare one for Louisiana Summer, and as for the rest, well, sometimes even the transparency of his quest can come back and bite his ass: “Blaze a new trail/ Don’t be afraid to fail/ Just make up the words as you sing.” —Robert Fontenot

Fred Charlie Parti M’Amuser (Acadiana Records) Though not as recognized by some, Fred Charlie has contributed to Cajun culture over the years through his songwriting, recording studio, radio shows and Cajun

French language instructional CDs. The impetus for this particular recording were Charlie’s five new songs, which range from lighthearted fare such as dancing and playing music to more serious matters like tragedy and love lost. “J’apris Partir Marron” deviates from the dancehall spirit with a stark twin fiddle, acoustic guitar and slow bow-drag upright bass accompaniment. “Marron,” a cultural reference to an outsider who mysteriously appears without a past, tells the story of a fleeing fugitive who will never see his family again. But instead of billing this as Fred Charlie and the Acadiana Cajuns, Charlie instead enlisted his competent group of monthly jammers, consisting of over 20 musicians, including 7

Heartbreaking Ballads Gregg Martinez Soul of the Bayou (Louisiana Red Hot Records) With his third disc since his return home to Southwest Louisiana, soulster Gregg Martinez has quietly established that he belongs with the best crooners in the state. He’s an egoless peer of legends T.K. Hulin and G.G. Shinn; nationally he’s been compared to Sam Cooke and Luther Vandross. Even his association with Donald Trump when he sang at the moppyhaired’s casino hasn’t tarnished his reputation. While 2013’s Creole Soul showcased Martinez’s ability to swing with a hot beat, this edition focuses on what he does best: uncovering and delivering gripping, heartbreaking ballads. He’s the rare breed of vocalist who can convince you that the protagonist’s tragedy is really your story, and lines like “A broken heart is afraid to love again” and “These teardrops wouldn’t fall if I had any pride left at all” only affirm his sincerity. On “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye,” one of three originals heard here, Martinez belts with impressive raw power, shackled by pain and hurt reminiscent of how James Brown emoted on “Please, Please, Please.” Though there’s heartbreak here, it’s not all about reaching for the Kleenex box. Martinez can lift souls too, whether it’s rockin’ with Sonny Landreth (“That Old Wind”) or joking about the 25 women who once followed him out of the club on the rollicking fish story “Mac Daddy.” Having a crack band only adds fuel to an already raging fire. Keyboardist Charles Ventre rolls eloquently with the touch of a jazz master; Saxophonist Mike Pollard always has a top shelf solo in store. Another Gregg, Kingston, makes the slide guitar intro of Ann Peebles’ horn-punchy “I Can’t Stand The Rain” distinct from other versions. Once again, Martinez raises the bar. —Dan Willging www.OFFBEAT.com

REVIEWS accordionists and 6 fiddlers. Despite these constant personnel changes, the proceedings maintain a reasonable sense of continuity. Additionally, Charlie reprises his “Mom, Dis Moi,” which was recorded by Cajun Tradition on its 1988 Grammy-nominated debut A La Veille Facon. “La Lettre,” previously recorded by Donald Fontenot et Les Amis De La Louisiane, is also a Charlie original but has never appeared on any of his recordings until now. Though he isn’t exactly a crooner, his phrasing has always been clear and his diction formidable. —Dan Willging

La Récolte Le Deuxième (Lost 45s Production) With ‘la récolte’ meaning ‘the harvest’ and le deuxième being ‘the second time,’ the band’s name and CD title tie together perfectly. La Récolte’s second harvest is much more abundant and sonically fruitful than its budget-constrained 2013 debut, thanks to recording engineer Joel Savoy who skillfully captured the band’s buoyant dance hall sound. With the addition of Joel Breaux, who replaces departed fiddler Jourdan Thibodeaux, La Récolte gains a high tenor vocalist who’s a classic Cajun throwback. He sounds great on the beautiful pair of Belton Richard tunes as well as “Jai Fait Mon Ideé,” a staple of another high tenor vocalist, Shirley Bergeron. Ironically, bassist Paul Borel comes fairly close to sounding like D.L. Mennard on “La Port En Arriere” (“The Back Door”). While Shane Bellard has adequate pipes, on accordion he really has the chops to cook on Octa Clark’s technically challenging “Cajun Hot Soles.” Just as La Récolte realizes that seeds were planted by those who came before it, the group also plants seeds of its own with four band originals. Three were written by Bellard while a fourth, a zesty theme song “La Récolte Two-Step” was co-written by Bellard and www.OFFBEAT.com

drummer Chris LaFleur. Bellard’s most poignant offering is “La Valse de Petite Fille,” a fatherly devotion to a daughter, starting at birth and ending at marriage. With this harvest in hand, La Récolte’s future looks fertile. —Dan Willging

Duke Robillard The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard (Stony Plain) One of the most prolific sixstringers of the last three decades, Duke Robillard has averaged a new album annually since he left Roomful of Blues in the mid-1980s. He goes unplugged here and the sound is positively old-timey. In addition to the guitar, Robillard also plays the dobro, uke, tenor harp, mandolin and cümbüs. And the man can play them all outstandingly. Although he presents a handful of decent originals, the highlights here are the traditional songs. Of the older blues, Big Bill Broonzy’s “Big Bill Blues,” John Estes’ “Someday Baby,” Robert Jr. Lockwood’s “Take A Little Walk With Me” and Eddie Miller’s “I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water” are strong vehicles for Robillard’s approach. There’s also some traditional mountain music in the mix, including the Delmore Brothers’ “Nashville Blues,” ole Hank’s “Let Turn Back the Years” and Jimmie Rodgers’ “Jimmie’s Texas Blues.” The strongest tracks can be heard back-to-back halfway into the set. Robillard teams up with vocalist Sunny Crownover for an absolutely haunting take of Robbie Robertson’s “Evangeline,” a song that is especially meaningful to folks around this way. The other track, “Left Handed,” is both clever and downright hilarious. Robillard also gets some help from Maria Muldaur, who is featured vocalist on the risque “Santa Claus Blues,” and the legendary Jay McShann, who is behind the 88s on “Profoundly Blue.” Quite a pleasant listen from beginning to end. The perfect listen for when you’re sitting on the porch with a glass of lemonade or something a little harder. —Jeff Hannusch JA N U A RY 2 016

Find complete listings at offbeat.com—when you’re out, use offbeat.com/mobile for full listings on any cell phone.

Listings

EXPRESS

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

THURSDAY DECEMBER 31 Bombay Club: Meryl Zimmerman Quartet (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 6p, Tom McDermott and friends (JV) 9p Chiba: Steve Malinowski (PI) 6p Chickie Wah Wah: Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen (FK) 10p Columns Hotel: Ted Long’s Rockin’ New Year’s (VR) 9p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Honey Island Swamp Band, Colin Lake (RR) 10p Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 5:30p Dragon’s Den: the ILL Vibe with DJ Matt Scott (VR) 10p Funky Pirate: Marc Stone Duo (BL) 4p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Hi-Ho Lounge: Debauche, Slow Burn Burlesque (VR) 9p House of Blues: Better Than Ezra (RK) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Rebirth Brass Band, Big Sam’s Funky Nation (FK) 10p Hyatt Regency: Big Night New Orleans feat. Cowboy Mouth, Brass-A-Holics, Flow Tribe and others (VR) 9p Joy Theater: A Truly Funky Affair with Foundation of Funk feat. Zigaboo Modeliste and George Porter Jr., the New Mastersounds, the West Coast Horns, Eddie Roberts, Joe Tatton (FK) 9p Kerry Irish Pub: Mark Hessler and friends (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7 & 10:30p Little Tropical Isle: Allen Hebert (RK) 5p, Mike Berger (RK) 9p Maison: Jon Roniger, Emily Estrella and the Faux Barrio Billionaires (VR) 4p, New Orleans Suspects, Hot 8 Brass Band, Fat Ballerina (FK) 10p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich featuring Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, June Yamagishi, Charlie Wooton (FK) 11p

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

One Eyed Jacks: Soul Sister presents Soul Train NYE Party (SO) 10p Palm Court Jazz Club: Palm Court Jazz All-Stars with Lars Edegran, James Evans, Robert Harris, Duke Heitger, Tim Paco and Jason Marsalis (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: Hall Lane Syne feat. Preservation HallStars with Shannon Powell (TJ) 10p Republic: A New Year’s Revolution feat. the Hood Internet, DXXXY, Musa, KTRL (VR) 9p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Tab Benoit (BL) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony NYE Show (JV) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Tipitina’s: Galactic, Naughty Professor (FK) 10p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 4p, Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass (KJ) 8:30p Vaughan’s Lounge: the Heart Attacks (JV) 10p

FRIDAY JANUARY 1

Banks Street Bar: Unite the Vibe Music and Arts Festival feat. Sweet Jones, Jimmy Wayne Garrett, Kalia, Lyric Baron, Elon Hornsby, Nate Hancock, DH Ahalo (RB) 7:30p Bombay Club: David Harris (MJ) 8:30p Buffa’s: Jerry Jumonville (VR) 5p, Dr. Jimbo Walsh and Company (JV) 8p, Offensive Jazz Quartet (JV) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: Michael Pearce (BL) 6p, Alvin Youngblood Hart (BL) 9p, Leo “Bud” Welch (VR) 10:30p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 6p, Big Sam’s Funky Nation (FK) 11p Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Loose Marbles (JV) 7p; Upstairs: Comedy Fuck Yeah (CO) 8p, Latin Night (LT) 11p Hi-Ho Lounge: Crooked Vines, Roar (FK) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 5p, Hurricane Refugees (FO) 9p Le Bon Temps Roule: Tom Worrell (PI) 7p Maison: Dinosaurchestra, Roamin’ Jasmine, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 1p, the Essentials (SO) 10p Maple Leaf: Chris Mule’s Birthday Extravaganza (VR) 11p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Tornado Brass Band feat. Darryl Adams (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall Brass Band feat. Daniel Farrow (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: the Iguanas (VR) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8 & 10p Three Muses: Royal Roses (JV) 5:30p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p W XYZ Bar (Aloft): Aaron Lopez Barrantes (VR) 5:30p

SATURDAY JANUARY 2

Banks Street Bar: Unite the Vibe Music and Arts Festival feat. Jimmy Wayne Garrett, Ryan Gregory Floyd, the Quickening, Plum Magnetic, Fifth Men, Nate Hancock, All For One Brass Band, Sugarbear (RB) 6:30p Bombay Club: Stephen Gordon Trio (MJ) 8:30p Buffa’s: Red Hot Jazz Band (JV) 11am, Sabrina Portwood (JV) 5p, Leslie Cooper’s Birthday with the Asylum Chorus (VR) 8p, Carolyn Broussard (VR) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: Lightnin’ Malcolm (BL) 9p, Honey Island Swamp Acoustic (RR) 10p Crazy Lobster: Reggae Band (RE) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Dirty Dozen Brass Band (BB) 11p

Dragon’s Den: Thomas and Theresa (SS) 5p, Eight Dice Cloth (JV) 7p, Connections with Eel Sauce (VR) 10p; Upstairs: Talk Nerdy to Me (BQ) 8p Funky Pirate: Marc Stone Duo (BL) 12p, Mark and the Pentones (BL) 4p, Blues Masters feat. Big Al (BL) 8:30p Gasa Gasa: Surfer Blood (ID) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: Close Me Out (CO) 7p, Hustle feat. DJ Soul Sister (FK) 11p House of Blues (Voodoo Garden): Big Al and the Heavyweights (BL) 1p Jazz National Historical Park: Treme Brass Band (BB) 12p Kerry Irish Pub: Mark Parsons (FO) 5p, Roux the Day (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7 & 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillainaires, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 1p, Big Easy Brawlers, Street Legends (VR) 10p Maple Leaf: Mike Dillon Band (FK) 11p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Battle of New Orleans: Score for Unity composed by Mike Rihner performed by John Mahoney Big Band (JV) 2p One Eyed Jacks: Little Maker presents A Tribute to the Last Waltz (VR) 10p Palm Court Jazz Club: Brian O’Connell and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Joint Chiefs of Jazz feat. Frank Oxley (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Deacon John and the Ivories Tribute to Toussaint (RB) 9p Snug Harbor: Chris Thomas King (BL) 8 & 10p Three Muses: Chris Peters (JV) 5p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Time Out: Andre Bohren (RR) 11a Tipitina’s: Lagniappe feat. DJ RQ Away, the Rahim Glaspy Experience (VR) 10p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p

SUNDAY JANUARY 3

Banks Street Bar: Kenny Triche Band (SS) 7p Bombay Club: David Boeddinghaus (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 10:30a, Rotondo McCord Jazz (JV) 4p, St. Roch Syncopators (JV) 7p Chickie Wah Wah: Lightnin’ Malcolm, Cary Hudson, Alvin Youngblood Hart (BL) 9p Crazy Lobster: Reggae Band (RE) 11a, Poppy’s All-Stars (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (JV) 6p Dragon’s Den: Church (EL) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic (CO) 8p, Vice Is Right (BQ) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p Kerry Irish Pub: Van Hudson (FO) 8p Maison: Luneta Jazz Band, Melanie Gardner, Too Darn Hot, Rue Fiya (JV) 1p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Palm Court Jazz Club: Lucien Barbarin and Sunday Night Swingsters (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Southern Syncopaters feat. Steve Pistorius (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Fais Do Do with Bruce Daigrepont (KJ) 5:30p Snug Harbor: James Singleton Quartet (MJ) 8 & 10p

Spotted Cat: Pfister Sisters (JV) 2p, Kristina Morales and Bayou Shufflers (JV) 6p, Pat Casey and the New Sound (JV) 10p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Trinity Episcopal Church: John Rankin (VR) 5p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass (KJ) 4p, Brandon Miller and Louisiana Inferno (KJ) 8:30p

MONDAY JANUARY 4

AllWays Lounge: Russell Welch Hot Quartet (GY) 8p Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Helen Gillet (JV) 7:30p Banks Street Bar: Lauren Sturm’s Red Beans and Rice Piano Night (JV) 7p Bombay Club: Josh Paxton (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Trent Pruitt (VR) 6p, Alexis and the Samurai (ID) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Insta-Gators (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Luke Winslow King (JV) 7p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 10p Dragon’s Den: Ainsley Matich (BL) 9p Funky Pirate: Mark and the Pentones (BL) 8:30p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 9p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 8p Maison: Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen (FK) 9p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Joint Chiefs of Jazz feat. Frank Oxley (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall Jazz Masters feat. Leroy Jones (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. All-Stars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Tropical Isle Original: Graham Robertson (RK) 5p, Whiskey Bar (RK) 9p

TUESDAY JANUARY 5

Banks Street Bar: Somerton Suitcase (RB) 9p Bombay Club: Matt Lemmler (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Eva Lovullo (VR) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Albanie Falletta (VR) 6p, Jon Cleary (PI) 8p Crazy Lobster: AC and the Heat (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Treme Brass Band (BB) 9p Dragon’s Den: Glasir, Auric, Proud/Father, Psychic Hotline, Mobsters of the Psyche (VR) 8p Eiffel Society: Tango Tuesday (LT) 7p Hi-Ho Lounge: Free Spirit Brass Band (BB) 10p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Jazz National Historical Park: Richard Scott (JV) 12p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Pentone (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Maison: Swinging Gypsies, Gregory Agid, TK Groove (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (RK) 11p Old U.S. Mint: Matt Hampsey and Down on Their Luck Orchestra (JV) 2p Preservation Hall: Southern Syncopaters feat. Steve Pistorius (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall-Stars feat. Shannon Powell (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Stanton Moore Trio (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 4p, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Russell Welch’s Mississippi Gypsy (JV) 10p

www.OFFBEAT.com

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 9p

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 6

Banks Street Bar: Major Bacon (BL) 10p Bombay Club: Tom McDermott (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Twelfth Night Celebration with Dr. Sick (JV) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: John Rankin (JV) 6p 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 Dragon’s Den: Reggae Night (RE) 10p French Market: Patrick Cooper and Ruby Ross (FO) 3p Hi-Ho Lounge: We Love Vinyl (VR) 6p, Shamarr Allen, DJ Chicken (FK) 9p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Lynn Drury (FO) 7p Maple Leaf: Cha Wa (MG) 9p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Kyle Roussel (JV) 2p One Eyed Jacks: Michael Che (CO) 10p Palm Court Jazz Club: Lars Edegran and Topsy Chapman with Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Mardi Gras Swing Kickoff with Benny Grunch (SI) 8p Snug Harbor: Delfeayo Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Chris Christy (JV) 4p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Antoine Diel and the New Orleans Power Misfits (JV) 10p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Debi and the Deacons (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p

THURSDAY JANUARY 7

Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski Duo with James Evans (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Alexandra Scott and Josh Paxton (VR) 5p, Tom McDermott and Aurora Nealand (JV) 8p Chiba: Tom Worrell (PI) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Phil DeGruy and Emily Robertson (VR) 6p, Lynn Drury (FO) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Jon Cleary (PI) 7p, Funk Monkey (FK) 10p Dragon’s Den: the Ill Vibe with DJ Matt Scott (VR) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: Mikayla Braun (VR) 8p House of Blues: Sabatoge: NOLA Tribute to the Beastie Boys (VR) 8:30p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Maison: Jon Roniger, Sweet Substitute, Dysfunktional Bone (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich and special guests (FK) 11p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (CW) 6p Old U.S. Mint: Leroy Jones (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Club: Leroy Jones and Katja Toivola with Crescent City Joymakers (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Lucien Barbarin (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Chubby Carrier (ZY) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Roger Lewis and Company (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p, Luke Winslow King (JV) 7:30p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 4p, Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass (KJ) 8:30p W XYZ Bar (Aloft): Motel Radio (VR) 5:30p

FRIDAY JANUARY 8

Banks Street Bar: Dapper Dandies (JV) 10p Bombay Club: Larry Scala (SI) 8:30p Buffa’s: Lucas Davenport (VR) 5p, the Honeypots (SO) 8p, Cole Williams (VR) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: Michael Pearce (BL) 6p, Helen Gillet (MJ) 9p, Happy Talk Band (RK) 10p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 6p, Pine Leaf Boys (KJ) 10p Dos Jefes: Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 10p

www.OFFBEAT.com

Dragon’s Den: Sturmlandia (SO) 6p, Loose Marbles (JV) 7p, Notel Motel (VR) 10p; Upstairs: Latin Night (LT) 11p Dragon’s Den: Upstairs: Comedy Fuck Yeah (CO) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: Gaslight Girls Burlesque (BQ) 8p House of Blues (The Parish): NOWM: John Doe’s Bday Bash (HH) 10:30p House of Blues: Strangelove: the Ultimate Tribute to Depeche Mode (VR) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Substantial, Marcel P. Black, the Essence, Tony (HH) 9p Joy Theater: Last Dance: Tribute to Donna Summer feat. Anais St. John and DJ Soul Sister (RB) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Mark Appleford (FO) 5p Maison: Eight Dice Cloth, Ramblin’ Letters, Shotgun Jazz Band, Soul Project (VR) 1p Maple Leaf: Cyril Neville’s “The Fire This Time” book release and record party (VR) 11p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Henry Turner Jr. and Flavor (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Club: Lucien Barbarin and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Southern Syncopaters feat. Steve Pistorius (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall Brass Band feat. Daniel Farrow (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Supercharger (VR) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 4p, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 6p, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings (JV) 10p Three Muses: Matt Johnson (JV) 5:30p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p W XYZ Bar (Aloft): Sam Doores (FO) 5:30p

SATURDAY JANUARY 9

Banks Street Bar: the Bills, Blood Bird (RK) 10p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski Trio with Alex Trampas (JV) 8:30p Buffa’s: Red Hot Jazz Band (JV) 11am, Michael Pellera and Miles Berry (JV) 5p, Calvin Johnson Native Son (JV) 8p, David Hull (JV) 11p Carrollton Station: Debauche (GY) 10p Chickie Wah Wah: the Lonely Lonely Knights (RK) 9p, Morning 40 Federation (RK) 10p Crazy Lobster: Reggae Band (RE) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p Creole Cookery: Mark Weliky Trio (JV) 11a d.b.a.: Little Freddie King (BL) 11p Dragon’s Den: Thomas and Theresa (SS) 5p, Andrew McGowan (VR) 7p; Upstairs: Talk Nerdy to Me (BQ) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: Brown Improv (CO) 8p, Hustle feat. DJ Soul Sister (FK) 11p House of Blues: Tooloji: A Tribute to Tool (VR) 9p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Neisha Ruffins (JV) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Speed the Mule (FO) 5p, Old Money (FO) 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillainaires, Loose Marbles, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 4p, Kumasi, Big Easy Brawlers (VR) 10p Maple Leaf: Song Dogs Reunion (VR) 11p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Palm Court Jazz Club: Brian O’Connell and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Joint Chiefs of Jazz feat. Frank Oxley (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p Publiq House: Camel Toe Lady Steppers Toe-Down Fundraiser for the Roots of Music feat. Sexual Thunder, Marina Orchestra, DJ RQ Away (VR) 8:30p Rivershack: Big Al and the Heavyweights (BL) 9p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Contraflow (RK) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Jason Marsalis (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 2p, Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Three Muses: Chris Peters (JV) 5p, Debbie Davis (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Time Out: Andre Bohren (RR) 11a Tipitina’s: Rebirth Brass Band (BB) 10p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p UNO Lakefront Arena: Bayou Blues Festival (BL) 8p

SUNDAY JANUARY 10

Banks Street Bar: Johnny Angel and Helldorado (CW) 7p Bombay Club: Tom Hook (PI) 8p

Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 10:30a, Nattie’s Songwriter Circle feat. Natasha Sanchez, Ruby Ross, Gardenia Moon and Michael Hebert (SS) 7p Chickie Wah Wah: the Americans (RK) 9p, Lost Bayou Ramblers (KJ) 10p Crazy Lobster: Reggae Band (RE) 11a, Poppy’s All-Stars (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (SI) 6p, Davis Coen (VR) 10p Dragon’s Den: Church (EL) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic (CO) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 5:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Irish Session (FO) 5p, Van Hudson (FO) 8p Maison: Royal Street Winding Boys, Loose Marbles, Leah Rucker (JV) 1p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Palm Court Jazz Club: Lucien Barbarin and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Kristofer Tokarski and Andy Schumm (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Yvette Voelker and the Swinging Heathens (JV) 2p, Kristina Morales and Bayou Shufflers (JV) 6p, Pat Casey and the New Sound (JV) 10p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p

MONDAY JANUARY 11

AllWays Lounge: Hot Club of Mazant (GY) 8p Banks Street Bar: Lauren Sturm’s Red Beans and Rice Piano Night (JV) 7p, South Jones (RK) 10p Bombay Club: Josh Paxton (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Trent Pruitt (VR) 6p, Alexis and the Samurai (ID) 8p Circle Bar: Phil the Tremolo King (VR) 6p, Cal Folger Day, Romantic Animal, Benjamin Shepherd (VR) 10p Crazy Lobster: the Insta-Gators (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Luke Winslow King (JV) 7p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 9p House of Blues (Foundation Room): Friends of Music presents Brooklyn Rider in Concert (CL) 7p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): NeonNoah, Deaf and Poor, West Without (ID) 9p Little Tropical Isle: Frank Fairbanks (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Maison: Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, Stoop Kids (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: George Porter Jr. Trio (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall Jazz Masters feat. Leroy Jones (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. All-Stars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Three Muses: Joe Cabral (JV) 7p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajungrass Duo (KJ) 4p, Cajun Drifters (KJ) 8:30p

TUESDAY JANUARY 12

Banks Street Bar: Simple Sound Retreat (RE) 9p Bombay Club: Matt Lemmler (PI) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Albanie Falletta (VR) 6p, call club (VR) 8p Columns Hotel: Alex McMurray and John Rankin (JV) 8p Crazy Lobster: AC and the Heat (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Treme Brass Band (BB) 9p Dixon Hall (Tulane University): Friends of Music presents Brooklyn Rider in Concert (CL) 8p Eiffel Society: Tango Tuesday (LT) 7p Hi-Ho Lounge: Free Spirit Brass Band (BB) 10p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Jazz National Historical Park: Richard Scott (JV) 12p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Pentone (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p

Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (RK) 11p Old U.S. Mint: Matt Hampsey and Down on Their Luck Orchestra (JV) 2p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall-Stars feat. Shannon Powell (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Stanton Moore Trio (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 4p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 6p, Orleans 6 (JV) 10p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 5p, Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 9p

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 13 Banks Street Bar: Major Bacon (BL) 10p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski with Andy Shumm (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p Chickie Wah Wah: John Rankin (JV) 6p Circle Bar: the Iguanas (RR) 6p 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 Dragon’s Den: Reggae Night (RE) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: We Love Vinyl (VR) 6p, Shamarr Allen, DJ Chicken (FK) 9p House of Blues (The Parish): Jet Lounge (HH) 11p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Coast 2 Coast Live Interactive Showcase (VR) 10p Kerry Irish Pub: Tim Robertson (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Lynn Drury (FO) 7p Maison: Bayou Saints, Jazz Vipers, Mutiny Squad (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Big Sam Trio aka BS3 (FK) 9p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Kris Tokarski (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Club: Lars Edegran and Topsy Chapman with Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: the Boogie Men (SI) 8p Snug Harbor: Delfeayo Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Chris Christy (JV) 4p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Antoine Diel and the New Orleans Power Misfits (JV) 10p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, April Mae and the Junebugs (JV) 7p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: La Maniere des Cadiens (KJ) 4p, Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass (KJ) 8:30p

THURSDAY JANUARY 14

Bombay Club: Davy Mooney (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Alexandra Scott and Josh Paxton (VR) 5p, Tom McDermott and Aurora Nealand (JV) 8p Chiba: Keiko Komaki (PI) 6p Chickie Wah Wah: Phil DeGruy and Emily Robertson (VR) 6p, Papa Mali (VR) 9p Circle Bar: Rik Slave’s Country Persuasion (CW) 6p, Dreamboat (VR) 10p Columns Hotel: Marc Stone (BL) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: the Iguanas (FK) 10p Dragon’s Den: Johnny Azari (BL) 7p, the Ill Vibe with DJ Matt Scott (VR) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: Simple Sound Retreat, 2nd String Jazz Team (VR) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (FO) 8:30p Maison: Jon Roniger, Emily Estrella, Dysfunktional Bone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich and special guests (FK) 11p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Greg Schatz (VR) 6p Old Point Bar: Rick Tobey (BL) 9p Old U.S. Mint: U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve Band Jazz Combo (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Club: Tim Laughlin with Crescent City Joymakers (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Lucien Barbarin (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Chris Ardoin (ZY) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Danny Barker Birthday Party with his Jazz Hounds (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p

JA N U A RY 2 016

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC

FRIDAY JANUARY 15

Banks Street Bar: Stella!, Violett (BB) 9:30p Bombay Club: Banu Gibson (JV) 8:30p Buffa’s: Marc Stone (BL) 5p, Dayna Kurtz (VR) 8p, Mojo Mudd (VR) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: Michael Pearce (BL) 6p, Mike Doussan Quintet (VR) 8p, Minus the Saint (VR) 9p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Cedryl Ballou and the Zydeco Trendsetters (ZY) 10p, Mason Ruffner (VR) 2am Davenport Lounge (Ritz-Carlton): Jeremy Davenport (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Loose Marbles (JV) 7p, Upstairs: Comedy Fuck Yeah (CO) 8p, Latin Night (LT) 11p Hi-Ho Lounge: the Fixers, Painted Hands, Ghost Boxing Champion (ID) 9p House of Blues (The Parish): A Live One: Tribute to Phish (CB) 9p House of Blues: Members of Buena Vista Social Club feat. Eliades Ochoa and Barbarito Torres (LT) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Mikayla and friends (VR) 10p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 5p, One Tailed Two (FO) 9p Little Tropical Isle: Reed Lightfoot (RK) 5p, Mike Berger (RK) 9p Maison: Dinosaurchestra, Luneta Jazz Band, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 4p, Big Easy Brawlers (BB) 11:59p Maple Leaf: Rads Afterparty feat. Honey Island Swamp Band and special guests (RR) 11p Metropolitan: Pussyfooters Ball (VR) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Henry Turner Jr. and Flavor (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Club: Danny Barker Festival (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Southern Syncopaters feat. Steve Pistorius (TJ) 6p, Big Easy Brawlers (BB) 11:59p Preservation Hall Brass Band feat. Daniel Farrow (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: the Wiseguys (JV) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 4p, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 6p, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings (JV) 10p Three Muses: Royal Roses (JV) 5:30p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: the Radiators Anniversary Show (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Brandon Miller and Louisiana Inferno (KJ) 4p, T’Canaille (KJ) 8:30p W XYZ Bar (Aloft): Pony Hunt (VR) 5:30p

SATURDAY JANUARY 16

Banks Street Bar: Deadly Fists of Kung Fu, Retro Electro, the Burl (RK) 10p Bombay Club: Matt Johnson (JV) 8:30p Buffa’s: Red Hot Jazz Band (JV) 11am, Mojo Mudd (VR) 5p, Royal Rounders (VR) 8p, Shine Delphi Quartet (JV) 11p Carver Theater: Celebrating Danny Barker feat. George French, Topsy Chapman, Charmaine Neville, John Boutte and others (JV) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Andrew Duhon (VR) 9p, Ship of Fools (VR) 10p, Wild Ponies (VR) 11p Contemporary Arts Center: Soundtrack ‘63 (VR) 7:30p Crazy Lobster: the River Gang (VR) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p Creole Cookery: Mark Weliky Trio (JV) 11a d.b.a.: Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 11p Dragon’s Den: Thomas and Theresa (SS) 5p, Dinos (VR) 7p, 3VO presents Mark Instinct (VR) 10p; Upstairs: Talk Nerdy to Me (BQ) 8p Harrah’s: Soul Rebels (BB) 4p Hi-Ho Lounge: Drunktoons (CO) 7p, Hustle feat. DJ Soul Sister (FK) 11p House of Blues (The Parish): T-Wayne, Rich the Kid, Tate Kobang, Tk N Cash, Rejjie Snow (HH) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Bayou Dread Reggae Band (RE) 10p Jazz National Historical Park: Treme Brass Band (BB) 12p Kerry Irish Pub: Mark Parsons (FO) 5p, Lonestar Stout (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 7 & 9p

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

Little Tropical Isle: Jay B. Elston (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Louisiana Music Factory: Lilli Lewis (VR) 2p, Billie Davies (VR) 3p, the Gallerist (VR) 4p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillainaires, Leah Rucker, Smoking Time Jazz Club (TJ) 7p, Musical Expression (BB) 11:59p Maple Leaf: Tribute to Brian Ashley White (VR) 6p, Rads Afterparty feat. Honey Island Swamp Band and special guests (RR) 11p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Louis Ford and Jon Beebe (JV) 2p Orpheum Theater: Soul Revival feat. Ellis Hall and the LPO performing the Music of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder (SO) 7:30p Palm Court Jazz Club: Brian O’Connell and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Joint Chiefs of Jazz feat. Frank Oxley (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Louisiana Spice (VR) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Carmen Lundy (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Russell Welch’s Mississippi Gypsy (JV) 2p, Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 10p

PLAN A: Lesseps Street Block Party The 5th Annual Michael Aaron and Billy Ding Lesseps Street Block Party and Feast will take over Vaughan’s Lounge and BJ’s in the Bywater on Friday, January 22. This year’s event will be the biggest yet, with over 10 acts scheduled to perform at the two neighborhood bars including Little Freddie King, R. Scully & the 7 Seven, Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Horns, the Happy Talk Band, Guitar Lightnin’ Lee, Johnny Mastro and many more. Of course, the party will once again play host to the World’s Shortest Second Line when the Egg Yolk Jubilee leads a roughly one block trek from Vaughan’s to BJ’s.

Little Freddie King

Three Muses: Chris Peters (JV) 5p, Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Time Out: Andre Bohren (RR) 11a Tipitina’s: the Radiators Anniversary Show (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Way Too Early (RK) 1p, Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p

SUNDAY JANUARY 17

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, the Tradsters (JV) 3p, Roamin’ Jasmine (JV) 7:30p Banks Street Bar: Kenny Triche Band (SS) 7p Bombay Club: Tom Hook (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 10:30a, Doyle Cooper’s Birthday Spectacle with Red Hot Jazz Band (JV) 7p Bullet’s Sports Bar: Danny Barker Festival Finale feat. Gregg Stafford, Lucien Barbarin, Steve Pistorius, Leroy Jones and Kermit Ruffins (JV) 2p; Wiz (VR) 6p Chickie Wah Wah: Edgardian Angels (VR) 5p, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 8p Circle Bar: Micah McKee and Little Maker, Blind Texas Marlin (FO) 6p, Flower, Yard Dogs (VR) 10p Contemporary Arts Center: Soundtrack ‘63 (VR) 7:30p Crazy Lobster: the Gator Baits (VR) 11a, Poppy’s All-Stars (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (SI) 6p Dragon’s Den: Church (EL) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic (CO) 8p House of Blues: Chippendales (VR) 7:30p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 5:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 8p Little Tropical Isle: Frank Fairbanks (RK) 5p, Mark Parson (RK) 9p Maison: Hokum High Rollers, Nyce, Swinging Gypsies, Soul Project (VR) 1p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a

The Block Party began in 2012 as a celebration of the lives of William “Billy Ding” Moss and Michael Aaron. Moss was killed when he was struck by a car while walking from Vaughan’s to BJ’s during Jazz Fest 2008, while Aaron was injured in the same accident. Aaron died of heart failure in December of 2011, and the first Lesseps Street Block Party took place a month later in his honor. “We have second lines for people when they die. In New Orleans, we do that a lot,” says Lesseps Street Block Party co-founder and curator Ryan Scully. “But do you know of anyone else that gets a second line every year? It’s unusual. In a way, it’s always been a way of not giving up the memory of them and maybe even wanting to feel a little of that pain again.” “It’s like we’re saying ‘fuck you’ to forgetting,” he adds. “A lot of the time, people pass away and we move on. We get back to our daily lives. This is sort of our way of saying ‘fuck that.’ We’re going to have a second line every year for these guys just because they were so special to us. We’re also saying that about all of our other friends that have gone before. They were special and we want to remember them every year.” —Sam D’Arcangelo

Old Point Bar: Gregg Martinez (RK) 3:30p, Jean Marie Harris (JV) 7p Orpheum Theater: Soul Revival feat. Ellis Hall and the LPO performing the Music of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder (SO) 2:30p Palm Court Jazz Club: Lucien Barbarin and Sunday Night Swingsters (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Fais Do Do with Bruce Daigrepont (KJ) 5:30p Snug Harbor: Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet (MJ) 8 & 10p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Trinity Episcopal Church: Silk and Satin Jazz and Latin Music Ensemble (JV) 5p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p

MONDAY JANUARY 18

Banks Street Bar: Lauren Sturm’s Red Beans and Rice Piano Night (JV) 7p, South Jones (RK) 10p Bombay Club: Josh Paxton (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Trent Pruitt (VR) 6p, Alexis and the Samurai (ID) 8p Contemporary Arts Center: Soundtrack ‘63 (VR) 7:30p Crazy Lobster: the Insta-Gators (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Luke Winslow King (JV) 7p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 9p House of Blues: City and Colour (RK) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Mark Appleford (FO) 8p Maison: Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, Ainsley Matich (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: George Porter Jr. Trio (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall Jazz Masters feat. Leroy Jones (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (MJ) 8 & 10p Three Muses: Washboard Rodeo (JV) 7p Tropical Isle Original: Graham Robertson (RK) 5p, Whiskey Bar (RK) 9p

TUESDAY JANUARY 19

Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Mark Weliky Trio (JV) 7:30p Banks Street Bar: Nyce (RB) 9p Bombay Club: Matt Lemmler (PI) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Albanie Falletta (VR) 6p Circle Bar: Kia Cavallaro and friends (VR) 6p Columns Hotel: Tim Laughlin and John Rankin (JV) 8p Crazy Lobster: AC and the Heat (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Treme Brass Band (BB) 9p Eiffel Society: Tango Tuesday (LT) 7p Gasa Gasa: Saintseneca, Des Ark (ID) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: Free Spirit Brass Band (BB) 10p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Jazz National Historical Park: Richard Scott (JV) 12p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Little Tropical Isle: Mark Pentone (RK) 5p, Frank Fairbanks (RK) 9p Maison: Gregory Agid, TK Groove (VR) 6:30p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (FK) 11p Old U.S. Mint: Matt Hampsey and Down on Their Luck Orchestra (JV) 2p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall-Stars feat. Shannon Powell (TJ) 8p Saenger Theatre: Motown the Musical (SO) 7:30p Snug Harbor: Joe Cabral’s Thrio (MJ) 8 & 10p Southport Hall: Flaw (VR) 7p Spotted Cat:Andy J. Forest (JV) 4p, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 10p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 9p

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 20 Banks Street Bar: Major Bacon (BL) 10p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p Chickie Wah Wah: John Rankin (JV) 6p, Meschiya Lake and Tom McDermott (JV) 8p, Andre Bohren (PI) 10p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tin Men (BL) 7p, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters (BL) 10p

www.OFFBEAT.com

Photo: golden g. richard, III

Tipitina’s: the Radiators Anniversary Show (RK) 9p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: Cajun Drifters (KJ) 4p, Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass (KJ) 8:30p Vaughan’s Lounge: Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet (FK) 10p W XYZ Bar (Aloft): Cactus Thief (VR) 5:30p

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Dragon’s Den: Reggae Night (RE) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: We Love Vinyl (VR) 6p, Shamarr Allen, DJ Chicken (FK) 9p House of Blues (The Parish): Jet Lounge (HH) 11p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 8:30p Little Gem Saloon: Lynn Drury (FO) 7p Maison: Jazz Vipers, Crooked Vines (JV) 6:30p Maple Leaf: Big Sam Trio aka BS3 (FK) 9p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Kyle Roussel (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Club: Lars Edegran and Topsy Chapman with Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Johnny J. and the Hitmen with Derek Huston (SI) 8p Saenger Theatre: Motown the Musical (SO) 7:30p Snug Harbor: Delfeayo Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra (MJ) 8 & 10p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Schatzy (JV) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Jezebels Chill’n (RK) 5p, Debi and the Deacons (RK) 9p

THURSDAY JANUARY 21

Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski with Alex Trampas (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Alexandra Scott and Josh Paxton (VR) 5p, Tom McDermott and Aurora Nealand (JV) 8p Chiba: Charlie Dennard (PI) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Phil DeGruy and Emily Robertson (VR) 6p, Ella Fitzgerald Tribute with Harlem Speakeasy Orchestra (JV) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Shannon McNally (SS) 10p Dragon’s Den: Dave Easley (VR) 7p, the Ill Vibe with DJ Matt Scott (VR) 10p; Upstairs: Soundclash (HH) 9p Generations Hall: OffBeat Magazine’s Best of the Beat Awards (VR) 6p Hi-Ho Lounge: Cirque d’Licious (BQ) 8p House of Blues: Reel Big Fish (SK) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Paintbox with Dave James and Tim Robertson (FO) 9p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Maison: Jon Roniger, Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers, Dysfunktional Bone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich and special guests (FK) 11p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Alexandra Scott (SS) 6p Old U.S. Mint: Leroy Jones (JV) 2p, Loyola Jazz Faculty Sextet (JV) 7:30p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Lucien Barbarin (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Leroy Thomas (ZY) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Geoff Clapp Quintet with Wess Anderson (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p Vaughan’s Lounge: the Heart Attacks (JV) 10p W XYZ Bar (Aloft): Andrew Duhon (SS) 5:30p

FRIDAY JANUARY 22

Banks Street Bar: Crescent Guns (RK) 10p Bombay Club: Mark Braud (JV) 8:30p Buffa’s: World’s Finest Apples (VR) 5p, Greg Schatz (VR) 8p, Rebecca Leigh (VR) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: Michael Pearce (BL) 6p, Paul Sanchez (RR) 8p, Tank and the Bangas (VR) 10:30p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tuba Skinny (JV) 6p, Soul Rebels (BB) 10p Dragon’s Den: Loose Marbles (JV) 7p; Upstairs: Comedy Fuck Yeah (CO) 8p, Latin Night (LT) 11p Gasa Gasa: Blair Crimmins and the Hookers (FO) 9p Hi-Ho Lounge: Sidewalk Chalk, Stoop Kids (VR) 9p House of Blues: Breaking Benjamin Unplugged (RK) 9p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Guitar Slim Jr. (BL) 9p Kerry Irish Pub: Paul Ferguson (FO) 5p, Foot and friends (FO) 9p Little Tropical Isle: Reed Lightfoot (RK) 5p, Mike Berger (RK) 9p Maison: Rhythm Wizards, Dinosaurchestra, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 1p, Musical Expression, Street Legends (BB) 10p

www.OFFBEAT.com

Maple Leaf: 101 Runners Anniversary Show feat. Chris Jones, Big Chief Juan Pardo, June Yamagishi, Raymond Weber, Kirk Joseph and others (FK) 11p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Henry Turner Jr. and Flavor (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Club: Maria Muldour performs a Tribute to Danny and Blu Lu Barker (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Southern Syncopaters feat. Steve Pistorius (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall Brass Band feat. Daniel Farrow (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: the Topcats (VR) 9:30p Saenger Theatre: Motown the Musical (SO) 8p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 4p, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 6p, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings (JV) 10p Three Muses: Matt Johnson (JV) 5:30p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 9p Tipitina’s: An Evening with Todd Rundgren feat. John Ferenzik, Jesse Gress, Prairie Prince (CR) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p W XYZ Bar (Aloft): Chad Carson (SS) 5:30p

SATURDAY JANUARY 23

Banks Street Bar: King Mulhacen (ID) 10p Bombay Club: Todd Duke (JV) 8:30p Buffa’s: Red Hot Jazz Band (JV) 11am, Spike Perkins (VR) 5p, Sherman Bernard and the Ole Man River Band (VR) 8p, Keith Bernstein’s Kettle Black (VR) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: Bill Kirchen (VR) 9p Crazy Lobster: the River Gang (VR) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p Creole Cookery: Mark Weliky Trio (JV) 11a d.b.a.: Cha Wa CD-release party with Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Big Sam and Colin Lake (MG) 11p d.b.a.: Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 6p Dragon’s Den: Thomas and Theresa (SS) 5p, Loose Marbles (JV) 6p, Crooked Vines (FK) 9p; Upstairs: Talk Nerdy to Me (BQ) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: the Rip Off Show (CO) 7p, Hustle feat. DJ Soul Sister (FK) 11p House of Blues: Biz Markie (HH) 9p Jazz National Historical Park: Treme Brass Band (BB) 12p Kerry Irish Pub: Speed the Mule (FO) 5p, Hurricane Refugees (FO) 9p Little Gem Saloon: Dr. Michael White (JV) 7p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillainaires, Swinging Gypsies, Krewe du Vieux Dance Party with DJ Nick Sosa (JV) 1p, Debauche, Big Easy Brawlers (VR) 10p Maple Leaf: Pirate’s Choice (FK) 11p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Bearracuda (VR) 10p Palm Court Jazz Club: Brian O’Connell and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Joint Chiefs of Jazz feat. Frank Oxley (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: the Nobles (BL) 9p Snug Harbor: Johnny Sansone Blues Party (BL) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Jazz Band Ballers (JV) 2p, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Ecirb Muller’s Twisted Dixie (JV) 10p Three Muses: Chris Peters (JV) 5p, Debbie Davis (JV) 6p, Appleseed Collective (JV) 9p Time Out: Andre Bohren (RR) 11a Tipitina’s: Soul Rebels (BB) 10p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p UNO Lakefront Arena: Ladies Choice feat. Avant, Dru Hill, 112, Jagged Edge (HH) 8p

SUNDAY JANUARY 24

Banks Street Bar: Ron Hotstream and Mid-City Drifters (CW) 7p Bombay Club: Tom Hook (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 10:30a, Panorama Jazz Band Family Concert (JV) 4p, Perdido Jazz Band CDrelease party (JV) 7p Chickie Wah Wah: Sweet Olive Duo (VR) 6p, Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (CW) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Gator Baits (VR) 11a, Poppy’s All-Stars (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (SI) 6p Dragon’s Den: Church (EL) 10p

Hi-Ho Lounge: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic (CO) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (FO) 8p Maison: Royal Street Winding Boys, Luneta Jazz Band, Dinosaurchestra (JV) 1p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Palm Court Jazz Club: Lucien Barbarin and Sunday Night Swingsters (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: the Yat Pack (JV) 4p Snug Harbor: John Mahoney Big Band (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Russell Welch’s Mississippi Gypsy (JV) 2p, Kristina Morales and Bayou Shufflers (JV) 6p, Pat Casey and the New Sound (JV) 10p Three Muses: Raphael et Pascal (JV) 5p, Linnzi Zaorski (JV) 8p Trinity Episcopal Church: New Orleans Trombone Choir directed by John Risey (VR) 5p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p

MONDAY JANUARY 25

AllWays Lounge: New Orleans Swinging Gypsies (GY) 8p Bacchanal: Raphael Bas (JV) 12p, Helen Gillet (JV) 7:30p Banks Street Bar: Lauren Sturm’s Red Beans and Rice Piano Night (JV) 7p, South Jones (RK) 10p Bombay Club: Josh Paxton (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Arsene DeLay (VR) 5p, Antoine Diel (JV) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Trent Pruitt (VR) 6p, Alexis and the Samurai (ID) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Insta-Gators (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Luke Winslow King (JV) 7p, Glen David Andrews (JV) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party (BU) 8p, Instant Opus Improvised Series (MJ) 9p Maison: Chicken and Waffles, Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, Ainsley Matich (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: George Porter Jr. Trio (FK) 10p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall Jazz Masters feat. Leroy Jones (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St. All-Stars (JV) 6p, Jazz Vipers (JV) 10p Three Muses: Joe Cabral (JV) 7p Tropical Isle Bourbon: Rhythm and Rain (RK) 5p, Way Too Early (RK) 9p

TUESDAY JANUARY 26

Banks Street Bar: Simple Sound Retreat (RE) 9p Bombay Club: Matt Lemmler (PI) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Albanie Falletta (VR) 6p, Jon Cleary (PI) 8p Crazy Lobster: AC and the Heat (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Treme Brass Band (BB) 9p Eiffel Society: Tango Tuesday (LT) 7p Hi-Ho Lounge: Free Spirit Brass Band (BB) 10p House of Blues: Colin Hay (SS) 8p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Beast (CO) 8:30p Jazz National Historical Park: Richard Scott (JV) 12p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (FO) 8:30p Maison: Swinging Gypsies, Gregory Agid, TK Groove (JV) 4p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (FK) 11p Old U.S. Mint: Matt Hampsey and Down on Their Luck Orchestra (JV) 2p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall-Stars feat. Shannon Powell (TJ) 8p Snug Harbor: Stanton Moore Trio (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 4p, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Smoking Time Jazz Club (JV) 10p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Jay B. Elston Band (RK) 9p

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 27

Banks Street Bar: Major Bacon (BL) 10p Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Open Mic Night with Nattie Sanchez (SS) 7p Chickie Wah Wah: John Rankin (JV) 6p, Meschiya Lake and Tom McDermott (JV) 8p, Andre Bohren (PI) 10p Circle Bar: the Iguanas (RR) 6p, Beyond the Darkness

(VR) 10p 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 Dragon’s Den: Reggae Night (RE) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: We Love Vinyl (VR) 6p, Shamarr Allen, DJ Chicken (FK) 9p Kerry Irish Pub: Tim Robertson (FO) 8:30p Little Tropical Isle: Jay B. Elston (RK) 5p, Reed Lightfoot (RK) 9p Mahalia Jackson Theater: Star Trek: the Ultimate Voyage (VR) 8p Maison: Rhythm Wizards, Jazz Vipers, Mutiny Squad (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: Big Sam Trio aka BS3 (FK) 9p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Kyle Roussel (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Club: Lars Edegran and Topsy Chapman with Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Jerry Embree (SI) 8p Snug Harbor: Delfeayo Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra (MJ) 8 & 10p St. Louis Cathedral:A Fair to Remember: the 1884-1885 Concert Season in New Orleans feat. the LPO (CL) 7:30p Three Muses: Leslie Martin (JV) 5p, Sarah McCoy (JV) 7p Tropical Isle Bayou Club: La Maniere des Cadiens (KJ) 4p, Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass (KJ) 8:30p

THURSDAY JANUARY 28

Bombay Club: Kris Tokarski with Alex Trampas (JV) 8p Buffa’s: Alexandra Scott and Josh Paxton (VR) 5p, Tom McDermott and Aurora Nealand (JV) 8p Chiba: Monty Banks (PI) 8p Chickie Wah Wah: Phil DeGruy and Emily Robertson (VR) 6p, Speaker Box (VR) 9p Circle Bar: Rik Slave’s Country Persuasion (CW) 6p, the Candy Shack with DJ Lingerie and Suzy Q (VR) 10p Crazy Lobster: the Spanish Plaza 3 (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Paul Sanchez and Alex McMurray (RR) 7p, Little Freddie King (BL) 10p Dragon’s Den: Dave Easley (VR) 7p, the Ill Vibe with DJ Matt Scott (VR) 10p; Upstairs: Dreamland Burlesque (BQ) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Comedy Gumbeaux (CO) 8:30p Kerry Irish Pub: call club (FO) 9p Maison: Jon Roniger, Roamin’ Jasmine, Dysfunktional Bone (VR) 4p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich and special guests (FK) 11p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: Dave Jordan (RR) 6p Palm Court Jazz Club: Tim Laughlin and Crescent City Joymakers (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Lucien Barbarin (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas (ZY) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Kevin Clark’s Jazz Kitchen with Tom McDermott (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Sarah McCoy and the Oopsie Daisies (JV) 4p, Miss Sophie Lee (JV) 6p, Jumbo Shrimp (JV) 10p Three Muses: Tom McDermott (JV) 5p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p Vaughan’s Lounge: Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet (FK) 10p W XYZ Bar (Aloft): Mighty Brother (VR) 5:30p

FRIDAY JANUARY 29

Banks Street Bar: Scarecrow Sonic Boombox, Norco Lapalco (RK) 10p Bombay Club: Leroy Jones (JV) 8:30p Buffa’s: Andre Bohren (PI) 5p, Alexandra Scott and Her Magical Band (VR) 8p, Joe Kile (VR) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: Michael Pearce (BL) 6p Crazy Lobster: Ken Swartz and the Palace of Sin (VR) 5p d.b.a.: Tuba Skinny (JV) 6p, Feufollet, Miss Tess and the Talkbacks (KJ) 10p Dragon’s Den: Loose Marbles (JV) 7p; Upstairs: Comedy Fuck Yeah (CO) 8p, Latin Night (LT) 11p Gasa Gasa: the Krewe of King James presents the Good Foot Ball feat. Chapter:Soul, DJ Soul Sister’s James Brown Get Down (FK) 10p

JA N U A RY 2 016

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC House of Blues (The Parish): the Hillbenders present “Tommy: A Bluegrass Opry” (BU) 9p House of Blues: Rumours: Fleetwood Mac Tribute (CR) 9p Kerry Irish Pub: Vincent Marini (FO) 5p, Van Hudson and friends (FO) 9p Little Tropical Isle: Reed Lightfoot (RK) 5p, Mike Berger (RK) 9p Maison: Rhythm Wizards, Nyce, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 1p, the Business (FK) 10p Maple Leaf: Dave Jordan’s Birthday Bash (VR) 11p Morning Call: Valerie Sassyfras (VR) 10a Old U.S. Mint: Henry Turner Jr. and Flavor (JV) 2p Palm Court Jazz Club: Lucien Barbarin and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Southern Syncopaters feat. Steve Pistorius (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall Brass Band feat. Daniel Farrow (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Groovy 7 (VR) 9:30p Smoothie King Center: Barry Manilow, Dave Koz (SS) 7:30p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Andy J. Forest (JV) 4p, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (JV) 6p, New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings (JV) 10p Three Muses: Glen David Andrews (JV) 9p Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p W XYZ Bar (Aloft): Tank and the Bangas (VR) 5:30p

SATURDAY JANUARY 30

Banks Street Bar: Somerton Suitcase (RB) 10p Bolden Bar: Leroy Jones Quintet (JV) 8:30p Bombay Club: Jason Marsalis (MJ) 8:30p Buffa’s: Red Hot Jazz Band (JV) 11am, Melanie Gardner (JV) 5p, Davis Rogan (VR) 8p, Michael Liuzza (VR) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen (VR) 9p Crazy Lobster: the River Gang (VR) 11a, the Neon Shadows (VR) 4p Creole Cookery: Mark Weliky Trio (JV) 11a d.b.a.: Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 6p, Vapors of Morphine, Alien Knife Fight (RK) 11p

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

Dragon’s Den:Thomas and Theresa (SS) 5p, Dinos (VR) 7p, Stoop Kids (VR) 10p; Upstairs:Talk Nerdy to Me (BQ) 8p Hi-Ho Lounge: Hustle feat. DJ Soul Sister (FK) 11p House of Blues (The Parish): Slangston Hughes and Fo on the Flo, Baron Amato with the Harbinger Project (HH) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Adam Jaco, the Colossal Heads, Capital Arms (VR) 10p Jazz National Historical Park: Treme Brass Band (BB) 12p Kerry Irish Pub: Mark Parsons (FO) 5p, Lynn Drury (FO) 9p Maison: Chance Bushman and the Ibervillainaires, Leah Rucker, Smoking Time Jazz Club (VR) 7p, Cakewalk, Big Easy Brawlers (FK) 10p Maple Leaf: Russell Batiste and friends (FK) 11p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a One Eyed Jacks: Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers (VR) 10p Palm Court Jazz Club: Brian O’Connell and Palm Court Jazz Band (JV) 8p Preservation Hall: Joint Chiefs of Jazz feat. Frank Oxley (TJ) 6p, Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Mark Braud (TJ) 8p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Creole Stringbeans, $1000 Car (KJ) 8:30p Roussel Hall (Loyola University): the Strings Live at Loyola feat. Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and Mark O’Connor (CL) 7:30p Snug Harbor: Astral Project (MJ) 8 & 10p Spotted Cat: Jazz Band Ballers (JV) 2p, Panorama Jazz Band (JV) 6p, Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen St.All-Stars (JV) 10p Three Muses: Chris Peters (JV) 5p, Gal Holiday (JV) 6p, Shotgun Jazz Band (JV) 9p Time Out: Andre Bohren (RR) 11a Tropical Isle Original: Down River (RK) 1p, the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p

SUNDAY JANUARY 31

Bacchanal: the Tangiers Combo (JV) 12p, the Tradsters (JV) 3p, Roamin’ Jasmine (JV) 7:30p Banks Street Bar: NOLA County (FO) 7p Bombay Club: Tom Hook (PI) 8p Buffa’s: Some Like It Hot! (TJ) 10:30a, Jazz Youth Showcase with Miles Lyons Jass Band (JV) 4p, Kris Tokarski Trio (JV) 7p

Chickie Wah Wah: Sweet Olive Duo (VR) 6p, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (JV) 8p Crazy Lobster: the Gator Baits (VR) 11a, Poppy’sAll-Stars (VR) 4p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bugs Stompers (SI) 6p, Jeremy Lyons and the Deltabilly Boys (RC) 10p Dragon’s Den: Church (EL) 10p Hi-Ho Lounge: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic (CO) 8p House of Blues: Robert Earl Keen (FO) 9p Howlin’ Wolf (the Den): Hot 8 Brass Band (BB) 10p Kermit’s Mother-in-Law Lounge: Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers (JV) 5:30p Kerry Irish Pub: Patrick Cooper (FO) 8p Little Tropical Isle: Frank Fairbanks (RK) 5p, Mark Parson (RK) 9p Maison: Rhythm Wizards, Bayou Saints, Brad Walker, Higher Heights (VR) 1p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (FK) 10p Morning Call City Park: Billy D. Chapman (JV) 10a Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall All-Stars feat. Wendell Brunious (TJ) 8p Republic: Lupe Fiasco (HH) 9p Rock ‘n’ Bowl: Paul Varisco and the Milestones (BL) 5p Roussel Hall (Loyola University): Loyola performs the Great American Songbook (JV) 3p Smoothie King Center: Tool, Primus, 3Teeth (RK) 7p Snug Harbor: Jim Markway Quartet (MJ) 8 & 10p Tropical Isle Original: the Hangovers (RK) 5p, Late As Usual (RK) 9p

FESTIVALS THROUGH JANUARY 2 City Park presents Celebration in the Oaks-annual holiday lights festival. NewOrleansCityPark.com/Celebration-InThe-Oaks JANUARY 14-16 The New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival at the Frenchmen Theater (514 Frenchmen St.) with films, discussions, workshops and concerts. NewOrleansCBG.com

JANUARY 14-17 The Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Festival – Music clinics, workshops, panels and performances. DannyBarkerFestival.com MARDI GRAS PARADE SCHEDULE JANUARY 6: Krewe of Joan of Arc (French Quarter) 7p JANUARY 23: Krewe du Vieux (Marigny and French Quarter) 6:30p, Krewe Delusion (follows) JANUARY 24: Little Rascals (Metairie) noon JANUARY 29: Krewe of Cork (French Quarter) 3p, Oshun (Uptown) 6p, Cleopatra (Uptown) 6:30p, Excalibur (Metairie) 7p, Athena (Metairie) 7:30p JANUARY 30: Adonis (West Bank) 11:45a; Nemesis (St. Bernard) 1p; Pontchartrain (Uptown) 1p, Choctaw (Uptown) 2p, Freret (Uptown) 2:30p, Sparta (Uptown) 6p, Pygmallion (Uptown) 6:15p; Caesar (Metairie) 6p; ‘tit Rex (Marigny) 5p, Krewe of Chewbacchus (Marigny) 6p JANUARY 31: Carrollton (Uptown) noon, King Arthur (follows), Alla (follows), Femme Fatale (follows Alla); Barkus (French Quarter) 2p; Corps de Napoleon (Metairie) 5:30p

SPECIAL EVENTS DECEMBER 26-31 Snofari Adventure at the Audubon Zoo features an “ice” skating rink and family entertainment. AudubonInstitute.org DECEMBER 31 Audubon Zoo hosts Zoo Year’s Eve for the family with a countdown at noon. AudubonInstitute.org DECEMBER 31 The French Quarter celebrates New Year’s Eve with live music in Jackson Square, a fleur de lis drop at Jax Brewery and midnight fireworks at the river. CrescentCityCountdown.com

www.OFFBEAT.com

BACKTALK

Bobby Rush

photo: james patterson

ow it can be told: Veteran blues great Bobby Rush never actually ate chicken heads. Still, it makes sense that his 1971 song about that particular delicacy has become his signature tune—and the title track of his new box set, Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush (Omnivore). From the start, Rush’s music has always been a little funkier, a little more raw and idiosyncratic than whatever his competitors were doing. The box bears out his ability to absorb a wide range of styles and put his own stamp on them all—from straight blues to funk to smooth Philly soul, even some crossing over (his bawdy disco tracks from the early ’80s are one of the set’s improbable highlights). Countless legends have passed through his orbit, from Muddy Waters and Elmore James to the Gamble and Huff production team to his longtime friend B.B. King. While he’s a master of the lyrical double entendre—check the box set’s “Be Still” and “Wet Match” for details—he was dead serious on the 2013 standout “Another Murder in New Orleans,” which he performed with Dr. John and introduced at a benefit show at Generations Hall that year. We caught up with him by phone on the eve of the box set’s release.

talks back

You’ve had a pretty great half-century of music. This boxed set is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. And now I’m the oldest bluesman around. The only guys older than I am would be Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, and they’re rock ’n’ rollers. On the blues side there’s only Buddy Guy and Bobby Rush, and I believe he’s a few months younger. [Note: There are conflicting reports of Rush’s birth year; he was born in Homer, LA between 1933 and 1940.] I used to look at people like John Lee Hooker as old men, now I’m the old man. But I’m thankful that I can say I crossed over, but I never crossed out—and I mean I didn’t cross out my black audience. So you get black people nowadays who don’t know much about Little Richard or Buddy Guy, but they know Bobby Rush. Who were the first people you connected with when you moved from Louisiana to Chicago in the ’50s? www.OFFBEAT.com

By Brett Milano

JA N U A RY 2 016

B AC

KTA

When I make a record I talk about being in love—good, bad and indifferent. Everybody wants to talk about it and sometimes they’re afraid to say it. But what’s risky about making love?

Elmore James, Junior Wells, Willie Dixon—I got to be friends with all those guys. I lived at 1200 Albany, and Elmore James and I could holler at each other over the fence. I was the first black man to play on Rush Street in Chicago, that was when you left Beale Street [in Memphis] and there were still no coloreds allowed. And I was the big draw there—it wasn’t Muddy Waters or Howlin’ Wolf, it was Bobby Rush. Those guys were playing the boogie joints compared to the places I did—Buddy and Junior were playing the smoking joints and I was in the high-class places. I wore a bow tie and had a dress code; I had my little showgirls onstage. In my mind I was competing with James Brown, not with the other blues guys. And if you listen to the records I made then, it wasn’t like what the other guys were doing. You brought the funk into it. I was in love with what James Brown was doing, and what Hank Ballard and the Midnighters were doing. And Motown was happening, but I was a little less into that. You were at Chess when Chuck Berry came in. What did you think of the music he was playing? We didn’t think much of it, because we ain’t never heard of it. He wasn’t playing the blues or anything we could relate to—he was a different kind of guy playing “that ‘Johnny B. Goode’ stuff,” that’s what we called it. So we kind of laughed at the things he was doing, not knowing that he was being ahead of his time. You cut “Chicken Heads” in 1971. Did you ever imagine that one would be your signature song? I’ll tell you what happened with that one. I wrote it a few years earlier, back in ’64 or ’65. And then I was recording for Calvin Carter, who ran the Galaxy label. He said, “Bobby Rush, things are looking bad for me—the label’s going bankrupt, and I’d like you to record for me.” So I told him about the song I had. Originally the lyrics went, “You came along and what did I do, lost my heart and my head went too.” And the name of the song was supposed to be “Chick Head.” And he said, “We can’t call it that—you’re a

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 6

Louisiana boy, right? Don’t they eat chicken heads where you come from?” So that’s how it happened, but it wasn’t what I was writing about. And when we needed a B-side, I told him I had a song called “Mary Jane.” And he said, “That’s great, I had a girlfriend named Mary Jane that really did me wrong.” Even though I wasn’t talking about a girl at all—I was talking about reefer. So I thought, this is great—I got a couple of suckers here, and I can put it right over their heads. That record really took off even though the white rock ’n’ roll stations weren’t playing it. We cut that record out of my pocket before we’d even made a deal. And then the record just blew up—I had 300 copies in the back of my car and sold them all. The next week it was a thousand, those lasted two days, and then I get a hundred thousand. I didn’t have any idea of what a hit record was, what it was going to cost or how to go about doing it. Somebody said to me, “Bobby Rush, you’re going to get rich.” And I said, “You mean I’m going to get money for doing what I’d do for free?” Some of your best records were ones that may have been too risqué for radio. Risky? No man, that ain’t risky. What’s risky is when you go to a boxing match and they’re doing something every minute that could cost them their life. But when I make a record I talk about being in love—good, bad and indifferent. Everybody wants to talk about it and sometimes they’re afraid to say it. But what’s risky about making love? Elmore James played in your band for a while, right? He wasn’t a band member, but he joined for a few shows playing guitar. Now, when I talked to Elmore James I was visiting my friend Robert, who was running a funeral home. We were standing outside talking and Elmore said, “I’ll do the show, but you have to pay me $50.” I needed him for two nights, so that’s $25 each. That’s pretty good money for Elmore James, but it was more than I could afford. I tried to offer him $40, but he wouldn’t take that. But my friend Robert was about to get

married and just as we were talking, his wifeto-be comes walking out of the funeral home. And Elmore says, “Man, I’d do anything to talk to her, you wouldn’t even have to pay me.” So what I did was give Robert a little money to drive me to the show—of course he had to drop me a couple blocks from the club, because I couldn’t be seen getting out of a hearse. And while he was driving me, I left Elmore behind so he could talk to his girl. I know it’s not a very nice story, but that’s how I got Elmore James to play for free. I think the statute of limitations is up on that one. I’ll tell you one about Jimmy Reed. He was an alcoholic, so he’d give me a dollar and 25 cents to buy him this rotgut whiskey. And once he got drunk he’d let me play his guitar. So I’d get a bottle of whiskey, but I’d have two bottles of water with me—that way I’d get three pints of whiskey out of one bottle. And I was making more money on those whiskey runs than I made playing. Jimmy didn’t care; once he got started he could drink shoe polish. So I’m sorry, Jimmy Reed, but I really needed that five or six dollars. And I needed to play that guitar. One of your longstanding friendships was with B.B. King. Here’s the story that brings tears to my eyes. Two years ago I was booked to play in Coldwater, Mississippi; and B.B. King was going to play in Indianola. He wanted me to join his show when I was already booked, and he said “You can get out of it and do this for an old man.” I didn’t think my promoter would go for it, but since it was B.B. King he let me out. So I do B.B.’s show and he must have kept me onstage for 30–40 minutes, just doing a back-and-forth thing with the band. “This is my friend Bobby Rush”—he must have said that 20 times. So I played this show and the next month the blues awards come up, and I win the B.B. King Award [at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis]. That turned out to be the last award given in his lifetime, and I’d just played the last show he ever gave in Mississippi. So if that’s not passing on the torch, I don’t know what is. O www.OFFBEAT.com