OffBeat Magazine October 2009

VOODOO N NO MUSICIANS CLINIC N YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE N SEAN ARDOIN N LENNY KRAVITZ 20 BER O T OC

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Deep Voices Tab Benoit speaks for the wetlands

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Features

Departments 6 Letters

20 When Band-Aids Aren’t Enough

Juli Shipley looks at the challenges faced by the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic.

22 Sean and Secrets

Jason Hutter discovers what led Sean Ardoin to Christian zydeco.

24 Classic Songs of Louisiana:

“You Are My Sunshine” Jeff Hannusch tells the story behind the most

famous song sung by a governor.

26 The Pod People

Alex Rawls contends that our personal listening devices explain the diversity of Voodoo Music Experience.

32 Voices in the Wilderness

John Swenson reveals the increasing desperation of Tab Benoit and the Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars as they try to get action before it’s too late.

40 The Gravy: In the Kitchen with Greg

Greg Schatz struggles not to get hyper when cooking with OffBeat’s Elsa Hahne.

8 Mojo Mouth 10 Fresh 18 Obituary: Juanita Brooks 42 OffBeat Eats

Peter Thriffiley and Rene Louapre review Crabby Jack’s, and June Yamagishi is in The Spot at Mojo Coffee.

45 Reviews 54 Club Listings 61 Backtalk with

Lenny Kravitz

Alex Rawls talks to the part-time New Orleanian about design, Trombone Shorty and Let Love Rule 20 years after it was released.

“It hasn’t dated,” Kravitz says, “and that was my point 20 years ago—to make

records that don’t date.”

Online Exclusive Festival of Friends: Kathleen McCann gets the story behind the booking for Gretna Heritage Festival.

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Letters

“I highly recommend [Potluck] to anyone with an interest in New Orleans culture and history.”

—Tom Barrett, California, MD

Louisiana Music & Culture

October 2009 Volume 22, Number 10 Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jan V. Ramsey, janramsey@offbeat.com

ARMSTRONG PARK You are right on with your [Weekly Beat] article on Armstrong Park. I moved here eight years ago and opened a bed & breakfast. I had been active in neighborhood associations in other cities I had lived in and jumped right in here.

The pettiness you describe about people who didn’t get their way when something good was suggested has got to stop. This city will always be seen as a third world country unless people start looking past their own noses and decide that doing something good for the city and for all citizens in New Orleans is better.

—Jess Beaty, New Orleans, LA I normally totally agree with your opinions, but I have to strongly disagree that a fence keeps a park “safer.” The safest parks in this city, Audubon and City Park, don’t have fences. Just like you need “eyes on the street” to keep a neighborhood safe, you need people in the park to keep a park safe. Park users with good intentions are afraid to enter a park with a fence because they know that there is no easy exit if they encounter one of the bad guys. If you took the entire fence down, the park becomes more “public” property and is better watched and used.

This is one reason that Audubon and City Park are considered safe and have high user rates, and parks like Washington Square and Armstrong have greater concentrations of loiterers and troublemakers.

—Angie Green, New Orleans, LA

MORE SEA CRUISE Frankie Ford has expressed his side of the “Sea Cruise” story often, so I simply gave a portion of Huey’s side of it, as Huey personally expressed it to me. I also spoke to James Rivers and Robert Parker, both of whom said they played the original “Sea Cruise” session.

Of course, there is an existing and available

recording of “Sea Cruise” featuring vocals by Huey Smith and Gerri Hall. In fact, 75year-old Gerri was living a short walk from the OffBeat office as of a few months ago.

So at least four people associated with the “Sea Cruise” session, other than Frankie and Cosmo, are here to give their accounts. I suspect Frankie never knew what happened behind the scenes. The song obviously was intended to be a Huey Smith and the Clowns record, but 1959, of course, was the era of the white teen idol. From a business point of view, Johnny Vincent and Joe Caronna—and Cosimo Matassa—saw a chance to exploit that lucrative market.

—John Wirt, Baton Rouge, LA

POTLUCK Thank you so much for the historical treasure trove of old OffBeats. I appreciated the 48 Hours of Music edition. What a great idea. I am a big Paul Sanchez fan, and the picture of him getting a haircut circa 1993 was awesome, I think that may be the only time I have seen him without a hat! I especially appreciate the personal touch of keeping track of what issues I receive, so I will not hesitate to order once again.

—Maureen Rice, Brooklyn, NY I was a little hesitant about this potluck deal, thinking that I would get mostly out of date concert announcements and reviews. But the issues were fantastic with timeless articles on Danny Barker, Mardi Gras Indians, Storyville, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Amédé Ardoin, a photo essay of New Orleans music from 1983, a collection of Vic and Nat’ly cartoons, and a lexicon of New Orleans music (“from A to Z”). I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in New Orleans culture and history.

And I’m gonna order more.

—Tom Barrett, California, MD In the September issue, we neglected to mention that Up From the Cradle of Jazz was written by Jonathan Foose and Tad Jones in addition to Jason Berry. We regret the error.—ED.

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

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Managing Editor Joseph L. Irrera, josephirrera@offbeat.com Associate Editor Alex Rawls, alexrawls@offbeat.com Consulting Editor John Swenson Listings Editor Craig Guillot, craigguillot@offbeat.com Contributors Carrie Chappell, Lisa M. Daliet, Ayah Elsegeiny Robert Fontenot, Jr., Elsa Hahne, Andrew Hamlin, Jeff Hannusch, Bobby Hilliard, Jason Hutter, David Kunian, Aaron Lafont, Bill Lavender, Rene Louapre Clifton Lee, Kathleen McCann, Scott Ross Juli Shipley, John Swenson, Peter Thriffley Teresha Ussin, Dan Willging Cover Elsa Hahne Design/Art Direction Elsa Hahne, elsahahne@offbeat.com Advertising Sales Ben Berman, benberman@offbeat.com Lori Di Giovanni, lorid@offbeat.com Margaret Walker, margaretwalker@offbeat.com Advertising Design PressWorks, 504-944-4300 Business Manager Joseph L. Irrera Interns Ayah Elsegeiny, Brandon Gross, Bobby Hilliard, Clifton Lee, Kathleen McCann, Brandon Meginley, Lauren Noel, Kyle Shepherd, Mary Sparr Distribution Patti Carrigan, Doug Jackson, Shea MacKinnon 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 Copyright © 2009, 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 at $39 per year ($45 Canada, $90 foreign airmail). Back issues available for $6, except the May issue for $10 (for foreign delivery add $2).

Submission of photos and articles on Louisiana artists are welcome, but unfortunately material cannot be returned.

MOJO MOUTH

Navigating the “Velvet-Lined Rut”

I

walking your dog, to going to the movies. was sitting at my desk working on But damn, I love that city! I just don’t see this issue on a Saturday afternoon, myself living there. when I heard some music coming my People have that kind of relationship way. Since it was early in the day, I knew with New York and with New Orleans too. it wasn’t any of the clubs on Frenchmen, If you’re creative, this is the best place to and it was moving, so I figured it was a be. If you’re gonna starve in a city because parade. Whenever you hear a parade in you’re a creative type, I’d rather eat the the middle of the day in New Orleans, and local food and live in New Orleans. I’ve it isn’t Mardi Gras, you can be pretty sure that it’s a second line parade. Sure enough, musicians and dancers and marchers holding placards of the late, great flautist Hart McNee made their way down Decatur from Elysian Fields, passed under my window, and turned right to make their way down Frenchmen Street.

I ask you: where else can you find The Hart McNee second line a raucous parade celebrating life (after death) but in New called it the “velvetOrleans? lined rut” for a long time, and it’s true.

I believe that anyone who’s grown up Sometimes you feel as though you can’t in the city—or for that matter, anyone take it anymore, and then you see a second who’s tried to do business here—has a line parade, and you get it. love-hate relationship with New Orleans.

Frenchmen Street is arguably the best I see my friend and former co-worker Jim street to hear live music in the world. I at Jazz Fest every year; his wife Kathy is an certainly mentioned this in our Weekly Beat accomplished artist and has a booth at the newsletter some weeks back, but it’s worth fest every year. It’s really the only time we a saying it again: the American Society see each other to talk. This year we were of Travel Writers voted New Orleans as both bitching about all the stuff that is the “best place to hear live music” in the wrong with New Orleans: the corruption, country. Take that, Austin! But there are the ineptitude, the apathy, the crime some nasty rumblings on Frenchmen Street problems. You know the drill, if you live these days. For those of you who haven’t here. But then Jim asked me a question: experienced the rise of Frenchmen Street’s “But where else would you rather live?” I live music scene, it can be summarized knew that answer: nowhere else but here. like this: Frenchmen developed organically Despite all the crap you have to deal as a real “music street,” with venues like with to live in New Orleans, there’s just Snug Harbor, the Apple Barrel, the Spotted nowhere else I’d rather live. I used to think Cat, Blue Nile and d.b.a. presenting live living in Manhattan would be really cool, music almost nightly. In some cases, the but on many visits to the city I changed music wasn’t “legal,” and the city’s (then) my mind. Too expensive. Too many people.

Music Office urged the City Planning And everything seems to be a hassle, from

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By Jan Ramsey

Commission to establish a cultural district overlay zoning on the street that allowed only a certain number of bars (with and without music) and restaurant permits to be granted. Over time, others wanted to do live music. Problem is, there’s a limited number of music and bar permits available.

So there are a few places on Frenchmen who are not operating legally. I understand that the NOPD is starting to crack down on venues that are supposed to be restaurants, but are operating as music bars. The FaubourgMarigny Improvement Association is adamantly opposed to any violations of the zoning laws. They don’t want Frenchmen to become another Bourbon Street.

Personally I don’t see a problem with allowing live local music on Frenchmen anywhere on the street. For a city that’s known for its live music, why is there a problem allowing live music to flourish on a street that’s obviously a good place to play—and for people to listen to—live music? The answer always seems to be that music will bring in “undesirable” elements to the neighborhood (drunks, crime, trash, unwelcome noise, etc.). And it’s true, someone does need to police the street’s activities. But when Frenchmen first developed, who did the policing? The business owners on Frenchmen Street, not a neighborhood group whose first priority always seems to be residents, not businesses. Frenchmen Street needs its own business association; perhaps one that helps its members work their way through the bureaucratic and zoning problems in the city and negotiates with the neighborhood groups so that everyone can co-exist peacefully and profitably.

The same should be true for North Rampart Street. But that’s a whole other column… O www.OFFBEAT.com

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FRESH

aw, stripped-down, in-your-face punk infiltrated American music in the mid-1970s, inciting an entire subculture to Rebel!

Proclaim! Liberate! Punk was a movement of mass consciousness among youth, and new wave—a more polished derivative of the genre—became a musical and cultural stamp of the ’80s.

Bronx native and selftaught artist Skylar Fein pays tribute to that era and energy in his first museum exhibit at New Orleans Museum of Art, “Skylar Fein: Youth Manifesto.”

“Youth Manifesto” juxtaposes rule-breaking punk and new wave with advertising and Americana.

Fein delves into the spirit of punk’s freedom and anti-establishment ideologies, recreating and reinventing the iconic imagery of vanguard bands like Black Flag, the Clash, T.S.O.L., the Dead Kennedys, Adam Ant and Cyndi Lauper; and lesser-known bands like the AfricanAmerican, Detroit-based, proto-punk band Death and New Orleans’ Harry Lee and the Black Problem.

In striking wood, silk-screen, metal and canvas sculptures, Fein conceptualizes punk’s energy in large-scale concert and album visuals, oversized cassette tapes and J-cards, a blown-up ticket stub; T-shirts and a series of wooden electronics such as a boom box with a volume meter labeled, “Never, Always, Sometimes,” and an amp plastered with stickers.

“Youth Manifesto” is as much about 40-year-old Fein’s selfexploration into music and youth as it is a declaration of the current state of affairs. His collage of pop art signage (real and invented) labeled “Brain Damage” explores Louisiana nostalgia and Americana. A black flag sculpture, the name a nod to the California punk band well known for establishing Henry Rollins, is a statement on nationalism, war and money. “The black flag is an old anarchist symbol going back hundreds of years,” says Fein. “It was waved without nationalism.” Scripted on the stripes of Fein’s flag is the menu from Bywater eatery Elizabeth’s Restaurant. “Just because I love the food there,” he says.

The exhibit also aims to engage viewers and draws on youth culture of today. A YouTube room integrates the concept of online video sharing by projecting music videos as well as visitor commentary onto walls. Harsh vs. Grey Ghost is a room in deference to the graffiti war between “two of the most notorious taggers on the Gulf Coast.” Enormous colorful panels spray-painted by local taggers hang beneath a flashing-bulb sign that spells H-A-R-S-H. Beyond, in a drab corner, a tiny sign buzzes as if on the fritz. Here visitors can chalk up the grey, monochromatic walls as they see fit.

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art: skylar fein

Punk’s Not Dead R

Curated by NOMA’s Miranda Lash, “Youth Manifesto” is the first in a proposed series of cutting edge shows targeting the city’s hipster artist and art lovers. The exhibit opened September 12, and on September 30 Fein will host a slideshow talk titled, “Is Punk Dead? Yes, But It’s Not Permanent”.

“Everybody always laments how punk is dead,” Fein says.

“Well, really it’s this eternal spirit that will never die. We’re in for a huge wave of youthful rebellion. [With] the combination of the national debt, the Ponzi-scheme US economy, climate change, rising sea levels—there’s going to be a generation of young people who turn around, look at us and say, ‘How could you?’”

“Skylar Fein: Youth Manifesto” will be on display at NOMA through January 3, 2010. For more information visit Noma.org.

—Lisa M. Daliet

That’s the Joint T

he famous singles of Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, the Dixie Cups and Lloyd Price continue to loom large over New Orleans music. In 2008, Harrah’s Entertainment Manager Bill Johnston created Joint’s Jumpin’, a stage show that brings back the music of that era. The show returns to Harrah’s Theatre October 23 and 24, this time accompanied by a CD of the soundtrack produced by the show’s musical director, Larry Sieberth.

Johnston conceived of the show in 1984, envisioning a theatrical act that brought to life the music he grew up with. To perform it, he and Sieberth gathered some of the top players in town, including Rick Trolsen, Alonzo Bowens and Brian “Breeze” Cayolle in the horn section, and Bunchy Johnson on drums. Vocalists include Luther Kent, Gina Brown and Tony “Confessing a Feeling” Owens.

—Ayah Elsegeiny www.OFFBEAT.com

FRESH

Tribal without Tattoos T

he Bingo! Parlour will be one of the more unusual venues during the Voodoo Music Experience. In addition to hosting performances

by Down, Fischerspooner, the Squirrel Nut Zippers and Why Are We Building Such a Big Ship?, it will be the site for TribeCon—a national tech conference for people interested in turning social networking into offline activity. On Thursday, October 29—the day before Voodoo—the conference will start with a program that includes speakers Tara Hunt, Micah Baldwin—creator of Twitter’s #FollowFriday—and Tom Martin, president of Zehnder Communication. The day will end with an exclusive concert, and on Friday morning, an artist-to-be-named will speak on the role of social media in his/her professional life.

TribeCon is a direct byproduct of the sort of grassroots activity the conference hopes to facilitate. According to Chris Schultz, one of the organizers, it emerged from the local group Net2NO’s trip to South by Southwest for its interactive conference. “We were doing the work of GNO Inc. and the Downtown Development District sharing the digital media incentives in Louisiana, but in a grassroots way,” he says.

The focus is on building communities—hence the conference’s name—and Schultz contends that the mechanics are in place to have online relationships live beyond the Web. “As much as the online tools are out there right now, they exist to extend your ability to have offline relationships and real, significant interaction,” he says. “This is not a conference of virtual worlds and Second Life. We have a panel made up of ‘digital nomads,’ people who are freelancers, creative professionals, writers, bloggers. They can live all over the world because they need a laptop and a wi-fi connection to work. Whether for couch-surfing or a genuine interaction or a job, they go from place to place building these relationship-based online tools but seeking offline connections.”

For details and to register, go to TribeCon.com.

—Alex Rawls

Songs for the Saints I

t’s no secret that New Orleans music and culture has a bit of a love affair with itself. Anyone who’s lived here understands that a big part of life in the Crescent City is regularly declaring how much we like our town. We march in second lines, we know what it means to miss New Orleans, and we know what it’s like to live through football season.

There’s also a tradition of Saints-related music, whether it’s Aaron Neville asking “Who Dat?”, Zigaboo Modeliste’s “Let’s Get Fired Up,” rock-rap band Ghost’s version of “Who Dat” that was heard in the dome in 2006, or Dee-1 and Shamarr Allen, who just cut “Bring ’em to the Dome” to celebrate the season. Another entry in the Who Dat derby is Dem Boys, a newly-formed group whose debut EP, Roll with the Black and Gold, was released September 3 to correspond with the Saints’ final preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.

Dem Boys put together a pastiche of local styles that reflect the musical backgrounds of its members. The vocals move call-and-response fashion between R&B vocalist Sherman “Strawdaddy” Johnson and

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verses rapped by MC Matt Peoples of the M@ Peoples Collective. This takes place over music by drummer/producer Eric Heigle, and Andrew Meehan and Jon Solomon of Gravity A. It’s a blend of funk, soul, Dixieland and even second-line style brass band music that the band calls Jynxing, “meaning that you can’t get rid of that New Orleans feel, even if you wanted to,” says Heigle. The result is a three-track EP with an astonishing diversity of styles.

Now Dem Boys hope to hear their Saints-centric title track played at the Superdome. Andrew Hunter, head of Drake Records, was in communication with the New Orleans Saints organization on details to have the song played opening day. It’s not hard to picture “Roll with the Black and Gold” playing for a stadium packed with Saints fans. It’s catchy, easy to dance to and an authentic offering by New Orleans natives celebrating the place they love. “Nobody’s sitting in New England writing a song for the Patriots,” Peoples says.

—Scott Ross www.OFFBEAT.com

FRESH

fter singing “St. James Infirmary,” Alec Ounsworth walked off Tipitina’s stage slightly shaken. He thought he knew the lyrics until he got into the second verse, when he realized he wasn’t sure about them and crossed them up. The mistake wasn’t obvious from the front of the room, but backstage, the singer for indie rock band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah confessed his error to John Boutté.

“He said he was probably the only one who’d know,” Ounsworth says.

The Philadelphia native was in New Orleans last fall for one of Air Traffic Control’s activism retreats, and the show was the benefit for Sweet Home New Orleans that ends each retreat. Other musicians on the bill included Fleet Foxes’ J. Tillman, the Bomb Squad’s Hank Shocklee, Nicole Adkins and Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin. “Steve said we should do a record together,” Ounsworth says. In the last-day-of-summer-camp vibe of the moment, he said yes not expecting anything to come of it, but Berlin stayed in touch, and this spring the two met at Piety Street Recording in the Bywater to cut Mo Beauty. For it, Berlin assembled a local band that included Stanton Moore, George Porter, Jr. and Robert Walter.

“The New Orleans record was a much different record than the other three I’ve made in so far as I had real, heavyweight musicians with me who have much more experience than anybody I ever worked with,” Ounsworth says.

Many of the songs were ones that he had already recorded for an album that he shelved because he wasn’t satisfied with it. He brought in demos, but Porter admits that they didn’t shape his playing much.

“One of the things the producer mentioned to me is that they wanted to play with the grooves and make them feel New Orleans,” Porter says. “That threw a different spin on what I was listening to.

I was just listening for the changes and didn’t put my fingers on it too much because it was hard for me to formulate what I was going to do until I knew what the drums were doing.” In some cases, the grooves aren’t obvious, but “Idiots in the Rain” features the ghost of a second line beat, and Moore’s so far behind the beat in “South Philadelphia (Drug Days)” that it’s funky whether intentionally or not.

“I’ve had a couple interviews in the past and people have said, ‘Is this some sort of jazzy, groovy, funky kind of record?’ Just because Stan and George and Robert have done certain projects—have certain tendencies that people categorize—that doesn’t mean that they can’t do whatever the hell they want,” Ounsworth says. “After we’d play a song seven or eight times, when it finally gelled and started to make sense, it captured everybody’s individual instincts collectively. And then you have something.”

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Photo: Michael Regan

A Crumbling Beauty A

There were some musicians Ounsworth knew he intended to work with, including Boutte and Al “Carnival Time” Johnson. Piety Street’s Mark Bingham tipped him to other musicians he might want to check out. Ounsworth and guitarist Matt Sutton saw Washboard Chaz and thought, “’Oh my god, that would be great to get.’

“You see all these great musicians in New Orleans, you’re making a record down there and you imagine working with them. That’s a nice fantasy to have, but it’s real. You can actually bring people over, and they’re usually happy to play and easy to work with.”

Not only is he reluctant to call Mo Beauty a New Orleans album, but Ounsworth’s reluctant to call “Holy, Holy, Holy Moses (for New Orleans)” a song about New Orleans. In it, he asks, “How can I claim New Orleans?” conscious of the risks of adopting someone else’s cataclysmic experience. Still, he concedes that there are ways where it is shaped by the city. “I was having this conversation with Steve as we worked on it,” Ounsworth says. “We both agree.

There’s a certain quality in the songs that reflected our take on the city, and how it’s pulling itself back up. Maybe that’s just the way I’ve always written, where my mind’s often in a constant perpetual state of pulling itself together, but it seemed to really fit the character of the city. It’s got this hardness to it, but at the same time, there’s this beautiful, kind of crumbling quality.”

—Alex Rawls www.OFFBEAT.com

FRESH

Bigger, Badder Blues F

estivals have become an essential part of the city’s life, ranging from the costly mega-productions such as the annual Essence, French Quarter and Jazz fests, to the more intimate Satchmo SummerFest. Four years ago, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation launched a free blues festival in Lafayette Square; this year, the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Fest comes of age.

It remains free in Lafayette Square with music on two stages, but in addition to its usual strong emphasis on local artists, this year’s event will expand its pool of showcased talent. Visiting performers will include Grammy-winning blues legend Buddy Guy. Although the guitarist found fame in Chicago during the 1960s, he will make a return to his home state at this year’s festival. In addition to Guy, renowned Lafayette slide guitarist Sonny Landreth is also scheduled to perform. Although, Mississippi-born bluesman Robert Balfour has only been recording professionally since the 1990s, he brings a lifetime of experience in Delta blues to the stage.

Other scheduled guests include Guitar Shorty, Bobby Rush, T-Model Ford and New Orleansborn acoustic bluesman Chris Smither.

While this year’s festival spreads its artistic reach beyond New Orleans, it will continue to showcase local artists including Irma Thomas, Luther Kent, Brother Tyrone and the Mind Benders, Creole singer Amedee Frederick and more.

For details and a schedule, go to CrescentCityBluesFest.com.

—Clifton Lee

Troubadours Today R

ockpile is a moveable feast of poetry, performance and music featuring bay area poets David Meltzer and Michael Rothenberg.

On Friday, October 23, Meltzer, Rothenberg, Terri Carrion and local poet Bill Lavender will take part in a free panel discussion on “Poetry & Music & the Troubadour Tradition, Art, Activism, Collaboration & the Source of Creation” at Dr. Bob’s Compound (3027 Chartres St.). On Sunday, October 25 at the Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center, Meltzer and Rothenberg will perform with members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band to show the connection between the internal beats of spoken poetry and the rhythmic sensibilities of true New Orleans jazz.

David Meltzer is best known for his association with the early Beat movement. His work was collected in Donald Allen’s seminal anthology The New American Poetry, the book that marked the ascension of Beats such as Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Gregory Corso and Jack Kerouac to the center of the American literary scene. Rockpile organizer Michael Rothenberg is a poet, songwriter and editor who publishes Big Bridge magazine (BigBridge.org, now featuring a special issue on New Orleans poets).

The tour will then continue to Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, St. Louis and finally San Francisco, where poets, songwriters and musicians of the Bay Area and beyond will gather

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in the troubadour tradition to share, through poetry and music, the story of the Rockpile journey as a final grand performance.

—Bobby Hilliard and Bill Lavender

The Rosetta Stone S

hannon McNally met Jim Dickinson immediately after Katrina, but they could have been lifelong friends from the way she talks about him. “It was kind of like coming home,” she says of meeting him. Dickinson, the famed record producer and pianist, died August 15, and his last session was as piano player on McNally’s new album, Coldwater.

“We moved into temporary housing that turned into long-term housing up here in Baylor, Mississippi,” she says.

“We had a phone put in, and the very first phone call was from Thacker Mountain Radio.

They needed a drummer.” The band hired her husband, Wallace Lester, on the spot. “Jim was the house band.”

“When I first met him, he really saw me coming,” she says. “And he knew exactly what I needed to do, what I wanted to do and what I was going for. Something about working with him really validated me to myself. His reactions to my songs Buddy G and to my musicianship were very uy natural and very comfortable. It was very bolstering.”

Dickinson’s more than 50 years in the music world lent him a welcome professionalism.

“He’d been there since day one,” McNally says. “And his ego is really so in place. In this business, it’s so male-dominated that when you walk in as a woman, you have to swim through this initial layer of bullshit. But then you meet certain people who are like, ‘I have heard it all, I have seen it all, give me the song, and give me a verse’ and get the job done. It’s very straightforward like that: ‘Just give it to me, so I can do what I do,’ and that’s the highest compliment. Because there’s just so much bullshit out there, and most of the time you’re dealing with lots of it. When there’s no trace of it, it’s very exciting.”

Dickinson worked with everyone from the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie and Aretha Franklin to the Replacements. But when it was time for singer/ songwriter McNally to produce a record, Dickinson was content to simply play the role of “keyboard player and general mojo in the middle of the room, a Rosetta stone sitting there,” McNally says. “You know stone soup? He was the hot stone.”

Shannon McNally is playing October 29 at the Harvest the Music concert series in Lafayette Square with Blues Traveler.

—Kathleen McCann and Alex Rawls www.OFFBEAT.com

IN MEMORIAM

Juanita Brooks 1954-2009

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show’s Australian company and appeared in a performance of the show for German television.

Brooks starred in a musical that Bagneris co-wrote with Allen Toussaint in 1986, “Staggerlee,” which ran off-Broadway. In 1999, she starred in another stage production, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” which ran at La Petite Theatre. She also performed as a jazz vocalist at Donna’s, Cafe Brazil and Sweet Lorraine’s with area musicians including Bob and George French.

Brooks is survived by four children, three brothers and two sisters.

—Jeff Hannusch

Photo: SKIP BOLEN

J

uanita Brooks, a jazz and gospel singer perhaps best known for her stint in the extremely popular stage production, “One Mo’ Time”, died unexpectedly September 9, 2009 of complications from back surgery. She was 55.

“I consider her one of the greatest singers to have ever come out of New Orleans,” says bandleader/pianist Lars Edegran, whose association with Brooks goes back nearly three decades, and who toured Switzerland with Brooks this past May. “She was a great gospel and traditional jazz singer. She really projected herself well, especially in front of large audiences like at festivals.

“I met her in 1980 or 1981.

She’d been doing Aretha Franklintype material then. I was the musical director for ‘One Mo’ Time.’ Vernel Bagneris (who wrote, directed and starred in the production) and I trained her for the Ma Reed part in the production. In later years we toured France, Italy, Germany, Norway and Sweden many times.

We also did tributes to Sweet Emma and Billie Pierce at the Jazz Fest. She also did a Bessie Smith tribute. She could really put herself into other people’s music.

She was easy to work with and very professional. Her passing is a great loss to the city’s music tradition.”

Brooks grew up in the Ninth Ward and Mid-City, with most members of her family involved in music. Initially she sang spirituals, but after graduating from U.N.O., she began her musical career singing R&B with Eddie Bo. In 1982, she joined the cast of “One Mo’ Time,” which was enjoying a long run at the Toulouse Theater.

Brooks went on to tour with the

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NOMC

When Band-Aids Aren’t Enough

W

hile the nation debates health care solutions, local musicians are in danger of losing the foundation that is keeping them mentally and physically healthy and, in some cases, alive. Founded in 1998, New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic (NOMC) is an innovative, not-for-profit, occupational medicine and wellness partnership offering affordable, comprehensive health care to local musicians and their families.

Due to the loss of a governmentfunded grant and a lack of community support, musicians and tradition bearers like the Mardi Gras Indians risk losing viable health care options. With incomes that in some cases float near the poverty line (between $12,000 and $15,000, according to a recent Sweet Home New Orleans study), many culture bearers rely on the clinic to sustain their health.

Some challenges existed preKatrina, but increased rents and higher costs of living make the services the clinic provides crucial.

NOMC helps clients manage diseases such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer and hepatitis C while working preventatively to help musicians fight hearing loss, carpal tunnel syndrome, mental health issues, performance anxiety and smoking.

NOMC president and CEO Bethany Bultman broadened the clinic’s mission after the storm to help displaced musicians persevere and make their way home to New Orleans. She and husband Johann recognized that NOMC was the only health care option available to them, noting that entire departments of the LSU health care system never returned to the city.

Three years ago, the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic became one of 11 recipients of federal funding to help uninsured citizens of New Orleans as part of the Primary Care Access and Stabilization Grant administered

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Guitarist Joe Pestilence of Superdestroyers and The Secret Assholes comes in for a return visit with nurse Catherine Lasperches.

by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The allocation of more than $2 million over three years allowed NOMC to become the medical home for more than 1,600 musicians, tradition bearers and their families. Over 83 percent of them suffer from chronic conditions.

For cornet player Jamie Wight who suffered a heart attack living in Seattle post-Katrina, the clinic meant that he could come home and also that he’d have the means to sustain himself once he got here.

“I can’t afford health care on my salary,” he admits, “and couldn’t get it anyway with my ‘preexisting condition’. The costs of my medications alone would take every bit of the money I make performing.”

By Juli Shipley

Wight visits the clinic every three months, where they keep him stocked with life-saving medications and regulate his blood pressure. “It’s a blessing to have them here,” Wight says. “I don’t know what I’d do otherwise.”

For many, the clinic takes the fear out of the phrase “pre-existing condition.”

Musician Paul Pattan maintained his own insurance, but after a motorcycle accident left him an amputee, he found Blue Cross/ Blue Shield would do nothing to help him regain his quality of life. The clinic referred him to Dr. Kurtz-Burke at the Veterans Administration, who fitted him with a prosthetic and aided

with the phantom sensations he experienced after losing his leg.

With assistance from a network of health care providers including LSU and Daughters of Charity, the clinic strives to sustain the health, history and dignity of musicians, but without aid from community leaders and the support of local music lovers, its existence is in jeopardy.

“As we begin the last year of this federal grant, reduced funding dictates that we must diminish our services even though the needs of our patients are increasing” Bultman says.

“We have less than $500,000 to cover all medical costs for our patients for the next 14 months.

Consider that each hand surgery performed on a musician costs us $4,000, and we have huge chemo bills for several patients.”

NOMC has already been forced to relinquish their mental health services, which Bultman believes to have had a big impact post-Katrina. “The idea that older musicians or Mardi Gras Indians would ever admit to needing therapy was unheard of before the storm,” she says. “Because of the services of the fully functioning and willing Department of Psychiatry at Tulane, they no longer fear therapy is going to take away their creative edge. Instead, they’ve realized these services make life easier.”

Bultman fears for the musicians if a change doesn’t come.

“We must make a leap of faith that local banks, businesses and private foundations are going to begin viewing our local musicians as a natural resource that must be protected. In the meantime, our board and staff are expanding our network of pro bono providers and are writing grants night and day.

All we ask from musicians is that they come in to the NOMC for check-ups, take their medications and stay healthy.”

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Photo: ELSA HAHNE

While health care options are debated, New Orleans musicians might lose one.

SEAN ARDOIN

Sean and Secrets

One secret led Sean Ardoin to pioneer Christian zydeco; another explains what makes it special.

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Photo: earl perry

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n the world of zydeco, being able to trace one’s lineage to Amédé and Bois Sec Ardoin is a little like having relatives in Windsor Castle while you keep an address in the shire. The old timers watched the precocious boy drumming at age four. It had to be in their minds that this one and his younger brother Chris might keep the circle unbroken. At least this much was certain: the zydeco gene was dominant. It showed when he picked up an accordion for the first time. Something happened.

He wanted to make it a lead instrument, like the guitar heroes he heard all over the radio in those days. He wanted that instrument to sing lead and stroked it till it could.

He could use it for rhythm, too; hell, he could use it for anything.

As a boy in the 1970s, radio crept into even the slowest parts of the state until Earth, Wind & Fire were blasting out of transistor radios in flat bottom boats zooming up and down Bayou Gauche. Sean Ardoin soaked it up, soaked up Prince too in the ’80s, and every other pop sensation to hit the airwaves. When the Ardoin Brothers finally formed, their pop sensibilities infused their zydeco with a ready-made sound for younger audiences. Then there was the highly touted Double Clutching, the split from his brother, and his new beginnings with Sean Ardoin and Zydekool. Sean had laid the ghosts of Amédé and Bois Sec to rest. He had his own band, his own sound, and fans, money, fame and women. Most of all, he had a secret. It wasn’t enough.

From the way he first played the accordion, he was used to testing boundaries to see how they would bend. He didn’t know how much they would give, didn’t know that they could actually break. And then there are the three bitches… sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll,

that go together like poison and Lucrezia Borgia.

July of 2005 was his epiphany.

He needed to slow down or stop altogether. “God had to clean me up and teach me how to write and perform from a spiritual standpoint,” Ardoin says. God placed prophets in his way, he says, showed him what Christian zydeco was, and it was like Noah building the ark before ever seeing the first drops of rain. Five years later, Ardoin released what he claims is the first Christian zydeco album, How Great is Your Love.

Once you were born again, why didn’t you release your next albums as Christian albums? Why did you wait five years to release How Great is Your Love?

When you get saved and you’re a carpenter, you don’t start just building churches, you know what I mean? It was my job.

I wasn’t living the sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll lifestyle that you may think. I would go out and play the dates and come back home and be a football dad. I was called out to clean up

By Jason Hutter

my perspective. I had to learn to write, perform and minister them from a spiritual place, not a prideful one.

Do you think you can survive musically by releasing only Christian albums?

Yes, definitely. I was called to do this. This is ordained by God and He will provide all that I need because I am willing to be obedient.

“How Great is Your Love” presents Ardoin as a man who’s journeyed down his own road to Damascus and sees with eyes anew.

It is a joyful, hand-clapping ode to spiritual deliverance, and his vocals are flawless, charged with conviction.

When the singing joins the back-up harmonies, the result is a first-rate hybrid of zydeco and gospel.

Like many Christian albums, the in-your-face proselytizing and lyrics filched from a Sunday sermon can be an issue. Ardoin attempts to soften it with urban idioms and hip-hop, but it’s hard to redeem lyrics like “Stop drinking so much” and “Stop eating so much.”

“Deep Water” and “Miracle” are the standout tracks. They thrive on tight harmonies and oldschool grooves that reveal a pulse behind the religious posturing.

“Miracle” is reminiscent of early Earth, Wind & Fire, and soul and hip-hop figure prominently on the album. They not only shape the songs but force an inspired variety in Ardoin’s accordion playing. It’s an audacious album and when it works, it’s gold.

I ask him directly to tell me, in technical terms, how he achieves the harmonies that whisk through How Great is Your Love. They are no ordinary harmonies. If Sean Ardoin is truly touched by God, His spirit is manifested by the harmonies that whisk their way through the album. Like Peter, they are the “rock” on which Ardoin’s album/church is built.

“I can tell you it’s layered,” he says. “And I love Take 6 and all things harmonious. But I can’t tell you how I do it. It’s a secret.”

And what about God’s plans for him?

“I’ll let you know when he gives them to me.”

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CLASSIC SONGS

Classic Songs of Louisiana:

N

ot only was “You Are My Sunshine” declared Louisiana’s official state song in 1977, it is a pretty safe bet that it’s probably the only song with a bridge named after it. That would be the Sunshine Bridge which connects Donaldsonville to whatever is on the other side of the Mississippi River, the original bridge to nowhere.

Long associated with the colorful, two non-consecutive term governor, Jimmie Davis, “You Are My Sunshine” has served as a vehicle to the charts not just for Davis, but for Gene Autry, Bing Crosby and Ray Charles to mention just a few. While Davis is listed as a co-writer and often claimed to have composed “You Are My Sunshine” while attending LSU, in fact he purchased the song from Paul Rice. It became a cash cow, and assisted his musical and political aspirations immensely.

The son of a poor sharecropper, Davis was born September 11, 1899, near Quitman, Louisiana in Jackson Parish. Despite his humble beginnings, Davis earned a bachelors degree from Louisiana College in Pineville and in 1927 was awarded a masters degree from LSU. The following year, he began teaching history at a small college in Shreveport. In his spare time, Davis played guitar and sang country songs on a local radio station. In 1929, Davis signed to Victor Records and over the next five years would record more than 70 sides. Most of his records were in the style of Jimmie Rogers, but he also waxed some risqué songs— ”Red Nightgown Blues,” for example—some with a black guitar player, Oscar Woods, who some researchers say is the real composer of “You Are My Sunshine.”

The Depression hurt record sales, but Davis’ fortune

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“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.

You make me happy, when skies are grey.

You’ll never know dear, how much I love you, Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

—Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell

changed in 1934 after moving to Decca. He had his first hit with “Nobody’s Darlin’ but Mine,” which he followed with “It Makes No Difference Now,” which he purchased from Floyd Tillman. By the late 1930s, he had quit teaching and was appointed Shreveport’s chief of police after serving in the city’s Criminal Court. This is the backdrop for Davis’ biggest success, “You Are My Sunshine.”

In 1939, “You Are My Sunshine” was recorded by two Georgia string bands, the Pine Ridge Boys and the Rice Brothers Gang. Paul Rice wrote the song in north Georgia after being inspired by a poem, and when the Rice Brothers Gang relocated to Shreveport, they began

By Jeff Hannusch

performing on KWKH, which later hosted the Louisiana Hayride. Their version of “You Are My Sunshine” was arranged by New Orleans clarinetist Pud Brown, who was living in Shreveport at the time, and Davis heard the song during one of the group’s radio performances.

While early versions of the song give credit to Rice, Davis bought the song outright for an undisclosed sum, putting his name down as cowriter along with bandmate Charles Mitchell, copyrighting the song, and publishing it with Peer Music. This was a fairly common practice at the time. Fats Domino bought a piece of “Land of 1,000 Dances” from a desperate Chris Kenner.

Initially, Davis tried to get other artists interested in recording the

song, but when he had no takers he recorded “You Are My Sunshine” himself in February 1940. Davis’ version borrowed heavily from the Rice Brothers’ version. Not only was it a huge hit for Davis, but it became a country music classic.

As if being a highly successful recording artist and politician wasn’t enough—by 1942 Davis was Louisiana’s Public Service Commissioner—Davis also found the time to appear in several movies. In 1944, Davis was elected governor and during his first term had five top five country music hits including “There’s a New Moon Over My Shoulder,” which topped the charts and was included in the bio movie, Louisiana.

Davis returned to music full-time in 1948 as his style increasingly became influenced by gospel and sacred music. He returned to politics in 1960 (campaigning on a horse named “Sunshine”), and was elected governor once again. He ran as a “moderate segregationist,” as if such a creature really existed.

To his credit though, Davis steered Louisiana through a difficult era as the state avoided the unrest that plagued Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. The governor’s office proved to be good luck for Davis as he charted again with “Where the Old Red River Flows.”

After his second term ended, Davis pretty much became a full-time gospel artist. In 1971, he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, and he tried to run for office one more time the following year. He was a nonfactor in the governor’s primary, though, and that ended his political aspirations. Davis would live nearly 30 more years and even perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Jimmie Davis died November 5, 2000 at the age of 101.

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Photo: Photo by Michael P. Smith; Copyright The Historic New Orleans CollectioN

“You Are My Sunshine”

VOODOO

The Pod People T

he iPod tells us all we need to know.

This Halloween weekend, the Voodoo Music Experience presents everything from singer/ songwriter Andrew Duhon to metal heroes Down to sacred steel whiz Robert Randolph. The top of the bill includes jam stalwarts Widespread Panic, gypsy rock troupe Gogol Bordello, Grammy-nominated soul singer Ledisi, and Atlanta’s garage-y Black Lips. Why is Voodoo so eclectic?

Check your iPod or iTunes library and tell me it’s not similarly all over the board. With the exception of the most doctrinaire fans, people’s music libraries say that their tastes are far broader than we give them credit for.

There’s a Facebook meme that asks friends to post the first 15 songs that come up when they hit shuffle. When a friend posted it, she had Leonard Cohen, Ms. Tee, Shooter Jennings, Salt-N-Pepa and Etta James among the mix, and my shuffle included German techno band Boyz Noise, David Bowie, Buddy Miller, Andrew Bird, Burning Spear and Conor Oberst. Our results might be skewed a bit because we’re writers, but a quick eavesdrop into the library of a young woman in the coffee shop I’m writing in reveals Bob Dylan, Brians Wilson and Eno, the Beatles, Voodoo act the Black Keys, former Voodoo act Broken Social Scene, Blitzen Trapper, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Big Star and Billie Holiday. And that’s just the B’s.

It’s tempting to chalk that up to some sort of modern schizophrenia, the byproduct of a time when the word “rock” without a qualifier in front of it is almost quaint in its retro-ness. A new British dance music subgenre has spawned, found an audience, become hot and been declared passé in the time it has taken me to compose this sentence. “Indie” now defines a musical space as large, diverse

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Q-Tip, Isaac Hayes, Kiss, Zager and Evans, Henry Mancini and Flaming Lips and unruly as Texas, and there’s no reliable common ground where fans who live in these musical subdivisions come together.

But history says otherwise. The diverse Voodoo lineup isn’t evidence

By Alex Rawls

of promoters catering to Xbox-addled teens that have been Twittered into ADD submission. The now-antique AM radio was similarly inclusive.

Forty years ago, the top five songs in Billboard’s Top 20 were the pop

soul Fifth Dimension’s “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” Zager and Evans’ “In the Year 2525,” the Beatles’ “Get Back,” the Archies’ bubblegum hit “Sugar, Sugar” and the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women.”

Also in the Top 20 that year were “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone, “Dizzy” by Tommy Roe, and hits by the Temptations, Henry Mancini, Elvis, Johnny Cash, CCR and Peter, Paul and Mary.

That list is as all over the place as Voodoo’s lineup, but no more so than most Top 20 lists at the time.

1971’s Top 20 included Isaac Hayes, Donny Osmond, Janis Joplin, Rod Stewart and Cher; 1974 included Barbara Streisand, the Midwestern hard rock of Grand Funk, novelty artist Ray Stevens and the Spinners, and 1977 included Johnny Taylor, Diana Ross, “Disco Duck” and “a Fifth of Beethoven.” Add in Alice Cooper, glam band the Sweet, “Eres Tu,” and “The Lord’s Prayer”

by Sister Janet Mead and a picture emerges of AM radio as a place where a variety of audiences and interests met and tolerated each other. Different aesthetics, eras and subcultures appeared side by side.

With that in mind, a festival that includes Kiss (whose “Rock and Roll All Nite” reached No. 12 on the Billboard charts in 1975), rapper Q-Tip, electronic pop band Fisherspooner, bluesman John Mooney and Cajun band BeauSoleil is in keeping with the way people actually listen to music. We don’t like one type of music any more than we only like one type of food, and that diversity is in keeping with the festival tradition. Woodstock, after all, included Joan Baez, the Who, Jimi Hendrix and the faux-’50s act Sha Na Na, in addition to half of the largely forgotten boogie nation.

The notion that our musical tastes are narrow is a myth that caricatures listeners by their friends www.OFFBEAT.com

illustration: ELSA HAHNE

The contents of our portable listening devices explain the diversity of the Voodoo Music Experience.

VOODOO

The songs we refer to as guilty pleasures are nothing but the ones we like that don’t fit the image we work to create. and wardrobes. There’s no question that at the ages when our sense of selves and community comes largely through music—teens into early 20s, primarily—our tastes may be more uniform, but those are our publicly professed tastes. Even when our social standing rides on our musical affiliations, we have affections we keep quiet, and the songs we refer to as guilty pleasures are nothing but the ones we like that don’t fit the image we work to create. The fact that everybody has one by itself gives lie to the premise that our tastes are monolithic.

So where did this idea that people listen narrowly come from? I say Lee Abrams. As Alec Foege wrote in Right of the Dial: The Rise of Clear Channel and the Fall of Commercial Radio, “Much of the blame for the McDonald’s approach to radio programming … can actually be laid at the feet of just one man: Lee Abrams. Abrams was the inventor of the first FM radio rock format, known as albumoriented rock, or AOR.” Abrams started the transition from free-form FM radio into the series of narrowly focused formats, which, Wired’s Richard Martin says, “showed radio execs how to hold listeners and attract advertisers—to make money in the new, boundary-free world of FM. “But his success had a cost. The rise of AOR was the beginning of the end for the brief, storied era of free-form radio and iconoclastic DJs—‘some guy in a basement in Brooklyn, burning incense and playing whatever he pleased,’ as Abrams describes the late-’60s scene.

The format ushered in such airwave dreck as classic rock, teen pop, and … smooth jazz.”

The segregating of radio markets wasn’t a taste-based

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decision; it was a marketing one. It was designed to mass an audience, and a more tightly focused playlist made it easier for stations to tell advertisers who was listening. When Abrams envisioned what became AOR, he did so by pursuing the single largest market he could identify. According to Abrams, “An amazing thing started to happen around ’65 and ’66. The Top 40 audience really started to fragment. In the early 1960s, a hit record kind of reached everybody.

But there was a real break, mainly among guys fifteen to twenty years old, just rejecting some of the mainstream stuff and really aligning themselves with the Yardbirds and the Byrds and the Animals and the Rolling Stones.” He followed the latter audience, then later, along with other programmers, went after the fragments. Abrams used primitive market research— including hitchhiking and talking to drivers—to subdivide our tastes, and the longer those markets existed, the more normal the subdivisions seemed. Now, 30 yearold divisions seem like they’ve been around forever.

MTV in its heyday tried to straddle the line between AM and other radio formats. After Michael Jackson and Prince broke MTV’s color barrier, it developed themed shows—Yo! MTV Raps, 120 Minutes, Headbangers Ball—but also featured hip-hop, pop, rock and (hair) metal in regular rotation.

However, television ratings’ smallest time increment is 15 minutes, and the station’s focus on three and four-minute videos made it easy for channel surfers to move on before becoming a measurable unit. The desire to produce a monetizable audience prompted MTV to move away from blocks of genre-crossing video programming in the early 1990s. It left videos to genre-based shows and developed www.OFFBEAT.com

VOODOO

AM radio tried to reach as broad an audience as possible figuring that if there’s something for everybody, then everybody will advertise.

The Real World, TRL, cartoons and comedy shows.

What was lost in each case was surprise—the unexpected song, the new sound, the song we never liked before that suddenly sounds good.

More significantly, the magic was lost that occurs when songs that don’t obviously belong together are heard back to back—different ways to dance when T. Rex and Eddie Kendricks are played one after another on the radio, or the strategies of empowerment that speak to each other when SaltN-Pepa and Etta James are heard together on an iPod, or the visions of psychedelia that are espoused when Widespread Panic and the Flaming Lips perform on adjacent stages.

I don’t want to be too romantic about AM radio. It was as driven by its pursuit of the advertising dollar as Abrams' Superstars format; the difference was that it tried to reach as broad an audience as possible figuring that if there’s something for everybody, then everybody will advertise. Nor do I want to romanticize Voodoo unduly. Its eclectic talent mix is similar to the lineups at Austin City Limits (with the Decemberists, Raphael Saadiq, Rebirth Brass Band and Pearl Jam), Coachella (with Paul McCartney, My Bloody Valentine, Girl Talk and the Drive-By Truckers), and Lollapalooza (with Depeche Mode, Lou Reed, Neko Case, the Knux and Jane’s Addiction). Even Bonnaroo, which began as a gathering of the Dead diaspora, has broadened its tastes.

In addition to acts you’d expect— Wilco, moe., Gov't Mule and Phish for two sets—this year Bonnaroo presented Bruce Springsteen, Nine Inch Nails, Allen Toussaint, Alejandro Escovedo and Animal Collective.

The notion of tightly focused, genre-based tastes is appealing because it suggests our tastes are rational and coherent, which in

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turn implies that we are rational and coherent. With Spock/Datalike predictability, iTunes’ Genius algorhythm tells me that if I like Allen Toussaint, I’ll like James Booker; if I like Bobby Brown, I’ll like Bell Biv Davoe (duh—they were in New Edition together). and if I like the Flaming Lips, I’ll like Sonic Youth and Beck. On the other hand, Amazon. com says that the same people who bought the Flaming Lips’ Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots actually bought albums from bands as different as Bright Eyes, Oasis and the Shins. People who bought Voodoo headliner Jane's Addiction’s Nothing’s Shocking also bought Motley Crüe, Primus, the Dead Weather, White Zombie and Fishbone.

Those purchases are reassuring, though. They suggest we can do more than handle varied musical experiences. They say we can be passionate enough to not just listen to but choose and invest in very different musical experiences, and that more often than we realize, we embrace the broad spectrum of choices available to us.

And perhaps those choices are more coherent than we realize.

We live private lives within larger communities, and maybe our tastes reflect different points on a continuum defined by our most private and most public selves.

Headliners such as Kiss and Jane’s Addiction present the physical, communal pleasure of shouting along to songs that stayed with you longer than anything you learned in 11th grade history, while undercard acts such as Escovedo, the Cool Kids, Why Are We Building Such a Big Ship? and the reunited Squirrel Nut Zippers represent our more idiosyncratic selves. Whatever the case, AM, the iPod and Voodoo tell us the same thing: that the things that separate us are marketdriven, and the thing that brings us together is music.

O www.OFFBEAT.com

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COVER STORY

Tab Benoit and the Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars are speaking for Louisiana’s endangered wetlands.

Is anyone in Washington listening?

By John Swenson

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T

ab Benoit stood up before a group of musicians, journalists, wetlands activists and potential donors in an airplane hanger at the Houma-Terrebonne airstrip last April. It was the Monday between the two weekends of Jazz Fest and Benoit was giving the best presentation about the destruction of the Louisiana wetlands I’ve ever heard.

“What we’re looking at here,” said Benoit, gesturing at the flat grassland stretching off into the horizon outside of the runway, “is the new Atlantis. Out there are the places where people lived that don’t exist anymore. Indian burial grounds that don’t exist anymore. I’ve watched the land I grew up on here in Houma literally disappear. Places where I used to go to camp out don’t exist anymore. The house where my grandma and grandpa lived in is underwater.

You have to take a boat to see where it was. It’s like people take a boat out to see where Atlantis used to be, and that’s going to be us.”

The most impressive part of the presentation was when Benoit, a pilot himself, and veteran aviator Charlie Hammonds took the guests up in four-seater Cessnas for an aerial view of what was happening to south Louisiana. The planes took off and headed over the Mississippi delta. The land stretching along the course of the river south of New Orleans was brown, the color of death, empty of any signs of life. Not a bird flew in the sky over this wasteland. The planes then flew west, toward the area around the Atchafalaya delta, where the ground cover was a deep, vibrant green, trees grew bountifully in the cypress swamps, and flocks of birds populated the air.

The difference? The Mississippi levee system has been keeping the river silt from feeding the delta for decades because of a decision made last century by the Army Corps of Engineers to narrow the gulf outlet of the river for shipping purposes. The canals crisscrossing the wetlands en route to the Gulf of Mexico built by oil companies to service their rigs have allowed salt water to flow in and kill everything in its path.

“It’s very simple,” says Benoit. “I live not far from the Atchafalaya River and the Atchafalaya is allowed to do its thing. It’s building land like crazy. It’s filling the oil company canal and it’s rebuilding the marshland like it’s supposed to in nature, and the Mississippi is not. It’s choked off all the way to the gulf.”

Benoit points out that 17 years ago, the two sections of this ecosystem were suffering from the same problem.

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Photo: elsa hahne

Voices in the Wilderness

“It’s only been since hurricane Andrew (in 1992) when they busted through the Atchafalaya levees and let the river flow,” he says. “I’ve seen a tremendous difference since then. You can see it from the air. Over here it’s brown and there it’s green again. Where you see the brown, it’s dying.

What else do you need to know? When the grass dies, it turns into open water. When it turns into open water, you’re seeing the land eroding, you’re losing your protection, you’re losing your land. Forget about rebuilding land for a minute; we’ve got to stop the erosion first. If we can get

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Photo: elsa hahne

CO VER STO RY

fresh water back in there, it’s going to at least stop erosion and we know that works because we know that’s the way Mother Nature works.

The delta was built by Mother Nature. It was built a long time ago and it was working fine before we messed with it.”

Benoit insists there is only one way to address the problem.

“We have to open the Mississippi River up back to the areas that it used to flow through,” he argues, “like down here at Bayou Lafourche.

It’s a tributary, a bayou is a small river that

comes off the Mississippi, and that’s where they closed it off. Open up Bayou Lafourche, open up Bayou Terrebonne, it’s a natural pipeline of river water to the wetlands, and that land needs river water to keep building.”

The solution may be simple to demonstrate, but it’s difficult to isolate from the sense of inevitability that accompanies the grim fact that the oil companies exploiting the area are not interested in restoring the wetlands and all aspects of government have either turned a deaf ear to the problem or exacerbated it.

“Basically, we sacrificed the coastline of Louisiana for oil,” says Benoit, who quickly adds, “and I made a living off of it. Everybody around here worked for the oil companies at some point.

But we have to make a decision. Everything from the North Shore and the Atchafalaya down—you scoop that whole piece out and look at what you’re missing. Look at what you’re going to lose. Baton Rouge will be the coast. Mandeville will be the coast. Everything south of that was built by the Mississippi River.”

Benoit decided to do something about it himself, forming the Voice of the Wetlands Foundation in 2003. He has personally lobbied members of Congress, spoken out at his live performances and put together the Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars. The group, which also includes Cyril Neville, Dr. John, George Porter, Jr., Anders Osborne, Monk Boudreaux, Johnny Vidacovich, Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone and Waylon Thibodeaux, will perform at the 6th annual Voice of the Wetlands festival in Houma. The event at Houma’s Southdown Plantation October 9-11 is free to the public and will also feature a reunion of the original lineup of Louisiana LeRoux, Papa Grows Funk, CC Adcock, Amanda Shaw, Susan Cowsill, Mardi Gras Indians, Chubby Carrier, Southern Cross, Sons of William, the Hurricane Levee Band and Freddy and the Freeloaders. As part of the festival, Hammonds will be taking visitors for their own bird’s-eye view of the problem from HoumaTerrebonne airport. He wants people to see for themselves that time is running out.

Growing up in the oil patch Benoit never saw the bad side of this issue until he was already inside of it.

“I’ve been flying airplanes since I was a kid,” he says. “I was 14 years old the first time I had my hands on a stick and I’ve had my pilot’s license since I was 17. I grew up around oil rigs. I would go out and fly to oil rigs with my dad, fly out to different locations in seaplanes, and I always www.OFFBEAT.com

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“To me, it was just a recording session. It wasn’t until after Hurricane Katrina that I actually heard the finished product. I put the record on while I was driving along the I-10. I had to pull over to the side of the highway because I started crying like a baby.”

enjoyed that. I noticed that the happiest guy on the oil rig was always the guy who was flying the airplane back to town that night. I thought that looks like the kind of job I would want to have working in the oil field. Music wasn’t my first choice. I wanted to be a pilot for a living. I got a good job working out of Lakeview airport, out of Houma airport, flying back and forth.”

Benoit was flying pipeline patrol when he first started seeing the results of wetlands erosion.

“You can see things better from the air,” he says. “That’s why we take people flying. I started noticing while I was flying on the coast looking at all those coastal pipelines running through the marshes around the edge of the gulf. You’d see little islands disappear in a matter of months.

Then I got a chance to see it speed up, things that would change monthly were starting to change weekly. When I started talking about it people would say, ‘Ah, that’s never going to happen in our lifetime.’ I would have to say it looks like it’s happening faster than anybody could imagine. From the air you can see the whole thing. Go talk to the people who fish in the bayous, go talk to the people who fly over the river to the rigs all the time to go to work.

They’re going to tell you exactly what I’m telling you. That’s why I want people to see it; I want them to form their own opinion and not listen to somebody else’s opinion about what needs to happen on the coast of Louisiana.”

Benoit had always played music on the side, and one day while he was flying he realized that music was his real calling.

“I realized that music was a better way to help more than just myself. I wanted to do something that would give me a chance to make my mark, to leave the world a little bit better place than it was the day I found it. It seemed the right road to take. I didn’t know at the time what role music was going to take in the wetlands struggle, but it became clearer as time went on.”

Benoit would go into the swamps to write his songs, and he saw those swamps dying around him.

“I was writing about this stuff before we formed Voice of the Wetlands. I spent a lot of time writing in the swamps, and they were dying as I was writing the songs. I was feeling that out there—I was feeling the land talking to me, telling me it’s in trouble.”

Benoit decided to join a wetlands preservation organization.

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“I went to different meetings and every time I’d go to one, I’d find out that these people are making a living at this. Where’s the incentive to really get it fixed? Look, I live there, and none of these organizations were formed by people that live there. So these people are talking about they’re going to fix my home and they don’t even live here. You get this backed-intoa-corner feeling and you realize we’re going to have to start our own organization.”

Soon Benoit realized he had musician friends who were also allies in the wetlands cause. He and Cyril Neville, the most politically astute and outspoken member of the Neville Brothers, was a friend and songwriting partner. Neville quickly joined forces with Benoit and the nucleus of the VOW All-Stars was in place.

“It all started with me writing songs with Tab for his records,” says Neville. “We started talking about this and we realized we had a lot in common about a lot of different things, one in particular being how the loss of wetlands was threatening New Orleans. When he started talking about the Voice of the Wetlands organization, I was very interested in it from the beginning.”

Benoit found another willing VOW partner in Dr. John, who had spoken out about the dangers of coastal erosion even before Tab founded his group.

“Mac’s dad was talking about this in the ’40s,” Benoit explains. “That’s how he got hooked up with us. We were friends for a long time, but I saw his eyes light up when I started talking about forming this organization.”

One of the most remarkable things about the VOW All-Stars is how good they sound together. Very few such supergroup assemblages sound like real bands, especially those in service of good causes. But the cause of wetlands preservation is not a chic Hollywood stance or an ideologically driven crusade. There is no chance it will ever look as wonky as the No Nukes campaign appears in hindsight today. The disappearance of Louisiana’s coastline affects everyone regardless of color, class, religion or political affiliation.

Katrina’s impact on New Orleans was far nastier than it would have been if the barrier islands and swamps hadn’t disappeared.

The first time this group played together was the day in January 2005 when they showed up at Piety Street studios to make the first Voice of the Wetlands album. Benoit and

Cyril Neville had worked on some material together, but everyone else walked in cold.

“We had clusters of different musicians off in corners throwing ideas around,” recalls Neville. “There was a lot of mutual respect.

It was a great experience, really. We had fun and everybody meant what they were saying.

A lot of the conversations we were having ended up in songs.”

Fortunately George Porter, Jr., who knew everyone in the project and had played with several members as guests in his Trio gigs with Vidacovich, was on hand to take on the role of musical director, and he became the foreman directing the general flow and arrangement strategy on the session.

“The cohesion of the musicians and the music happened as the record was being made,” Porter says. “There was a lot of cooperation in the studio. Someone needed to step to the front of the room and get these nine bandleaders on the same page with all these different songs.

Everything I knew about the music was delivered that day when we got to the studio. I wrote the music for a couple of songs Tab and Cyril wrote the lyrics for, like ‘Bayou Breeze.’ Between songs I was in the room playing that bass line and Cyril came over and said, ‘Man, let’s do something with that,’ Tab and Cyril wrote some words to it and we cut the track. I had the vocal mic and called the changes to the rest of the guys as we went along. It went that way for much of the album, like on Monk’s song. I would call the changes as we went and then say, ‘OK Doc you play the solo here.’ That’s how it kind of went down. Everybody tracked at once, all nine of us in the studio. Tab and the drums were in the isolation room.”

Unfortunately Voice of the Wetlands was one of many recordings made before Katrina that didn’t come out until after the storm. When the record was finally released by Rykodisc, it was treated as something of an afterthought, which is particularly tough because it’s such a great overview of Louisiana music with a powerful message whose impact was mitigated by the very events it so chillingly predicted.

“Everything that we went into the studio talking about, happened,” says Porter.

“Unfortunately the record came out after the fact, which made it sound like just another hurricane record. I think that’s the reason it wasn’t heard by more of the right people. I don’t believe this record was really intended www.OFFBEAT.com

claim to be doing something about it, but so far we haven’t seen any results.”

for the everyday, record-buying public. I think it was meant to be heard by the powers that be. People who can change something.”

Porter admits that he wasn’t really thinking in political terms when he made the record, which is why the content moved him so much when he heard the finished product only after Katrina hit.

“To me, it was just a recording session. I was more interested in ensuring that this project was musically correct. I walked away from the project feeling that that purpose had been served. It wasn’t until after Hurricane Katrina that I actually heard the finished product. I put the record on while I was driving along the I-10. I had to pull over to the side of the highway because I started fucking crying like a baby. I cried for a good 45 minutes on the side of the highway listening to this record because it broke my heart.”

The VOW All-Stars went on to be a powerful performance unit and even recorded a second

Ironically, the VOW band may have a great future, but time is running out for the cause it is fighting for. Benoit realizes that his efforts to lobby congressional leaders and even the oil companies are getting nowhere.

“I’ve been to Congress,” he says. “I got nowhere in Congress. All of them said the same thing. We walked in there and talked common sense to them and just left it on the table. One of the things that’s easy about talking about the plight of coastal Louisiana is that there’s a recorded history of it, so we can read it to them. We can show them pictures. This is what it was like in the ’50s, this is what it’s like now, this is what it’s going to be in 50 years. What are you going to do about it? And they look at me and go, ‘Man it’s not our decision, all we can do is fund it. All we can do is vote on the funding.’ It has to be a decision by the president, who controls the Army Corps of Engineers, the commander-in-chief is the head of that. So all we can do is get a bunch of people and make a bunch of noise and hope the president hears it.”

Benoit was invited to the G20 summit in Pittsburgh in September, where supporters hoped to get him an audience with the president. He’s not banking on that, though, and the next Voice of the Wetlands festival after this October’s event won’t be in Houma; it will be in Washington, D.C. “Sometime between now and the fifth anniversary of Katrina, we’re planning on going to Washington and doing a festival. We’re hoping a lot of people are going to meet up with us there,” says Benoit. “We’ll be aiming the speakers at the White House and saying, ‘Make a decision.’ This has got to be a presidential decision.

“They got one shot to make it right. We’ve got one shot to ask for help one more time.

And even that’s pushing it. A lot of money has been spent on the coast of Louisiana and a lot of money has been wasted. We’ve got to make sure that we have a voice the next time the federal government spends money on the coast of Louisiana. I want to make sure that the local people here have a voice, that the area has a voice, and not just the people, the land itself.

That’s what Voice of the Wetlands is all about.

It’s making sure that the right things are brought up and the real problems are brought up and the real solutions are brought up.”

Benoit is issuing an ultimatum. “Just tell us whether you plan to fix it or not,” he says. “It’s a 50/50 proposition. Either you fix it, or you’re going to have to move the port of New Orleans, you’re going to have to move the refineries, you’re going to have to move the people. I’m going to fight this with everything I have because I’m fighting for my home. If you see me leaving, you better move fast because the only way I’m going is if it’s all over.”O

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album which is scheduled for release next year.

Live shows, especially at the VOW festival and Jazz Fest, have become rallying points. Dr. John has taken the cause a step further, taking on Jazz Fest sponsor Shell directly. When news came out that a plane would circle the Fair Grounds during Mac’s Jazz Fest set calling on Shell to accept its role in the destruction of the wetlands and do something about it, his management was forced to issue a public apology to Shell and the festival. But when he spoke for himself, Mac Rebennack didn’t back down. “If you don’t stand for something,” he says, “you ain’t got nothin’ to stand on.” In this case you can take that line literally.

“Mac is old enough where he doesn’t have to care about who he pisses off,” says Benoit.

“But somebody has to get aggressive. When you see what’s happened and what’s still happening, it’s hard not to get angry. I think Shell takes a lot of the heat because they

www.OFFBEAT.com

Photo: elsa hahne

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In the Kitchen with Greg “I

worked at restaurants coming up, several of them.

I worked at a few vegetarian restaurants in Ithaca, New York, my hometown, and I worked at a deli run

by Hungarian Jews that had a really good chicken soup with matzo balls. I was mainly the carrot cutter.

I’ve been working towards getting more into the garden, and it makes choices a little easier.

What am I going to put on that pizza? I think pesto! We have so much basil and eggplant, so it’s going to be pesto and eggplant.

I moved to New Orleans originally in January of 1995 to play music with what was known at the time as the Big Mess Blues Band. I was playing accordion, usually in front of the A&P. It was a fulltime gig. Six days a week, or however much weather permitted.

Around the time I moved to New Orleans, I started doing cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage rolls. I make them Eastern European style, a rice filling with beef, sautéed onions and peppers, or whatever you want in there. I do it once or twice a year. The last time I did it, my neighbor brought kielbasa and we chopped that up.

Last year, we got into using the pizza stone a lot. I found this Indian recipe for a tomato sauce that had coconut milk in it, and all the spices are bloomed beforehand. I put a lot of cumin and then you finish it off with fresh cilantro. That’s a good sauce. Bloomed means you put the spices in the hot oil in the beginning when you start cooking, let it develop its bouquet, before you put your other ingredients in there.

That’s one extreme. The whole other end of it, which I do a little bit of too, is putting in things at the end, like in Vietnamese cooking where you have your herb basket there to put in your soup, or just toss some fresh basil on top of your pizza.

I think I should stop messing with this dough right now. I’m being too overactive. I’m being a bit cautious,

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peanut sauce, cooking it down with spices and hot chili peppers. Use that on top of the bowl and maybe some pumpkin seeds. Basically a rice and vegetable bowl, like a cooked salad.

Or use similar ingredients and put them on a fresh bed of greens. Salad is hard to come by in the summer, really hard to grow. If I could grow salad in the summertime, I would.

Pizza on the grill is a different animal, not what you’d get in a store. I’ve tried to come up with a crust that has structural integrity.

When you hold it, it doesn’t droop all the way down. I am not sure I accomplished it this time, but you should be able to hold your little slice of pizza. These ones will be fine, actually. If you cut them into quarters they are so small they won’t droop.

Right angles right there. Once I did them in halves and it worked pretty good, but I want structural integrity.

Sometimes, where I trip up with cooking, is sometimes I get in too big of a hurry. You can get into trouble hurrying in the kitchen.

Grilled Mini-Pizza St. Claude Here is Greg’s recipe for rustic pizza dough. For topping recipes and instructions for how to cook pizzas on the grill, go to www.offbeat.com.

and I’m leaving the grill on low. I’m afraid of it burning. Time actually goes by a lot quicker than you think.

Pizza is one of these things where we’ve had parties. But what is much more of a staple for me is black beans. I like to make a big pot of beans. It’s just something I do very regularly, with a lot of cumin. I make beans a couple of times a month, a big pot that will last several days.

Lime, or local oranges, satsumas, I love to use citrus with beans. Make a reduction with the juice and put a little bit of pulp in there too. It’s great. I’m into flexible things where you can adjust, depending on what

By Elsa Hahne

the variables are, sort of controlling the thing. Starting a lot of things by sweating the onions and putting garlic in it, and that, for me, can go in so many different directions.

In the summer, I like cooking salad a lot. I know that doesn’t make sense, cooking salad, but we eat a lot of salads. Sauteing tofu and putting in on top of a salad, making a marinade for the tofu, a ginger-tamari-rice wine vinegar sauce or salad dressing and sometimes having it in a rice bowl, depending on what you’re in the mood for, with sautéed greens and other vegetables, maybe with a thin

1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup cornmeal 1 envelope yeast (about 2 teaspoons) 2 teaspoons coarse salt 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Combine all dry ingredients and rosemary in a bowl. Add 1 cup warm water and olive oil, then add more water slowly until you have a firm but workable dough. Make four balls. Place balls in a container with a cloth on top and let rise for one hour.

Roll out dough (in cornmeal) into circles about 6 inches in diameter and a quarter inch thick.

O www.OFFBEAT.com

Photo: ELSA HAHNE

For Greg Schatz, the secret to cooking is not getting too hyper.

EATS

OffBeat AFRICAN Bennachin: 1212 Royal St., 522-1230.

AMERICAN Duffy’s: 1005 Canal St., 592-1110.

Hard Rock Café: 418 N. Peters St., 529-5617.

O’Henry’s Food & Spirits: 634 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-9741; 8859 Veterans Blvd., 461-9840; 710 Terry Pkwy., 433-4111.

Port of Call: 838 Esplanade Ave., 523-0120.

St. Charles Tavern: 1433 St. Charles Ave., 523-9823.

BARBECUE The Joint: 801 Poland Ave., 949-3232.

Walker’s Barbecue: 10828 Hayne Blvd., 241-8227.

BREAKFAST Daisy Dukes: 121 Chartres St., 561-5171.

Mena’s Place: 200 Chartres St., 525-0217.

New Orleans Cake Cafe & Bakery: 2440 Chartres St., 943-0010.

Petunia’s Restaurant: 817 St. Louis St., 522-6440.

COFFEE HOUSE Café du Monde: 800 Decatur St., 525-4544.

Café Rose Nicaud: 634 Frenchmen St., 949-2292.

CREOLE/CAJUN Atchafalaya Restaurant: 901 Louisiana Ave., 891-9626.

Clancy’s: 6100 Annunciation, 895-1111.

Cochon: 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 588-2123.

Dick & Jenny’s: 4501 Tchoupitoulas, 894-9880.

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.

DELI Mardi Gras Zone: 2706 Royal St., 947-8787.

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

Verti Marte: 1201 Royal St., 525-4767.

FINE DINING Antoine’s: 701 St. Louis St., 581-4422.

Bombay Club: 830 Conti St., 586-0972.

Broussard’s: 819 Conti St., 581-3866.

Commander’s Palace: 1403 Washington Ave., 899-8221.

Emeril’s: 800 Tchoupitoulas, 528-9393.

Iris Restaurant: 321 N Peters St., 299-3944.

Lüke: 333 St. Charles Ave., 378-2840.

Maison Dupuy Hotel: 1001 Toulouse St., 586-8000.

Mat and Naddie’s: 937 Leonidas St., 861-9600.

Mr. B’s Bistro: 201 Royal St. 523-2078.

Pelican Club: 312 Exchange Place, 523-1504.

Restaurant Cuvée: 322 Magazine St., 587-9001.

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7 on Fulton: 701 Convention Center Blvd., 525-7555.

Stella!: 1032 Chartres St., 587-0091.

Tujague’s: 823 Decatur St., 525-8676.

FRENCH Café Degas: 3127 Esplanade Ave., 945-5635.

Delachaise: 3442 St. Charles Ave., 895-0858.

Flaming Torch Restaurant: 737 Octavia St., 895-0900.

La Crepe Nanou: 1410 Robert St., 899-2670.

Crepes à la Cart: 1039 Broadway St., 866-2362.

Restaurant August: 301 Tchoupitoulas St., 299-9777 ICE CREAM/GELATO Creole Creamery: 4924 Prytania St., 894-8680.

La Divina Gelateria: 3005 Magazine St., 342-2634; 621 St. Peter St., 302-2692.

Sucré: 3025 Magazine St., 520-8311.

INDIAN Nirvana: 4308 Magazine St., 894-9797.

ITALIAN Eleven 79: 1179 Annunciation St., 299-1179.

Irene’s Cuisine: 539 St. Philip St., 529-8811.

John Besh’s Domenica: 123 Baronne St., 648-1200.

Maximo’s: 1117 Decatur St., 586-8883.

Tommy’s: 746 Tchoupitoulas St., 581-1103.

JAPANESE/KOREAN/SUSHI Gimchi: 3322 Turnbull Dr., Metairie 454-6426.

Kyoto: 4920 Prytania St., 891-3644.

Mikimoto: 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., 488-1881.

Miyako Japanese Seafood & Steak House: 1403 St. Charles Ave., 410-9997.

Wasabi: 900 Frenchmen St., 943-9433.

MEDITERRANEAN Byblos: 3218 Magazine St., 894-1233.

Café Lazziza: 2106 Chartres St., 943-0416.

Jamila’s Café: 7808 Maple St., 866-4366.

Mona’s Café: 504 Frenchmen St., 949-4115.

MEXICAN/CARIBBEAN/SPANISH Juan’s Flying Burrito: 2018 Magazine St., 569-0000.

El Gato Negro: 81 French Market Place, 525-9846.

Nacho Mama’s: 3240 Magazine St. 899-0031.

RioMar: 800 S. Peters St., 525-3474.

Tomatillo’s: 437 Esplanade Ave., 945-9997.

MUSIC ON THE MENU Carrollton Station Bar and Grill: 140 Willow St., 865-9190.

Chickie Wah Wah: 2828 Canal St., 304-4714.

House of Blues: 225 Decatur St., 412-8068.

Prejean’s Restaurant: 3480 Hwy 167 N, Lafayette (337) 896-3247.

Le Bon Temps Roule: 4801 Magazine St., 895-8117. www.OFFBEAT.com

EATS Mid City Lanes Rock ‘N’ Bowl: 4133 S. Carrollton Ave., 482-3133.

Palm Court Jazz Café: 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.

NEIGHBORHOOD JOINTS 13 Bar & Restaurant: 517 Frenchmen St., 942-1345.

Café Reconcile: 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 568-1157.

Camellia Grill: 626 S. Carrollton Ave., 309-2676.

Crabby Jacks: 428 Jefferson Hwy., 833-2722.

Slim Goodies: 3322 Magazine St., 891-3447.

Ye Olde College Inn: 3000 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-3683.

PIZZA Fresco Café & Pizzeria: 7625 Maple St., 862-6363.

Garage Pizza: 220 S Robertson St., 569-1599.

French Quarter Pizzeria: 201 Decatur St., 948-3287.

Slice Pizzeria: 1513 St. Charles Ave., 525-7437.

Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza: 4218 Magazine St., 894-8554.

Turtle Bay: 1119 Decatur St., 586-0563.

PO-BOYS / SANDWICHES Mahony’s Po-Boy Shop: 3454 Magazine St., 899-3374

Parkway Bakery and Tavern: 538 Hagan Ave., 482-3047.

SEAFOOD Acme Oyster & Seafood House: 724 Iberville, 522-5973.

Bourbon House: 144 Bourbon St., 274-1831.

Casamento’s Restaurant: 4330 Magazine St. 895-9761.

Crazy Lobster Bar & Grill: 1 Poydras St. 569-3380.

Drago’s Restaurant: 2 Poydras St. (Hilton Hotel), 584-3911; 3232 N. Arnoult St., Metairie, 888-9254.

SOUL Chef Austin’s Creole Kitchen: 2005 N Broad St., 940-5786 Dunbar’s: 501 Pine St., 861-5451.

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

Willie Mae’s Scotch House: 2401 St. Ann St., 822-9503.

THAI Sukho Thai: 1913 Royal St., 948-9309.

WEE HOURS Clover Grill: 900 Bourbon St., 523-0904.

Mimi’s in the Marigny: 2601 Royal St., 872-9868.

Molly’s At The Market: 1107 Decatur St., 525-5169.

St. Charles Tavern: 1433 St. Charles Ave., 523-9823.

June Yamagishi hits the

Mojo Coffee House 1500 Magazine St (504) 525-2244

Why Mojo?

You know, I was playing with Henry Butler every Tuesday at Tipitina’s in the French Quarter and somebody asked for me one night: “Where y’at?” Henry Butler said, “He’s around the coffee shop on Magazine and Race.” Some Japanese people came ask for me, where am I? So he said, “You go down to coffee shop on Magazine and Race and you can meet him.” I always hanging here. I was living in that building over there, on the corner. I started my new life here in 1995. Nobody knew me then.

I’d just moved here from Japan.

Do you come here in the morning or the afternoon?

I go from the Maple Leaf to the Snake & Jake. Every night.

Not gig, just hanging out. Like everyday people; from the Maple Leaf to the Snake & Jake until the morning. Then go to sleep. Then I woke up to come here. Liquid diet, right, something like that. One day I got a headache. I said, “What’s wrong?” I had nothing, no fever, nothing. “Oh, might be I have to get the coffee.” I love the New Orleans chicory coffee.—Elsa Hahne www.OFFBEAT.com

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DINING OUT Crabby Jack’s If one measures a restaurant’s excellence by how long you need to wait for a table, then JacquesImo’s is quite possibly the best restaurant in the city. But if the quality of the food serves as your barometer, Crabby Jack’s is where you will find Chef Jack Leonardi’s best work. Located in the former Louisiana Seafood Exchange on Jefferson Highway, this lunch spot cranks out an extensive list of creative po-boys along with daily plate specials reminiscent of its better-known sister restaurant.

While waiting to order at the counter, you survey the handful of communal tables and barstools, where the plates of stuffed cabbage and étoufée catch your eye. But once your gaze turns upon the menu overhead, which has more names and numbers than an airport arrival board, the craving for a po-boy overwhelms you. Just relax, take a deep breath, and repeat after me: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the po-boys I cannot order.”

The signature debris-style duck po-boy is overloaded with succulent, shredded meat in a

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flavorful jus. Tender cochon de lait comes cloaked in a tomato-based sauce which could almost be labeled as “barbecue,” but with a flavor distinct enough as to differentiate it from similar sandwiches. The roast beef po-boy is a textbook example of that breed, and the crusty bread of the fried shrimp po-boy strains to contain an overabundance of golden crustaceans. Paneed chicken pounded thin, fried crisp, and double-layered makes that chicken dinner the winner winner.

Sides are sadly an afterthought, with both the fries and rings leaving much to be desired.

The latter shed their thick, fried batter far too easily. A surprising “punt” by a kitchen that turns out hot-to-the-bone and crunchy chicken wings, which may be the heir apparent to Al Copeland’s. If necessary, opt for the macaroni and cheese spiced up with jalapeños.

Photo: elsa hahne

EATS

Brooks and Helen Gibert came prepared for messy po-boys: “If we weren’t married, we wouldn’t let you take our picture.”

But such shortcomings are easily forgiven considering that the stars of Crabby Jack’s shine so brightly. Plus, the “small” po-boys of 8 inches can satisfy even the hungriest lunchtime appetites for under $10. All the flavor, without the waiting in line. 428 Jefferson Hwy., Jefferson, 833-2722.

Lunch Mon-Wed 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Thu-Fri 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

—Rene Louapre and Peter Thriffley

www.OFFBEAT.com

Reviews

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

REVIEWS

CDs reviewed are available now at In the French Quarter 210 Decatur Street 504-586-1094 or online at LouisianaMusicFactory.com

Lost Sessions Found

The Radiators The Lost Southlake Sessions (Radz) I’m going to go out on a limb and say The Lost Southlake Sessions was supposed to become the Rads’ third album for Epic Records, an unprovable premise because there’s no date on these tracks. All you can go on is that percussionist Glen Sears was still with the band, which places it somewhere in the mid1990s. Rads keyboardist Ed Volker came across this recording during his research of the band’s archives for the Wild and Free project.

Six of these songs did eventually appear on the band’s third Epic album, Total Evaporation, a dental surgery of a session in which both the band and producer, the late Jim Dickinson, wrestled with Epic’s demand for what a radio-friendly record was supposed to sound like at the beginning of the ’90s. The band members were all looking forward to a planned studio reunion with Dickinson without record industry interference when they learned about the great producer’s passing in August.

At any rate, The Lost Southlake Sessions is an accurate representation of what the Radiators sounded like at this point in the band’s history, without any of the sheen corporate radio demanded. www.OFFBEAT.com

Tempos shift like gears and guitars buzz like they do in person. The mix is crisp and gimmickless, just getting it right and getting out of the way. It’s the kind of album indie bands were defiantly trying to make around the same time, with a raw, uncompromising feel and a visceral energy that matches the intensity of real-time Rads performances.

In fact, it still does. The opening track, “Have a Little Mercy,” is a great table setter, and the band has been playing it a lot lately (it was a highlight of a red hot set at the Maple Leaf in July). This did not appear on Total Evaporation nor did two other perennial crowd pleasers, “Devil’s Dream” and “River Run.” The songs that did show up on Total Evaporation include two muscular Dave Malone showpieces, “Honey From the Bee” and “Everything Gets in the Way.” The Total Evaporation opener, “Soul Deep,” which is dropped to ninth place in the running order here, shares its title with a hit by the Box Tops. The story goes that the band was asked to cover the tune, but instead of doing that Volker wrote his own song called “Soul Deep.” Volker says that’s not what happened, but it’s a good story and an interesting song.

The other songs that became part of Total Evaporation are the straightforward love song “Solid Ground,” built around a beautiful melody; “Good as Gone,” an esoteric rocker that could work either as a treatise on epistemology or social engineering; and the otherworldly “I Want to Go Where the Green Arrow Goes,” one of those Volker songs that sounds like poetry. The simple, evocative words linger in the memory, wrapped in the garlands of a melody that unfolds like a Bach fugue: “Have

you seen that green arrow fly? / I want to go there.”

Both Southlake and Total Evaporation close on that tune.

That’s one thing everyone could agree on.

—John Swenson

Wardell Quezergue Music for Children Ages 3 to 103 (Jazz Foundation of America) They don’t call this guy “the Creole Beethoven” for nothing.

Despite its title, this isn’t just a kids’ CD. Some of the material has rather simple nursery rhythms and arrangements—hence the album title—but Quezergue and company cover a lot of ground here. The opener, “Jack and Jill,” has a pop/funk arrangement, quite similar to the classic Pointer Sisters sound. Luther Kent gets into the act on “Swamp Stompin’.” While he does a creditable job, the song might well have served Dr. John better.

Speaking of Dr. John, his cameo on “Take Care of Yourself,” is a cracker that sounds like it was an unreleased track for the “Right Place, Wrong Time” session.

There are a couple of superlative Leslie Smith ballads here delivered torch-style

by Shannon McNally, and Quezergue’s approach to his son’s otherwise simple song, “La, La, La,” is to give it a Latin arrangement not too far removed from what Sergio Mendes does. Can’t say there is a best song on this set, as from beginning-to-end Quezergue works his magic through others just as he has always done. This one will grow on listeners as well as appeal to the kid in all of us.

—Jeff Hannusch

The Magnolia Sisters Stripped Down (Arhoolie) It seems surprising that the Magnolia Sisters refer to this as Stripped Down. Their sound has always been predicated on the core instrumentation with little outside embellishment, but truth be told, this one is barer compared to Lapin, Lapin, their previous release. Yet, just because it’s barer doesn’t mean it’s austere or stark.

The Sisters cover a lot of ground stylistically—lively fiddle duets, feathery finger picking, Calypso beats, honking squeezebox bass notes that blossom into full-tilt twosteps and dead-on, muted guitar barre chords. There are examples of Creole-style accordion versus the more ornamented Cajun variety, the combining of like melodies for a new version of an old, obscure song (“Point Clear Blues”) and tunes that exhibit a raw, primal groove including Clarence Garlow’s “Bon temps rouler.”

Yet, two things in particular make the Magnolia Sisters stand out, the first of which is their delectable harmonies. “À boire, à boire” features resounding, full-bodied choruses sung by all. Jane Vidrine’s harmonizing above Savoy’s vocals on “Pourquoi tu m’as trahi?” is not only memorable; it’s quite haunting.

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REVIEWS The second thing is their emphasis on drones, which is accomplished by slowly bowing against the fiddle’s open strings. It makes their music sound ancient and adds a spine-tingling sense of surrealism (“Goodbye, chère amie”) to the proceedings. For supposedly being stripped down, the Magnolia Sisters still get a lot of sound by leveraging whatever’s around them.

—Dan Willging

Creole String Beans Creole String Beans (Stringbeans) When I moved here in the late 1970s from a country with a maple leaf on its flag, there were bands like the Creole String Beans all over the New Orleans area. On any given Saturday night, you could walk by an Uptown corner bar and hear a band play a creditable version of “Mathilda,” visit Da Parish and hear a note-for-note rendition of “All These Things” or drive out to Fat City and catch a medley of Irma Thomas covers performed for a packed dance floor of middle-aged couples.

Don’t get me started about Fourth Street on the West Bank—that was like stepping into a rock and roll time machine.

I’ve long championed Louisiana as the birthplace of blue-eyed R&B, and the String Beans now walk in the foot steps of the Nobels, the Jokers, Bobby Cure, Eddie Powers and Harvey Jesus. Led by photog/rocker/ coonass Rick Olivier, the band is comprised of musicians with long, local and impressive pedigrees.

Song selection is interesting and entertaining, with a predictably strong local favor—“Groove Me,” “Barefootin’,” “Mathilda,”

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Nothing is Simple Josh Neufeld A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge (Pantheon) “Sometimes I think nothing is simple but the feeling of

pain.”

Lester Bangs wrote those words in 1979 for his own exploration of race, power and oppression.

But they came to mind over Josh Neufeld’s graphic novel A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge about Katrina and everything after, because Lester was wrong. Pain emerges over its pages as a manysplendored thing, to be respected if not feared all the more for all that.

A.D. begins in outer space, contemplating the moon in the Earth’s orbit. It establishes Katrina as a force playing on that stage, but moves quickly to the lives of six people (based on real folk) and their loved ones. Some get out before the flood. Some stay and find the water more than they dreamed. An Iranian shop owner and his best friend end up on the shop’s roof. They’re “Morgus the Magnificent”—you get the picture. The energy dial is on 10 from beginning to end, but the best way to experience these guys is live, with a durable dance partner and several adult beverages. Still, this is a decent enough CD just to listen to, and it’s good to know some folks still give a damn about the music that made this city great.

—Jeff Hannusch

Lawrence Sieberth Arkipelago (Musik Blöc) On his latest release, pianist, composer and synth sorcerer Lawrence Sieberth embarks on an excursion deep into the realm of ambient, avant-garde jazz.

Unlike his previous album, New New Orleans, a solo endeavor focused solely on the aesthetic qualities of the “New Orleans piano,” Arkipelago’s compositions www.OFFBEAT.com

lucky. They only get eaten alive by mosquitoes.

One character treats the whole thing as a big joke, and he wasn’t alone. Neufeld never misses with his page plotting, story juxtapositions and color-codes for each day of the emergency. If you live or lived in or through the big story, you already understand a lot of this. But page 175, with an old woman refusing to buy new furniture for her new house, broke my heart. She doesn’t want anything more to lose. Period. That’s when I understood. Nothing is more complicated than the feeling of pain.

—Andrew Hamlin aim to deconstruct all logocentric preconceptions associated with the genre. That’s not to say the album lacks a discernable theme.

Hardly—if you put time into deciphering the songs’ titles, you’ll uncover an evolutionary metaphor referring to the cyclical nature of life. Here, it’s the music that lacks a referential construct. Yet this is by no means music concrete. The spatial interplay between the music and the elements are not beholden to its context. This is discernibly jazz—the headiest of sorts— volatile, unpredictable, explosive and menacingly symmetrical. On Arkipelago, it’s the playing that governs the jazz, not the jazz that governs the playing. Think of it as function meets form.

As for the playing, it emerges from an eerie, ambient haze, clamorous and fierce, in shrill, frantic swoops and protracted, sinuous bursts, only to disappear once again beneath a creeping,

foreboding current. Seemingly independent of each other, the cornet dashes hysterically, the bass indignantly stammers, the guitar writhes feverishly. All the while, the ominous, electronic vortex encroaches upon the horizon.

Amidst the chaos, these streaks of virtuosity collide, and as paths intersect, collisions abound. Each crash leaves a distinct imprint on the musical landscape, sending remnants spiraling off into space until they all vanish into the ether. Fractal masterpiece or warp zone to nowhere—imagine listening to Miles Davis’ On the Corner recorded on top of Brian Eno’s Apollo Atmospheres and Soundtracks.

—Aaron LaFont

Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle Rock Star Bench Press (Hyena) Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle’s new CD, Rock Star Bench Press, combines a lot of different styles that would be almost too in-your-face except for the inherent lightness of his preferred instruments, the electric vibraphone and xylophone. There are the stop-and-switch song sections that echo prog rock.

There is some rapping, and in many songs Dillon sings or yells like this is vintage punk rock.

There is even some mutant Cissy Strut funk on the first track, excellently titled “Go-Go Theme Song No. 2 (I saw George Porter Jr. playing punk rock with my pal Skerik).” And then, after all this intensity, there is the ethereal “Chemtrails,” which is airy and pretty with Marco Benevento’s piano matching Dillon’s vibes and tabla, and a version of Jane’s Addiction’s “Summertime Rules” that has even more of the spacey, drugged sheen than the original.

Eclectic is the best way to describe this recording, and eclectic in the best of ways. It has the attitude of an old Minutemen record (and one of the songs, “Vietnam”) so the listener never knows what will come next—sometimes within a song.

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REVIEWS Sometimes such records can be unbalanced and too much, but Rock Star Bench Press plays it both heavy and light so that the listener can enjoy either mood.

—David Kunian

Odoms Let Me Atom (Independent) It’s not surprising that Odoms Odometer—birth name Adam Bourgeois, better known as the

hand and the voice of Lil’ Doogie, New Orleans’ most beloved puppet since Mr. Bingle—comes off on his debut solo disc much as he did with last year’s Doogie EP, Thoughts Of My Mind. Vocally, that is: lyrically, he now splits the difference between Doog and their producer-in-common, Rami “Ballzack” Sharkey.

Having lost the extra level of absurdity brought to him by his handwarmer, Odoms apparently feels free to be a little less hard,

resulting in a stance equidistant between Doogie’s street cred and Ballzack’s absurdist nerd wodie act. If Ballzack is the West Bank’s answer to Eminem, Odoms is its ODB. This makes for an electrobounce experience unlike any other, especially given his predilection for retrofuturist kitsch, evident in titles like “Keeping Up with the Jetsons” (one of a handful of tracks produced by ex-White Zombie fugitive guitarist

J. Yuenger) and “Reynolds Rap,” which is definitely the crunkest track you’ll ever hear about possibly being Burt Reynolds’ bastard child. If you’ve listened to Thoughts of My Mind too much, it might be weird to hear Doogie’s flow coming out of Odoms’ mouth on tracks like “Harvey Tunnel Syndrome,” where his space-thug soldier gets the death penalty and then comes back like Jesus. But you’ll get used to it, thanks to Ballzack’s beats and the ever-more-impressive flow of Bourgeois, still getting more mileage out of parody than most local rappers do out of reality.

—Rob Fontenot, Jr.

Charles Moore Classical Guitar, Vol. 1 (Independent) Charles Moore, the brother of Deacon John and Sybil Kein, plays guitar with both siblings and has appeared with Kein on her CDs exploring traditional Creole and European folk songs. Here Moore puts together a program of classical guitar music which, it turns out, is his real love.

It’s an interesting program, mostly of shorter pieces, with Bach compositions opening the CD. But Moore is not content with turning out familiar Bach; his real challenge clearly is with the Sylvius Leopold Weiss composition, “Fantasie.” Weiss was a contemporary of Bach’s, and is said to have competed in improvisation with him. Weiss’s lute works are very challenging, and it is in his numerous fantasies that one gains an appreciation of their difficulty. Moore explains, “I arranged this wonderful piece to be played by repeating the middle section over again which, to the best of my knowledge, cannot be found by any other artist.

Weiss was well-known for his improvisational skill, so I took the liberty of repeating the composer’s only loop-hole, which I exploited to lengthen the piece’s artistic beauty.”

The jewel in the collection is Francisco Tarrega’s piece “Memories of the Alhambra.”

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It’s a familiar piece of music, used in Mike Oldfield’s soundtrack for the film The Killing Fields (under the title “Étude”) and also in the film Sideways. Here Moore’s skill is evident as the melody is subtly revealed. Tarrega’s “Lagrima Prelude”—the “Tearful Prelude”— is another highlight, taken from a larger work “16 Preludes for Guitar.” As Moore explains, it “is contemplative, full of emotion, expressive, simple and complex, joyful and sad.”

Moore arranges a series of short “interludes” from Vincenzo Galilei’s pieces “Saltarello” and

“Bianco Fiore,” but rather than build anticipation for what comes next, they simply interrupt the proceedings. Eliminating them and/or presenting them as standalone pieces would have made a better presentation.

Is Moore abandoning his rock ’n’ roll career? I don’t think so, but he clearly wants to be known and respected as a classical guitarist. This CD makes a good argument for acceptance and given the title Volume 1, the second volume is much anticipated.

—Joseph Irrera

Shannon McNally and Hot Sauce Coldwater (Independent) Coldwater documents where Shannon McNally has been since Katrina—namely, settling down in Mississippi, starting a family and finding a stable band. For the occasion, she recut “Bolder

Than Paradise” not because the song needs it, but because the version presents it as an ensemble piece, not a showcase for her voice or Dave Easley’s guitar (as it became on North American Ghost Music). On the album, the late Jim Dickinson gave his last performance as her piano player, but he settles into the group sensitive to what the songs require, often intentionally disappearing into the texture of the song.

Not surprisingly, the hill country blues figure prominently here as songs groove on minimal changes, which suits McNally well. The skeletal framework allows her songs to become trances, stories that could come from last week, last year, last decade or last century. They bring to mind early 1970s movies with Rudy Wurlitzer screenplays, where outsiders search for homes and communities they themselves have doubts that they’ll find, and nothing underscores that more

Two from the Hart Hart McNee Alive @ dba (Frenchmen)

Hart McNee St. Cecilia (Frenchmen) Hart McNee wasn’t well known outside of the musicians’ community, but the talented multi-instrumentalist was prized by his peers for his musical imagination and integrity as much as for his superlative playing ability. Although he’d made his name as a saxophonist elsewhere, McNee was known in New Orleans for his expressive flute work, especially on the pretzel-shaped bass flute. When he died earlier this year, McNee left behind a couple of recent releases on Frenchmen Street records, a live recording from 2005 of his trio and a studio recording of music for bass flute.

The Hart McNee Trio’s Alive @ d.b.a., with bassist James Singleton and drummer David Sobel, is one of those recordings that got lost www.OFFBEAT.com

in the confusion after Katrina, but it’s a worthy example of the trio’s easy interaction and especially of McNee’s ability to carry the weight in this setting. The session includes three Thelonious Monk compositions—“Monk’s Dream,” “Ask Me Now” and “Bemsha Swing”—in which McNee hews closely to Monk’s melodic statement and changes, mindful of the labyrinthine traps waiting for those who are fooled by their apparent simplicity. On his own “RC,” McNee lets himself go, carrying the moment with multiple choruses of flute solos played with confident abandon. Singleton and Sobel support him joyously, and Singleton provides an exciting climax with an outstanding bass solo. McNee’s setclosing composition “Y & G” builds from a wistful, leapfrogging theme to a dizzying whirl of flute and bass that sounds much bigger than it is.

St. Cecilia is a studio recording of McNee originals, all played on the bass flute. On the title track, McNee directs the band into a slow

clave beat that bassist Andrew Wolf, Michael Skinkus on conga and Kenyatta Simon on djembe turn into a foggy, swamp trance rhythm while McNee plays short, mysterious phrases on the bass flute. “Blues for Kate” is a more straightforward, medium tempo demonstration of McNee’s articulate and swinging technique, especially on the doubletime coda. “Y & G” shows up again with a more sprightly arrangement and “John the Conqueror” pits McNee’s flute against Darrell Levigne’s piano. As a composer, arranger, but most of all as a player, McNee brought an ingredient to the New Orleans music table that will be impossible to replace.

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REVIEWS with the best of them. While he covers all bases—hip-hop for the hipster set, bluesy Creole Frenchsung tunes for the grey hairs—on “That L’Argent (Remix),” he crams it all into an infectious, all-ages dance track featuring friendly neighborhood rapper Tucka. Now, where’s that apple?

—Dan Willging than Coldwater’s first line: “Wrong side of the road / how did I get here this time?” The vagabond theme seems appropriate for McNally, whose muse has taken her around the country. It brought her to New Orleans and took her to Mississippi, and documenting this moment is valuable because it’ll likely take her somewhere else before long.

—Alex Rawls

Lil’ Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers The Autonomous Fit For Survival (Cha Cha) Whoever said the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to zydeco hasn’t been paying attention to the current state of affairs. Its paradigm continues to shift from its ’90s nouveau base, and the latest from Lil’ Nathan is one of the reasons why. It’s not the amped-up, inyour-face blaster of yesteryear that’s based on hypnotic repetition. Instead, many tunes are slowed down to a breezy, mid-tempo pace. He doesn’t lean on the bluesy scales like the older cats, but changes it up by putting sad songs into major keys and happier ones into minor keys, a reversal of what usually happens in many genres.

While some of Nathan’s music theory ideas may escape the average listener, what won’t escape anyone are the two tunes featuring steel guitar ace Richard Comeaux. No matter what radical things he’ll implement, the 22year-old son of Nathan Williams of Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas will never abandon the family legacy. A few tunes are the rollicking, bluesy romps of old that underscore how he holds his own

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Ledisi Turn Me Loose (Verve Forecast) New Orleans-born Ledisi’s Turn Me Loose has a similar essence as Mary J. Blige’s No More Drama. The difference lies in their approaches as each expresses growth in their music. No More Drama succeeds in celebrating brighter days for Blige, yet she can’t do the main thing that makes growth possible—let go.

It is as if Blige is trying to move forward, but she doesn’t get too far because she keeps looking back.

Ledisi doesn’t dare look back with the track “Everything Changes;” and it sets the tone for the album. “Turn Me Loose” is about looking forward and accepting change, all the things one must do in order to achieve positive growth. However, there is another side to self-growth that Ledisi does not shy away from telling. On “Alone” she recognizes that when letting go or accepting change, there is a possibility of ending up alone, and she accepts it. In the beginning, Ledisi asks, “Are you ready to get lifted?” By end of the album, we are.

—Teresha Ussin

Alec Ounsworth Mo Beauty (Anti) In “Holy, Holy, Holy Moses (for New Orleans)” Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s Alec Ounsworth is reluctant to assert too great a role for himself in New Orleans’ drama.

In the song, the Philadelphia native asks, “How can I claim New Orleans?” but he can’t escape Katrina’s impact, because what happened to us happened to www.OFFBEAT.com

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everybody. “My faith got shook / and my mom got drunk,” he sings at one point, then asserts “I’m a stranger to my own homeland,” in another.

It’s the most dramatic moment in the album he cut earlier this summer at Piety Street Recording with producer Steve Berlin. For the occasion, Berlin assembled a

core band that included George Porter, Jr., Stanton Moore and Robert Walter, but Ounsworth’s musical voice remains dominant.

His borderline-yelped vocals and impressionistic lyrics imply a personal, desperate vision, one that mourns “all this useless beauty” in the rocking opener, “Modern Girl (…with Scissors).”

Soon, though, Porter and Moore create a slinky, sinister stomp for “Bones in the Grave,” and the local contingent adds the ghost of a second line rhythm here, a brass conversation there and surging trombones to push along “This is Not My Home (after Bruegel).” But rather than sound like an amalgam of genres and styles, Mo Beauty presents an effective, eclectic incarnation of Crescent City rock

Just the Facts Dave Eggers Zeitoun (McSweeney’s)

In a city where we are all marked small and large by The Storm, and Katrina stories tread finely between the greatest heroism and terrorism this nation has ever known, where does another story find its place? Dave Eggers’ Zeitoun follows Syrian immigrant and New Orleans painter and contractor Abdulrahman Zeitoun and his wife Kathy as they navigate the crucial and impossible decisions Katrina forces on their family, their business and their home.

In another non-fiction tour de force (following What is the What in McSweeney’s “Voice of Witness” series), Eggers’ narrative enraptures and frustrates all over again, mythologizes and demonizes the federal response, celebrates and antagonizes the spirit of a city and the fear of a nation. After the storm hits the city, Zeitoun takes to the flooded streets in a second-hand canoe to help others. However, on September 5, 2005, Zeitoun disappears and Kathy fears him for dead. What follows in the narrative is an appalling account of both a post-Katrina and post-9/11 world. www.OFFBEAT.com

Perhaps most haunting about the narrative is Eggers’ dedication to factuality; these happenings are not embellished or made up, and to read them, to wrestle with them in your gut days later, makes you wish they were the raging imagination of some fiction. Like most Katrina stories, Zeitoun ultimately reflects less about the actual storm and more about America and its weird, ever-perilous puzzle of human rights.

All proceeds go to the Zeitoun Foundation, founded in 2009, dedicated to rebuilding the city of New Orleans and promoting respect for human rights in the United States and around the world.

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—Alex Rawls

Henry Gray and the Cats Times Are Gettin’ Hard (Lucky Cat) Scotlandville blues piano legend Henry Gray is one of those rare musicians—in the blues field they can be counted on one hand— whose style is instantly recognizable.

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Case in point is the intro on opening track “Trouble, Trouble” from his latest album, Times Are Gettin’ Hard.

Now pushing 85—35 years ago the UK blues press reported our man was retired!—Gray is no less than brilliant here.

While he hails from Louisiana, Gray is the heir to the Chicago blues piano throne via 25 years of backing Howlin’ Wolf, J. B. Lenoir, Little Walter and Jimmy Reed on the south side. Today, his playing still recalls the golden

age of Chicago blues, and it’s on display here. Playing solo and with an enthusiastic small combo, his repertoire is largely traditional.

Besides the aforementioned “Trouble, Trouble,” Gray sparkles on the proven “That Ain’t Right” and the classic “Goin’ Down Slow.” Realizing it’s no longer 1955, Henry came up with the timely title track, as well as the predictable “Katrina, Katrina” and Alex Rawls’ favorite, “Barack Obama Boogie!” Granted, there

are one or two stumbles along the way—at times the Cats are a little too enthusiastic—but this is superb release from a true legend. This is what the blues are all about.

—Jeff Hannusch

Bonsoir, Catin Vive L’Amour (Valcour) With their auspicious 2007 debut, Bonsoir, Catin established themselves among the creative forces in Cajun music. The group’s sophomore effort wastes no time in strengthening that perception, opening with an audienceparticipatory Old World-style French drinking song adapted from a 1950s a cappella recording (“Mon Aimable Brune”) culled from the ULL Archives. Similarly, “J’amerais Sentir Comme Ca Chez Moi” is a practically forgotten Dolly Parton tune accordionist Kristi Guillory translated into French and performs as a duet with Pine Leaf Boys’ Courtney Granger, who was really in touch with his honky tonk side that day in the studio.

Though they salute the dancehall tradition with ripping renditions of “73 Special” and “Le Moulin,” some of the best moments occur beyond those rickety wooden floors and dusty rotgut shelves. “Un Bouquet de Camélias” is austere and powerful, featuring primarily voice and acoustic guitar. It was inspired by a father’s poetic letter to his dying, young daughter. He’ll leave her a bouquet of camellias— because that’s what she always gave him—to accompany her into the afterlife.

Beautiful songs aside, the Catins are also just plain fun. Christine Balfa Powell sings DL Menard’s “Listen to Me When I Talk to You,” a humorous, shuffling song that, paraphrased, says that the world really does begin at sunup, not after sundown. The song that makes the best tongue-incheek statement from a woman’s perspective is Guillory’s rousing “Je Suis Pas Apres Chercher.” The protagonist is not looking for a www.OFFBEAT.com

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husband or even a one-night stand; just buy her some whiskey, damn it.

—Dan Willging

Luke Winslow-King Old/New Baby (Fox on a Hill) Songman Luke Winslow-King has a fervent connection to New Orleans.

On its corners, streets and sidewalks, this Michigan native sharpened his craft, nestled into its folklore and found inspiration in its folkways.

With Old/New Baby, Winslow-King creates a sound that captures the allure of a speakeasy, the swagger of Old Dixie and the simple, goodtime charm of Western Swing. These

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songs, with lyrics co-written by girlfriend Ji Un Choi, bring to mind the romantic follies of a Vaudeville suite or the foolhardy flirtations of a pair of Storyville drifters.

Recorded at Preservation Hall, Old/New Baby makes good use of this historic site’s mojo. Seemingly, it’s hard not to get lured into the buoyant swing of “April Is to May” or drift away to the soothing lullaby “Shoeshine” or revel right alongside the scampering trumpet, swooning clarinet and billowing trombone circus in “Birthday Stomp.” While the jovial folk-ditty “Never Tired” finds a tireless Winslow-King pining atop a winsome guitar melody and a snappy washboard shuffle, the lonesome banjo and bellyaching brass in “Dragon Fly, Dragon Flower” cast a lovelorn impression over the restless troubadour’s cries, “Won’t you please deliver me and ease my worried mind?” Former New Orleans resident Roberto Luti lends his matchless slide to several of Old/ New Baby’s best tracks, including the springy, bluegrass-tinged “Lost Soul” and the serpentine romp “Bird

Dog Blues.” Though the heartily humdrum “Aeroplane” renders a slight snag, the beautifully fingerpicked folk treasure “Searchlight Waltz,” with its stirring string and accordion accompaniments, warrants several listens. Intriguing fare for the iPod generation, Old/New Baby sounds more like a dusty 78 than a downloadable digipak. And that’s a good thing.

—Aaron LaFont

The High Ground Drifters The High Ground Drifters (Independent) A bluegrass band in New Orleans has to be lonely. There’s a community of pickers, but the dearth of country and bluegrass bands and clubs suggests that it’s a small one. If the High Ground Drifters’ self-titled debut album is representative of the level of talent, we should be paying more attention. They rarely hit that fleet, exhilarating rush of notes that can make bluegrass viscerally exciting, but they cater to their strengths instead.

They play clean, emphasize the

textural interplay in the instruments, and pay attention to the song, whether it’s a standard or their own solid compositions. The “OZ Breakdown” would be a shameless plea for airplay if the instrumental weren’t so well executed, and the Drifters’ harmonies are refreshingly accurate. The most likeable thing about the High Ground Drifters, though, is that they seem happy to be a bluegrass band. They don’t punk it up, and they’re not in it for the wardrobe. The album suggests that they actually enjoy picking, and the pleasure is contagious.

—Alex Rawls

More Reviews

For reviews of these, go to OffBeat. com: Yim Yames: Tribute (ATO); The Avett Brothers: I and Love and You (Columbia); Big Star: Keep an Eye on the Sky (Rhino); Big Star: #1 Record/Radio City (Concord); Bruce Eaton: Radio City (Continuum Books)

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THURSDAY OCT 1

Apple Barrel: Maxwell (BL) 8p, Andy J. Forest (BL) 10:30p Blue Nile: Bayou International Reggae night with DJ T-Roy (RG) 10p BMC: Some Like it Hot (JV) 6p, Schatzy’s Honky Squonk Trio (RR FR) 9:30p Chickie Wah Wah: Pfister Sisters (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Thomas Johnson (JV) 7p, Jon Cleary’s Piano, Bass & Drums (PK) 10p Dragon’s Den: the Bombshelter feat. DJ Bombshell Boogie, Bassbin Safari feat. DJ Proppa Bear (DJ) 10p Fritzel’s: Tom Fischer & Friends (TJ) 9p House of Blues: Arctic Monkeys, the Like 8p Howlin’ Wolf NorthShore (Mandeville): Black Magnolia Live Band Karaoke (OR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Johnaye Kendrick (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: call club La Nuit Comedy Theatre: Comedy Lives (CO) 8p Lafayette Square: Harvest the Music feat. Anders Osborne and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux (FK) 5p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich (FK) 10p Ogden Museum: Ogden After Hours feat. Mike Zito (OR) 6p Old Point Bar: Marc Stone & Friends (BL) 6:30p, Andre Bouvier & the Royal Bohemians (BL) 9p Palm Court: Palm Court Jazz Band feat. Duke Heitger (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: Brass Band Thursday feat. Paulin Brothers Brass Band (BB) 8p Rivershack Tavern: call club Rock ’n’ Bowl: Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas (ZY) 8:30p Snug Harbor: John Mahoney Big Band (MJ) 8p, 10p Tipitina’s: Phoenix, Chairlift (RR) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p

FRIDAY OCT 2

Apple Barrel: Kenny Holladay and RickWestin 8p, Hip Shakers (BL) 11p Blue Nile: Snarky Puppy with Johnny Vidacovich, Mike Dillon & James Singleton (FS) 10p BMC: Sasha Masakowski (JV) 7p, Fredy Omar con su Banda (LT) 10:30p, Jack Brass Band (BB) 1:30a Chickie Wah Wah: Threadhead Fridays feat. Paul Sanchez & Friends (JV) 8p d.b.a.: Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 6p, Pine Leaf Boys (OR) 10p Dragon’s Den: Rev. Spooky LeStrange Church of Burlesque, Slangston Hughes presents Uniquity (SH RH) 10p Fritzel’s: Ben Polcer and Richard Scott (TJ) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): Mae 9p Howlin’ Wolf NorthShore (Mandeville): Five Star Fiasco, Nothing More, For Karma (RR) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Within Reason, the Stratus Project (RR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Buddy Francioni & Home Grown (BL) 5p, Lynn Drury (BL) 9p

La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, Stand Up Open Mic (CO) 11p Le Bon Temps Roule: Joe Krown (PK) 7p, J. Monque’D (BL) 11p Maple Leaf: Russell Batiste Band, John Mooney Solo Acoustic (FK AU) 10p One Eyed Jacks: Those Darlins, Country Fried (RR CW) 9p Palm Court: Palm Court Jazz Band feat. Lucien Barbarin (JV) 7p Rivershack Tavern: Refried Confusion (BL RR) 9:30p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Eric Lindell (RB) 10p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8p, 10p, Will Thompson Quartet (MJ) 12a Southport Hall: Dirt (Alice in Chains tribute) (RR) 10p Tipitina’s: the Dynamites (OR) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

SATURDAY OCT 3

Apple Barrel: Maxwell (BL) 4p, Sneaky Pete (BL) 8p, Hip Shakers (BL) 11p Blue Nile: Washboard Chaz (BL) 7p, Vivaz (LT) 10p BMC: Pat Casey & the New Sound (JV) 7p, Steve Walker & Friends (JV) 10:30p, Mike Darby & the House of Cards (JV) 1:30a Contemporary Arts Center: Kora Konnection feat. Morikeba Kouyate, Tim Green and more (VR) 9p d.b.a.: John Boutte (JV) 7p, Little Freddie King (BL) 10p Dragon’s Den: Chuck Perkins’ Revue, Grass Rootz (RH) 10p Fritzel’s: Tom Fischer & Friends (TJ) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): Lillian Axe CD-release party, Prytania (RR) 9p House of Blues: the Dead Weather 8p Howlin’ Wolf NorthShore (Mandeville): COSCINO, 3rd Echo (RR) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Gorilla Battle of the Bands (RR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Adonis Rose (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Balsawood Flyers (BL) 5p, Hurricane Refugees (BL) 9p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, O’Vengance (CO) 10p Maple Leaf: Captain SoularCat (RR) 10p Rivershack Tavern: Blackened Blues Band (BL RR) 10p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Anders Osborne (RR) 10p Snug Harbor: Gregory Agig Quartet (MJ) 12a Tipitina’s: Andrew Bird, St. Vincent (OR) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

SUNDAY OCT 4

Apple Barrel: Kenny Claiborne (BL) 4p, Rollin’ Hills (BL) 8p, I Tell You What (BL) 10:30p BMC: Lantana Combo (JV) 6p, Gal Holiday & the Honk Tonk Revue (CW) 9p Chickie Wah Wah: Ayla Miller CD-release party (OR) 3p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bug Stompers (JV) 6p, Mas Mamones (OR) 10p Dragon’s Den: the Network, Robotosaurus (VR) 5p, Attrition, Floopy Head, Sean Stair (VR RB) 10p Fritzel’s: Loose Marbles (TJ) 9p

Here are OffBeat’s highlights of music and entertainment in New Orleans and the surrounding area for the current month. Each day’s events are listed in alphabetical order by club or venue. Listings are compiled based on information provided by clubs, bands and promoters up to our deadlines.

Unfortunately, some information was not available at press time and listings are subject to change.

Special events, concerts, festivals and theater listings follow the daily listings. For up-to-the-minute, complete music listings, check OffBeat’s web page at www.offbeat.com. For more details on a show, call the club directly. Phone numbers of clubs are shown in this section and/or at www.offbeat.com.

To include your date or event, please email information to our listings editor, Craig Guillot at craigguillot@ offbeat.com or call 504-944-4300. Mr. Guillot can also provide listing deadlines for upcoming issues.

AC AU BL BU BB SH KJ KS CL CO CW DN

A Cappella Acoustic Blues Bluegrass Brass Band Cabaret/Show Cajun Christian Classical Comedy Country Dance

FE FK GS IR IN MJ TJ JV LT ME PK PP

Folk Funk Gospel Indie Rock International/World Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Trad Jazz, Variety Latin Metal Piano/Keyboards Pop/Top 40/Covers

RG RH RB RR SI SW TC

VO ZY

Reggae Rap/Hip Hop Rhythm & Blues Rock Swing/Gypsy Spoken Word Techno/Dance/ Electronica Vocals Zydeco

SMOKE-FREE SHOW

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC House of Blues: Sunday Gospel Brunch (GS) 10a, Tower of Power (PP) 8p Howlin’ Wolf: Battle of the Bands (RR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): David Torkanowsky presents Mason’s VIP Lounge Revisited feat. Germaine Bazzle and guests (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: T. Bone Stone & the Lazy Boys (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (FK) 10p One Eyed Jacks: Blitzen Trapper, Wye Oak, Leo DeJesus (RR) 9p Palm Court: Sunday Night Swingsters feat. Lucien Barbarin and Gerald French (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: St. Peter All-stars feat. Thais Clark (JV) 8p Snug Harbor: Tom McDermott and Don Vappie (MJ) 3p, Morikeba Kouyate and Tim Green (MJ) 8p, 10p Tipitina’s: Cajun Fais do do feat. Bruce Daigrepont (KJ) 5:30p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p

MONDAY OCT 5

PLAN A: Michelle Shocked Michelle Shocked has always been opinionated.

During a battle with Polygram Records, she even cited the 13th Amendment (yes, the one that prohibits slavery) to get out of her record deal. Her new Soul of My Soul has strong opinions, but Shocked is coming more from a place of love and contentment rather than anger and outrage. After years of railing against

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Apple Barrel: Sam Cammarata and Dominick Grillo (BL) 8p, Shotgun House (BL) 10:30p BMC: the Franklin Avenue Underpass Jazz Band (JV) 7p, Mario Abney (JV) 10p Chickie Wah Wah: Evan Christopher (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Glen David Andrews (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Mike Dillon, James Singleton & Jonathan Freilich (JV) 10p Fritzel’s: Tim Laughlin Quartet (TJ) 9p Howlin’ Wolf: Strung Out, the Flatliners, Alian Orion (RR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Bob French & the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Kim Carson (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: call club One Eyed Jacks: the Sounds (RR) 9p Preservation Hall: Pres Hall Jazz Band feat. Mark Braud (JV) 8p Rock ’n’ Bowl: open blues jam feat. Chuck Credo (BL) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (MJ) 8p, 10p

TUESDAY OCT 6

Apple Barrel: Kenny Claiborne (BL) 8p, Ken Swartz & the Palace of Sin (BL) 10:30p Blue Nile: Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band (BL) 10p; Upstairs: Open Ears Music Series with ige*timer (from Germany) plus Dave Easley & Jeff Albert (MJ) 10p BMC: Ed Dowling’s New Orleans Jazz Band (JV) 7p, Marc Pentone & Smoky Greenwell (BL) 10p, Domenic (BL) 1a Chickie Wah Wah: Anders Osborne, John Fohl, Johnny Sansone (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Cottonmouth Kings of New Orleans (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Alex Pena, Boycott Drew (JV) 10p Fritzel’s: Tom Fischer & Friends (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Jason Marsalis (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Honky Tonk open mic fet. Jason Bishop (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (BB) 10p Preservation Hall: Shannon Powell & the Pres Hall-stars (JV) 8p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Eddie Zip (RB) 8:30p Snug Harbor:Thelonious Monk Institute Ensemble (MJ) 8p, 10p

WEDNESDAY OCT 7

Apple Barrel:Wendy Darling (BL) 8p, Bottoms Up Blues Band (BL) 10:30p Banks Street Bar: Gravity A (FK) 10p

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the Bush administration and what she calls President Bush’s “impressive job of exploiting the things that divide us,” she now calmly explains in the song “Other People” that, “Citizen to country…we should see other people.”

She returns to New Orleans as “the anti-prodigal daughter,” she says, with plans that include church, not bars. That doesn’t mean she intends to sugar-coat herself. “People are always like, ‘Why don’t you just shut up and sing?’ Like they just want their music as entertainment, but I always find it highly entertaining when someone has an opinion, whether I agree with it or not.”

But she’s also quick to point out that her shows are not political rallies. The New Orleans show will be about the time she spent here and how much it meant to her— according to Shocked, a “kind of a love fest for all my friends and fans in New Orleans.”

“You know what the most punk thing I’ve done lately is?” she asks. “I went to a town hall meeting for health care reform and I just listened and watched both sides as they shouted at each other. People didn’t know which side I was on.”

Michelle Shocked plays the Blue Nile October 17. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door.

—Lauren Noel O CTO BER 2 009

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Blue Nile: Bottom’s Up Blues Gang (BL) 9p BMC: Domenic (BL) 6p, Jeremy Phipps and Monday’s Date (JV) 8p, Eric Gordon and the Lazy Boys Music Group (JV) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: John Boutte (JV) 7p d.b.a.: the Tin Men (JV) 7p, Walter “Wolfman Washington” & the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Dragon’s Den: Dancehall Classics feat. DJ T-Roy (RG) 10p Fritzel’s: Chuck Brackman and Barry Foulon (TJ) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): Dear and the Headlights, Kinch 9p House of Blues: K’Jon 8p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Irvin Mayfield’s NOJO Jam Session (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: 101 Runners (FK) 10p Preservation Hall: Pres Hall Jazz Band feat. Mark Braud (JV) 8p Rock ’n’ Bowl: the New Orleans Moonshiners (SI) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet (MJ) 8p, 10p

THURSDAY OCT 8

Apple Barrel: Kenny Holladay (BL) 8p, Andy J. Forest (BL) 10:30p Blue Nile: Bayou International Reggae night with DJ T-Roy (RG) 10p BMC: Some Like it Hot (JV) 6p, Big Pearl CD-release party (OR) 9:30p Carrollton Station: Susan Cowsill and Russ Broussard Acoustic Duet (AU) 9p Chickie Wah Wah: Pfister Sisters (JV) 7p, Phil Lee (FR SS) 10p d.b.a.: Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 7p, Jon Cleary’s Piano, Bass & Drums (PK) 10p Dragon’s Den: the Bombshelter feat. DJ Bombshell Boogie, Bassbin Safari feat. DJ Proppa Bear (DJ) 10p Fritzel’s: Fritzel’s Jazz Band (TJ) 9p House of Blues: Trey Songz, Mario and Day 26, Sean Garrett and more 8p Howlin’ Wolf NorthShore (Mandeville): Black Magnolia Live Band Karaoke (PP) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Wavves, Ganglians, Caddywhompus (RR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Johnaye Kendrick (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Schatzy & Associates (BL) 9p Lafayette Square: Harvest the Music feat. The Radiators (RR) 5p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich, George Porter, Jr. and guests (FK) 10p Ogden Museum: Ogden After Hours feat.Women of Jazz (JV) 6p Preservation Hall: Brass Band Thursday feat. Tornado Brass Band (BB) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Gal Holiday (BL RR) 7p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Geno Delafose (ZY) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Dan Sumner Quartet (MJ) 8p, 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p

FRIDAY OCT 9

Apple Barrel: Kenny Holladay and Rick Westin 8p, the Hip Shakers (BL) 11p Blue Nile: Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes (FK, RR)10p BMC: Sasha Masakowski (JV) 7p, Fredy Omar con su Banda (LT) 10:30p, Chickie Wah Wah: Threadhead Fridays feat. Paul Sanchez & Friends (JV) 8p d.b.a.: Ingrid Lucia (JV) 6p, Happy Talk Band feat. R. Scully & the Rough Seven (RR) 10p Dos Jefes: Eric Traub (JV) 10p Fritzel’s: Chuck Brackman and Barry Foulon (TJ) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): Mayer Hawthorne & the Country 9p House of Blues: Who’s Bad - the Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute (PP) 8p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Mike Ryan (BL) 5p, Foot & Friends (BL) 9p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, Stand Up Open Mic (CO) 11p Maple Leaf: Last Waltz Ensemble (RR) 10p Mimi’s: Zazou City (JV) 10p One Eyed Jacks:A Place to Bury Strangers, Darker My Love (RR) 9p Palm Court: Palm Court Jazz Band feat. Lucien Barbarin (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall Jazz Masters feat. William Smith (JV) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Corey Perrillioux (BL RR) 9:30p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Ernie Vincent, Amanda Shaw (RR FK) 9p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8p, 10p Tipitina’s: Radiators benefit for Tipitina’s Foundation (RR) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

SATURDAY OCT 10

Apple Barrel: Maxwell (BL) 4p, Sneaky Pete (BL) 8p, Hip Shakers (BL) 11p Banks Street Bar: Lynn Drury (FR) 10p Blue Nile: Cyril Neville’s Birthday Celebration (FK, BL)10p BMC: Pat Casey & the New Sound (JV) 7p, MarvaWright & the BMWs (BL) 10:30p, Mike Darby & the House of Cards (JV) 1:30a d.b.a.: Suplecs (ME RR) 11p Dragon’s Den: Autotomi, High in One Eye, Maddie Ruthless, Trenchtown Texans (VR) 10p Fritzel’s: Charlie Fardella (TJ) 9p House of Blues: the Black Crowes (RR) 8p Howlin’ Wolf NorthShore (Mandeville): Dave Matthews Tribute Band (RR) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Papa Grows Funk, the Revivalists (FK) 10p

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Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Shannon Powell (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: 16th Anniversary Bash feat. Balsawood Flyers (BL) 5p, Rites of Passage (BL) 9p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, O’Vengance (CO) 10p Maple Leaf: Jason Ricci & New Blood, John Mooney Solo Acoustic (FK AU) 10p Palm Court: Palm Court Jazz Band feat. Lionel Ferbos (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall Jazz Band feat. Mark Braud (JV) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Soul House (BL RR) 10p Rock ’n’ Bowl: New Orleans Blues Society Blues Contest (BL) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Topsy Chapman & Solid Harmony (TJ) 8p & 10p; James Westfall & Wee Trio (MJ) 12a Tipitina’s: Radiators benefit for Tipitina’s Foundation (RR) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

SUNDAY OCT 11

Apple Barrel: Kenny Claiborne (BL) 4p, Rollin’ Hills (BL) 8p, Doc Ottis (BL) 10:30p BMC: Lantana Combo (JV) 6p, Gal Holiday & the Honk Tonk Revue (CW) 9p d.b.a.: the Palmetto Bug Stompers (JV) 6p, Jimmy Carpenter (OR) 10p Dragon’s Den: Kings of Happy Hour, Barnstormer, Independents, High in One Eye, Shoot the Daily Edit (VR) 7p,Attrition (VR) 10p Fritzel’s: Cotton Mouth Kings (TJ) 9p House of Blues: Sunday Gospel Brunch (GS) 10a, Pitbull, Oakley, David Rush (RH) 7:30p, Loose Marbles, Washboard Chaz and more 12a Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): David Torkanowsky presents Mason’s VIP Lounge Revisited feat.

Germaine Bazzle and guests (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Mike Darby’s House of Cards (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (FK) 10p Palm Court: Palm Court Jazz Band feat. Mark Braud & Lucien Barbarin (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: St. Peter All-stars feat. Thais Clark (JV) 8p Snug Harbor: Tom McDermott and Connie Jones (MJ) 3p, Wendell Brunious Quartet (TJ) 8p, 10p Tipitina’s: Cajun Fais do do feat. Bruce Daigrepont (KJ) 5:30p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p

Rock ’n’ Bowl: Joe Krown (SI) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Recovery Reunion (MJ) 8p, 10p

THURSDAY OCT 15

Apple Barrel: call club for early show Johnny J. and Benny Maygarden (BL) 10:30p Blue Nile: Bayou International Reggae night with DJ T-Roy (RG) 10p BMC: Some Like it Hot (JV) 6p, Schatzy’s Honky Squonk Trio (RR FR) 9:30p Chickie Wah Wah: Pfister Sisters (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Andrew Duhon (JV) 7p, Jon Cleary’s Piano, Bass & Drums (PK) 10p Dragon’s Den: the Bombshelter feat. DJ Bombshell Boogie, Bassbin Safari feat. DJ Proppa Bear (DJ) 10p Fritzel’s: Tom Fischer & Friends (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Johnaye Kendrick (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: the Tobin - Specht Trio (BL) 9p Lafayette Square: Harvest the Music feat. Rebirth Brass Band (BB) 5p Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop: Angele Trosclair (PK BL VR) 6p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: Comedy Lives (CO) 8p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich, George Porter, Jr. and guests (FK) 10p Ogden Museum: Ogden After Hours feat. Henry Gray (RR) 6p Rivershack Tavern: Christian Serpas and Ghost Town (CW) 7p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Curley Taylor (ZY) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Giacomo Gates Trio (MJ) 8p, 10p Tipitina’s: Homegrown Night (RR) 8:30p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p

PLAN A: The Minus 5 with Steve Wynn and the Baseball Project Scott McCaughey says of his band, the Minus 5, that they “never wanted to get too serious, just an anything-goes kind of deal.” That philosophy has led to a revolving door lineup that has included members of R.E.M., Wilco, the Posies, the Decemberists and more.

The players have often been friends, so the sessions are social as much as musical.

This tour is an extension of that philosophy as he’s joined onstage by R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, Steve Wynn and his drummer, Linda Pitmon. Together, they play songs from their pasts, including The Baseball Project and McCaughey’s recent Killingsworth.

It’s a folkier affair than recent Minus 5 albums, with such evocative songs as “Big Beat Up Moon” and “Dark Hand of

MONDAY OCT 12

Apple Barrel: Sam Cammarata and Dominick Grillo (BL) 8p, Electro Kings (BL) 10:30p BMC: the Franklin Avenue Underpass Jazz Band (JV) 7p, Mario Abney (JV) 10p Chickie Wah Wah: Evan Christopher (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Glen David Andrews (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Ya Boy Mixtape Release Party (RH) 10p Fritzel’s: Tim Laughlin Quartet (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Bob French & the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (MJ) 8p Maple Leaf: Papa Grows Funk (FK) 10p Preservation Hall: 726 Jazz Band (JV) 8p Rock ’n’ Bowl: open blues jam feat. Chuck Credo (BL) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (MJ) 8p, 10p

TUESDAY OCT 13

Apple Barrel: Maxwell (BL) 8p, Ken Swartz & the Palace of Sin (BL) 10:30p Blue Nile: Open Ears Music Series with Jonathan Freilich (MJ) 10p BMC: Ed Dowling’s New Orleans Jazz Band (JV) 7p, Marc Pentone & Smoky Greenwell (BL) 10p, Domenic (BL) 1a Chickie Wah Wah: Anders Osborne, John Fohl, Johnny Sansone (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Cottonmouth Kings of New Orleans (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: White Colla Crimes (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Tom Fischer & Friends (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Jason Marsalis (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Honky Tonk open mic fet. Jason Bishop (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (BB) 10p Preservation Hall: Shannon Powell & the Preservation Hall-stars (JV) 8p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Johnny J. & the Hitmen (RR) 8:30p Snug Harbor: New York Standards Quartet (MJ) 8p, 10p

WEDNESDAY OCT 14

Apple Barrel: Wendy Darling (BL) 8p, 19th St. Red (BL) 10:30p Blue Nile: Bottoms Up Blues Gang (BL) 9p BMC: Domenic (BL) 6p, Jeremy Phipps and Monday’s Date (JV) 8p, Eric Gordon and the Lazy Boys Music Group (BL) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: John Boutte (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Tin Men (JV) 7p, Walter “Wolfman Washington” & the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Dragon’s Den: Dancehall Classics feat. DJ T-Roy (RG) 10p Fritzel’s: Ben Polcer & Barry Foulon (TJ) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): Needtobreathe 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Irvin Mayfield’s NOJO Jam Session (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: 101 Runners (FK) 10p

FRIDAY OCT 16

Apple Barrel: Kenny Holladay and Rick Westin 8p, the Hip Shakers (BL) 11p Blue Nile: Kermit Ruffins & the BBQ Swingers (TJ) 11p; Upstairs: Duppi a Jamba (RG) 9p BMC: Sasha Masakowski (JV) 7p, Fredy Omar con su Banda (LT) 10:30p Bombay Club: Banu Gibson & Trio (JV) 9:30p Chickie Wah Wah: Threadhead Fridays feat. Paul Sanchez & Friends (JV) 8p d.b.a.: Hot Club of New Orleans (JV) 6p,Alex McMurray (RR) 10p Dos Jefes: Wendell Brunious (JV) 10p Dragon’s Den: M@ Peoples Collective, Two Fresh, DJ Rockaway, New Orleans Partying (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Chuck Brackman and Barry Foulon (TJ) 9p Historic New Orleans Collection: Concerts in the Courtyard feat.

Marva Wright & the BMWs (BL) 6p House of Blues: a Day to Remember, Parkway Drive, In Fear and Faith, I See Stars 6p Howlin’ Wolf NorthShore (Mandeville): Johnn Sketch & the Dirty Notes (FK RR) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Heritage School of Music Benefit feat. Richie Havens and Heritage Student All-stars (OR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Damien Louviere (BL) 5p, Hurricane Refugees (BL) 9p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, Stand Up Open Mic (CO) 11p Maple Leaf: Paula Nelson & the Guilty Pleasures (FK) 10p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall Jazz Masters feat. Leroy Jones (JV) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Watussi Radio (BL RR) 9:30p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Soul Rebels, the Funky Beans (BB) 9p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8p, 10p, Tarik Hassan (MJ) 12a Southport Hall: the Vettes, Mixed Nuts (RR) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

SATURDAY OCT 17

Apple Barrel: Maxwell (BL) 4p, Sneaky Pete (BL) 8p, Hip Shakers (BL) 11p

Contagion.” It’s not clear what they mean, and McCaughey’s fine with that.

“You can always fall back on Dylan,” he says. “I don’t know what he’s talking about in ‘Desolation Row,’ but I like the images that come up in my head when I hear it.”

There’s a hint of Beatles in “Scott Walker’s Fault,” which he also cops to. “Everything I do is influenced by the Beatles, because that’s what made me like music.”

Has he played Beatles Rock Band?

“I don’t do that stuff,” he says, laughing. “I played Guitar Hero with [Wilco frontman] Jeff Tweedy’s kids one evening, and that was the only time I’ve ever done it. They stomped my ass. It didn’t seem that much like playing guitar to me.”

Steve Wynn, the Baseball Project and the Minus 5 play One Eyed Jacks on September 29.

—Kathleen McCann and Alex Rawls Blue Nile: Michelle Shocked (FR) 9:30p ; Soul Rebels Brass Band (BB) 12a; Upstairs: Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 8p BMC: Pat Casey & the New Sound (JV) 7p, Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band (KJ) 10:30p, Mike Darby & the House of Cards (JV) 1:30a Chickie Wah Wah: Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone (BL) 9p d.b.a.: John Boutte (JV) 7p, Otra (LT) 11p Dragon’s Den: Bloodfeast III (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Charlie Fardella (TJ) 9p Hi Ho Lounge: Rev. Spooky LeStrange Church of Burlesque (SH) 10p

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC House of Blues: Gary Allan 8p Howlin’ Wolf: SOJA, the Movement, the Live Oaks, 27 Lights (RR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Shamarr Allen (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Buddy Francioni & Home Grown (BL) 5p, Sunshine Boys (BL) 9p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, O’Vengance (CO) 10p Maple Leaf: Walter “Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters (FK) 10p One Eyed Jacks: the Public CD release pary with the Tomatoes (RR) 10p; Action Action Reaction 12a Palm Court: Palm Court Jazz Band feat. Lionel Ferbos (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: Pres Hall Jazz Band feat. Mark Braud (JV) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Refugeze (BL RR) 10p Rock ’n’ Bowl: the Boogiemen (PP) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Astral Project (MJ) 8p, 10p Tipitina’s: Os Mutantes (OR) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

SUNDAY OCT 18

Apple Barrel: Kenny Claiborne (BL) 4p, Rollin’ Hills (BL) 8p, Johnny J. & Benny Maygarden (BL) 10:30p BMC: Lantana Combo (JV) 6p, Gal Holiday & the Honk Tonk Revue (CW) 9p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bug Stompers (JV) 6p, Andy J. Forest (BL) 10p Dragon’s Den: Lacerda (RR) 7p, Attrition (VR) 10p Fritzel’s: Loose Marbles (TJ) 9p House of Blues: Sunday Gospel Brunch (GS) 10a, Mat Kearney, Vedera 8p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): David Torkanowsky presents Mason’s VIP Lounge Revisited feat.

Germaine Bazzle and guests (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Irish Session (BL) 5p, Bottoms Up Blues Band (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (FK) 10p Palm Court: Sunday Night Swingsters feat. Lucien Barbarin and Mark Braud (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: St. Peter All-stars feat. Thais Clark (JV) 8p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Benefit for Marva Wright featuring Amanda Shaw, Tab Benoit, George Porter, Jr. and more (VR) 4p Snug Harbor: Tom McDermott and Evan Christopher (MJ) 8p, 10p Gentilly Groovemasters (MJ) 8p, 10p Tipitina’s: Cajun Fais do do feat. Bruce Daigrepont (KJ) 5:30p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p

www.OFFBEAT.com

MONDAY OCT 19

Apple Barrel: Sam Cammarata and Dominick Grillo (BL) 8p, Washboard Chaz (BL) 10:30p BMC: the Franklin Avenue Underpass Jazz Band (JV) 7p, Mario Abney (JV) 10p Chickie Wah Wah: Evan Christopher (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Glen David Andrews (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Martin Krusche (OR) 10p Fritzel’s: Tim Laughlin Quartet (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Bob French & the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Kim Carson (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: Papa Grows Funk (FK) 10p Preservation Hall: Pres Hall Jazz Band feat. Mark Braud (JV) 8p Rock ’n’ Bowl: open blues jam feat. Chuck Credo (BL) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (MJ) 8p, 10p

TUESDAY OCT 20

Apple Barrel: Kenny Claiborne (BL) 8p, Ken Swartz & the Palace of Sin (BL) 10:30p Blue Nile: Open Ears Music Series with Bodhi3 (MJ) 10p BMC: Ed Dowling’s New Orleans Jazz Band (JV) 7p, Marc Pentone & Smoky Greenwell (BL) 10p, Domenic (BL) 1a Chickie Wah Wah: Anders Osborne, John Fohl, Johnny Sansone (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Cottonmouth Kings of New Orleans (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Mojo Method (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Connie Jones (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Jason Marsalis (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: the Tom Paines feat. Alex McMurray and Jonathan Freilich (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (BB) 10p Preservation Hall: Shannon Powell & the Preservation Hall-stars (JV) 8p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Christian Serpas & Ghost Town (CW) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Thelonious Monk Institute Ensemble (MJ) 8p, 10p

WEDNESDAY OCT 21

Apple Barrel: Wendy Darling (BL) 8p, Shotgun House (BL) 10:30p Blue Nile: Bottoms Up Blues Gang (BL) 9p BMC: Domenic (BL) 6p, Jeremy Phipps and Monday’s Date (JV) 8p, Eric Gordon and the Lazy Boys Music Group (OR) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: John Boutte (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Tin Men (JV) 7p, Walter “Wolfman Washington” & the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Dragon’s Den: Dancehall Classics feat. DJ T-Roy (RG) 10p

Fritzel’s: Chuck Brackman and Barry Foulon (TJ) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): Jonathan Singleton & the Grove 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Irvin’s NOJO Jam Session (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: 101 Runners (FK) 10p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Jerry Embree (SI) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet (MJ) 8p, 10p

THURSDAY OCT 22

Apple Barrel: call for early show; Bottoms Up Blues Band (BL) 10:30p Blue Nile: Bayou International Reggae night with DJ T-Roy (RG) 10p BMC: Some Like it Hot (JV) 6p, Schatzy’s Honky Squonk Trio (RR FR) 9:30p Chickie Wah Wah: Pfister Sisters (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Evan Christopher (JV) 7p, Jon Cleary’s Piano, Bass & Drums (PK) 10p Dragon’s Den: the Bombshelter feat. DJ Bombshell Boogie, Bassbin Safari feat. DJ Proppa Bear (DJ) 10p Fritzel’s: Tom Fischer & Friends (TJ) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): A Fine Frenzy, Landon Pigg, Among the Oak, Ash 9p House of Blues: Liittle Feat 8p Howlin’ Wolf NorthShore (Mandeville): Black Magnolia Live Band Karaoke (PP) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Barisal Guns, Hightide Blues, Zama Para (RR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Johnaye Kendrick (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: DJ TR (BL) 9p Lafayette Square: Harvest the Music feat. Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers (MJ) 5p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: Comedy Lives (CO) 8p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich, George Porter, Jr. and guests (FK) 10p Ogden Museum: Ogden After Hours feat. A tribute to Jim Taylor with Jodi Borello, Gary Hirstius, Kim Carson, Casey Kelly, and more (VR) 6p Rivershack Tavern: Kim Carson (BL RR) 7p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys (ZY) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Wess Anderson (TJ) 8p & 10p Tipitina’s: Listening Room Singer/Songwriter Night (SS) 9p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p

FRIDAY OCT 23

Apple Barrel: Kenny Holladay and Rick Westin 8p, the Hip Shakers (BL) 11p

Blue Nile: Backbeat Foundations presents 10p BMC: Sasha Masakowski (JV) 7p, Fredy Omar (LT) 10:30p Chickie Wah Wah: Threadhead Fridays feat. Paul Sanchez & Friends (JV) 8p Columns: Doug Dixon & Friends (JV) 5p d.b.a.: Ingrid Lucia (JV) 6p, Joe Krown, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Russell Batiste, Jr. (FK) 10p Dragon’s Den: Shadow Gallery (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Chuck Brackman and Barry Foulon (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Steve Keith (BL) 5p, Mike Ryan Trio (BL) 9p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, Stand Up Open Mic (CO) 11p Le Bon Temps Roule: Joe Krown (PK) 7p, Juice (FK) 11p Maple Leaf: Papa Mali (FK) 10p Mimi’s: Zazou City (JV) 10p One Eyed Jacks: Liquidrone (RR) 9p Palm Court: Palm Court Jazz Band feat. Lucien Barbarin (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall Jazz Masters feat. Leroy Jones (JV) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Mo Jelly (BL RR) 9:30p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Kermit Ruffins (MJ) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8p, 10p, Tarik Hassan (MJ) 12a Southport Hall: Contraflow (RR) 10p Tipitina’s: call club Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

SATURDAY OCT 24

Apple Barrel: Maxwell (BL) 4p, Sneaky Pete (BL) 8p, Hip Shakers (BL) 11p Blue Nile: Toubab Krewe (RG) 10p BMC: Pat Casey & the New Sound (JV) 7p, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers (MJ) 10:30p, Mike Darby & the House of Cards (JV) 1:30a d.b.a.: John Boutte (JV) 7p, Dragon’s Den: Double Fresh (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Tom Fischer & Friends (TJ) 9p House of Blues: KMFDM, Angelspit (ME RR) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Shamarr Allen (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: 30 x 90 (BL) 5p, Andre Bouvier & the Royal Bohemians (BL) 9p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, O’Vengance (CO) 10p, Spatterhouse (CO) 11p

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LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Le Bon Temps Roule: Egg Yolk Jubilee (RR) 11p Maple Leaf: Honey Island Swamp Band (FK) 10p One Eyed Jacks: Bearracuda (RR) 9p Palm Court: Palm Court Jazz Band feat. Lionel Ferbos (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall Jazz Band feat. Mark Braud (JV) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Gal Holiday (CW) 10p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Lindsay Mendez release party (OR) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Fra Fra Sound (MJ) 8p, 10p; Brent Rose & Chegadao (MJ) 12a Southport Hall: Deep Down Enzo (RR) 10p Tipitina’s: E.O.E.’s Fall BDay Blowout feat. Slang Angus, Wild Magnolias, CND Asylum Dance Crew and more (VR) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

SUNDAY OCT 25

Apple Barrel: Kenny Claiborne (BL) 4p, Rollin’ Hills (BL) 8p, I Tell You What (BL) 10:30p Banks Street Bar: Mojo Triage Open Jam with Marc Joseph (FK) 9p

Blue Nile: Halloween Costume Sale 1p BMC: Lantana Combo (JV) 6p, Gal Holiday & the Honk Tonk Revue (CW) 9p d.b.a.: Palmetto Bug Stompers (JV) 6p, Irene Sage (SI) 10p Dragon’s Den: God’s Revolver (RR) 5p, Attrition, Liquid Peace Revolution, Parallax (VR) 10p Fritzel’s: Colin Myers and Richard Scott (TJ) 9p House of Blues (the Parish): RevCo, Ringmaster Jim Rose and guests 9p House of Blues: Sunday Gospel Brunch (GS) 10a, Our Lady Peace 8p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: David Torkanowsky presents Mason’s VIP Lounge Revisited feat. Germaine Bazzle and guests (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Jason Bishop (BL) 8p Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio feat. Russell Batiste and Walter “Wolfman” Washington (FK) 10p McNulty’s Bitter End: Jumpin’ Johnny’s Blues Band (JV) 5p One Eyed Jacks: Black Heart Procession, the Mumblers (RR) 9p Palm Court: Sunday Night Swingsters feat. Lucien Barbarin and Tom Fischer (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: St. Peter All-stars feat.Thaddeus Richard (JV) 8p Snug Harbor: Tom McDermott & Matt Rhody (MJ) 8p, 10p James Singleton’s Illuminasty Trio (MJ) 8p, 10p Tipitina’s: Cajun Fais do do feat. Bruce Daigrepont (KJ) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p

MONDAY OCT 26

Apple Barrel: Sam Cammarata and Dominick Grillo (BL) 8p, Butch Trivette (BL) 10:30p Banks Street Bar: Earphunk and FlowTribe (FK) 10p BMC: the Franklin Avenue Underpass Jazz Band (JV) 7p, Mario Abney (JV) 10p Chickie Wah Wah: Evan Christopher (JV) 7p Dragon’s Den: SMUT (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Ben Polcer and Richard Scott (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Bob French & the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Kim Carson (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: Papa Grows Funk (FK) 10p Preservation Hall: 726 Jazz Band (JV) 8p Rock ’n’ Bowl: open blues jam feat. Chuck Credo (BL) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Charmaine Neville Band (MJ) 8p, 10p

TUESDAY OCT 27

Apple Barrel: Maxwell (BL) 8p, Andre Bouvier & the Royal Bohemians (BL) 10:30p Banks Street Bar: Big Fat & Delicious (RR) 10p Blue Nile: Open Ears Music Series feat. Justin Peake & guests (VR) 10p

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PLAN A: Os Mutantes “We were kids,” Sergio Dias Baptista says. “I was 16 when we had a coup d’etat here in 1964. Everything changed and there was repression.

Of course, we would fight back, but we fought back laughing instead of being a part of any party.”

Their refusal to take orthodoxies seriously made Os Mutantes political as they spoke modern art to power. Singer Caetano Veloso described the psychedelic rock band as “half amateurs [who] seemed not so much copies of the Beatles ... but as their equals, creators on the same level.”

In 1967, Veloso, Os Mutantes, Gilberto Gil and Tom Ze were part of the musical cutting edge in Brazil, one that would come to be known as “Tropicalia,” and Veloso and Gil would be imprisoned and exiled for their efforts, but Os Mutantes “had the face of the avant-garde pop of the decade,” Veloso wrote.

“We were in the middle of the Sputnik era, and were in tune to everything that was happening in the world,” Baptista says. “Einstein, Matisse, Picasso and the modern art movement, and the beatniks.

All of this is what forged us.”

In one form or another, the band performed until 1978, and its highlights were re-released in 1999 on Everything is Possible: the Best of Os Mutantes. In 2006, a new incarnation led by Sergio Dias Baptista played a reunion show in London. Mutantes Ao Vivo: Live at the Barbican Theatre, Londres 2006 demonstrates Baptista’s ability to bring the band’s eclectic sound to the stage today, and the new studio album Haih or Amortecedor shows that it is still a central part of his musical vocabulary.

Os Mutantes play Tipitina’s October 17.

—Alex Rawls BMC: Ed Dowling’s New Orleans Jazz Band (JV) 7p, Marc Pentone & Smoky Greenwell (BL) 10p, Domenic (BL) 1a Chickie Wah Wah: Anders Osborne, John Fohl, Johnny Sansone (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Cottonmouth Kings of New Orleans (JV) 9p Dragon’s Den: Chris Nobles Sexy Times Party feat. Van Halen II (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Tom Fischer & Friends (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Glen David Andrews (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Steve Keith (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band (BB) 10p One Eyed Jacks: Or, the Whale, Silent Cinema (RR) 9p Preservation Hall: Pres Hall-stars feat. Albert Gardner (JV) 8p

www.OFFBEAT.com

LIVE LOCAL MUSIC Rock ’n’ Bowl: Sweet Home New Orleans and Renew Our Music present New Orleans R&B featuring Al “Carnival Time” Johnson (RB) 8:30p Snug Harbor:Thelonious Monk Institute Ensemble (MJ) 8p, 10p

WEDNESDAY OCT 28

Apple Barrel: Wendy Darling (BL) 8p, Andre Bouvier & the Royal Bohemians (BL) 10:30p Banks Street Bar: Gravity A (FK) 10p Blue Nile: Bottoms Up Blues Gang (BL) 9p BMC: Domenic (BL) 6p, Jeremy Phipps and Monday’s Date (JV) 8p, Eric Gordon and the Lazy Boys Music Group (JV) 11p Chickie Wah Wah: John Boutte (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Tin Men (JV) 7p, Walter “Wolfman Washington” & the Roadmasters (BL) 10p Dragon’s Den: Dancehall Classics feat. DJ T-Roy (RG) 10p Fritzel’s: Chuck Brackman and Barry Foulon (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Irvin Mayfield’s NOJO Jam Session (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Chip Wilson (BL) 9p Maple Leaf: 101 Runners (FK) 10p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Joe Krown (SI) 8:30p Snug Harbor: call club

THURSDAY OCT 29

Apple Barrel: call for early show; Louisiana Hellbenders (BL) 10:30p Banks Street Bar: the Rhythm Cruisers Reggae Splash (RG) 10p Blue Nile: Bayou International Reggae night with DJ T-Roy (RG) 10p BMC: Some Like it Hot (JV) 6p, Schatzy’s Honky Squonk Trio (RR FR) 9:30p Chickie Wah Wah: Pfister Sisters (JV) 7p d.b.a.: Colin Lake (JV) 7p, Jon Cleary’s Piano, Bass & Drums (PK) 10p Dragon’s Den: the Bombshelter feat. DJ Bombshell Boogie, Bassbin Safari feat. DJ Proppa Bear (DJ) 10p Fritzel’s: Tom Fischer & Friends (TJ) 9p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Johnaye Kendrick (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Mike Darby’s House of Cards (BL) 9p Lafayette Square: Harvest the Music feat. Blues Traveler and Shannon McNally (BL) 5p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: Comedy Lives (CO) 8p Le Bon Temps Roule: Soul Rebels (BB) 11p Maple Leaf: the Trio feat. Johnny Vidacovich, George Porter, Jr. and guests (FK) 10p Ogden Museum: Ogden After Hours feat. New Orleans Klezmer All Stars (JV) 6p Preservation Hall: Brass Band Thursday feat. New Birth Brass Band (JV) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Brown Brothers (BL RR) 7p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Lil Nathan & the Zydeco Big Tymers (ZY) 8:30p Snug Harbor: Mark McGrain and Plunge (MJ) 8p, 10p Tipitina’s: call club Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p

FRIDAY OCT 30

Apple Barrel: Kenny Holladay and Rick Westin 8p, the Hip Shakers (BL) 11p Banks Street Bar: the Parishoners (RR) 7p, Meadowflow (RR) 10p Blue Nile: Backbeat Foundations presents 10p BMC: Sasha Masakowski (JV) 7p, Fredy Omar con su Banda (LT) 10:30p Chickie Wah Wah: Threadhead Fridays feat. Paul Sanchez & Friends (JV) 8p d.b.a.: New Orleans Moonshiners (JV) 6p, New Orleans Klezmer All-stars (JV) 10p, WOLFF (VR) 2a Dragon’s Den: Endless Night Dark Party (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Chuck Brackman and Barry Foulon (TJ) 9p House of Blues: Hanson (RR) 7:30p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse: Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: Damien Louviere (BL) 5p, Foot & Friends (BL) 9p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, Stand Up Open Mic (CO) 11p Le Bon Temps Roule: Joe Krown (PK) 7p, Dertybird (RR) 11p, Mike Dillon’s Go-go Jungle (FK) 1a Maple Leaf: Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes (FK) 10p Palm Court: Palm Court Jazz Band feat. Lucien Barbarin (JV) 7p Preservation Hall: Preservation Hall Jazz Masters (JV) 8p Rivershack Tavern: Ghost Town (CW) 9:30p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Bucktown All-stars (PP) 9:30p Snug Harbor: Ellis Marsalis Quartet (MJ) 8p, 10p Justin Peake Trio (MJ) 12a Southport Hall: Jens Ex (RR) 10p Tipitina’s French Quarter: Porter, Batiste, Stoltz feat.

Bonerama (FK) 10p Tipitina’s: Galactic, Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle (FK) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

SATURDAY OCT 31

Apple Barrel: Maxwell (BL) 4p, Sneaky Pete (BL) 8p, Hip Shakers (BL) 11p Banks Street Bar: Banks Street Mid-City Monsters Ball Halloween Party with Juice! (FK) 10p Blue Nile: Washboard Chaz Blues Trio (BL) 7p; Gravity A (FK) 10p; Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle (FK) 2a; Upstairs: Dr. Gonzeaux (FK) 10p

www.OFFBEAT.com

BMC: Pat Casey & the New Sound (JV) 7p, Louisiana Hellbenders (BL) 10:30p, Franklin IV & the Unknown A?tists! (JV) 1:30a d.b.a.: Rotary Downs (JV) 11p Dragon’s Den: Endless Night Dark Party (RR) 10p Fritzel’s: Ben Polcer and Richard Scott (TJ) 9p Hi Ho Lounge: Zydepunks, Happy Talk Band (RR) 10p Howlin’ Wolf NorthShore (Mandeville): DJ Scrim (PP) 10p Howlin’ Wolf: Krewe of MOM’s Halloween Ball feat. Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes, Derrick Freeman’s Smokers World (FK VR) 10p Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Royal Sonesta): Halloween Celebration feat. Purple Disrespect (MJ) 8p Kerry Irish Pub: call club for early show Rites of Passage (BL) 9p La Nuit Comedy Theatre: ComedySportz (CO) 8p, O’Vengance (CO) 10p Maple Leaf: Jon Cleary’s Piano, Bass & Drums feat. James Singleton, Doug Belote and Donald Harrison (FK) 10p One Eyed Jacks: Quintron plus the Buttons, Super Nice Brothers (RR) 9p Rivershack Tavern: Halloween Party feat. Soul Revival (BL RR) 10p Rock ’n’ Bowl: Tab Benoit’s Swampland Jam (BL RR) 9:30p Snug Harbor: call club Tipitina’s French Quarter: Dirty Dozen Brass Band (BB) 10p Tipitina’s: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave. (MJ) 10p Tropical Isle Beach Club: Waylon Thibodeaux (PP) 5p, Willie Locket (PP) 9p

LOUISIANA MUSIC ON TOUR BETTER THAN EZRA Oct 1 Park City UT Star Bar Oct 2 Denver CO Bluebird Theater Oct 7-8 Lake Buena Vista FL Epcot Center Oct 17 Natchez MS Great Mississippi River Balloon Race BIG AL & THE HEAVYWEIGHTS Oct 9 Waveland MS Knock Knock Oct 10 Gautier MS The Shed BIG SAM’S FUNKY NATION Oct 9 August GA Sky City Oct 10 Greenville SC Fall for Greenville Oct 16 Wilmington DE Light Up the Queen THE DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND Oct 2 Madison WI University of Wisconsin (Union Theater) Oct 15 Tallahassee FL Engine Room Oct 16 Jacksonville Beach FL Freebird Live Oct 17 Ft. Lauderdale FL Culture Room Oct 18 Orlando FL The Backbooth HONEY ISLAND SWAMP BAND Oct 2 Daphne AL Moe’s BBQ & Blues Oct 9 San Francisco CA Boom Boom Room Oct 11 San Francisco CA Pier 23 Café Oct 28 Baltimore MD 8X10 Oct 29 Annapolis MD The Whiskey PAPA GROWS FUNK Oct 2 Falls Church MD State Theater Oct 4 Baltimore MD 8X10 Oct 15 Taos NM Old Blinking Light Oct 16 Santa Fe NM Santa Fe Brewing Company THE RADIATORS Oct 29 Rochester MN Whiskey Bones Roadhouse

OCTOBER 23 & 24 Joint’s Jumpin’: Back by popular demand, the musical event returns to Harrah’s with cover songs by some of New Orleans’ greatest musicians including Fats Domino, Art Neville and Clarence “Frogman” Henry. 8p.

FESTIVALS THROUGH OCTOBER 24 Oktoberfest: Celebrate German heritage and culture with food, music, dancing and fun at the Deutsches Haus. www.deutscheshaus.org.

OCTOBER 2-4 Gretna Heritage Festival: Take trip out to the “best bank” for a great community festival featuring great food, entertainment and performances by Chicago, Los Lonely Boys, Better Than Ezra and more. (504) 361-7748, www.gretnafest.com.

OCTOBER 3 New Orleans Coffee Festival: Celebrate coffee with plenty of grinds, two stages of live music and over 100 vendors. Freret Market. www.freretmarket.org.

OCTOBER 3-10 Red River Revel: Head to Shreveport for the largest outdoor arts festival in northern Louisiana with four stages of live music and more than 100 artists. (318) 455-3686, www.redriverrevel.com.

OCTOBER 8-15 New Orleans Film Festival: The 20th annual event features film screenings, panels, workshops, networking events and plenty of after-hours parties. www.neworleansfilmfest.com.

OCTOBER 9-11 Voice of the Wetlands Festival: Have a good time while helping restore our coast. Performers include Juice, Dash Rip Rock, Waylon Thibodeaux and more. Southdown Plantation, Houma. www.voiceofthewetlands.com.

OCTOBER 9-11 Festivals Acadiens: Lafayette goes wild in a celebration of Cajun food, culture, arts and music. Some of this year’s performers include Wayne Toups, Steve Riley, Geno Delafose and Lost Bayou Ramblers. (337) 232-3737, www.festivalsacadiens.com.

OCTOBER 9-11 Bridge City Gumbo Festival: More than 2,000 gallons of both seafood and chicken and sausage gumbo will be prepared at this fun festival. (504) 436-4881, www.hgaparish.org/gumbofestival.htm.

OCTOBER 17 Crescent City Blues and Barbecue Fest: Head to Lafayette Square in New Orleans for two days of live blues and great barbecue. www.jazzandheritage.org.

OCTOBER 17-18 Gauthier Mullet Festival: Take a day trip out to the Mississippi coast to celebrate the mullet with live music, food and exhibits.

(228) 522-0222, www.gauthiermulletfest.com.

OCTOBER 23-26 Vampire Film Festival: Enjoy four days of vampire film showings at this fun festival. For more information and a move schedule, visit www.vampirefilmfestival.com.

OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 1 Voodoo Music Experience: The annual rock music festival features performances by Eminem, Jane’s Addiction, Kiss, Ween, Lenny Kravitz, Wolfmother, Meat Puppets, Down and more. www.thevoodooexperience.com.

THE SUBDUDES Oct 7 Tucson AZ Rialto Theater Oct 8 Phoenix AZ Rhythm Room Oct 10 San Juan Capistrano CA The Coach House Oct 12 Chico CA Big Room Oct 13 San Francisco CA Great American Music Hall Oct 14 Ukiah CA Ukiah Brewing Co Oct 15-16 Santa Cruz CA Moe’s Alley Oct 23 Boulder CO Boulder Theater Oct 24 Denver CO Soiled Dove

OCTOBER 1-29 Ogden After Hours: Visit the Ogden Museum every Thursday evening for live entertainment by a variety of local musicians.

Check the OffBeat daily listings for a schedule of performances.

6p. www.ogdenmuseum.org.

TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE Oct 2 Philadelphia PA World Café Live Oct 16 Washington DC A Night in the Yards Oct 23 Hattiesburg MS The Bottling Co

OCTOBER 3 Art for Art’s Sake: Celebrate arts in the Warehouse District with open art galleries, live music, food and fun. 6-9p. www.cacno.org.

CONCERTS OCTOBER 16 & 17 Thom Kaz’s Hypnaughty: The unique comedy hypnosis show comes to Harrah’s. 8p.

OCTOBER 16 Concerts in the Courtyard: Swing over to the Historic New Orleans Collection for its monthly concert series. This month, it welcomes Thais Clark & the BMWs, 6p. (504) 523-4662, www.hnoc.org.

OCTOBER 20 Miley Cyrus: The teen pop queen is sure to have every teenage girl from here to Baton Rouge screaming when she plays the New Orleans Arena. 7p.

OCTOBER 17 Bywater Art Market: Head to this art market for paintings, pottery, glass, furniture and more. 9a-4p. www.bywaterartmarket.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS

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BACKTALK

Lenny Kravitz

talks back

H

e has worked with Mick Jagger, Curtis Mayfield, Michael Jackson and more.

He’s soon to appear in the movie Precious with Mariah Carey. He’s in Paris for this interview, and his recent Tweets include photos of himself with ambassadors from India and report that he owns the jumpsuit that James Brown wore in Zaire before the Ali-Foreman fight. Almost anything that has to do with Lenny Kravitz has an element of rock star and has since he first appeared 20 years ago as The Cosby Show star Lisa Bonet’s neo-bohemian boyfriend.

Kravitz is spending part of 2009 touring in support of Let Love Rule: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, a two-disc set that includes his debut album, demos and live tracks from the period from Boston and Amsterdam (there’s no escaping the globetrotting, even then).

The covers of “Cold Turkey” and “If 6 Were 9” point out obvious influences, but what’s surprising is how apropos the album sounds today. Throughout, a hippy-Utopian mindset is at odds with the world around him, where racism threatens to undermine everything. Even in the uplifting title track, there’s a moment when he shouts, “You’ve got to let love rule” with such ferocity that it sounds like a cry of frustration more than celebration, as if he finds it impossible to believe that things aren’t better when the answer’s right in front of people. It’s a tension that we’re still feeling 20 years later.

Photo: Don VanCleave

Kravitz returns to New Orleans on November 1 to close this year’s Voodoo Music Experience, ending out a night that includes Widespread Panic, the Flaming Lips, the Meat Puppets, the Pogues and Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave. Kravitz tapped Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews to be a part of his touring band in 2007, an experience that Andrews credits with playing a significant role his musical evolution. In January, he told OffBeat that after playing with Kravitz, he took Orleans Ave. into the studio and said, “‘This is what Lenny does in rehearsal,’ and we played one section—four bars—for about 30 minutes… that’s when we gained our tightness.”

Why haven’t you been in the States?

I really love the vibe over here, and it worked out that way. I started touring and doing like I used to do 15 years ago when I tried to play all the little cities. In the summer, not only did I play the big cities but in all the provinces. I played 25 or 26 shows alone in France. I did that in other countries as well and ended up on the road for three and a half years. I got into it. Now it’s time to come back to America and do a couple of years of touring there and get back into that whole groove—play everywhere.

Why are you in Paris right now?

I’ve got a place here, and I’ve been touring Europe and Russia and South America, and for the last few years I haven’t been in America. It’s time to come back and reintroduce myself and say hello.

Does it take something to happen to make it possible to play the smaller dates?

You just have to decide to do it because it’s not about the money at that point at all because you don’t make money doing that kind of thing. You’re playing places that can’t pay as much. You’re spending more time on the road, but it’s about reconnecting. I’m

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going to go play for as many people as I can and play places where people play less. That’s what I did over here. I went to Bosnia and Turkey and places in Serbia. I played for folks that don’t get many shows.

Was it different?

It was incredible because people are hungry. They are hungry for joy. They were hungry for a place where people can come together and celebrate life and love and music. In some cases, you’re playing places where there was war 10 years ago, where kids grew up in war. Not like they’re from the hood and it’s rough; no—war. I found they were some of the best shows I’ve ever played, and some of the most love I’ve received onstage. You give to them and they see that you’re giving and they give back so much, and then you give back more and it becomes this cycle. It’s really nice.

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I had to learn to shut down. Which isn’t natural for me. At all.

I didn’t know how to deal with it.

Is it easier for you to live in Paris?

Yeah. It’s the most beautiful city to me in the world. I love architecture and I love art, and Paris offers that to me in a way that speaks to me. But what’s nice about Paris to me is that it’s a full city with all the things you want—all the arts, all the music, the opera, the symphonies, the ballet, the museums, fashion, food, but it’s not overwhelming in a way that New York has become to me. I’m a New Yorker. I’m from New York. I love New York, but New York has become a bit stressful for me. And New York has lost a lot of the individualism it had when I was growing up as a small child in the ’70s and a young person in the ’80s. New York wasn’t so homogenized.

I lived in Soho, where artists actually lived. You had to have to have an A.I.R. certificate—Artists in Residence—to live in these lofts. It was great; now it is what it is. I’m not dogging New York, but to me it’s lost a lot of flavor.

Is it hard for you to have the sort of community now that you had in New York?

I would say that I carry my lifestyle and my people wherever I go, and it doesn’t matter if I’m in New York or not.

When you come back, you’re touring on Let Love Rule’s 20th anniversary. What do you think now of the artist you were then?

I still find the record to be very relevant as far as the message goes, as far as the music goes, as far as the timelessness of the production goes. It hasn’t dated, and that was my point 20 years ago--to make records that don’t date. You wouldn’t know if that record was recorded in the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s or 2000s. It’s organic, it’s music, it’s real instruments. And I still love the record. I’ve changed a lot as a person; I’m the same person, but I’ve changed. I can hear where my singing has changed. I still sound the same; my voice hasn’t gotten damaged, but I’m different. I screamed a lot more. It was on the edge in a different way.

How is the edge different?

I think I thought less than I do now.

What are your recollections of that time?

I was all over the place. I didn’t know what was going on. I was a kid in the streets, I was just married, just had a kid, just got a record deal and I didn’t know anything, man. The world hadn’t opened up to me. I hadn’t traveled the world. All I had was the perspective that I had. I

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was a baby. I was 23 years old when I made that record, but I was very inexperienced. I left home when I was 15. I knew how to thrive on the street, but that was that. Running around the world and meeting people and being exposed to so many different cultures and things and experiences taught me more than anything.

You said when you made the album, you made it so that it would stand the test of time.

That I knew. A lot of people were using the recording techniques of that time, the equipment of that time, the sounds of that time, that were du jour. Of the moment, of the day. I was working with all that equipment before making Let Love Rule and I realized while working with it that I didn’t like it. I knew that it wouldn’t be classicsounding and that it would date, and I knew that it wouldn’t do what I wanted it to do. Nor did it feel organic to me, and it was important to me that my personality and my voice and my fingers were heard in a very pure way. I made the choice to go back and find vintage equipment and things that I knew would do the job. Those engineers, those people, those studios, and that’s what I did.

You became a star pretty much the moment Let Love Rule came out. Has it been hard living your adult life in public?

Yes, it was difficult for me because I was used to being in the street and sharing everything I had with people. I was used to meeting people and if I liked them, bringing them up to my apartment, hanging out. When I quote-unquote made it, people changed their view of me. It was about “What can I get from him?” It wasn’t just about Lenny, this guy; it was about me and everything around me. Their perception of me—not my perception of me—changed, and I had to learn to shut down. Which isn’t natural for me. At all. I didn’t know how to deal with it.

I see that you’ve started a design firm.

How did you get involved in design?

From always making my own things and growing with it, doing it over and over and over for years and years and honing my own craft, just like I do in music. That’s why I started making furniture; I started designing, I started getting jobs. It happened very organically.

We shot our Allen Toussaint photos for the June issue in your apartment. How did

you decide what to do with that space? [It’s a Creole cottage that has been made into two rooms—one large room with a bed in a loft overlooking it, and a smaller dining room that opens out to the back garden. It’s a wide open space with one long counter, a large black leather sofa, the Lucite piano Toussaint played, and a piano bench upholstered with fox belly fur. The dominant colors are black and silver, including an ornate black and silver patterned wallpaper].

I wanted to have a cathedral feeling with an arched ceiling. I wanted to open it up and see the wood. I didn’t need all that space. I lived in it when it was the way it was, but I’m into changing stuff.

Where did the Lucite piano come from?

I believe it came out of the house of Ingrid Bergman. Actually, it did. I know that for a fact.

When did you move to New Orleans?

I guess it was ’95? ’94? I came out for Jazz Fest the year Aretha Franklin played and stayed. I came out for Jazz Fest and ended up buying a house.

Did you spend much time here?

I spent a lot of time there. I recorded there.

I hung out. I have great friends there. My dad moved down there for a few years before he died. New Orleans is one of my homes.

Is this an easy city to stay out of the limelight?

People are cool there. People in New Orleans don’t care, man. They say, “Hey, what’s up?”

They know me from the neighborhood.

What did you see in Trombone Shorty that prompted you to take him on tour with you?

He’s a genius. He’s a genius player, he’s got nothing but personality, he plays his ass off, and he’s a beautiful human being. I love Shorty.

He talks about the tour as a learning experience; did you see it as a teaching experience?

We taught each other, but I think he was learning more from me than I thought he would. I didn’t realize he learned the things that he later told me he learned.

What did you learn from him?

I learned a lot about music.

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