Jazz Fest Picks- Day Five- April 30, 2010

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Brother Tyrone is one of the most underrated blues and soul singers out there.  He hails from Baton Rouge and still works a day job despite having one of the most powerful voices I have ever heard.  An opening slot on the same stage as Aretha Franklin should go a long ways towards making his a household name.  The Fi Yi Yi Mardi Gras Indians scare children.  I’m serious.  If you have never seen this tribe on Mardi Gras or St. Joseph’s Night, don’t miss them.  But leave the kids in the Kids Tent (not unaccompanied- the fest frowns on that).  The Forgotten Souls Brass Band (pictured) only comes together when their leader, Henry Petras (the web master here), is on hand to lead the super group.  They will most likely play some originals to augment tunes from the brass band canon.  I spent my birthday last year in the company of the Mardi Gras Indian Orchestra.  If you’re one of those people, and I doubt you’re reading this if you are, who thinks Mardi Gras Indian music could use some musical ornamentation, check this group out.  Besides adding electric guitar and bass to the mix, they also have a violin and a cello!

Posted on April 30th, 2010
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Jazz Fest Picks- Day Four- April 29, 2010

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What began as Slacker’s Day, named for all the locals who manage to get off of work, has blossomed over the last couple of years into one of the best of the seven days at the Fairgrounds.  Just considering the bands in the final slot are enough to cause major decision making angst.  If you are in the mood to rock first thing in the morning, check out R. Scully and Rough 7.  This band emerged from the dregs of the Morning 40 Federation and features Rob Cambre, a guitarist more likely to be heard in more avant-garde settings.  The Red Hawk Hunters are a Mardi Gras Indian tribe that came into its own in the first two years after Katrina.  Proudly hailing from C.T.C or “cross the canal” in the Lower Ninth Ward, they have some of the most vibrantly sewn suits out there.  Following them on the Jazz and Heritage stage is Dr. Claw, a super group of sorts with Eric Krasno from Soulive on guitar.  Steve Martin (pictured) likely won’t be telling any jokes when he performs with the Steep Canyon Rangers but he will play a mean banjo.  Make up your own minds concerning the last time slot.

Posted on April 29th, 2010
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The Daze in Between- Fess Head Turns 20!

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Joe Jazz Fest usually throws parties at night.  But to celebrate 20 years of hauling the Fess Head in and out of the Fairgrounds, he’s got one going all afternoon and evening.  Beginning at 3 PM with Flow Tribe, the party continues with the Rebirth Brass Band, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes and concludes with the Never Was Brothers.  They are a super group that is affiliated with the Neville Brothers, but “they never was brothers,” hence the name of the group.  The band features “Mean” Willie Green, the long time drummer for the Neville Brothers.  The guitarist is Brian Stoltz, a former member of the Nevilles and a founding member of the Funky Meters.  Tony Hall, the bassist for Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk and a legend in funk circles for his work with various incarnations of the Meters, and Jon Gros, the organ mastermind behind Papa Grows Funk, round out the group.  The party is on Dr. Bob’s Lot located at 3027 Chartres Street in the Bywater neighborhood.

Posted on April 28th, 2010
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This Just In- Another Daze In Between Fest!

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1ST Annual Between Daze Festival
A benefit for the New Orleans Musicians Clinic and Gulf Coast Restoration Network

ONLY $5.00 !!

AT THE RUSTY NAIL APRIL 27&28, 2010
1100 Constance St. NOLA

Performance Schedule at www.betweendazefestival.com

Posted on April 27th, 2010
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The Daze in Between- Its Patry Time!

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No, that’s not a typo.  When the music philanthropy group known as the Threadheads first threw their annual Jazz Fest party, it was a typo.  But now it’s the official name of the event, which is a fundraiser and is scheduled for all day and into the night at the Deutsches Haus on 200 South Galvez Street.  The lineup is super strong with musicians who have benefited from the efforts of Threadheads Records.   Expect to see- John Boutte (pictured) w/ Todd Duke and Peter Harris, Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show, the Susan Cowsill Band, Anders Osborne/John Fohl/Johnny Sansone, Junco Partners (John Gros, Brian Stoltz, June Yamagichi, Tony Hall, Raymond Webber), and the Mardi Gras Indian Orchestra (Big Chief Rodi Lewis and Eric ‘Yeti’ Boudreaux of the Black Eagles, David Montana of the Yellow Pocahontas, Bruce ‘Sunpie’ Barnes of the Northside Skull and Bones, Kevin O’Day, Reggie Scanlan, Chris Species, Rosie Rosato, Helen Gillet, Harry Hardin, Camille Baudoin, Sam Hotchkiss, Even Christopher, Tim Green, Kirk Joseph and Papa Mali).  This is the real deal.

Posted on April 27th, 2010
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The Daze in Between- Monday- April 26, 2010

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Are you rested or weary?  How was your first weekend of Jazz Fest?  The answer to those questions may determine how you spend today.  I would recommend heading back to the Louisiana Music Factory- you did go last Thursday didn’t you?  It’s eight full hours of music starting with Big Daddy O at 12 noon and ending with Big Sam’s Funky Nation at 7 PM.  If improvisation is more your style, two of the masters will be playing at the Big Top at 8 PM.  The German saxophonist Peter Brotzmann and the Chicago-based drummer Hamid Drake (pictured) will likely tear off some heads in a freewheeling duo performance.

Posted on April 26th, 2010
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Jazz Fest Picks- Day Three- April 25, 2010

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Larry Bannock is one of the most respected and opinionated of all of the Mardi Gras Indian Big Chiefs who dot the inner city landscape of New Orleans.  He is opening up the day with his tribe on the Jazz and Heritage stage.  Here’s an interesting tidbit that he is bound to expound on during his set.  He changed the name of his long time tribe the Golden Star Hunters to the Morning Star Hunters, though they are listed by their former moniker.  Rumors abounded on Indian Sunday that he kicked everyone out of the tribe.  We shall see.  Juan Luis Guerra (pictured) is possibly the biggest Latin star that has ever graced the stages of the Jazz Fest.  He is from the Dominican Republic and though he is not well known among most festers, he is huge and will likely draw thousands of fans that have never been to the fest before.  The Radiators did a show last year at Tipitina’s that featured all songs written before World War II.  The Commander, aka Jazz Fest’s producer/Director Quint Davis, was in the house and he booked the same show for the Blues Tent.  Even if you think you don’t like the Rads, this is going to be one of those sets that people will be talking about for years.

Posted on April 25th, 2010
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Jazz Fest Picks- Day Two- April 24, 2010

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Choices rear their ugly head early on Day Two.  The Tin Men or Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes?  It’s a big coup for the Tin Men to be appearing on the Acura stage opening up for both the Funky Meters and Simon and Garfunkel.  But the crowds may be thick from the get go.  You decide.  Davell Crawford (pictured) moved to New York following the levee breaks, but he’s still a homegrown talent.  He appears in the Blues Tent with Dr. John and Jon Cleary.  This will be one heck of a show.  If you’re like me and prefer to “go where they’re not” on the most crowded days, look for me at the end of the day at Kirk Joseph’s Tuba Tuba.  He is back with his band mates in the Dirty Dozen, so there’s no telling who will be on stage with the sousaphone master.  Suffice it to say that it will be smokin’!

Posted on April 24th, 2010
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Jazz Fest Picks- Day One- April 23, 2010

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Start your day right with the Comanche Hunters Mardi Gras Indian tribe.  Big Chief Ki Ki is a legend on the downtown streets of New Orleans even though he sews in the uptown style.  His tribe is strong with a number of kids usually in tow.  Baaba Maal (pictured) is like a griot, or storyteller, from Senegal.  He has played at the Jazz Fest in the past and always puts on a mesmerizing set.  Unfortunately he is opposite a number of good acts including the reunited Latin band, Mas Mamones, who invigorated the Frenchmen Street scene in the 1990s.  Modern jazz lovers always complain that the fest doesn’t book enough of the top tier national talent.  However, they definitely made the right choice with Joe Lavano and Us Five.  One of his band mates is the stunning bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spaulding who wowed us last year at the Jazz Fest.

Posted on April 23rd, 2010
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It Begins Again!

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It’s Jazz Fest time and there’s no better way to start the festivities and by heading down (or up) to the French Quarter for the in-store performances at the Louisiana Music Factory.  The day starts at 2 Pm with John Ellis and Double Wide.  Regular readers of this space know that I love this band.  How could I not with an incentive saxophonist and composer who surrounds himself with talent like the sousaphonist Matt Perrine and the drummer Jason Marsalis?  Sets continue on the hour.  Maurice Brown (pictured), another inventive and talented musician who earned his chops in New Orleans, plays at 5 PM.

Posted on April 22nd, 2010
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