Dis Dat and D'Udder...

Last week was French Quarter Fest (FQF) in New Orleans. I had planned on listening to the WWOZ Live Broadcast but on Wednesday for some reason the broadcast schedule disappeared without explanation from their website- bummer. I ended up emailing the station and only just heard back on Monday that apparently there were technical problems with getting AT&T to install the necessary line to allow for their remote broadcast- just another reason to hate AT&T so add it to the list. So instead of listening I had to resort to reading about fest and looking at photos posted during the 4 days of the festival. I have never been to this festival- and -I can't believe I'm saying this- I'm not sure I would want to go to it. Let me explain. I have been to Jazzfest a bunch of times. Even when jazz fest sets records for crowds, it somehow doesnt feel crowded. I think it's because the grounds are more spread out and especially the stages and major tents are placed in such a way that you dont feel like you are jammed into the middle of a huge crowd. Granted, at the major stages for the major acts it does get crowded, but you always have an option to go to a less crowded area or venue to see some music. You can also move relatively easily from stage to stage which is one of my favorite things to do at JazzFest. From what I read and understand about the FQF-especially in the past 2-3 years- it has maybe gotten too big for it's own good. This year I believe there were 20+ stages spread across the quarter and down to the river that hosted 200+ artists over the 4 days. I also just read that estimates were that there were 574,000 people at the festival over the 4 days. Wow!. I remember reading last year that it was difficult to move from stage to stage and that even the musicians were finding it difficult to navigate the crowds in order to get from gig to gig. It seems to me, that to "do" this festival, you would have to maybe pick a stage or general area and stay there all day b/c trying to do a JazzFest-like stage hopping thing would be almost impossible or just too much of a hassle. Talking to my sister seemed to bear that out- she said she went down to the festival on Saturday for a bit, but left after a while bc too crowded and then didnt even bother to go back on Sunday because of the crowds. Sounds like the festival promoters are going to have to address this soon- its great that its in the Quarter and that it is FREE (!) but at some point it is going to start to have diminishing returns.

On another note, last weekend my wife and I drove up to NYC, actually Brooklyn to be exact, to see the last show of Dr. John's 3 week residency at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music). We met up with some of our NYC/NJ New Orleanianophile (is that a word?) friends for dinner before the show at The Smoke Joint which is right near the venue. Company was great- barbecue was just ok (for my money, in NYC, there are 2 really good places for bbq- Blue Smoke and my number one pick Daisy Mays, but thats for a different blog). Anyway, the show was excellent. Dr. John was in fine form-playing piano the whole show and also was in very strong voice- and looked sharp in one of his signature suits-this one red-and hat. He even surprised the audience at the beginning by starting the show from the back of the theater and leading some musicians, singers and dancers in a parade down the center aisle to the stage-he's still got some moves. Once on stage, a steady stream of big name New Orleans musicians joined Dr John and his band for different segments of the show. Guests included the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Irma Thomas, Nicholas Payton, Donald Harrison, Davell Crawford and vocalist Tami Lynn. (Personally, I was not a big fan of Ms Lynn's vocals nor Mr. Crawford's singing and piano playing but thats just me). Anyway, highlights for me were Nicholas Paytons trumpet playing , numbers featuring the Dirty Dozen, Irma Thomas' singing and the numbers featuring Dr. John along with Donald Harrison on saxophone-especially the Mardi Gras Indian stuff-the song Indian Red being one of my favorites in particular. After hearing that song, when I woke up the next day I had to dig out my copy of Dr. John's 1992 release Goin Back to New Orleans which is -after Gumbo-probably my favorite Dr. John album. Yeah you right.. 

Krewe Me?..Krewe You...

..So, as I mentioned in my previous post, I am all in for Mardi Gras and will be riding as a member of a New Orleans Mardi Gras Krewe. Anyway- a little bit of a back story is in order to explain how this came to be....Anybody that knows me knows I am a bit nuts about New Orleans and Louisiana- the food, music, culture-doesn’t matter. If it's New Orleans or Louisiana related, I'm gonna be there-NYC, Philly or even New Jersey (sorry, couldn't resist). That’s how I ended up in a krewe.  A few years ago, I started going to New Orleans music related events primarily up in NYC and on more than one occasion dragged my wife and kids to Central Park or Lincoln Center to see a brass band or, one year, the Mardi Gras Indians; I’ve secondlined with the Soul Rebels Brass Band and Glen David Andrews in Manhattan as well as going to numerous New Orleans/Louisiana music events here in Philly (including monthly Cajun dances at a local Polish club dance hall) . I have even-more than once- traveled across the Delaware to see New Orleans and Louisiana musicians perform in- of all places- Camden, NJ (which believe it or not has a very nice waterfront park set up across the Delaware River looking back at the city of Philadelphia)..Over time, I began to realize that there was a group of like minded people-especially at the NYC events- when it came to New Orleans and its music and culture. Two years ago, I participated in a secondline across the Brooklyn Bridge and I was really hooked. Then, last year, I read that the same group of folks who had put on the Brooklyn Bridge secondline were organizing a New Orleans style jazz funeral to celebrate the demise and-hopefully- the eventual re-birth of the Coney Island waterfront. Well, thats all I needed to know- I drove up to NYC, jumped the subway to Coney Island and there I was-hanging out and then marching with the NYC/New Orleans contingent. The event featured a NYC based brass band, Dancing Man 504 straight out of New Orleans and a mermaid in a coffin (see NY Times article and slideshow here or see my pix/slideshow over to the right of this post)…Anyway, after the event, I got to talking to one of the guys-Arthur- who was a pallbearer in the parade. He mentioned that altho he lived in New Jersey he was part of a New Orleans Mardi Gras krewe and had been parading down there for the past few years. Huh?.. you mean you can live in NJ but also be a member of a New Orleans parade krewe?... I always thought that this was a “locals only” kind of thing...As we talked, tho, it started to make sense..it turns out that since the Federal Flood (aka Katrina) a lot of the New Orleans Krewes lost local membership and so they started to turn to out-of-towners as one way to fill out their ranks.. so as we continued to talk-and down a couple more Coney Island beers-I continued to quiz him on the details..at one point he suggested that I consider joining up-I was officially being recruited… The rest, as they say is history …so in a couple weeks- Sunday February 19^th at around 11:45am CST to be exact- I will be on a float, in mask and costume rolling down the Uptown New Orleans parade route …stay tuned.....

Happy 50th PHJB!!

50th anniversary show for Preservation Hall Jazz band tonite at Carnegie Hall in NYC. Lots of special guests including 5 Bind Boys, My Morning Jacket, & Del McCoury Band. Should be quite an event.

Back to the Blog

So..stopped blogging for a couple months ...Gonna try and fire this thing back up..main incentive is I recently created my first app (NO centric of course ) based on content from this blog so no blog, no updates to app..anyway have lots to post about...saw Trombone Shorty in Philly recently, have seen some Cajun Zydeco shows, and have cooked up some NO food..also will be for first time going down to NO for carnival & will actually be riding as a member of a Mardi Gras krewe..so stay tuned!

If it's Thursday....

...it must be Kermit Ruffins at Vaughn's..altho if you weren't in New Orleans last Thursday you could have caught his show in NYC at the Hiro Ballroom in Chelsea. Place was a trip- all Japanese Lanterns and lights...above the stage was an animitronic dragon complete with glowing red eyes and blowing huge puffs of smoke (much to Mr. Ruffin's amusement)..1st set was a typical Kermit Ruffins set- with some great trumpet solos and alot of banter with the audience. 2nd set was a tribute to Louis Armstrong's recent 110th birthday so Kermit changed out of his all white suit and returned to the stage in a formal black tuxedo. Band was great -featured female vocalist sounded good- but it was Mr. Ruffins' singing and trumpet playing that carried the show. A nice opportunity to see him up close and in person here in the East . All aboard!...

Finally...Back to my recent New Orleans Trip....

...Day 1: Saturday..landed New Orleans 10:30 am CST..Sister picked me up at airport..First stop: Rouse's Market to make groceries and get supplies (ie beer)..Per beer , settled on Abita Strawberry Ale which was in season and a six-pack from another local brewery on the Northshore Covington Brewery...Back to sister's apartment to relax a bit and say hello. Weather very nice...70's and sunny..not hot or humid..unusual for this time of year..Ok..so now time for purpose of my trip: going to the Krewe of Mid City float den for an open house for prospective members. I had met a guy in NYC at New Orleans Coney Island Fureral who, even tho he lives in New Jersey (!) is part of a honest to God New Orleans Mardi Gras Krewe. After me quizzing him on the particulars he said he would forward me a rider application and I could see about joining up!..Anyway, I went ahead and sent in my deposit $ to save me a spot on a float for next year's parade and ...next thing you know..here I am..In New Orleans visiting the float den that will be location of my Krewe ...unbelievable..anyway, back to my trip..so me and my sister get on our bikes and ride over to the float den (less than 1 mile from my sister's apartment-thinking this was meant to be!)..not a lot of folks there but meet all the key members of the krewe: President, Ride Captain, last years King and a couple of other guys and their wives who have been riding/involved with the krewe for 30+ years who give me the lowdown on what it means to become a krewe member..what a production to get a parade rolling!..all the while, drinking beer and eating plate after plate of crawfish, sausage, corn and potatoes...only in New Orleans.....so my sister and I spent a couple hours eating,drinking and socializing at the krewe den...I'm all in- gonna ride in parade next carnival season...Sunday February 19th, 2012..Nice!...Stay tuned for Saturday Evening Trip re-cap....

Louisiana Cajun and Zydeco in NYC!

Get your fiddle and accordian fix right here back East. You can catch real deal Cajun and Zydeco music direct from Louisiana in Midtown Manhattan. Check out website Let's Zydeco for schedule. Upcoming dance this Sunday April 10th featuring L'Angelus. Get out those dancin' shoes and go.

No mo' N.O. Eats in NYC?

Well..that explains it. My wife and I were in NYC earlier this week for the Glen David Andrews show at Sullivan Hall and thought we'd get some New Orleans inspired food for dinner so we headed down to the Acme Bar & Grill on Great Jones Street. Lo and behold we got there and did a double take because it was shut down- not closed for the day shut down but metal shutters rolled down and really closed shut down. No signage or any other indication why or when. So, on to  plan B. I had a few months before eaten at another New Orleans type restaurant-Mara's Homemade- not too far away so we walked over and I'll be darned if they weren't closed as well- altho at least they had a sign on door saying they were closed on Tuesdays. So unbelievably we had been shut out at 2 New Orleans themed restaurants. Unbelievable...settled on some good old NYC pizza at Rays in the Village. Not too shabby of a Plan C. Anyway, it turns out that both the Acme Grill and Mara's Homemade have run into trouble and very recently Acme announced they were closing- initially it appeared for good but now more recently- just for a long needed renovation (see articles here and here); While Mara's Homemade is apparently closing for good at the end of April - see their story here. It's a shame -I had eaten at both a couple times over past couple years and food was good- not New Orleans good but pretty darn good for not being in New Orleans. Oh well, hopefully Acme will re-open with the same N.O. inspired menu and maybe someone else will come along and open another N.O. themed place to take Mara's place..Here's hopin...

Glen David Andrews Rocks NYC

I was at last nite's show at Sullivan Hall in NYC. Mr. Andrews knows how to get the party started where ever he is at. Almost felt like his standing Monday nite gig at d.b.a. in New Orleans- urging the crowd in close as he works up a sweat onstage. If you have never seen him perform live and up close keep an eye out for the next time he comes around. He is one of New Orleans' top entertainers and also one of the city's top ambassadors for it's musical heritage and traditions.

New Orleans Jazz Funeral & 2nd Line in Coney Island NYC

Here's an interesting item. Next weekend- Sunday April 3, 2011- there is going to be a New Orleans Jazz Funeral and 2nd line to mourn the passing of "old" Coney Island and celebrate the hoped for rebirth of this American classic. Organized by NYC Photographer James Demaria and featuring Dancing Man 504 from New Orleans along with the Jambalaya Brass band from NYC it will be a little bit of NO in NYC. Read more about the event  here and get event details at Coney Island events webpage. See ya there!

I attended an event last year organized by and featuring the same folks- a 2nd Line across the Brooklyn Bridge and it was a lot of fun. You can see my pictures from the event in the slideshow on the right hand side of the page. You can also go here for additional photos and video.