NJ Crawfish Fest Recap

Man...blogging ain't easy...feel like I'm way behind..really have to try and do a little bit each day..Anyway, my wife and I did make it to Michael Arnone's NJ Crawfish Fest a couple weekends ago and had a great time. We went on Saturday June 4th- weather was overcast, cool and looked like rain but held thru the day with only a couple of sprinkles. Music was fantastic. Saw one of my NO favorites The Tin Men -featuring the one and only Washboard Chaz- which was a real treat. Also caught a lot of cajun and zydeco music including Geno Delafose, the Savoy Family Band and best show of the day, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas. The setup for cajun and zydeco bands is really nice with the stage set indoors w/ a dance floor surrounded by chairs-the place was jumpin' and folks were dancin' - especially with Nathan Williams cranking out that "chank a chank". Other highlights included the somewhat wacky but very groovy Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra, great guitar work by Tab Benoit, some excellent blues by Mem Shannon and finally got to check out Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes who were ok but  not really my cup of tea. I had not been to the festival in a couple years and this time, crowd seems to be bigger- think there were a lot of folks there to see the Radiators on their farewell tour. Food was ok-not great (was disappointed last time I went b/c was expecting Jazzfest level food and it was nowhere close). This time around, lowered my expectations somewhat and was pleasantly surprised by some decent boiled crawfish, passable jambalya and some really great fried chicken. We were there more for the music than the food anyway. Overheard more than one group of folks saying that they were'nt able to make it down to NO for Jazzfest , and that this festival was at least a little taste of that vibe here up north.

Saturday Nite in New Orleans..Frenchmen Street and then some...

..ok..so after hanging out at the Mid-City Krewe float den...headed back to my sister's apartment to plan my evening..had researched- as I usually do before a trip to NO- music options for Saturday nite..It turns out I had a rare opportunity to re-create my own little "jazzfest" music tour of Frenchmen Street..so, that's what I did...Started out at 6pm at the Spotted Cat...Panorama Jazz Band (whose album 17 Days was voted one of the Best NO Albums of 2010)...7pm..down the street to Blue Nile to see Washboard Chaz Trio..always a treat!..after 1st set finished, headed up street a bit (only in NO!) to d.b.a to catch John Boutte's set..WOW!..what a show..he gives it his all and place was packed!..at 1st set break- around 9pm- sis calling it a nite..Decide to leave Frenchmen St and head over to the Quarter to One Eyed Jack's..have not been here before and wanted to check out a group- Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns- that I have heard about but never seen. So, hoofed it over to One Eyed Jacks and paid my cover..turns out Meschiya Lake is the house band for a variety show..pretty cool..old style club atmosphere- cigarette girls, old time radio announcers and the performers included dancing girls,tap dancers, a magician and comedians..in between band played a couple of songs- lots of fun!..anyway, stayed for 1st set and then decided to head back to Frenchmen St..on the way, this being New Orleans, ran into a wedding second line complete with brass band marching in Jackson Square..how cool!..continued on to Frenchmen ....and as I got closer heard the band- as usual there was a brass band playing on corner of Frenchmen and Chartres St...had to stop to listen and to dance with the gathering crowd..man is this alot of fun..eventually tore myself away and made my way back up Frenchmen Street back to d.b.a. for Lil' Freddie Kings late set..again, place was packed and Freddie was cookin'..don't know any other place that you could even attempt something like this- literally walking from venue to venue -catching even more music outside along the way- all in one evening..boy I love this town...Next Post: So, what do you do on Sunday in New Orleans?....