Issue Articles — Features
Don Marshall – Best of the Beat Lifetime Achievement in Music Business
New Orleans legend, Dr. John, was known to shout: “Call the doctor!” And, for almost 50 years, local arts organizations have called upon the pragmatic nonprofit administrator Don Marshall to perform a healing on them, discovering innovative cures for their financial ailments. Marshall, who has earned an unbeatable reputation for rescuing a variety of cultural organizations, is being awarded OffBeat’s 2023 Best of the Beat Lifetime Achievement Award in Music Business.
Ricky Sebastian: Best Of The Beat Lifetime Achievement In Music Education
Ricky Sebastian, this year’s Lifetime Achievement in Music Education Award honoree is a drummer extraordinaire who has played with the best, in New Orleans and around the world, and is an educator as high quality as it gets. We sat down to talk about how a kid from Opelousas became one of the most versatile drummers anywhere and where sheer talent, consistent dedication, and ongoing curiosity can lead you.
Best of the Beat: Heartbeat Award – Fred Joseph Johnson Jr.
Fred Joseph Johnson’s life has been dedicated to serving the Black community in his hometown of New Orleans. He’s excelled as a force in uplifting the spirit and outcome of people’s lives throughout his four major endeavors—as a spyboy with the Yellow Pocahontas Mardi Gras Indians, working with the Tambourine & Fan youth organization, as co-founder and president of the Black Men of Labor and heading the non-profit New Orleans Neighborhood Development Foundation.
Best Albums Of 2023 in Louisiana Music
Some of our Best of the Albums of 2023 picks were nominated for a Grammy, including Jon Batiste’s World Music Radio, Bobby Rush’s All My Love For You, Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton’s Death Wish Blues, Buckwheat Zydeco, Jr.’s New Beginnings…, Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s self-titled album, New Breed Brass Band’s Made in New Orleans, New Orleans Nightcrawler’s Too Much To Hold, The Rumble’s Live at the Maple Leaf, Dwayne Dopsie’s Live at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Rickie Lee Jones’ Pieces of Treasure.
The Best Of The Beat Music Awards 2023 Nominations
OffBeat’s annual Best of the Beat Awards started nearly 30 years ago, in 1996.
On Her Way: Sierra Green’s powerful spirit is preparing her for the future
Sierra Green is quietly taking necessary steps to come out strong in 2024. She’s actively in the studio with a new sound, her management team is handling business, and she’s keeping her head down to do the work. This is a singer whose name you’re about to hear much more of. She gave me the scoop at PJ’s Coffee near the lakefront shortly before she and her band The Giants performed at the New Orleans Pelicans game.
The World’s Premier Guitar, Sousaphone and Washboard Trio: The Tin Men Celebrate 20 Years
Chaz Leary, you know him as “Washboard” Chaz, holds the back cover of the new Tin Men album, Hit It!, up to the computer camera on a Zoom chat. He’s sitting with bandmate Alex McMurray at the latter’s house, while in another chat window is the third member of the trio, Matt Perrine.
From Adonis Rose & NOJO: Taking New Orleans to the World
Adonis Rose seems to operate on a different clock than the rest of us, one with extra hours. As both the managing and artistic director of the award-winning New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO), he’s making things happen with a strong drive of service to the New Orleans community and the world-at-large. We had a good talk about what’s been going on the past few years and what the future holds.
Messenger of God: Jemima Joél and the Divine Feminine
Jemima Joél, known as ‘The woman who sings and paints,’ has been making a name for herself.