The 1988 USA Songwriting Competition is currently accepting entries until May 31, 1998. This international competition is sponsored by BMI, Guild Guitars, D’Addario Guitar Strings, Cakewalk Music Software and others. Prizes are awarded in 14 different song categories from “Alternative” to “World” and everything in between. You may enter as many songs as you wish and you may enter more than one song in more than one category.
Is it just us or does Jazz Fest seem to be coming sooner and sooner every year? We were bowled over when the Jazz Fest offices leaked some of their big name guests in late January (people like Erykah Badu, Jimmy Buffett and Bonnie Raitt) but then Tipitina’s announced their Jazz Fest line-up in early February. What gives here? This is New Orleans, it’s all supposed to be last minute. Anyway, at the Uptown location (501 Napoleon Ave), look for the Radiators (April 25) and the Afgan Whigs (May 2); at the French Quarter (227 N. Peters) location, it will be the Dirty Dozen and Paul Cebar (April 25), Terrance Simien (April 26), LMNOP (April 27-29) and Paul Sanchez and John Thomas Griffith (April 30); and at Tip’s Big Room (310 Howard Ave.), the Neville Brothers will camp from April 24-26; with the Radiators (May 1) and the funky Meters (May 3). Check out our complete Jazz Fest schedule in this issue. For tickets outside Louisiana, call 1-800-488-5252.
In a related development, recent Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Allen Toussaint, legendary rocker Fats Domino, along with Blu Lu and her husband, the late Danny Barker, were inducted into Tipitina’s Music Walk of Fame in ceremonies held on Feb. 22.
Walter “Wolfman” Washington and the Roadmasters will release their sixth album, The Funk is in the House, on April 8. Look for the new CD on Rounder Records. Washington and his band were recently named “Best R&B/Soul Band” at OffBeat’s Best of the Beat awards in January.
Are you a collector of music memorabilia? Then you should check out the Goldmine Price Guide to Rock’n’Roll Memorabilia. The book contains listings for more than 800 artists and values for 10,000 items from rock history. Scanning through the book you’ll find stuff like: An acoustic guitar used by Elvis Presley in 1976-’77 is valued between $50,000-$75,000; or an autograph of Jim Morrison of The Doors will fetch between $700-$1,500. If you can’t find it at your area bookstore, call 1-800-258-0929.
During the NATPE convention held in New Orleans in January, comedian Bill Cosby and representatives from the Carsey-Werner Production Co. invited James Rivers to appear on The Cosby Show. The date and time will be announced soon. The deal was done, fittingly enough, at Dunbar’s Fine Foods.
The Hi-Ho Lounge (2239 St. Claude) will hold a One-Act Play Festival on Friday, March 13 beginning at 9 p.m. Six plays of 20 minutes or less have been chosen to be performed in true guerilla-theatre style. Check it out!
Marion Marcotte, a longtime Cajun storyteller, died on Jan. 20 at West Jefferson Hospital. He was 81. Marcotte was recently inducted into the Cajun French Music Hall of Fame. In his life, Marcotte recorded over 40 albums. Last year, his most popular Cajun stories were collected on a single compact disc. Marotte, an Avoyelles Parish native, had lived in Gretna for the past 48 years.
Rising country act Michael Jeansonne and the Silver Spur Band have three confirmed dates in March. Check them out at Carrollton Station (March 7), Piney Woods Opry in Abita Springs (March 14) and Howlin’ Wolf (March 28).
The 21 Supper Club (615 Toulouse Street) opened in the French Quarter last month. The club features live New Orleans music and theatrical entertainment, and Creole cuisine by chef Andrew Jaeger. The entertainment line-up, which changes nightly, will showcase two floor shows that are alternated from evening to evening. The show, New Orleans Swing, Jump & Jazz, features Jerry Jumonville’s Orchestra and showcases the traditional New Orleans’ “Big Band Sound” that virtually defined the era from 1947-54. The orchestra plays the music of Dave Bartholomew, Louis Jordan, Count Basie and Louie Prima. The alternate show, Turn of the Century New Orleans, plays an eclectic mix from early jazz to marching bands to gospel. Call 598-2121 for more information.
Pollstar, the leading weekly trade magazine covering the international concert business, has voted the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival as the “1997 Music Festival of the Year.” Other contenders for the top festival award included Bumbershoot in Seattle, Music Midtown in Atlanta and Summerfest in Milwaukee. The award was presented last month in Los Angeles.
Texas tornado and R&B queen Marcia Ball will perform a special concert on Sunday, March 8 from 4-6 p.m. at the Sheraton New Orleans Grand Ballroom. Billed the Event of the Century, the celebration will benefit the National Council of Jewish Women which is marking its 100th birthday. Tickers for the show are $40 (reserved) and $15 (general admission). For more information, call (504) 864-8000.
The Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival will take place March 11-15 at Le Petit Theatre (616 South Peter Street). As usual, the festival is chock-a-block with writing classes, walking tours, speeches, discussions and, of course, the popular “Stella and Stanley Shouting Contest.” There will also be two music-related events this year, both on March 15. The first, Words Dancing to Music, will feature music writers Jason Berry, Tom Piazza and Fatima Shaik discussing the complementary relationship between music and literature. Later in the day, Drummer & Smoke: Ladies Sing the Blues, will feature Sylvia “Kuumba” Williams and Wanda Rouzan performing tunes by Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday. For more information, call the festival office at (504) 581-1144.
The Continental Drifters are scheduled to go into Dockside Studio sometime in early March to start work on their new album with Mike Mayeux engineering. Mayeux is currently mixing the new Michelle Shocked record that’s due out in late March or early April. He also just finished working on Mike West’s latest, Race That Train. Meanwhile, Mayeux’s own band, beatin’ path, will open for the Disaster Brothers (Tommy Malone and Gary Hirstius) at the Howlin’ Wolf on March 20.
And finally this month, look for some “Best of” performances on Louisiana Jukebox (Cox Cable Channel 10). On March 5: Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, Zachary Richard, All That, Jon Cleary (in a new performance), Earl Turbinton, Radio and The Topcats. On March 12: Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, the Roddie Romero Band (also in a new performance), Michael Jeansonne & the Silver Spurs, Rhudabega, Jeremy Lyons Trio and Skie Rainy.