The next Louisiana Music New Orleans’ Pride (LMNOP) Music Conference has been scheduled for April 27-29, 1998. The conference will feature musical panels, clinics, showcases and workshops designed to help just about everyone involved in the music business. For more information or to inquire about showcase availability, call (504) 822-5667 or fax (504) 821-9109 (E-mail is: LMNOP1998@aol.com).

Kenyatta Beasley from New Orleans has been selected as one of fifteen semifinalists for the annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in Washington, DC. The annual event provides an opportunity for representatives of major jazz labels to observe new talent in the industry and for prominent members of the business, entertainment and political communities to support the Institute.

The Continental Drifters released a seven-inch vinyl 45-rpm single on Black Dog Records late last month. The single includes “Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway,” written by band member Vicki Peterson, and “Meet on the Ledge,” a cover of a Fairport Convention song which was written by Richard Thompson. The single is available from Black Dog directly by calling (601) 587-2047 (voice & fax), and is being carried in select record retail stores.

Anders Osborne will be recording his November 29 show at Tipitina’s for a forthcoming live album. Besides featuring his current band, the show will open with a special segment featuring Osborne and Dave and Tommy Malone.

Multi-disciplinary artist Jose Torres Tama returns to New Orleans after an extended national tour to debut a new solo performance entitled In Exile Close to the Equator at Zeitgeist Theatre Experiments at 2010 Magazine Street. Performances are scheduled for November 19-24 and November 28-30 with showtimes at 8 p.m. Admission is $8 for the general public and $6 for Zeitgeist members.

Parrot Heads in Paradise (PHIP), the national Jimmy Buffet fan club, will hold their annual convention in New Orleans, November 6-9. Attendees will be treated to a weekend of non-stop bands at Buffet’s Margaritaville Cafe & Storyville and both locations of Tropical Isle. When not attending these special concerts, Parrot Heads will be volunteering for community projects, going to special “convention attendee only” parties and walking in the Krewe of Parrot Heads Parade. Proceeds from the convention will benefit New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness, Save the Manatee, and Singing for Charity. For more information, call local president Marr Snyder at (504) 891-0881.

The 12th Annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival has been scheduled for March 11-15, 1998. For more information about the festival write to: TW/NOLF, 5500 Prytania St., Ste. 217, New Orleans, LA 70115; or call (504) 581-1144; (e-mail) twfest@gnofn.org; (website) www.gnofn.org/~twfest.

Three Chord City by the Cold will be released later this month on Top Pop Records. The 26-song, 71-minute CD is an anthology of the influential New Orleans band’s studio recordings. The compact disc will feature all ten songs from the Cold’s five singles, plus tracks from the band’s two albums. It will also include two previously unreleased songs and two songs previously available as live tracks. Three Chord City will be available at Tower Records, Blockbuster, the Mushroom and other locations.

On Sunday, November 2, Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and John DuBois will play at an All Soul’s Day celebration in honor of a book-signing of the newly released New Orleans Cemeteries: Life in the Cities of the Dead. This marks the first time that these two New Orleans-based performers have shared the same bill. Author Robert Florence will be signing books during the festivities at Le Monde Creole, 624 Royal Street, beginning at 2 p.m. Admission is free.

The New Orleans Musicians Alumni Association will present a Thanksgiving ‘97 Stay in Touch party on November 2 at the St. Bernard Civic Center in Chalmette beginning at 2 p.m. The celebration will feature music by Billy “Fats” Bell and Troy Shondell. There will be a $10 donation per person. Guests are also requested to bring an unopened toy for NOMAA’s Christmas “Toys for Tots” campaign.

Yes, it’s true. Million-seller rapper Master P has bought a home in the affluent Country Club of Louisiana development in Baton Rouge.

Back for its second year, Huli Publishing has just published Huli’s 1998 Calendar of Louisiana Festivals and Events. The calendar contains the most complete listings available of more than 400 celebrations that take place every year around the state. They can be purchased at Louisiana bookstores or by calling (504) 733-5923 to order by credit card.

Composers with Attitudes returns to LeMieux Galleries with an eclectic program of contemporary compositions for solo instruments on Sunday, Nov. 2 beginning at 2 p.m. Admission is $3.

Dogstar Communications, along with their record label, Dogon Musick, recently relocated their operations from Northern California to New Orleans. Their latest CD is the self-titled Dogstar Communications. Upcoming releases include a compilation featuring local acts Ischial Tuberosity, Pantopon Rose, C.O.T.A. and Not Breathing.

It’s espionage on the Esplanade as Angels in the Wings, Inc. premieres Turncoats, a new musical comedy by award-winning playwright John Doucet, with music by local songwriter Annie Lousteau. The play will be presented as dinner theatre at Messina’s Oaks Plantation, Avenue of Oaks, in Destrehan on November 14-15 and 21-22 at 8 p.m., with a dinner buffet at 7 p.m., and on November 16 and 23 at 2 p.m. with a buffet at 1 p.m. Tickets are $22.50 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. Call (504) 764-1940 for more information.

The International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet, a non-profit organization, will hold its second annual benefit Concert for a Free Tibet at the House of Blues on Wednesday, Nov. 12 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. This represents Louisiana’s contribution to the ongoing global effort on behalf of the Tibetan people. Music and entertainment will be provided by Dash Rip Rock, James Hall, Continental Drifters, Peabody, Coco Robicheaux, John Sinclair and more. Call the House of Blues for ticket info or Greg Eveline at (504) 528-9374 if you would like to help.

The University of New Orleans’ Downtown Center will offer a non-credit professional development course that will introduce participants to the basic elements of researching and writing documentaries for film and video. Researching and Writing Documentaries is a Saturday course, offered in three sessions, beginning Nov. 8 and ending Nov. 22. The course time is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the UNO Downtown Center. The cost is $295. For more info, call (504) 539-9500.

Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers will record a live album on November 14 at Tipitina’s. The new project is a result of a joint venture that Ruffins has signed with Basin Street Records of New Orleans. The deal gives Ruffins creative freedom and a financial stake in his own project. In addition, the joint venture doesn’t restrict Ruffins from signing with a new record label.

“I’ve wanted to do a live record with the Barbecue Swingers for a long time now,” Ruffins explains. “I want to capture our show’s sound and give the fans something that they will enjoy for years to come.”

This will be Ruffins’ first solo project as well as his first live record. He co-produced 1996’s Hold on Tight with Delfeayo Marsalis. The new live record is expected to be released in early 1998.

Mark Samuels, President/Label Manager of Basin Street Records, says that the Ruffins’ project will be the label’s first release. Samuels says that the company’s vision is to “concentrate on young, up-and-coming artists from New Orleans.” The musical focus will be jazz, brass and funk. Samuels only plans on signing a small number of artists so that the company can give each one plenty of attention and resources.

The Louisiana Songwriters Association and LMNOP are holding a Louisiana Hot Sounds contest for bands and songwriters who perform their original music. Prizes include studio time, CD graphics, a performing slot at Howlin’ Wolf on January 12 (where the winners will be announced) and much, much more. For a copy of the rules and regulations, call LMNOP at (504) 822-5667 or LSA at (504) 835-5887 or (504) 924-0804. Deadline for entry is November 18.

The Contemporary Arts Center will present A Louis Armstrong Big Band Tribute featuring the CAC Big Band Orchestra led by Tony Dagradi on Nov. 28-29 beginning at 8 p.m. For tickets call the Ticketmaster arts line at 522-1314 or call the CAC box-office at 528-3800.

Baton Rouge-based The Elements have just released their latest CD, Don’t Worry Now, on Fire Air Water Earth Productions (1-800-489-2133). Look for them around town this fall as they tour in support of the new CD.

Better Than Ezra will play the Centroplex Theatre in Baton Rouge on Friday, Nov. 14. Tickets are $19.

Last month the performing rights organization, BMI, announced that it would make medical, dental, life and instrument insurance available to its currently affiliated songwriters, composers and publishers who reside in the United States. The insurance will be underwritten by major U.S. insurance companies and is an expansion of the insurance BMI has made available since the 1970s. Specific coverage will be determined by the underwriters. For more information, call 1-800-638-2610 or visit BMI’s web site at http://bmi.com/insurance.

Allen Toussaint’s 1^st Annual WWOZ Holiday Bash will be held Sunday, Nov. 23 from 4-7 p.m. at the Red Fish Grill and will feature many of the artists featured on NYNO Records’ A New Orleans Christmas (Toussaint, The New Birth Brass Band, Larry Hamilton, Wallace Johnson, Raymond Myles, James Andrews and Grace Darling). Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. All proceeds from the event will be donated tax-free by NYNO Records to WWOZ Public Radio.

In addition, Toussaint (and special guests) will be performing at the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Annual Early Childhood Conference on Children with Special Needs at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Thursday, Nov. 20. The conference runs through Nov. 23 and NYNO CDs will be on sale for the special price of $10 each during the entire event. One dollar from each copy sold of A New Orleans Christmas will be donated to the DEC.

And finally this month, Grayson Capps, singer/songwriter of Stavin’ Chain, is branching out after releasing Wine, Stavin’ Chain’s debut, on Rott Gutt Records.

Capps will be performing a series of free, solo acoustic shows at Carrollton Station on Nov. 9, 16 and 30.