July 2014
BackTalk
- Back Talk: Chris Smither
Even though he left New Orleans nearly a half-century ago, acoustic legend Chris Smither has practically been a local fixture of…
Bookmark
- John Wirt, Huey “Piano” Smith and the Rocking Pneumonia Blues (LSU Press)
Simply put, Huey “Piano” Smith is one of the great heroes of New Orleans and American music. As that generation ages…
Cover Story
- Protecting Dave Bartholomew's Legacy
The modest, wood-frame house at 1616 N. Galvez St. looks pretty much like all its neighbors, but the front door leads…
Features
- Bittermens Bitters Lives the Sweet Life in New Orleans
Avery and Janet Glasser just bought a new, shiny toy for their workshop in Harahan. It’s a custom-built bottling and labeling… - New Orleans Distillery Atelier Vie Gains Recognition
For all of its cocktail history, history-making drinking and bartender-rock stars, New Orleans has been a bit out of the loop… - Louis Michot Balances Bayou Teche Brewing With the Lost Bayou Ramblers
Lost Bayou Ramblers member and Bayou Teche Brewing staffer Louis Michot looks out into the crowd gathered for his side project,… - Bonsoir, Catin Plays Cajun Music Their Way
When the four dynamic, multi-talented women who formed Bonsoir, Catin in 2004 first came together, their main goal was simply sustaining…
Fresh
- The NOLA Bulls Roll Through for San Fermin in Nueva Orleans
It's not often that New Orleans draws comparisons to the quaint medieval cities that dot the Pyrenees Mountains, but that changes… - It's Five Somewhere: Big Sam Williams
Tell me a little bit about your new record, Evolution. I’m really happy with the way the album came out. It… - My Music: Grayson Capps
"Willie Sugarcapps came about as a result of everybody just saying yes, as opposed to, you know, the ol’ just-say-no thing.… - Keeping Time at the Louisiana State Museum's Jazz Collection
Once a key feature of the Old U.S. Mint’s exhibition space, the Louisiana State Museum’s internationally renowned Jazz Collection sustained damage… - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation Launches Catapult Fund
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, Jazz Fest’s non-profit arm, looks to expand and enhance its tradition of locally awarded… - Tales of the Cocktail 2014 Stirs up a Good Time
Do you need a good drink? That’s one thing this year’s edition of Tales of the Cocktail has in spades. The…
In The Spirit
- In the Spirit: Chris Hannah of French 75
"Danny Barker is one of my heroes. I don’t think enough people talk about him. Probably my favorite compliment that I…
Letters
- July 2014 Letters to OffBeat Magazine
PSYCHOBILLY I was in New Orleans last week and read your magazine. I love your city and, in lieu of a…
Mojo Mouth
- Cosimo Matassa’s J&M Studio Needs a Documentary
Last night I watched a wonderful documentary, Muscle Shoals, highly recommended for anyone who was/is a fan of Wilson Pickett, Aretha…
Obituaries
- Obituary: Bill Sinegal
Willie Norman “Bill” Sinegal passed away on April 14, 2014 in New Orleans. A retired veteran, Sinegal was born on May…
OffBeat Eats
- Dining Out: NOLA Smokehouse
As millions of Americans fire up their backyard grills this month in commemoration of our nation’s independence, New Orleans celebrates a… - In the Spirit: Chris Hannah of French 75
"Danny Barker is one of my heroes. I don’t think enough people talk about him. Probably my favorite compliment that I…
Dining Out
- Dining Out: NOLA Smokehouse
As millions of Americans fire up their backyard grills this month in commemoration of our nation’s independence, New Orleans celebrates a… - Tales of the Cocktail 2014 Stirs up a Good Time
Do you need a good drink? That’s one thing this year’s edition of Tales of the Cocktail has in spades. The…
The Spot
- The Spot: Orlando Vega at Willie Mae's Scotch House
What did you order today? I ordered the America's Best Fried Chicken Plate, three pieces of incredible fried chicken with a…
Reviews
- Los Lobos, Si Se Puede (Fantasy Records)
Los Lobos has covered some ground in their 40-plus years. From after-school barrio garage jam sessions to one of the biggest,… - Judith Owen, Ebb & Flow (Twanky Records)
Of all the contenders to the Joni Mitchell throne, a club that seems to grow rather than diminish with the passage… - Lynn Drury, Come to My House (Old Shoe Productions)
With her last release, the powerful Sugar on the Floor, Lynn Drury came into her own as a singer-songwriter. Backed by… - Gaynielle Neville, Woman Power (Independent)
Gaynielle Neville is the longtime singing/songwriting partner of her husband Cyril Neville, here making her solo debut. Since she’s been in… - Bamboula 2000, The Wild Bamboulas (Independent)
“We’ve been together 20 years; we’ve had some fun and shed some tears,” sings Luther Gray, the leader and percussionist of… - Diablo’s Horns, Into the Fire (Independent)
Diablo’s Horns is a brass band that doesn’t hesitate to expand their palate into funk, jazz, and that patented New Orleans… - The Babineaux Sisters, Quoi Ca Dit (Independent)
If you’re of the opinion that young women in their early adolescence are incapable of conjuring up original, serious and profound… - Charlie Miller, Classic: 21 Classical Compositions for Solo Trumpet and Solo Piano (Independent)
Charlie Miller usually greets me with, “Hello Beethoven”—his way of letting me know that he remembers that I, too, write music.… - Johnny J, Buster Brotherland (Tall Tale)
The first thing that will strike you when you pick this CD up is that the cover photo of our man… - Harmonouche, Joli Songe (Independent)
Everything old is new again in the capable hands of Raphael Bas and Harmonouche. His band—the name combines harmonious, harmonica, and… - Christian Serpas & Ghost Town, Revved Up and Ready To Go (Independent)
No backwards baseball hats and t-shirts for Christian Serpas and Ghost Town. It’s still rhinestone buttons and embroidered shirts, both in… - Zion Trinity, Spirit of the Orisha (Independent)
Zion Trinity’s Spirit of the Orisha, their first record since 2003’s Eyes on Zion, is a beautiful sounding recording that works… - Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Rollin’ with the Blues Boss (Stony Plain)
It’s almost impossible to make the blues sound fresh after a century. Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne rocks those same old one-four-five,… - Beth Patterson, Forward (Bethpattersonmusic.com)
There’s a million ways to listen music these days so leave it to Beth Patterson to concoct another. Her latest full-length… - Michaela Harrison, Listen to the Music (Independent)
Michaela Harrison has a formidable voice. On her second CD, a collection of standards and should-be standards (like Cat Stevens’ “Wide… - Revolutionary Snake Ensemble, Live Snakes (Accurate Records)
Since 1990, the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble has been blowing out the East Coast with their New Orleans brass band meets Sun… - Louis Prima Jr. & the Witnesses, Blow (Warrior Records)
One of the best aspects of Louis Prima, Sam Butera, and their revolving cast of Witnesses is the way that they… - Down, Down IV - Part Two (Down Records/ADA Music)
The latest sonic battlefield from Down lives up to its formidable reputation and provenance. With members who have scorched stages and… - The Bally Who, A Pilferer’s Patience (Independent)
The new Bally Who record A Pilferer’s Patience is a reality unto itself. It is based on and inspired by the… - Johnaye Kendrick, Here (Johnnygirl)
Johnaye Kendrick’s name—and sound—should ring familiar to New Orleans jazz fans. The vocalist, originally from San Diego and now based in… - Jim O’ & the Swanky Psychos, Jim O’ & the Swanky Psychos (Independent)
James O’Donnell is yet another post-K addition to the New Orleans scene, this time from New Jersey. But although this is… - David Phy, Me, Myself and Phy (Independent)
There was a time, not so long ago, when trombonists were the butt of a slew of corny jokes. The prevailing…
