March 2018
BackTalk
- Terence Blanchard talks back
Initially renowned as a jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader, New Orleans native son and five-time Grammy winner Terence Blanchard, 55, has…
Cover Story
- Second to None: Dancing Man 504 leads the way
An eight-year-old boy fell in love with movement near the intersection of Orleans and Claiborne, where he watched Mardi Gras Indians…
Features
- Songwriting with Soldiers: Mary Gauthier goes where the hurt is
Mary Gauthier digs deeply for a song. She never fears exposing the darker places in the human soul. “My natural instinct… - Fire in the Hole: The spirit work of Fi Yi Yi & the Mandingo Warriors
When Victor Harris came out in his beautiful new red suit on Carnival Day 2018, it marked his 53rd year masking… - 300 Songs for 300 Years: R&B standouts
In this month’s installment of essential New Orleans songs, we look at some of the cornerstones of New Orleans R&B. Each…
Fresh
- More Than a Tribute: Celebrating David Bowie
David Bowie—a.k.a. Ziggy Stardust, the Thin White Duke, Aladdin Sane and Major Tom—is gone but surely not forgotten. Celebrating David Bowie,… - Pink Room Project at BUKU: Pushing the boundary
“We sound like and look like what New Orleans sound like and look like. Or what it should sound like and… - July 1999: “Zachary Richard: A Tale of Two Cultures”
OffBeat Magazine is celebrating 30 years and reached that milestone with our November 2017 issue. To mark the anniversary, over the… - Book of Love: 30th anniversary tour continues
In the 1980s, the electronic dance-pop band Book of Love released the club favorites “Boy,” “I Touch Roses” and “You Make… - Q&A: Director Lily Keber on "Buckjumping"
You previously directed Bayou Maharajah about the late, great New Orleans pianist James Booker. How come you wanted to do a… - My Music: Don Flamingo
“When I was a kid, my mama gave me a dollar and told me to go buy whatever I wanted. So…
In The Spirit
- In the Spirit with Missy Cross at St. Cecilia
“For this cocktail, I start by pouring a double shot of espresso over ice before adding the other ingredients. Then I’m…
Letters
- Letters to the Editor
All The News A note to say how much I’m enjoying the smart new slogan which accompanies the Weekly Beat email…
Mojo Mouth
- Visual Overload
Mardi Gras is over, and spring festivals are on everybody’s agenda: from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon to the Top Taco…
OffBeat Eats
- Dining Out: Taqueria Guerrero
“Did you like the food?” Countless times—I dare say, more than a hundred—Ciro Garcia has asked me this same question at… - The Dish: Chef Steve Himelfarb on Cake Café’s Lox & Eggs
Which of the dishes on your menu says the most about you? The whole menu is really a cross section of… - In the Spirit with Missy Cross at St. Cecilia
“For this cocktail, I start by pouring a double shot of espresso over ice before adding the other ingredients. Then I’m…
The Dish
- The Dish: Chef Steve Himelfarb on Cake Café’s Lox & Eggs
Which of the dishes on your menu says the most about you? The whole menu is really a cross section of…
Reviews
- Zachary Richard, "Gombo" (RZ Records)
A masterful storyteller, Zachary Richard paints a picture every bit as textured, vibrant and full of emotion as any Van Gogh… - Zoukeys, "Senzorga" (Speak Jolly)
You’d expect a New Orleans fusion band to be eclectic, and Zoukeys are just a little more so. The five songs… - Creole United, "Tu Kekchause A’ Korrek: Volume II" (Zydekool Music)
As Sean Ardoin will proudly attest, Creole United is not a band but a movement to unite Creole artists, create new… - Mitch Woods, "Friends Along the Way" (eOne)
Pianist Mitch Woods has always found creative ways to maximize the interest level he brings to recordings, mixing good studio concepts… - The Malvinas, "God Bless the Grass" (Soona Songs)
It’s not easy being a folk trio when your furthest members, Breaux Bridge resident Gina Forsyth and Canadian Beth Cahill, live… - Mark Rubin, Jew of Oklahoma, "Songs for the Hangman’s Daughter" (Independent)
To live in New Orleans is to master the art of juggling. On the one hand, that’s a great thing. Residents… - DiNola, "Up High" (Saustex)
You can’t say too much about a disc whose best song is called “Shut Up,” and DiNola are the type of… - Willem & Dakota, "Basically, Anyway" (Independent)
Willem & Dakota’s Basically, Anyway is a slightly addictive, sometimes haunting, always hopeful 14 song CD. The band is Willem McCormick… - Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble, "Rise Up" (Louisiana Soul Records)
If some of these tunes sound vaguely familiar, there’s good reason. Only five tracks on Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble’s fifth… - Mighty Brother, "The Vibe" (Independent)
Taking inspirational cues from the Crescent City, Mighty Brother’s five-song five-piece line-up EP The Vibe showcases the band’s musical adaptability, songwriting… - Chris Champagne, "Secret New Orleans" (Jonglez Publishing)
This is a most unusual travel book: a guide for New Orleanians who’ve lived here for decades. There are 113 places… - Jack Sullivan, "New Orleans Remix" (University Press of Mississippi)
When you pass a mirror, it’s hard to not look at your reflection. It’s human nature to be curious about what… - Grayson Capps, "Scarlett Roses" (Royal Potato Family)
After a six-year absence, Grayson Capps has returned with what is arguably his best outing yet. Scarlett Roses features a core… - Mike Harvey’s Hot Club, "Mike Harvey’s Hot Club" (Independent)
The Courtyard Kings have held down Thursdays at Bacchanal for over 10 years. As of last year the band no longer…
