November 2006

Buy Now

BackTalk

Michael Ivans of the Flaming Lips
At this year’s South By Southwest, the tented courtyard of the Fox and Hound was the site of a supposedly secret… – Alex Rawls

Cover Story

Morning 40 Federation On the Floor
Oh, I need a 40 in the morning… Morning 40 Federation is not the first rock band to celebrate its members’… – John Swenson

Features

Classic Songs of Louisiana: "Morgus the Magnificent"
– Michael Hurtt
Voodoo Talk
– OffBeat Staff
The Price of Parading
In early October, members of the Family Ties Social Aid and Pleasure Club strutted through downtown New Orleans in fresh new… – Katy Reckdahl

Fresh

Road Tips with Suplecs
Recently, Austin’s Reckless Kelly released Reckless Kelly Was Here, a live album that comes with a DVD that features band members… – Alex Rawls
Terrance Simien Gets A Little Help
Terrance Simien was born and raised in Mallet, Louisiana, a tiny village in St. Landry Parish that doesn’t even have a… – Herman Fuselier
Create a Disturbance
Stanton Moore can’t sit still. In person, his hands are in constant motion, and musically, he’s drumming with Galactic, releasing his… – Richard Giraldi
The Wrecking Ball
In early November, the Future of Music Coalition is having a series of workshops and planning meetings in New Orleans. The… – Alex Rawls
Night of the Turkey
Uptown telephone polls are dotted with mysterious Tipitina’s posters advertising a turkey in silhouette and the Roman numeral II. Borrowing from… – Alex Rawls
For Lovers Only
“He’s an incredibly romantic writer. He has a very romantic side.” There are many songwriters you might expect to be described… – Ruby Masters
The Latin Connection
The connection between New Orleans and Cuba—musically, culturally, ethnically—has long been documented. Evidence dates back to when slaves were acquired from… – Geraldine Wyckoff
The Power of Preserverance
Since Hurricane Katrina, Armstrong Park, the Municipal Auditorium and the Mahalia Jackson Center for Performing Arts have all remained closed. The… – Alex Rawls
Anders Comes Alive
Since the hurricane, Anders Osborne has been around town more regularly, which is Nashville’s loss and our gain. He is recording… – Alex Rawls
Giving the Drummer Some
Delfeayo Marsalis chats about a broad range of topics including Minions Dominion, recorded with the late, great Elvin Jones. … – Geraldine Wyckoff

Letters

November 2006 Letters
DISTURBING TREND My name is Sophie Lee and I am a part-time guest vocalist for the New Orleans Jazz Vipers. So… – OffBeat Readers

Mojo Mouth

At a Loss for Words?
The day that the infamous Mojo Mouth is rendered speechless is an historic one. I’ll keep this short: I woke up… – Jan Ramsey

Obituaries

Obituary: Freddy Fender (1937-2006)
Freddy Fender, the Grammy-winning vocalist and guitarist whose star rose on hits such as “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” and the… – Geraldine Wyckoff

Reviews

Truckstop Honeymoon, Delivery Boy (Squirrel)
The fetishizing of all things white trash is a major turn-off for me, and it’s a tribute to the guitar… – Alex Rawls
Damien Youth, Phantoms of Fables (Zygote)
Although his dive into psychedelic goth folk was reportedly instigated by an overly religious upbringing in the backwater of Hammond (back… – Robert Fontenot
Waylon Thibodeaux, Papa Thibodeaux (Rockin' River)
Everyone needs to recharge batteries now and then as fiddler/entertainer Waylon Thibodeaux discovered a few years back. A series of life… – Dan Willging
Vin Bruce, Cajun Legend (Mardi Gras)
Originally released on Lanor, to the best of my knowledge (there are no notes on this one), these tracks date from… – Jeff Hannusch
Smithfield Fair, Walking Through This World (Stevenson Productions)
The latest from Baton Rouge’s Smithfield Fair is bound to raise a few eyebrows among its kilted constituency. A core component… – Dan Willging
Various Artists, New Orleans Playground (Putumayo Kids)
What is Putumayo saying presenting the Meters’ “They All Ask’d for You,” Lee Dorsey’s “Ya Ya,” Chris Kenner’s “I Like… – Alex Rawls
James Westfall, Independent (Bionic)
Vibraphonist James Westfall made a significant impact on the New Orleans jazz scene when he arrived in 2000 as student at… – Geraldine Wyckoff
Various Artists, Swamp Gold ""Country"" Volume 1 (Jin)
I had a very small part in putting this collection together, so I’m going to be slightly biased here. Nevertheless, this… – Jeff Hannusch
Various Artists, Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal (Numero Group)
Headed up by a trio of self-described “recovering record collectors,” the Numero Group prides itself on throwing the spotlight on the… – Michael Hurtt
Louis Ford, Just TRAD-itional (Independent)
These days, the softer side of New Orleans classic jazz often seems to take a backseat to more raucous stylings. New… – Geraldine Wyckoff
Various Artists, The Best of Swamp Pop Classics (Mardis Gras)
Culled from the vaults of Church Point, Louisiana’s, Lanor label, in the words of swamp pop sax great Henry Simineax, this… – Jeff Hannusch
Ronnie Earl, Heart and Soul (Shout! Factory)
Culled from the ashes of New Orleans’ Black Top Records, these recordings dating back to the early 1980s, took place during… – Jeff Hannusch
Kira Viator and Bayou Beat, Sticking to My Roots (MTE)
Nineteen-year-old Kira Viator has been pumping accordion since age seven and has released three albums along the way. With seven years… – Dan Willging
Zydeco Soiree: Leon Chavis and the Zydeco Flames, The Heat Is On (Indepedent)
When you’re kin to a former reigning zydeco monarch like Boozoo Chavis, there’s always pressure to uphold the family name. Though… – Dan Willging
Zydeco Soiree: Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Bayou Road (Swampadellic)
Chubby Carrier figured it out early in his career: If you’re going to take the zydeco show on the road, you’ve… – Dan Willging
Rotary Downs, Chained to the Chariot (Independent)
The shorthand take on Rotary Downs is that they sound like Pavement, so to test that reference I re-listened to… – Alex Rawls
Vavavoom, Melomania (Independent)
Will all of you who think that Vavavoom is a cool name for a band please raise your right hand? It’s… – Steve Steinberg
Lynn Drury, All You Need (219)
Lynn Drury demonstrates her staying power as a sultry Southern singer/songwriter who can really ache and wail on her newest release… – Ruby Masters
Esther Sparks, Esther and the Protesters (Independent)
Esther Sparks’ 2004 debut Dirty Little Fingers introduced the work of a promising singer/songwriter. Two years later, her sophomore effort reveals… – Dan Willging
Impulss, Impulss' Beats and Lagniappe Social and Pleasure Club (Quarter Rat Musique)
Despite the crowded title, this local hip-hop CD is a one-man show, the product of one Daniel Perez, who came straight… – Robert Fontenot
Louis Prima and Sam Butera and the Witnesses/Pete Fountain, Live Jazz From Club 15 (Request)
It is amazing how some New Orleans music, while still full of the soul and authenticity that is secreted from the… – David Kunian
We Landed on the Moon!, We Landed on the Moon! (Independent)
There was a time in the mid-1990s when emotional, girl-fronted, guitar-pop bands with names like K’s Choice, Joydrop, and Magnapop were… – Jeremy J. Deibel
Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, Hard Years Blues (Independent)
Washboard Chaz Leary has become a fixture on the New Orleans club scene, a constant presence fronting his own band or… – John Swenson
Paul Sanchez, Between Friends (Independent)
The concept of Paul Sanchez’ new album is that others—his friends—sing his songs. His friends include members of Hootie and the… – Alex Rawls
Donald Harrison, The Survivor (Nagel Heyer)
Donald Harrison enjoys jumping from straight-ahead jazz to Latin jazz to rap to Mardi Gras Indians—you name it. The primary home… – Geraldine Wyckoff
Terrence Simien and the Zydeco Experience, Across the Parish Lines (AIM)
Perhaps Terrance Simien’s most adventuresome sonic statement yet, Across The Parish Line is an examination of a 25-year career as an… – Dan Willging