October 2013
BackTalk
- BackTalk: Shemekia Copeland,
In the Groove
Shemekia Copeland has a voice like a force of nature. Now a blues belter in the style of Koko Taylor or…
Bookmark
- Matt Sakakeeny & Willie Birch, Roll with It — Brass Bands in the Streets of New Orleans (Duke University Press)
When the energy of a social aid and pleasure club parade becomes particularly high and the forward motion of the second… - David Lasocki, A Higher Fusion: The New Orleans Modern-Jazz Group Astral Project at 34 (Instant Harmony Music)
The cover of David Lasocki’s book A Higher Fusion: The New Orleans Modern-Jazz Group Astral Project at 34 shows the group…
Cover Story
- Why Does James Booker Matter?
With increasing frequency, the life, music, and mystique of pianist James Booker are asserting their presence again in our consciousness. Never…
Features
- Photographer Jim Scheurich:
Seeing James Booker
Musician and photographer Jim Scheurich captured many of the iconic images of James Booker in the late ‘70s. He came to… - Comeback Queen: Beverly “Guitar” Watkins Isn’t Slowing Down
"When we were in our mothers’ wombs, God had decided what he wanted us to be,” says Beverly “Guitar” Watkins, “and… - Cajun Iron Horse: Milton Vanicor, 95-year-old Rock Star
At age 95, Cajun fiddler Milton Vanicor is having an unexpected career renaissance. In July he released his first-ever album, Un… - Peace on You: Further Up the Road with Anders Osborne
Back in his darker days, Anders Osborne wrote a song called “On the Road to Charlie Parker.” The reference there (on… - Ponderosa Stomp 2013 Focus:
Chris Clark
The first white artist signed to Motown Records, Chris Clark, possessed a voice as soulful and expressive as any of the… - Ponderosa Stomp 2013 Focus:
Gaunga Dyns
The Ponderosa Stomp has always been about the past, but sometimes it’s about the future. The Gaunga Dyns, part of the… - Ponderosa Stomp 2013 Focus:
Swamp Dogg's Mad Soul Genius
There will always be argument about the greatest song title in the history of popular music. Poison’s “I Hate Every Bone… - Previewing Davell Crawford's Legends Series at Little Gem Saloon
"I’ve known Irma my entire life—actually since before I was born,” declares pianist/vocalist Davell Crawford, purposely exaggerating he and Irma Thomas’…
Fresh
- My Music: Christian Serpas
"I saw an Elvis Presley movie when I was a kid; he was playing a guitar and it looked like he… - It's Five Somewhere: Chris Montez (Ponderosa Stomp 2013 Focus)
Did the “Let’s Dance” session in 1962 feel momentous to you? One of my first regional hits was a ballad, and… - Kermit Ruffins, Trombone Shorty to Judge 2013 Red Bull Street Kings Contest
For the first time since the inaugural competition in 2010, Red Bull energy drink is presenting the Street Kings brass-band contest.… - Director Readies The Big Beat: The Story of Fats Domino & His Band
Word of a Fats Domino research project book, CD reissue, or documentary film often gets no more than a shrug of… - Piety Street Studio Shuts Its Doors
On the eighth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, local residents learned that one of the key players in the post-deluge revival of New… - Le Cajun Awards 2013 Wrap Up
High Performance continutes to live up to its name. In 2010, the all-star Cajun band went six-for-six at the Le Cajun Awards,…
In The Spirit
- The Question & The Answer by Maurepas Foods' Brad Smith
"Immediately, I was drawn towards metal; I'm a metal head, shall we say, since my early 20s. I grew up in…
Letters
- October 2013 Letters to OffBeat
SARAH MCCOY Great to see the piece on Sarah McCoy in the August edition. I ran into Sarah and the Oopsie…
Mojo Mouth
- Mojo Mouth: Hit the Fests
We're gone from the OMG-I-can’t-stand-this-heat to OMG-the weather-is-incredible. This is the time of year that everyone loves to be outside: when…
Obituaries
- Jack Maheu (May 1, 1930 — August 27, 2013)
Jack Maheu, whose career as a top jazz clarinetist spanned over 50 years, including 15 in New Orleans, died on August 27…
OffBeat Eats
- Dining Out: Mariza (Restaurant Review)
For most New Orleanians, the dishes at their favorite “Italian” restaurant bear little resemblance to the indigenous cuisine of Italy. While… - Trombonist Jeff Albert Hits the Spot at Five Happiness
What do you usually order? When I come at night I almost always get the General’s Chicken, and I usually get… - The Question & The Answer by Maurepas Foods' Brad Smith
"Immediately, I was drawn towards metal; I'm a metal head, shall we say, since my early 20s. I grew up in…
Dining Out
- Dining Out: Mariza (Restaurant Review)
For most New Orleanians, the dishes at their favorite “Italian” restaurant bear little resemblance to the indigenous cuisine of Italy. While… - The Question & The Answer by Maurepas Foods' Brad Smith
"Immediately, I was drawn towards metal; I'm a metal head, shall we say, since my early 20s. I grew up in…
The Spot
- Trombonist Jeff Albert Hits the Spot at Five Happiness
What do you usually order? When I come at night I almost always get the General’s Chicken, and I usually get…
Reviews
- Anders Osborne, Peace (Alligator Records)
Peace continues the extraordinary run of work Anders Osborne has produced since joining Alligator records. American Patchwork consolidated his reputation as… - Rough Seven, Codebreaker (Upperninth)
Rough Seven’s sophomore release, Codebreaker, is a chronologically mixed bag of studio cuts dating back to Scully’s initial self-titled solo debut—following… - Clarence Johnson III, Watch Him Work (Like Father Like Son Records)
In the hands of Clarence Johnson III, smooth jazz finds its edge. The New Orleans saxophonist, who is best known in… - Bryan Lee, Play One for Me (Severn)
Former Bourbon Street blues journeyman Bryan Lee delivers a very well-thought-out, and very un-Bourbon Street-like CD—i.e. no standards, rather plenty of… - James Clark, Shadows (Independent)
Being a jazz drummer, even in New Orleans, is a lot like being a writer anywhere; when people ask what you… - Two People, The Music of Billy Strayhorn (TwoPeople Productions)
Danish-born and New Orleans-based reedman Christian Winther is one of the top jazz saxophonists in town. Also a fine clarinetist, he’s… - Jon Batiste and Stay Human, Social Music (Razor and Tie)
Jon Batiste, like so many of the great New Orleans pianists who came before him, cannot be contained. Batiste, whom… - Amy Trail, Cold Springs (Independent)
Local songwriter/pianist Amy Trail’s third solo album pushes home writer Thomas Wolfe’s axiom held in the title of his 1940 novel:… - Mark Galasso, Big Backyard: Montessori Songs for Children (Independent)
Mark Galasso made Big Backyard during his tenure teaching music to preschoolers at Montessori Children’s House in Baton Rouge. This makes… - Ratty Scurvics, A Wooden Nickel on Fire (Upperninth Records)
Deservedly gaining in terms of recognition, stage and studio time, mad-genius man-about-town Ratty Scurvics kicks off A Wooden Nickel on Fire… - Jason Isbell, Southeastern (Thirty Tigers)
Jason Isbell’s skills as a songwriter have never been in doubt. His songs “Outfit” and “Danko/Manuel” rank as some of best… - Lightnin’ Slim, High & Low Down (Alive)
Of the handful of albums that were released during Lightnin’ Slim’s lifetime, and the dozen or so collections that have been… - La Récolte, Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes... (Independent)
The concept is an excellent one: an upstart Cajun band adopting the French word for harvest, which fits in sowing, cultivating… - Dave Duplissey, Wine and Roses (Saxophobia)
Veteran sax man Dave Duplissey calls the sound of his eleventh album “Louisiana Smooth Jazz,” and having gigged with John Fred… - The Onlies, Open Road (Independent)
“We’re playing Country / right on CMT,” sings Will Harrison on “Country Star,” the second track from this Lafayette group’s second… - Bob Dylan, Bootleg Series #10: Another Self Portrait (Sony)
1970’s Self Portrait goes down in history as Bob Dylan’s least understood album; but in truth there wasn’t much to understand:…
