The Ponderosa Stomp starts tonight at the Howlin’ Wolf, and the centerpieces of the night are tributes to Cosimo Matassa – owner of J&M Studios and the producer of much of the classic New Orleans R&B – and Excello Records, the Louisiana blues label out of Crowley. Classie Ballou will be part of that tribute, along with Carol Fran, Lazy Lester, Warren Storm and James Johnson, with the excellent Lil’ Buck and the Top Cats backing them. Here’s video of Classie Ballou performing at the Stomp in 2009.