The 36th annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was blessed with six days of unbelievably perfect weather, with only one day of rain—conveniently ceasing by noon. It was the first Jazz Fest in memory when cool weather resulted in crowds wearing long sleeves.
COVER ME
Jazz Fest is the definitive roots and world music festival in that it offers clear links across multinational musical genres and a giant workshop of the interchangeable tropes underlying blues, R&B, jazz, rock and country music forms. That was apparent this year from Day One when Harry Hypolite used a stock Chuck Berry guitar solo as the break in Ray Charles’ “I Got A Woman.” I thought, “Could this be the Jazz Fest ‘Year of Ray Charles?’”
Nah… it was immediately obvious that it was going to be another Year of the Cover Song, not that there’s anything wrong with that. The Boogie Kings played “Mustang Sally,” right after Amanda Shaw, just having finished her school term, celebrated with a set that saw a direct connection between “Hot Tamale Baby” and “Should I Stay Or Should I Go.” Meanwhile Carol Fran was finishing her set with “Born On the Bayou.”
Later on Terrance Simien had the Congo Square crowd in a trance with his easy reading of “Johnny Too Bad.” Then it was “Merci beaucoups” and into a brief zydeco dance vamp before the guitarist launched into a lengthy Duane Allman solo as Terrance threw beads to the audience. They probably have a database that tracks such things, but I’m guessing there were more covers at this Jazz Fest than ever before. Some people just call it “folk music,” because, after all, “Brown Eyed Girl” is actually better known than “Oh Susannah” these days.—John Swenson
SPACE FOR CELEBRATING
The Jazz & Heritage Stage lived up to the expectations of all that welcomed a new venue on the grassy infield that (at last) provided a space to really celebrate Mardi Gras Indians, brass bands and second line organizations. People didn’t camp out there and claim spots with chairs and blankets but came to party and dance. The great variety of offerings was most pronounced on the first Saturday. In their traditional black-and-whites, the Paulin Brothers Brass Band offered up the classic style and brought their father and the group’s founder, 96-year-old Doc Paulin, and his wife Betty to the stage. Next up an ensemble led by vocalist and percussionist Charles Teony offered a taste of modern Brazilian street beats. Having a big drum, trombone, cowbell and whistle (plus electric bass), it seemed a kissing cousin to our brass bands.—Geraldine Wyckoff
ELVIS TIMES TWO
Elvis Costello was passionate and tight with special guest David Hidalgo of Los Lobos on guitar. As the band was finishing up “Allison” (with the audience singing along), Costello starts singing “Suspicious Minds” and suddenly it’s Elvis singing Elvis!—David Kunian
THOSE BLUE PILLS AGAIN
Dave Bartholomew was introduced with great fanfare and his outstanding big band, with five reeds on the front line, backed by four trumpets and two trombones, produced the contemporary classic “Jazz Fest Time in New Orleans”: “Were gonna jump, we’re gonna shout,” sang Bartholomew, backed by three vocalists. “Let the good times roll, that’s what it’s all about.” Bartholomew deftly directed the band, picking out members for solos and bringing sections in and out of the arrangement with his constantly flailing arms. Things began to deteriorate, though, when Bartholomew found the production values lacking and launched into a lament about how the music business overlooked him in favor of the singers who recorded songs he wrote (Fats Domino, Chuck Berry etc.).
Completing the fall from the sublime to the ridiculous, he followed a recitation of his great R&B composition “The Monkey Speaks His Mind” delivered while holding a giant monkey doll in his arms, with an obviously unrehearsed foray into his novelty anthem “My Ding-a-Ling,” to the obvious consternation of his bandmembers, who scrambled to follow along as he concluded “Viagra will fix most anything.” It’s a measure of the advanced age of many Jazz Fest performers that Viagra references were rampant during this year’s Fest.
Maybe it’s not just an age thing. Rosie Ledet, notoriously gun shy on the big stage in past years, got rolling early on the Fais Do Do stage this time and had the largest crowd of the weekend at that stage dancing up a storm when they weren’t gawking at her awesome, uh, personality. She is a zydeco sex goddess, strutting her stuff and that day she was really leading the band with her accordion playing in between delivering some of the steamiest stage business imaginable. “Get down on your knees,” she commanded, “Like the dog that you are. And come crawling to me.” Papi Ledet sez: “Where them blue pills when you need ’em?”—John Swenson
WILCO GETS JAZZED
“This is my first Wilco show not smoking,” Jeff Tweedy confessed at their State Palace gig. “I have like 17 patches on my ass.” Nicotine withdrawal notwithstanding, he was in fine form leading a crackerjack band that nailed every song to the wall, then peeled it off with gleeful abandon. Even more mind-expanding was their fair Grounds set. “We’re gonna play some jazz for you,” Tweedy announced, and boy, did they; I sure hope Kidd Jordan was there. Guitarist Nels Cline went into nuclear meltdown, pushing Wilco well past their outer limits as they flew straight into the sunset. “I think I’m gonna cry,” whispered the young beauty next to me while I screamed “Kill me now!” Like Tweedy said during the “Kingpin” scream-and-response, “It’s good to be angry and joyous at the same time.”—Cree McCree
EDDIE BO
Eddie Bo’s set at the Blues Tent was one of those unforgettable Jazz Fest moments. Of course Eddie Bo was on fire as he blazed on his “Check Your Bucket” and “Hook and Sling” but truth be told, a little girl stole the show. Holding a tambourine and absolutely oblivious to the pandemonium she was causing with the photographers and baby crazy audience, Eddie Bo acknowledged her appeal by abandoning his piano to join her for a dance. She instinctively ran to his piano and started playing and singing herself as the audience went absolutely wild. Bo then joined her at the piano before second lining into the audience. One of those great Jazz Fest moments.—Michael Dominici
DR. JOHN
Dr. John was in rare form on the Acura Stage, rolling through a brilliantly funky “Stagger Lee.” His band, featuring Herman Ernest on drums, Herb Hardesty on tenor saxophone and John Fohl on guitar, was never better than on an amazing “Qualified.” Mac knew, it too, adding a little wink to the lyric when he exclaimed “I been monkeyfied!”
“Dis song wuz written back in da days when doit wuz invented,” Mac said by way of introduction to “St. James Infirmary,” giving the classic blues a bone chilling reading. Fair Grounds Racecourse President and GM Randall Soth strolled out of the VIP area with a big smile on his face as the tune ended. The guy standing next to me was even more pleased by “St. James Infirmary.” He gave me his card, explaining “I sell real estate… to the dead!” He is, indeed, a grave salesman.—John Swenson
THE BEACH BOYS
Having never seen the Beach Boys before, I was anxious to finally see Brian Wilson. Although the audience around me couldn’t stop making rude comments about Wilson’s facial expressions, his performance was all that I hoped it would be. Showcasing his well received Smile recording, Wilson’s stellar band provided wonderful harmonies to Wilson’s unique compositions. Hearing “Surfer Girl” was almost surreal because the song is so sweet and innocent compared to the wretched pop crap that inundates us these days. “In My Room” brought on the tears and “Good Vibrations” summed up the theme for the entire festival this year.—Michael Dominici
JAMES ANDREWS FAMILY BAND
Some 16 pieces of the James Andrews Family Band come on with a second line throwdown fronted by Trombone Shorty stand-in Glen David Andrews, who played the trombone and signified so low down deep a good portion of the crowd thought Shorty had jumped ship from the Lenny Kravitz tour. The jam isn’t songs, it’s a heavy, horn-driven vamp punctuated by chants: “We hot like fire… somebody scream!” Finally they break into a verse of “Mardi Gras In New Orleans” with Glen playing a screaming trombone solo. James and Glen trade off on a call-and-response tribute to Papa Joe Glasper, who was found dead the same day in his cell at Orleans Parish Prison: “Papa Joe, Papa Joe/He ain’t livin no mo’. It doesn’t look like much on the page, but when the Andrews Family is powering it with a high-stepping rhythmic onslaught of syncopated party beats it’s an irresistible chant. Glen continues to work the crowd like a young James Brown, pitting one section against each other, shouting: “Is the party on the left?” over and over while pointing to the screaming fans, then switching to right, center, front and back, each time eliciting ecstatic response.—John Swenson
JONATHAN BATISTE
Jonathan Batiste’s set was more effective than a shot of espresso for getting the blood running. The 18-year-old New Orleans pianist loaded his band with hungry young players including soulful saxophonist Quamon Fowler sandwiched between hotshot trumpeters Maurice Brown and Corey Wilkes. Marcus Gilmore, a New York associate of Batiste and the grandson of drum great Roy Haynes, added much to the celebratory atmosphere of the smiling, dancing and big-eared band. Batiste’s long, slender fingers made even difficult passages look easily accomplished. A melodic player who moves from acoustic to electric without sacrificing essence, the pianist showed his rhythmic chops by digging into some Latin and funk licks. Jazz is in good hands with Batiste and these next generation go-getters.—Geraldine Wyckoff
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ VIPERS
The New Orleans Jazz Vipers made their second appearance at Jazz Fest and their first at the Economy Hall Stage when they appeared on Thursday, April 28. A packed house was treated to Viper versions of such standards as “After You’ve Gone” and “I’d Do Anything For You.” They augmented their line-up with two musicians who join them from time-to-time: Tom Saunders on bass sax and Genevieve “Jaja” Duval playing trombone. Miss Sophie Lee joined them on stage for a fine version of “Sugar Pie.”—Tom Morgan
