Festive Living

2011 New Orleans Jazz Fest

2011-05-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe just a week ago we were in New Orleans for one of the best Jazz Festivals in recent memory. Although they all seem like the best one yet when you first get back. Unfortunately there is calamity unfolding in Louisiana once gain as I write this, with the opening of the floodgates threatening to destroy several parishes west of Baton Rouge. I am feeling sorry for those folks down in the Atchafalaya basin. Maybe that is why I enjoy going to Louisiana so much, you never know if each trip might be your last. It is a precious area that hopefully will continue to survive as they have for 300+ years.

Anyway, just thinking back to last week's trip for Jazzfest the weather was perfect every day except for the first day we arrived, which was the Tuesday between weekends. After checking into our hotel we headed straight to the 7th annual Threadhead Patry which was held this year under a tent at Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World at the Port of New Orleans. I had planned to change into shorts or a dress but it was chilly so I decided to stay in the clothes I had worn for the trip. When we got to the venue, which was on a concrete deck right on the waterfront, I was glad I had my long pants and jacket on because there were white caps on the Mississippi and it was kind of like being on Narragansett pier in March. Very unusual for Jazzfest week.

Luckily though it didn't rain and we feasted on a vat of Zatarain's Jambalaya and a seemingly endless pirogue full of boiled spicy crawfish while greeting and catching up with friends we had not seen in a while. All this was accompanied by several kegs of Abita beer (which probably lasted longer due to the cold weather), Bin 504 wine, and drinks made with Old New Orleans spiced rum (including some hot cider towards the end of the evening).

The musical entertainment at this gathering rivals what can be heard in any one day at the Jazzfest, and this year was no exception,was in fact was one of the best ever.
We arrived at the end of the first set by Susan Cowsill band, then Honey Island Swamp Band got everybody rocking, followed by Eric Lindell, then Tommy Malone's (of the subdudes) new band Mystic Drone. My favorite set was by the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, a brass band featuring Craig Klein, Matt Perrine, Rick Trulson and a slew of other new Orleans horn players, during which a lone Mardi Gras Indian showed up. Not sure if that was planned or not but added a colorful dimension to it all. Ended up with a fantastic funky set by George Porter Jr. & Runnin' Pardners. What a way to start the week!

When we got back to the hotel ( a deal we had found on Hotwire that turned out to be RIGHT on Bourbon & Toulouse) we were asked to show room keys before getting on the elevator, an effort to keep out the staggering hordes from the street. Since it was a Tuesday night it wasn't TOO crazy out there but we were glad we had asked for a room overlooking the courtyard vs. the one on Toulouse originally offered. (We had decline the option of paying extra for a Bourbon Street view.) Inside the room, which opened out to a narrow balcony, it was pretty peaceful and ended up being a great place to stay.

Next morning we went to Camellia Grille's new French Quarter location just a couple blocks away on Chartres st. Same menu as the original one uptown, just more convenient for us touristas. Which was fine by me, very easy to get to and I got to get my grits on. I do make 'em at home in the microwave but something about the slow-cooked ones tastes better.

After passing by some shooting for HBO's Treme (I think) outside Napoleon House, we went by the Louisiana Music factory where the cast members (except Wendell) were signing copies of the new DVD. Kermit Ruffins was up next but it was so packed in there I could hardly get a glimpse inside. He was already so popular before but now with the TV show, plus the fact there's only the one record store left for the in-stores so EVERYONE is there on non-fest days. We met up with some friends outside and headed over to catch the ferry to Algiers, where one of the Threadheads was hosting his annual gathering/open studio at his glass-blowing studio, Rosetree Studios. After a lovely walk through the quaint little neighborhood, it was fascinating to watch them create beautiful works of art in the studio, turning hot blobs into exquisitely delicate pieces. One was a wavy bowl that had been won by someone in last year's Threadhead raffle. And we got to mingle with some of our friends in a quieter setting than we had at the previous day's party.

After the Rosetree fest, we stopped at Drago's in the Hilton Riverside to sample the much heralded Char Grilled Oysters that I have heard so many rave reviews about, and I must say they lived up to their reputation. They were big and juicy and swimming in just the right amount of garlic/butter sauce, no evidence of BP. Then since we were nearby we decided to stop by Lafayette Square where Marcia Ball was performing for free as she usually does on the Wednesday between fest weekends. WE caught some of the opening act, Girl Holiday and the Honky Tonk review, but did not stay too long because as much as I love Marcia Ball it was just a bit too crowded and we had just seen her recently from like 2 feet away at Patriot place in Foxboro, MA. (Catch you at Rhythm and Roots Marcia!)

Back to the hotel then out to dinner at Palace Cafe, then Chickie Wah Wah to see Paul Cebar, someone I always enjoy dancing to. He doesn't usually play AT Jazzfest but I have seen him on the grounds quite often just enjoying it, and he usually does a set or two somewhere during the week. Looking forward to seeing him at the upcoming Bayou 'n' Boogie fest in a couple of weeks.

Thursday was our first day of fest and I was excited to see Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, a band I had heard much about but somehow had never seen yet. They were fun way to start off the day. Lucinda WIlliams was next, she startd off kind of slow but by the end was rocking out. Love her new album,and in my opinion was a better jazz fest performance than last time I had seen her there. Next was Charlie Mussselwhite who absolutely packed the blues tent, where we stayed for some of the James Booker piano tribute, then caught some of Michelle Shocked set on the Fais Do Do before heading over to see Cyndi Lauper. She was probably the biggest surprise of the fest for me. She is doing more blues now (which is closer to how she started out) and had lots of energy and was a good entertainer. Charlie Musselwhite played harmonica with her, and she also featured a teen fife & drum group from Mississippi. I should have stayed for her whole set but really wanted to see some of Maceo Parker, who was playing at the same time on Congo Square. They were good, but closer to expectations. Always too many choices at Jazzfest.

After dinner at the Redfish Grille we stopped in at Irvin Mayfield's club at the Royal Sonesta to see Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs. The set was made more entertaining and interesting by hearing stories of the band's recent trip to Kazakhstan and Kurdistan(?) as United States cultural ambassadors. I had seen some of the videos before on Facebook/ Youtube and it was interesting to hear Shamarr's take on this unique experience. Hopefully they will continue to bring New Orleans music to other parts of the world. That is some government spending I don't mind supporting.

Friday we started out the day in the Gospel tent with the Electrifying Crown Seekers then the original Pinettes, one of the only female brass bands that I know of. They had some guy dancing on stage with them. I don't know if he is part of their act or was just a special addition for Jazzfest. Then it was over to Acura for Soul Rebels brass band, looking forward to their upcoming gig at the Narrows. Caught some of David Torkanowksi/ George Porter's Fleur Debris, then tried to see Kermit Ruffins but that area was so packed hard to get a good vantage point. We headed into the Lagniappe stage for Alex McMurray, who I have seen as a sideman with Paul Sanchez and others but this was my first time seeing him with his own band doing his own originals. Good stuff!

Ended up the day with Willie Nelson, whom I have seen many times before but not in a while. He played all the usual standards, "City of New Orleans", a few newer songs and a string of Hank Williams songs starting with Jambalaya. Blind Boys of Alabama joined him for "I Saw the Light". I considered going over to the Blues Tent for Gregg Allman, but I was glad we stayed for the whole set because as we were leaving we noticed a crowd gathered backstage by the infamous bus and I was able to get my fest hat autographed!

Saturday was our last day at fest and again we began at the Gospel tent then saw Shamarr Allen on the Gentilly Stage, wandered around quite a bit catching a little of several acts, tried to see Trombone Shorty but were so far back (like at Kermit) was not too good so again we headed for the Lagniappe stage where Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road show, which featured some songs and singers from Nine Lives,a musical in the works. We heard a little of Jimmy Buffet then ended the day and our fest with New Birth Brass Band on the Heritage stage. Nighttime was dinner at Deanies (on the way back to hotel, then showered and out to Frenchmen street -the music lovers' answer to Bourbon street - where we hung out at the Spotted cat and elsewhere until we had to head back to fly out the next morning.

a few more photos

Crescent City Blues & BBQ Fest

2010-10-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

Crescent City Blues and BBQ fest in New Orleans, now in its fifth year, was a new fest for us this year. Held in mid October, it comes about a month after festival season wraps up in the Northeast giving us one last blast of summer music fun. The free festival is held in Lafayette Square park in the Central Business District of New Orleans, the same place where they hold weekly free concerts in the spring and fall (we usually catch Marcia Ball there on the Wednesday between jazzfest weekends.) Several hotels are close by, including the one we stayed at,so we could just walk there - it was so close it was almost like camping at a fest. With two stages scheduled, I was wondering how they were going to pull it off in this small park, but not to worry, the sets alternated so there was no down time between sets. We were camped out somewhere in the middle with a large group of friends so all we had to do was turn around after each set to catch the next one. And for most sets, it was easy enough to get up close when you wanted to.

Saturday started out with Honey Island Swamp Band (with an expanded horn section inclucing Derek Huston on Sax. Luther Kent put on a great show with a 10-piece band,and Anders Osborne with Stanton Moore trio was a highlight for me on Saturday. Taj Mahal closed out the fest Saturday - By the time he took the stage the crowd had swelled to maybe 3x the size... most of the other acts were New Orleans based so probalby a lot of locals came out later since they get to see the other artists all the time. But to us the whole fest was like an all star line up.

Sunday's lineup was ruled by women. Shannon McNally and Hot Sauce was a new discovery for me - I has never seen her with her full band, they have that kind of North Miss. ALlstars groove, and she has a strong voice. Barbara Lynn is an older blues guitarist/singer with lots of soul, she was another one I had never seen before. She rocks! Ruthie Foster closed out Sunday with a very strong performance, again, another one I had not seen with a full band, but her voice is so powerful it was electrifying. Jon Cleary and Mem Shannon were also very good, but somehow I missed Wolfman Washington w/Joe Krown - I must have been walkng around looking at crafts, or maybe stuck my head in the onsite sports bar they had set up under a tent , where Joe was watching the Saints game with a crowd of very enthused fans. THe crowd at the music fest was noticeably lighter on Sunday, and many more people came out after the game was over.

Several varieties of Abita beer were offered for sale, along with a full bar offering mixed drinks. Just as the music was not strictly "blues", the food was not strictly "barbecue",and along with the expected Ribs & Bbq chicken the menu included BBQ shrimp from Emeril's Delmonico restaurant,some Vietnamese and Jamaican fare, and the much drooled over Cochon De Lait po-boy sandwich, same as those served at Jazzfest. This more eclectic mix was expected, since The festival is presented by The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the same organization that helps to present the Jazz Festival that takes place every April/May, which as anyone who goes to that knows is not strictly Jazz by any means. The lineup reminded me of a really good day in the blues tent at Jazzfest, but with a much cooler atmosphere, minus the crowded feel, heat and rules that are part of that particular venue at Jazzfest. This was just a perfect festival this year - the weather, the lineup ,the setting - everything just fell into place. ANd because it is not so intense as Jazzfest, we had time to enjoy other things about New Orleans that we sometimes miss during the big Jazzfest, like go out to a some restaurants and clubs wihtout the huge crowds. I would definitely go back for it again.

this pic was taken during Ruthie Foster

and here's a link to some of my other
photos from this fest.

Rhythm and Roots 2010

2010-09-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

With all the doom and gloom in the forecast about the impending hurricane Earl, we didn't head down to Ninigret shortly after dawn as usual, so we got gypped out of our traditional Friday afternoon feast, not to mention the relaxation/ catchup/ socializing time.. it was all about Earl! But I was glad that some friends, including one who was driving in from Ohio, inspired me to come down later on Friday rather than wait until Saturday. I mean if she could drive 10 hours from Ohio I could certainly make it from Providence....what's a little rain? (which is all it turned out to be..... we've seen much worse with no warning at Grey Fox and other festivals) Having all of Friday night's performances in the dance-tent worked out really well - the sets were a bit abbreviated but once you were there you didn't have to leave... and the rain was not constant anyway, there were a few breaks so you could make your way to food/beer/bathroom. The dance floor was beautifully decorated with Mardi Gras masks, was not too crowded and everyone had a defiant yet relaxed "what-me-worry" attitude. It was fun to be part of it.

Red Stick Ramblers ruled the dance tent - too bad they couldn't stick around longer. And Little Freddy King was a treat to listen to and watch with his natty suits and snappy dance moves. He also sat in with the Red Sticks, as did Jesse Lege for the Cajun portion of their set.

The next 2 days were sunny and breezy not a cloud in the sky nor drop of rain. Once the rest of our party arrived and settled in I went down to catch the end of Little Freddy King on the main stage, then Horace Trahan and New Ossun Express, the host band for the weekend. I don't remember ever seeing them before (except the previous night), although Horace had played here with DL Menard several years ago. They were really good with a driving zydeco sound, with the addition of saxophone and flute on some songs (both played by the same guy). They covered some Fats Domino songs and Ray Charles as well as traditional zydeco numbers like "MotorDude Special" and "Uncle Bud".

Bonerama in the 5 pm time slot was, to me, the highlight of Saturday. They opened with "War Pigs" and closed with "Helter Skelter", and funked it up big time in between. Lots of people were up and dancing - they just couldn't sit still for the funky 'bones. Steve Riley joined them for at least one song, another Fats Domino tune I think - seemed like I heard a lot of Fats Donmino songs over the weekend, performed by several different artists. I don't think it was intentional - everyone was just in that rollicking kind of mood. Marcia Ball - who I'd already seen twice this year so I took my time getting there, was spectacular as always, especially when she had the 'bones join her on stage. She is such a pro.

I was not so thrilled with the Texas Tornadoes. Not being all that familiar with the "old" version of the band, even though I had heard some recordings of them before, all the references to the past didn't really resonate with me. The performance seemed kind of forced to me, with the lead singer continually yelling out things like "alright Rhode Island!" between songs. More Fats Domino and Swamp Pop songs in the jam at the end with Johnny Nicholas, Marcia Ball, Steve Riley and others. It was not bad, I just felt that it was too much of a tribute to a past we have not experienced and perhaps could not fully appreciate.

After having seen Donna the Buffalo do a 2.5 hour jam in the dance tent at Grey Fox earlier this summer, I skipped their set at the end of the night to go find some people to jam with in the campground. There was a big tent set up with what sounded like it could have been recorded music but turned out to be a live band, Shaky Ground out of Worcester, I think. It was less of an open jam, more of them just running through their set list with some extra percussionists and some guest singers. It was funky and many people were drawn to it, but unfortunately the amplified instruments dominated the whole after hours scene both Saturday and Sunday nights. Now I am the LAST one to complain about after hours jamming, and even drumming which I have no problem with as long as the drummers have rhythm. Participating in these after hours jams is one of the highlights of the fest to me. But this setup was a little too much, and surprisingly, it went on well into the wee hours. I did find some of my other jam-buddies in different campsites doing the acoustic thing as is the norm, and I was able to join them. But every time someone would finish a song it was hard to get your head around the next song, what with "Mustang Sally" and other bar-band classics, each of which lasted for at least 15 minutes, blaring through the night. If any area club owners are reading this, please book "Shaky Ground" next Labor Day weekend. You and your patrons will definitely get your money's worth!

Sunday started out with Danny Barnes trio, which was cool. I'd never heard him play electric like that. Then some dancing to Horace Trahan, but I missed the Texas Sheiks - musta been talking to someone or getting something to eat or something. There is just not enough time for everything one wants to do at these festivals! Got back to see CJ Chenier, they always perk everyone up in the late afternoon. It was hot by now so I went for a swim. I could hear both CJ and the Poullards as I splashed around in the pond. Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women was the best set of Sunday, with their rocking good tunes. Everyone wanted to hear more but they were strict about sticking to the schedule and no encore was allowed.

I have seen Steve Riley so many times I did not catch his main stage set which followed Dave Alvin; instead I went to see the Occidental Gypsy Jazz band, which was different and fun, then went back to camp and got back for some of Donna the Buffalo. Then we went back to the dance tent for some more CJ while Robert Randolph band got set up. They had about a dozen guitars and a few of those pedal steels and a huge drum kit....impressive I guess but it takes a long time to set up. Robert Randolph band was very energetic and had a good groove going, though it was repetitive at times. At least they had a good stage show, switching around on instruments, and balancing on top of the pedal steel. Among the songs I recognized were the Stones' Hip Shake, the current single "If I had my way", with some vintage recordings dubbed in the background, Doobie Bros "0ld Black Water", some Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin riffs. The last set on the mainstage was definitley not a sleeper!

Closed out the night in the dance tent with Steve Riley & members of Donna the Buffalo. At this point the dance floor was filled, a smaller front section of jumpers and spillers gradually giving way to the couple-dancers moving in a circle. It was a big old jam and even went a little past curfew. All in all it was a wonderful weekend, it was great to see and hang out with everyone...and as usual it just went by too fast!

Here are a few photos from Sunday

And it used to be the Cajun festival / Rhythm and Roots on Labor day weekend was the last chance to jam for the year.. but now we have not one, not two but THREE festivals to choose from next weekend - The Pawtucket Arts festival in Slater Park Sat/Sun, The Narrows Festival of the Arts on Sunday in Fall River, and the new "Life is Good" festival in Canton, MA. Too many choices for the week after Labor Day! 2 out of those 3 are free but one has much bigger names...so you decide.

2010 Grey Fox

2010-07-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

Grey Fox is the festival that inspired me to start this blog a few years ago and so I guess it is fitting that after returning from the 3rd year at Grey Fox on the Walsh Farm I return to this site which I have been remiss in updating - even though I have already been to a few other festivals this year (Jazzfest in New Orleans, Bayou & Boogie in Rehoboth, MA and Crawfish Fest in Augusta, NJ). Anyway, Grey Fox to me is more a state of mind than just another music festival where you run from stage to stage. From the moment I arrive on site, it's all about living in the present. What to set up and where? what to see? hear? eat? drink? do? Finding and connecting with old friends and making some new ones every single time. You don't need a TV to watch the weather forecast because you can see it coming in the sky, and when it gets there you just deal with it. I did not even take any pictures this year. I think I just never got around to it because photos are for remembering the past from the future, not for the present.

I arrived on Tuesday in the rain and set up a partial camp, played some guitar, ate some cold food because I didn't want to light my stove in the rain, and visited with some friends. The opportunity to be there before the masses arrive is one of the privileges of volunteering. On Wednesday I watched them roll in and waited around for other friends & family to arrive and fill out our camping area, not far from the dance tent. Late afternoon I visited with an old college friend who lives nearby and we passed a good time. The open mic in the dance tent on Wednesday night was a new feature this year and one that I hope will start a new tradition. It seemed to be really well run and kept moving and featured a variety of acts - some may have been established bands, some solo or duos, and some pickup bands who had been jamming together all week at the "Foxhole", the nearby run-up to GreyFox (I have not been there yet so I can't really comment but I hope to make it maybe next year.)

Thursday turned out to be the best day weather-wise.... hot and sunny but no rain. I didn't have to work til 7 so we spent part of the afternoon wandering the campgrounds looking to see where some other friends were set up. It was during this torpid stroll, while passing by a site inhabited by the "Flying Pigs" I overheard a line that made me smile: "Snowflake, what time is tie-dye?" That is the closest one gets to long range planning at Grey Fox! I wanted to go cool off in the creek in the woods bordering the campgrounds, but the part we tried to access was all taped off and I didn't feel like leaving the site, so we settled for a super-soaker battle back at our camp. That worked.

I couldn't make it to the tie dye at 6:30 so my friend graciously agreed to dip some garments for me so I would be properly attired the next day. From my post at the instrument raffle booth, where the festival sells chances on some very nice instruments to benefit educational programs such as the Kids' Bluegrass Academy and a scholarship program, I was able to hear Crooked Still, GreenSky Bluegrass and some of Donna the Buffalo, then caught the rest of their set from up the hill. Finished up the night with Planet Zydeco, who were much better than I remember from last time I heard them. After being reprimanded for talking in our "quiet" area next to the dance tent, we set off in search of more lively digs, and joined in some jams elsewhere.

Friday morning I had to work again, and got to hear all the mainstage bands who played short sets early. When I was through at around 3 pm, my husband had finally arrived with his friend, who set about grilling up some happy-hour shrimp and andouille just as the first rain-shower let loose while we listened to the music on the radio broadcast and also from the dance tent. I caught some of the Sweetback Sisters, fun retro style honky tonk, then just had to go up and see Del McCoury because the last few times they've been there it rained and I missed 'em. Loved hearing some of the old favorites, he always tries to accomodate everyone's requests, even though they have new material to play. "Forty Acres and a Fool" was my favorite, followed by "52 Black Vincent". I enjoyed Railroad Earth quite a bit, as I hadn't been in the mood for them last time I saw them at Crawfish Fest in June, but it seemed to fit better here. Donna the Buffalo finished up the night in the dance tent with with a record-breaking set that went 'til well past 2 am. Because we were in the "quiet" area... once again we set off in search of excitement elsewhere for fear of being talked to for talking. This time it was an "afterhours" club set up in the barn, illuminated by a spotlight that advertised "Club Silo", complete with giant disco ball under an oversized wooden guitar propped up in the loft. After a long and grueling trek to nowhere we ended up at another jam and I joined in a pre-dawn mando/banjo jam with my accordion, then closed my eyes just before sunrise.

Saturday morning I caught Rockin Acoustic Circus from the front row at the mainstage. What an amazing group of talented young musicians! The bass and cello player are brother and sister, and I don't think any of them are over 21 (except the guitar player who seems to be the director) The mando, banjo and fiddle players did some incredible trading off on a medley that stretched from Bach to Bluegrass. Then after that I left the site for the first time in 3 years and went with some friends to a nearby swimming hole that was a godsend! Nice cool waist deep water that was easy to get to down some natural stone steps. The rushing waters of the stream was a jacuzzi with no timer to reset, giving a full body massage. And then to top it all off a lone bagpiper appeared on the bridge above the stream, kilt and all, serenading the swimmers. Normally I am not a fan of bagpipes, but I appreciated this one, who actually knew more than the usual 2 bagpipe tunes everyone else always plays.

We stopped off for ice & refreshments before heading back to the fest, then I went back to selling raffle tickets while listening to the Wilders, the Greencards and Gibson Brothers, in-between battling two brief but violent storms that did nothing to cool us off but wreaked some havoc. I got word from the camp that some of our set up had not survived the onslaught, but at least the instruments and raffle tickets were safe! This was my busiest shift since the drawing was going to be that night. After that I got to see Kathy Mattea, who I really liked. I think she is probably more used to playing casinos and other such venues, and not accustomed to gazing out on a sea of tie-dyed hippies on a hill which inspired her to work a bit of "Kumbaya" into her set.

I returned to the camp for a bit of rest and was going to join Joe up on the hill for Tim O'Brien then Sam Bush, but it started raining again so we went over to the dance tent and were completely wowed by BlueSky Mission Club, a band that defies categorization, but that laid out some really funky grooves. Somesongs sounded a bit like Donna the Buffalo, but they had a guy on lap steel and electric guitar who did most of the singing too, and also a female singer, and a guy on rubboard. I had never heard of or seen them before and had no expectations of them but liked them a lot. More thunderstorms and lightning as we huddled in the camp, then when there was a break in the rain we made our way back to the dance tent where the Wilders throwdown that really was wild! Tim O'Brien and Sam Bush, whose mainstage set was cut short by the weather, were among the "and friends" that joined in , along with the Hillbenders. It was really quite the conglomeration, and even though we were way in the back - EVERYONE seemed to be there, due to the weather - we could hear fine and dance to it. When it was over no one was in a hurry to leave because the rain was still pouring down, not to mention some thrilling and hair-raising lightning....but at last we took the few steps to our camp, where we played a few songs (again trying to be "quiet"). Then around 3 am after it cleared up I strapped my accordion on my back and slogged through the mud in my big yellow boots and finally connected with my friends from Vermont who were jamming at a site called Camp Chaos.

Next day we packed up and checked out the last few sets including the Kids' Academy which is always fun to see.... dozens of fiddle players and few of everything else, all singing and playing in unison. This year they did Chris Thile's 'The Fox' which seemed like a good one for kids.... finally hit the road around 3 and got home by 8 just in time to cut grass. I always try to take a couple of days afterwards to re-adjust to the "real world" after spending nearly a week in this temporary town that forms every year in the hills of NY.

Now looking ahead to Lowell Folk Fest, followed by Newport Folk,then Podunk Bluegrass, all on different weekends this year so it might be possible catch at least some of each, before ending up the summer with Rhythm and Roots.

Narrows Festival of the Arts

2009-09-22T21:03:00.001-07:00

On the heels of Rhythm and Roots, the Narrows Festival of the arts took place outside the Narrows Center in Fall River, under clear blue skies and warm sunshine. 2 Lousiana bands (Beausoleil, Dirty Dozen) + 2 Texas bands (Hot Club of Cowtown, Seth Walker) on the outdoor stage added up to Big Time Bon Temps! Between sets we were entertained by a variety of creatures ranging from a multi-colored dragons, an octopus, some faeries, and a dancing eyeball!

Here's a video of what one observer called a technicolor snufalupagus, kicking up its many heels to Hot Club.

MVI_2618.AVI

Inside, several local bands took the stage, among them Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade, an old fashioned jazz combo consisting of Tess on vocals and guitar, accompanied by a stand up bass, drums....and a clarinet/ sax player. Classy and relaxing, they offered a chance to chill indoors between dancing up a storm to Beausoleil, and gettin' down w/ the Dirty Dozen.

Narrows Festival 2009

Audio is available on MVYRadio.com
http://mvyradio.com/music_info/narrows_festival_2009.php

Rhythm and Roots 2009

2009-09-09T18:58:00.000-07:00

What a year for Rhythm and Roots! After losing half the summer to unseasonably cool temperatures and rain, we were blessed with perfect weather for Labor Day weekend– sunny skies and cool breezes, followed by clear moonlit nights that had me up past 4 am every night.

This year we welcomed old friends and new, camping with most of our usual krewe, and helping to set up some spots for about a half dozen newcomers, friends we had met at Crawfish fest and/or on the Jazzfest message board (aka Threadheads). Lots of my jamming buddies were nearby in their usual spots as well, so it worked out perfectly.

After our opening night barbecue/ celebration, we went to hear the music. Friday was loaded with great music - Nouveau Honkies, the Duhks, and I was pleasantly surprised by Eilen Jewell - last time I saw her she was more folky sounding, but this time she had a killer rockabilly / Americana band with her. Too bad they showed up late due to traffic problems and had to shorten their set. Enjoyed the Travellin’ McCoury’s - it was nice to have some real bluegrass at Rhythm and Roots this year, just as it is nice to have the Red Stick Ramblers or Steve Riley show up at Grey Fox. Lee Boys with the Travellin’ McCoury’s on Friday were the highlight of the festival for me. Their first song was like a mantra for the weekend – “Let’s celebrate –we gonna have a good time! ” Robbie's electric banjo sounded especially good with the steel guitar, and the back and forth solos between all the bluegrass and sacred steel musicians worked out well.

I liked Cedric Watson's new band, Bijou Creole, which had a real African sound with the different percussion instruments.

Tab Benoit's set in the workshop tent on Saturday was my second favorite set at the festival. It was similar to the shows I’ve seen him do at Chan’s in Woonsocket - he is best in a smaller venue. Besides the jokes he was also able to enlighten the audience to the plight of the Louisiana wetlands, mentioning the Voice of the Wetlands fest and other things he is involved with. For his mainstage set, Steve Riley sat in on some of the zydeco tunes.

Asleep at the Wheel was great Saturday night, very tight as usual, and featured a brief guest appearance by Johnny Nicholas. I didn't get into Hot Tuna much - I know they are legends and all, but it just sounded too much like a garage jam-band to me.

Papa Mali was good on Sunday - he was fun to dance to, but I wished he would have sung more. "Ode to Billy Joe" was especially groovy, and I really liked his version of "I Shall Not be Moved". The Frank Family Band was hitting it with all they had, with their 2 drummers, and sometimes alternating, sometimes playing together. I found it funny when the young niece who is always dancing on stage finally sang a song and it was Boozoo Chavis' "Leona had a Party".

Mitch Woods was entertaining, but seemed to have to work very hard to get people up off their butts. There is something about the R&R crowd - even though there are always a lot of dancers under the two tents, people in front of the stage like to just sprawl out on their blankets or sit back in their chairs, and that seems a bit frustrating for some of the performers.

I love Jerry Douglas’ music, but when I saw him on the schedule for Sunday night, I was worried he was going to put us to sleep - far from it! People were actually dancing to it on the dance floor near the main stage. I was one of them - that was the best way to stay warm, too. Great Big Sea was an excellent choice for a closing act with their raucous energy and fun songs and even a light show! That was one of the only bands I was unfamiliar with - my first time seeing them but it won’t be the last. I liked how they alternated between traditional sounding folk tunes / drinking songs/ and pop hooks and harmonies.

After the last set in the dance tent, which featured Steve Riley with special guests like Cedric Watson, producer Chuck Wentworth got up to say a few words as is the tradition. It was especially moving this year in light of all the obstacles he had to overcome to be there this year, as well as the local politics that threatened to move the festival (but did not!)

I know some people had financial limitations this year that prevented them from coming – I should have mentioned earlier that R&R is a volunteer run festival, and that can be a good low cost way to enjoy the fest. In exchange for a few hours work each day you get free weekend camping pass/admission, meals, a t-shirt and more fun than you can imagine. I did it for many years, and still do at Grey Fox bluegrass festival. I just can’t at R&R anymore because I don’t want to miss anything, and I love playing music after hours. This is the most accordion friendly and diverse-jamming festival I go to… and I do have to sleep some time! This year was the best for after-hours jamming,due to the weather, the full moon, and combination of players on the scene.

I really want to thank all the new people for coming, esp. those that travelled a great distance… and I sincerely hope they and others will join us for Rhythm and Roots again. If you like Cajun/ Louisiana and other roots-music, being in RI for Labor Day weekend is the next best thing to being in Louisiana in October/November... As Steve Riley so eloquently reminded us in the closing set on the dance stage, RI's Cajun / LA roots run deep starting with Dewey Balfa’s visit to Newport Folk fest in 1964 and going through more than 2 decades of Cajun festivals here in the Biggest Little which has evolved into the more diverse music festival that is Rhythm and Roots.

And for those that missed it, many of the sets are available on MVY Radio.

http://www.mvyradio.com/music_info/rhythm_and_roots_festival_2009.php

Festive Memories and Traditions

2009-09-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I haven't been able to keep up with this blog as much as before is we were busy moving , and in the process I have come across so many photos, mementos, t-shirts, programs, etc from 20+ years of festing... not to mention all the lagniappes people pass out at New Orleans jazz fest. So one thing I was hoping to accomplish with this blog was summarizing these memories in an online format, so much easier to retrieve! But I still have all these boxes of memorabilia which I am trying to condense and consolidate. Maybe a good project for the winter!

One other thing I have been thinking about lately, with all these 40 year anniversary shows about Woodstock on TV, is how lucky we are to have these events to return to year after year. I was not old enough to be aware of the Woodstock festival as it unfolded, but I spent my high school years idolizing some of those great rock icons of the past and wishing I could have been there. This year was also the 40th anniversary of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest, which even though I could not attend this year, I can look forward to making it next year. While Woodstock was a one time event, we have several annual festivals, like Jazzfest, GreyFox, Rhythm and Roots, Crawfish Fest, Lowell Folk Fest, and so many others that we can return to year after year. These festivals are not exactly like Woodstock, but they bring together large groups of people with a common spirit, embodying a sense of community and culture - especially the camping fests. Having these annual festivals gives us a chance to reunite with our friends every year, and it also gives the people who organize these festivals a chance to improve upon them year after year. I wonder how many of them were at Woodstock and thought, "Hey I could do better than this! " Looking at some of the experiences of Woodstock makes me appreciate these festivals even more. For example, the first few acts were unable to take the stage on schedule so Richie Havens had to play an extended set and returned to the stage 6 times.... then at the end, Jimi Hendrix, who was supposed to play on Sunday, ended up playng Monday morning to a much depleted crowd. We may take for granted all the work that goes into putting on these events, but seeing that footage of Woodstock makes me appreciate the fact that most of these annual festivals I go to run smoothly and on time despite glitches in weather and performers not being able to make it sometimes. So all we have to worry about usually is choosing where to be at what time - the multi-stage format is another improvement upon Woodstock which, from what I can tell, seemed to take place all on one stage. And we don't have to worry about not having enough food and water. To the contrary, some of the fests, eg., Jazzfest is as much a food-fest as a music fest; and at the camping fests, we bring our own as well as buy from the various vendors. Kudos to all of the organizers for making them happen again and again and giving us something to look forward to, as I am to this weekend's Rhythm and Roots festival. So far the weather forecast is good, and many friends will be attending. Because of this, Labor Day weekend is as festive as any holiday I know. More info here at Rhythm and Roots

A Trio of Midsummer fests

2009-08-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

July 14-19 - Greyfox

I arrived early on the Walsh Farm to volunteer, it is fun being there before everyone else, watching things unfold. Many improvements have been made to the site since last year, for example, the addition of some food vendors up on the hill near the main stage, and the quaint but rustic tractor-shuttles have been replaced by school buses. It made for a much more convenient festival experienc. The weather was good most of hte weekend except some rain on Friday required some heavy mud-slogging on Friday night and Saturday morning. I was glad I had my big yeller boots! Mountain Heart seems to have gone in a new direction, more rock nad jam influenced - they did a pretty good verion of Whipping Post, complete with keyboards, and drums. also Superstition. But they can can still pull wail out the straight ahead bluegrass too. liked it. Musically, my favorite part of the weekend was the 2 back to back workshop sets, one with Casey Driesen showing off his fiddle wizardry, including an amazing arrangement of Billie Jean. That was followed by a guitar workshop with Josh Williams, Danny Knicely from Tim O'brien's band, (and a band that played there a few years ago, Corn Tornado and Chris Eldridge from the Infamous Stringdusters.

I was camped out not too far from the dance tent, so that was the place to be - The RedStick Ramblers rocked it all three nights - and I also enjoyed the Waybacks there earlier Friday Night

Sunday was the biggest surprise of the weekend, when the Lee boys woke eveyrone up with their eye-opening and butt-shaking sacred Steel music. Looking forward to seeing them at RHythm and roots, here they will also share a set with Ron and Robbie McCourys.

July 25 - Lowell Folk Fest

Great time in Lowell this weekend! We got there around 4 pm Saturday afternooon, caught Dr Michael WHite w/ Liberty Jazz Band, then DL Menard - who substituted for Rosie Ledet , joined in the 2nd line with Glen David Andrews, then went to see the Lucky Stars western Swing, had Thai food for supper, followed by some more Michael White, andTrudy Lynn (blues singer).

We were lucky enough to get a room at the Doubletree downtown, so Sat night we were treated to the most amazing afterhours jam sessions in the hotel! Glen David Andrews would pop in from time to time with his trombone, sing a few songs, then wandered back off and someone else would lead a song. Some of the players in the jam included members of the NY Klezmer band, Sierra Hull's bluegrass band, the Lucky Stars Western Swing band , the trumpet player from Michael White's, some Cajun players, some fiddlers, and many more, a little bit of everything. It was an amazing mix just like the whole Lowell folk festival. There are so many songs that everyone knows, from all different backgrounds, like Bill Bailey, Sittin on Top of the World, etc.... musicians from all different backgrounds were equally well-versed.

Sunday morning, after a Brazilian breakfast, we headed over to Boarding House park to see an acapella gospel group - they were really great. Then, Sierra Hull at 1pm - a new young talent, kind of like mandolin-playing version of Alison Krauss! I think what is unique and special about this festival is all the performers play all weekend, and there is lots of interplay between all of them, who play multiple times all weekend in unique combinations that you would not ordinarily see. For instance there was a workshop/ performance on Sunday that included a sort of interview session / Q&A that made the connections between NY Klezmer and NO traditional jazz musicians . Left around 4 pm Sunday so it was an intense 24 hours, and even though we got to see alot we missed some too... can't be everywhere!

August 1 - Podunk Bluegrass festival

Missed this the past few years due to the Newport folk festival, but this year we returned to this 90% bluegrass festival (The other 10% this year was Natalie MacMaster) that takes place on a baseball field in a city park. We arrived on Saturday afternoon, parked the van in a shady spot, just in time to see some of Gold Heart, (last year's band contest winnder) followed by Rhonda Vincent and the Rage. I enjoyed all the bands on the stage, but what I like most about this festival is the atmosphere, it is very relaxed and laid back.

For the evening set it was

James King Band
IIIrd Tyme Out
Steep Canyon Rangers

Dailey Vincent Band

Rhonda Vincent
Natalie MacMaster

Most of the bands I had seen elsewhere before but Dailey & Vincent were new to me. They were a lot of fun with their clowing around, all wearing hats tossed up from the audience, but their singing and playing was superb. James King sat in a few songs too. Natalie Macmaster , who hasn't toured much lately due to her growing family and is as talented as ever. She was a good sport, relaying stories of her travelling travails. She got everyone up out of their seats and dancing too.

After the concert I found a fun jam with friends from Grey Fox and , even though I didn't have any instruments with me I was able to sit in on bass for a bit. I may have been a little rusty on that, but that jam has inspired me to play more guitar lately, and more bluegrass, so it was fun.

Crawfish Fest 2009

2009-06-04T18:56:00.001-07:00

Not much time for festive living lately, but I did make it to Mike Arnone's 20th annual Crawfish Fest in NJ last weekend. Beautiful weather, great music, food ,and friends - what more could you ask for?

Pictures from Sunday

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/572811410DyODVg

RI Mardi Gras Ball

2009-02-24T18:07:00.001-08:00

Today is Mardi Gras in New Orleans, (and elsewhere) but here in New England it's hard to find a parade on a cold Tuesday. But we celebrated Mardi Gras on Saturday at the annual party at Rhodes on The Pawtuxet, courtesy of Lagniappe Productions.

Music by the Hot Tamale Brass Band, Jeffrey Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, Steve Riley and CJ Chenier put all of us fest-starved new Englanders in a party mood! The Creole Cowboys kicked it off with their hard driving Boozoo-style zydeco, and it's always fun to watch the ultra cool Classie Ballou on bass. Steve Riley was equally dazzling on fiddle and accordion, then invited some of the Hot Tamale horns up on stage for a few songs, including a great version of Fats Domino's "Be my Guest". CJ Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band were as good as ever, reunited with their old rubboard player, Clifford.

Every year when we first see the initial announcement in the Rhythm and Roots program, it's hard to get excited about something that seems so far off, when we are, after all, in the midst of one of the best festivals of the year. But when that weekend in February finally rolls around , it is so much fun to get together with all of our festival friends, some of whom we haven't seen since Rhythm and Roots. Everyone I talked to seemed so happy to be on the homestretch towards spring, looking forward to better days. I may not even know everyone's last name, or where they work or live, but when we are all dancing in the front row, grooving to Hot Tamale Baby for the thousandth time, "I feel like I'm home", (yeah you right)

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/570254311fGcaOA

* Nathan Williams, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Cha's

Free Your Mind

2009-02-16T18:39:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a festival to free your mind from the stresses of every day life. And when it comes in the middle of the doldrums of winter, when there's not much else going on, it can be just what's needed to lift your spirits. The annual Joe Val Bluegrass festival held at the Sheraton in Framingham this past weekend was a welcome little vacation not far from home. And without having to deal with camping and weather, you can really just enjoy the music and people at the fest, instead of having to worry about building a shelter from the storm. From the time we checked in late Friday afternoon we never even needed to venture outside for the next 48 hours, except to put our stuff in the car at checkout time. In between music and visiting with friends we got to enjoy a swim in the indoor pool, and a few trips to the fitness center including a session on the Wii, with virtual skiing, soccer, and hula hoop!

As far as the music presented on the stage, the Steep Canyon Rangers on Friday night were my favorite. I had seen them there before, but I kind of forgot how good the Steep Canyon Rangers were. They had some really good harmonies, and well crafted instrumental arrangements, with a healthy dose of showmanship to keep it interesting.

Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper heated things up on Saturday night in typical fashion, with Mike flailing away on the fiddle accompanied by a crew of top notch musicians, including a new young banjo player.

The closer for Saturday was the Kruger brothers, who finally took the stage after what seemed like a very long set up time. They started out with several of their trademark classical/acoustic /instrumental pieces including the usual romp through some movie theme songs.... Then they were joined by Adam Steffey on mandolin, and Bobby Hicks on fiddle, in the debut of the Kruger Brothers Bluegrass Project. These two veteran award winning musicians added a much more hard driving bluegrass dimension, which helped wake me up after nearly being lulled to sleep in the hot dry air of the crowded ballroom. And afterwards, there was much more foot-stomping bluegrass to be heard in the halls of the hotel, all night long.

Josh Williams on Sunday was an amazing guitar picker and singer with a sweet voice, whose playing seemed effortless. At such a young age, he is already a veteren of several bands, including Rhonda vVncent & the Rage, and has already established himself as an accomplished musician, recognized recently as IBMA guitar player of the year. Although I had to leave before the final act of the day, the much anticipated Dailey & Vincent (whom I hope to catch at Podunk later this year), I was glad for the chance to see Bobby Osbourne for the first time, a legend from days gone by. Opening with Jimmy Martin's Sunny Side of the Mountain, his strong and mournful voice was unmistakable.

Bobby Osbourne

This year's festival featured a new Showcase Stage in a separate room downstairs near the vendors, where several local bands played, including Back Eddy bluegrass band, who seem to be expanding in both sound and personnel. Another one I caught was Late Night Radio, a mix of bluegrass, swing and jazz. I was drawn in as soon as I hear them doing the Waybacks' Compadres of the old Sierra Madre. For some reason I'm always drawn to whatever is a little different at the festival, whatever stands out.

Bluegrass Accordion

Speaking of standing out, I play accordion, and I go to bluegrass festivals, and sometimes I'll join in a jam, if I come across one that seems open to it. Usually, whenever I bring the accordion out at a bluegrass jam, like this weekend, people are surprised to see it, and will make comments like, "Wow, bluegrass accordion!" or "Hey, I have an accordion, but I never thought of playing bluegrass on it!". When I wrote the title of this post, Free your Mind, I was thinking of them. Bluegrass is one of the only kinds of music that I know of where the audience is made up of so many musicians who like to participate. I didn't even like bluegrass music too much until I had the chance to play it, although my first intro to playing bluegrass was not on an accordion, but on a borrowed stand-up bass. Because bluegrass festivals present the most opportunity for joining in a jam, and that is the instrument I play the most, I've learned to play bluegrass accordion. This is not something I've really set out to do, it has just sort of happened.

So why play bluegrass accordion? For one, the accordion does not have to be tuned, so it is always ready to go. I play a keyboard rather than a button style, so I can play along in any key. It's really fun to play bluegrass accordion because at times you can play the parts of guitar/ bass/ banjo/ mandolin and fiddle, all in one instrument, depending on the makeup of the jam. If there's no fiddle player, you can play fiddle tunes. If there is no bass player, you can play the bass part. It is very flexible.

For a bluegrass jam, I like to use a smaller 12-bass model because it is not as overpowering as a larger one, but I also play a 48 bass with different stops (tones). If there is a bass and some guitar players around, you don't have to play the bass side, . But if you do play the chords on the bass side, it can kind of mimic the guitar chords. Most of the songs are simple 3 chord structures and familiar tunes, and the bass side of an accordion has the 1-4-5 chords conveniently next to each other. The only thing you have to watch out for is that, in some of the larger jams, you may not be able to hear yourself, and you could easily be playing the wrong bass chords with your left hand, and it will mess up the person on your left, so its usually best to just use the right hand if it is a large group.

Some of the more traditional string bands do not always greet the arrival of a bluegrass accordion with open arms, but at a good size festival, you can just move on past them. If you come across a jam that has maybe one percussionist, like an egg-shaker or scrubboard player with good rhythm, that's usually a good sign it is an accordion friendly jam.

When you first get into a jam, chop along to the rhythm with the mandolin on the right hand side, fingering the chords and adding in a few fills here and there like a banjo. When it's your turn to take a break, play a little melody as a lead, like a fiddle. Single notes are fine, but mixing in some double and triple notes sounds better, like double and triple stops on the fiddle. The swingier and bluesier songs, and the old-time country tunes and ballads, lend themselves more easily to the accordion, but any mid-tempo 3-chord song can easily be played on the accordion. Throw in a few seventh notes or chords on the bluesy numbers. On a slow song, less is more. On all of them actually - while it is tempting to wail away on the accordion and it is easy to get carried away, you just have to be mindful of the whole group, and wait your turn. And I usually sit out the really fast, breakneck bluegrass songs like Foggy Mountain Breakdown, because they just sound better on banjo. And that's how you play bluegrass accordion. Or at least that's how I do it...it may be unorthodox, but it is fun.

Rhythm and Roots Stays Put

2009-02-12T20:24:00.000-08:00

According to an article in the Providence Journal, the Rhythm and Roots festival will return to its present location at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, RI. This is good news, after it was reported last year that the festival may have to find a new location due to proposed changes in fees collected by the town. I can't think of a better spot for this annual end-of-summer bash than the wide open grassy fields of Ninigret park, with its on site swimming, playgrounds, plenty of room for camping, and proximity to ocean beaches. I wish I was there right now!

Snowed In

2009-01-18T19:02:00.000-08:00

We're in the depths of a snowy New England winter and it looks like I've let my little blog here fall by the wayside. Partially because I didn't take a fall festival trip last year, and have been busy with other things, and its cold and dark and boring around here this time of year. But the sky is brightening in the late afternoon again, and there are a few festive happenings on the horizon that will help us get through the rest of the winter until the new festival season is in full swing again. Feb 7 is a Mardi Gras celebration in Woonsocket, RI, with a couple of zydeco bands, a dinner and masquerade. Although it is scaled back from the multi-venue event it has been in years past, it should still be a good time. More info can be found here: http://www.nrica.org/mardigras.html

The following weekend, Feb 13-15, is the Joe Val Bluegrass festival at the Sheraton in Framingham, MA. This is an indoor bluegrass festival complete with mainstage performances, picking parties, and music workshops. It's kind of like a conference for festival fans. See a review of last year's festival here

Feb 21 is the annual Mardi Gras Ball at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, in Cranston RI. Featuring 3 popular acts from Louisiana - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, CJ Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, and Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys - plus the Hot Tamale Brass Band from the Boston area, are scheduled to appear. Many fest-goers from Rhythm and Roots usually turn out and make it feel more like a night in the dance tent at that festival, than a one-night event in the middle of winter. As a warm-up to Saturday night's festivities, Sal's Productions is hosting their annual "Fat Friday Zydeco Frenzy" with Andre Thierry at the German Club in Pawtucket, which makes it feel even more like a festival weekend.

Maybe we can't have outdoor parades and carnivals this time of year up here in the frozen north, but we can look forward to these indoor festivals and events. Those will make February breeze right past, taking us into another fine festival season.

Narrows Festival of the Arts

2008-09-11T17:10:00.001-07:00

How cool is the Narrows Center for the Arts for bringing back Eric Lindell
to headline their annual Festival of the Arts last Sunday?

Making his Fall River debut in February, Eric gave one of the best performances I've seen at the Narrows this year. Last Sunday, he played his soulful R&B and reggae-tinged good-time blues to a sun-drenched crowd, and we were all grooving to his funky NOLA beats in the streets below the Narrows center. In addition to Eric on guitar, with a bassist and drummer, Sunday's band had a double sax horn section, including ex-Iguana Derek Huston, who also sometimes plays with the Grandsons. That set was the perfect ending to a beautiful day that started early afternoon with Carrie Rodriguez, whom I had only seen previously as a duo with Chip Taylor. What I saw of Carrie's performance with her own band was quite different and really rocked. I hope to catch her again some time. After her set, I followed a dragon parade over to the children's area, which took on a Chinese theme, probably in a nod to the Beijing Olympics. Parasol dancers, drummers, and a lion dance in front of the Azorean arch, in the shadow of the Braga bridge beneath clear blue skies made for a colorful display.

Also appearing on the outdoor stage, Jim Lauderdale Trio (guitar, dobro & mandolin) played bluegrass/ country/ Americana for our listening pleasure. Then the Holmes Brothers got people up out of their seats and clapping/ singing along with their gospel/blues/ R&B / pop songs. The two front men harmonize nicely, then every once in a while the drummer adds his high falsetto vocals to the mix.

When I went upstairs to check out the goings on inside the Narrows I found an exhibit of paintings by of Brian Fox. There were several celebrity portraits including one of Tom Brady, who looked much better in the painting than he did on the field that day. The season ending injury of #12 happened shortly after we arrived at the festival, which always seems to coincide with Patriots football opening day. This presents quite the dilemma for some, but luckily there are a couple of local watering holes nearby to keep up with the game.

The sunlight streaming through the huge windows highlighted recent renovations at the Narrows, including some new tables and chairs, and some much needed bathroom improvements. On the indoor stage, I saw Mark T. Small, a blues guitar player who does a lot with a little (just himself on an acoustic guitar) ...but he plays with much feeling. Also Jeremy Wallace trio, who played gruff-sounding old-time blues.

Back outside, there was some nice jewelry and artwork for sale, and some food vendors, like LePages seafood, and some chili and hotdogs. Plus Waterstreet Cafe, which is right there anyway, offered a menu of sandwiches and drinks. This was the 3rd year for the festival in its current location on the Taunton River near the Maritime Museum and Battleship Cove.

This one day festival given by the Narrows showcases what they do so well all year long and is a great end to the summer festival season, not to mention a cure for post-Rhythm and Roots blues. Packing up after Rhythm and Roots used to be more depressing, but now it's more like , "See you next week at the Narrows festival!" . This year's fest had a diverse lineup and was representative of the type of talent the Narrows brings in every week. The fall lineup is great! Some of the shows I'm looking forward to in the near future are Mose Allison, Justin Townes Earle, Los Straitjackets, the Iguanas, and the Subdudes and probably quite a few more. See you there!

Here's a link to the rest of my photos from the festival

Taste of Pawtucket / Arts Festival Gala

2008-09-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night was the gala / kickoff for the Pawtucket Arts festival, with music by Slippery Sneakers and Buckwheat Zydeco. But the real attraction to this event is the Taste of Pawtucket Food Festival, where dozens of the city's restaurants set up booths and offered samples of their wares included in the price of admission, which was $10 in advance, $15 at the door. This year's food fest was set up in the street, apart from the music, so there was much more room to stroll among the food booths (unlike last year when everything was crowded together). I didn't know there were so many restaurants in Pawtucket! Actually there was such a variety, everything from chains such as McDonald's and Dunkin Donuts, to RI based Chelo's, Spumoni's and other well known and not so well known establishments were represented. I had never heard of the "To Kalon" club, which offered one of the more inventive dishes, a roast pork with amaretto /sun-dried tomato cream sauce. There were Steak tips from East Ave Cafe, Ruben sandwiches from Local Hero Deli, Shrimp Alinha from Galito's Portuguese restaurant, Vietnamese noodles and spring rolls from Pho Horn, clam cakes and chowder from Chelo's, breads from Seven Stars bakery - the list goes on and on, and those are just the ones I tried. Bacchini's bakery was there with their delicious desserts, and so was Lila's cafe with their house-made ice cream in flavors such as strawberry rhubarb, peanut-butter hemp, coffee, green tea with lime, mango sorbet and more, some of them vegan. After all that it was tough to get out there and dance, but we made the effort. Slippery Sneakers sounded good, with the full band on stage, not the pared down winter version. Because it was the 10th anniversary of the festival, there were fireworks between bands. Buckwheat started late and had to end on time so it was an abbreviated set. He was in more of a reggae / funk mode than zydeco, and played some B3, when he could get it to work - they had some sound problems, so it was not the best performance of Buckwheat, but we still had a fun time, on the banks of the Blackstone River, behind the old Slater mill.

Pictures here....

Taste o’ Pawtucket / Arts Fest Gala
The Pawtucket Arts Festival continues next weekend with art and concerts in Slater Park, including the Stone Soup Folk Festival

Driveway Macque Choux

2008-09-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

When I finally got around to making the Macque Choux as demonstrated by Linzay Young at Rhythm and Roots, it was Monday after work. Whenever we grill outdoors for supper, I'm always indoors fixing the side dishes, then when I'm ready to go out and chill, all the fun part is done! So I decided to make the Macque Choux outdoors while Joe grilled some chicken on the Weber, and this made it so much better! I have made this dish before, indoors, with canned corn and tomatoes, with so-so results. The key to making this dish taste good, I think, is not too rush it, let it cook and enjoy the process... one way to do this is to cook it outdoors on the camp stove. Like grilling, its more fun to cook it outside on a beautiful late summer evening while enjoying a cold beverage, than to be standing over a hot stove indoors ....And using fresh corn helps too! (frozen is good too, not canned). I didn't take any pictures of Linzay's cooking demo at the festival, but I recreated the experience in my driveway....

Driveway Macque Choux & Chicken

the instructions are in the photo captions

Rhythm and Roots 2008

2008-09-05T07:08:00.001-07:00

One of the things I always tout to potential newcomers about the location of Rhythm and Roots at Ninigret Park in Charlestown RI is how close it is to ocean beaches, so you can easily leave the festival to visit one of them. But once I get set up at the camp I seldom leave the site. No need to leave when everything you need is right there – music, food, fun, friends, even a pond to take a dip if the mood strikes you. But even though I never left to go to the beach, the seed was planted, and a few days later I’m finally enjoying some late season beach time, reflecting on this years festival. Rather than a blow by blow account, I thought I’d just share a few impressions.

The best way for me to enjoy the main stage music at Rhythm and Roots is to set up my chair on the right side, near the dance tent, so I can spring up on a whim without having to pick my way through the mostly seated crowd. This is where I enjoyed dancing to the Waybacks in the rain on Saturday.… especially the extended "St. Stephen" jam. I looked around and saw I wasn’t the only one having a Grateful moment. But the Waybacks are much more than a Dead revival band, so many catchy original tunes, like "Bright Place". They are a great band. It was also a good spot for dancing to Donna the Buffalo, and trying to keep up with a member of the herd several years my senior. I can only hope to stay that loose!

Marcia Ball and the guys Saturday night was the musical highlight of the whole festival. The air was misty and swampy, warm and wet and soupy, just like in Lousiana, which many of us had on our minds what with Hurricane Gustav threatening. Marcia helped to remind us with her heartfelt rendition of Louisiana 1927 and other songs about her adopted city, like Party Town, the Bobby Charles song from her latest CD “Peace Love and BBQ". She was joined by Johnny Nicholas and some of his band mates (who played a great set Friday night as well), Steve Riley, David Greely and others for a big jam ending with "All Night Long". Too bad it couldn’t have lasted all night long.

Some of the bands have played the festival so often, and play several times throughout the weekend that I never get around to seeing them, thinking I will get to see them later…that’s what happened to me with the Red Stick Ramblers, who I missed for one reason or another. But I did get to see Linzay Young do his campfire cooking demonstration on Saturday in the workshop tent, where he made Macque Choux with one hand and roux for the next day’s gumbo with the other, all while explaining the recipe, fielding questions from the audience (who was gathered around nice and close), promoting the Black Pot festival, alternately sipping a beer and using it to flavor the dish. And unlike Emeril’s TV show, we DID have smell-o-vision, and not only that but taste-o-vision, too…yum!

We always "camp" at Rhythm and Roots, but our set-up is far from the austere images of roughing it that come to mind when one thinks of camping. Combining resources with a group of about 8-10 friends, it's more like extended tailgating, with a few hours rest in the wee hours. Because most people camp every year and set up in approximately the same spot year after year, it is has a neighborhood feel, and there are lots of musicians around our area. The campground jams were fun this year, though sometimes they grow so large it's hard to fit everyone in. Rhythm and Roots is the only festival where I get to play music in a jam setting that I really like to play. I mean , I can do bluegrass on accordion if I have to, but the jams at Rhythm and Roots are so much more eclectic. And here accordions are welcomed, almost revered. I especially enjoyed a daytime jazz & blues jam with our neighbors (that may have been one of the times I missed the Red Sticks). The Saturday night after-hours zydeco dance floor setup was also really fun. There were at least 3 accordions, bass, washtub bass, some fiddles, saxophone, drums, guitars, rubboards and a whole bunch of dancers in constant motion. Bob from Slippery Sneakers had set up a mike and small amp and we all took turns leading or soloing. Sunday night we had a nice mellow jam by the fire at our place with members of the Remnants, and others.

Rhythm and Roots is a yearly tradition, and I go every year regardless of who is playing. I love the Cajun and Zydeco bands the most, even though I’ve seen some of them countless times and hear the same songs over and over. There’s something about the spirit of that music that gets in your soul and keeps you coming back for more. But every year I do look forward to discovering someone new and exciting, or unexpected. Maybe I have been to too many festivals, but this year there was only one band that was completely new to me – Scythian. I only caught the latter half of their set because they played kind of early on Friday when we were finishing up our traditional opening night celebration supper. They played a mix of Celtic and klezmer influenced material, not my favorite…but the crowd seemed to like them, and they got everyone up on their feet. The other “new” band was Great American Taxi led by Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon, who has played at R'n'R and Grey Fox before. At times they reminded me of String Cheese Incident, also from Colorado, and Assembly of Dust, another band featuring rambling, open keyboard solos that I like a lot. I’ve already listened to the set a few times on MVY radio and I like it more each time.

I found David Bromberg on Sunday night to be a bit ho-hum for a prime night time slot… it may have been better if he had switched places with the Gourds, who played an upbeat, sun-splashed set on Sunday afternoon. This year, I missed the presence of a visual show band, like we’ve seen in years past with La Bottine Souriant, the Duhks or Los Straitjackets, the Asylum Street Spankers, or even Marty Stuart from last year. Dan Hicks & his Hot Licks come close, but don’t really fit the bill with their mellow lounge act vibe. I like to see bands with a lot of energy, especiallyh when it is presented on such a big stage at night.

I enjoyed Keb Mo’ on Saturday. With his band, they were more funky and less folky than when I’ve seen him in the past. Later on, I made my way back to the dance tent for some Pine Leaf Boys w/ Jesse Lege. They had to leave early due to the impendng storm, so they wanted to make the most of their last set. Corey Ledet, who had been playing drums with another band, joined in on accordion and kicked it up into the zydeco zone.

Robert Cray on Sunday night was as smooth as expected. Even though I had never seen him live before, I’ve heard his music before, so no surprises there. All his songs seem to be about cheating and sneaking around. At that point there were a lot of latecomers crowding into our space on the field so we went back to the dance tent, for one last Louisiana style jam.

The Sunday night jam with Steve Riley & friends, including most of Donna the Buffalo, some of the Red Stick Ramblers, and some guest rubboard players such as Hot Sauce and R’n’R’s own C.W. wound up the weekend's performances, with a driving Hot Tamale Baby. Wild and raucous, the last set in the dance tent is the essence of the festival.

I hope the Rhythm and Roots festival is able to remain in Ninigret Park - it would be shame to have it move elsewhere. It is so big and open, plenty of room for camping and bike riding, and you can catch a slight whiff of salt air - it is the perfect spot for this festival. On the way home I picked up a dozen ears of delicious sweet corn from a local farm… I have some tomatoes and peppers in my garden, and just happen to have some tasso in the freezer from my last trip to Lousiana, so I am going to whip up some of that Macque Choux when Hurricane Hannah hits this weekend, while listening to the Red Stick Ramblers:

Corn Macque Choux as made by Linzay Young at Rhythm and Roots (from memory, hopefully I got it in the right order)

1) Saute onions and green peppers in vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed pot.

2) Add diced tasso (highly seasoned smoked pork… if you don’t have it, you can use smoked sausage or some other kind of smoked meat).

3) Let it cook awhile, and when it starts to stick deglaze with beer (Linzay used Magic Hat #9)

4) Add fresh corn with the juice, and some chopped jalapeno without the seeds.

5) Season with Cajun/Creole spice mix (usually a mix of salt, cayenne, garlic powder, paprika, thyme and other seasonings) . Make sure you use enough seasoning, especially if you don’t have tasso! Also make sure it cooks at least 45 minutes on low to medium heat, stirring now and then and deglaze with beer to release the stuck on goodness at the bottom.

6)Towards the end of cooking, when everything is getting nice and caramelized, add some chopped fresh tomatoes and cook a little longer til the tomatoes reduce.

7)A little before serving, add chopped parsley and scallions for a finishing touch of flavor and color.

You can listen to the Redstick Ramblers while cooking this up, along with lots of other performances on http://www.mvyradio.com/music_info/rhythm_and_roots_festival_2008.php

more pictures here:

Rhythm and Roots 2008

NOLA in NYC - Lincoln Center Outdoors

2008-08-25T20:43:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to New York for a free concert at Lincoln Center with all New Orleans lineup that was like a good day at Jazz Fest. The program was called "Roots of American Music", an outdoor concert series now in its 25th year. The Pinettes Brass Band, an all girl brass band, and the Hot 8 Brass band faced off on a small stage at one end, then paraded around to the larger stage in the band shell at Damrosch park outside of Lincoln Center. It was nice to see the Pinettes, whom I had never heard of before. Being somewhat of an amateur musician myself, I've often wondered why there aren't more women in brass bands. The only thing that bugs me is why does it always have to be an"all girl" band, making it seem like a novelty? But these girls could definitely could hold their own. The Hot 8 , with trumpet player Shamarr Allen, and the Pinettes each played a set on the large stage, then joined forces for a brass blowout including a rousing version of "when the Saints go marching in". which got a good number of folks second-lining around the plaza. Everyone wanted to be in that number!

Next up was Marc Stone's all-star soul review. Marc Stone is a DJ on WWOZ and plays guitar. Betty Harris, a soul singer from the 50's & 60's who had a hit with "Cry to Me" joined them for that and a few other songs. After that was my favorite set of the evening, the Campbell Brothers. They got us all to "Jump for Joy" with their fired up sacred steel music. They had 2 pedal steel guitars and some backup singers, and were joined by Kirk (Dirty Dozen) Joseph's Backyard Horns. They got everyone up on their feet to testify and sanctify, and we were festified. If my church was as lively as that, I'd probably go more often! And why else do people go to church? To be part of a community. Well at this little NYC festival there were at least forty others we knew from all our trips to New Orleans Jazzfest - Threadheads - fun-loving, fest-going internet-chatting folks whom we've become acquainted with over the years on the New Orleans jazzfest message board (which is how we found out about this Lincoln Center show in the first place). This online community has spawned a real community all over the world with the common thread being a love of life, music, food, and all things New Orleans. While most of us who were at the NY show are from the east coast, others came from as far away as Texas and California and North Carolina to get a little shot of New Orleans and catch up with some of our extended fest-family.

Singer John Boutte was up next with his unique brand of vocalizing. He makes every song his own. His version of Neil Young's Southern Man gave me chills-I'd never heard it like that bef'ore. and of course there was Louisiana 1927 as well as plenty of originals, like "Door Poppin". And of course he had to sing "Saints" as well, prompting another spirited second line.

Irma Thomas was the final performer of the evening, and she sounded as strong as ever. She did a mix of soulful ballads, some from her grammy award winning CD, and hip shakin' old favorites, like "You Can Have my Husband (but please don't mess wtih my man)", "Iko-Iko", "Done got Over" (with the usual ad-lib second line bit). And yes, more second lining from the adoring crowd.

My pictures from the day's festivities are here on webshots.

The festival continued on Sunday, with performances by Pete Seeger, the Knitters, and Patti Smith, who was joined by Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas. So it was quite a diverse lineup. I would have liked to see some of that too but it started late in the day. We had taken the train in from Stamford CT., where we found a deal at the Marriott. For the price of a tiny room in Manhattan, we got a nice room, round trip train tickets, ride to the station, parking, and breakfast, plus a chance to splash around in the outdoor pool before hitting the road to get home, cut the grass, and start to get ready for Rhythm and Roots next weekend. So many festivals, so little time!

2008 Newport Folk Festival

2008-08-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

Fort Adams is a uniquely beautiful venue, and Sunday was picture perfect for the first ever appearance of Jimmy Buffett at the Newport Folk Fest. With the bright clear sunshine, gentle breezes coming off the water, boats in the harbor, and a relaxed vibe, it was a parrothead’s dream! The whole day was perfect. Willy Mason opened the main stage, complete with a saw player (!), something I actually witnessed twice in 4 days, having just seen the Asylum Street Spankers on Thursday. But Willy's material seemed too somber, so I went to see Ryan Fitzsimmons on the Waterside stage instead. Full of energy, he gave his all in the 20 minute set - too bad he wasn't on the main stage. Brandi Carlile was a new discovery for me. I had never heard of her before but enjoyed her singing and songwriting. She played acoustic guitar and sang mostly original material, accompanied by a rocking 3 piece band that included 2 twins. She belted out "Folsom Prison Blues", and ended with a soul-stirring encore version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". Over the Rhine (from Cincinnati) and Calexico (from Arizona) played overlapping sets on two different stages, and although they featured different instrumentation, seemed to have a similar, cinematic sound. Perhaps not coincidentally, the singer from Over the Rhine told a story about how she and her keyboard playing husband had just returned from a trip to Santa Fe - maybe there's a southwest connection there somewhere. I like the dream-like sound of Calexico, a band which mixes Mariachi horns, pedal steel, and accordion with their guitars, sounding like something out of a spaghetti western at times.

Even with Jimmy Buffett as the featured act, it did not seem as crowded as other years. I think all the true parrot-heads were enjoying the show from their boats - from spartan kayaks to luxurious yachts and everything in between. Plus drinking in the state park is confined to a tent way out near the water.

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Without a title sponsor, the Newport Folk Festival seems to be searching for new ways to make money. This year they offered a VIP package for $500 a day ($850 for 2 days) that included food and drink served in a shaded lounge, a bag of goodies, and a reserved seating area. At least this year, the reserved seating was toward the back, so the seats, which remained empty for most of the day, were not taking up prime viewing space up front as they did last year. Who would want to sit in those little plastic chairs in the sun with no cooler, when you can bring your own chair or blanket and relax? That's so much more "folk-fest" than reserved seating - who ever heard of such a thing?

Last time I went to the folk fest in an election year, it seemed everyone had a political statement to make. This was noticeably missing from Sunday's performances. Except for a brief announcement from Clean Water Action, there wasn't a lot of political grandstanding from the main stage. Maybe that's not very "folk-fest" either but I didn't mind - it was a relief actually.

Back to the music, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings played a great set of Americana/ bluegrass music, highlighted by their fine harmony singing. She played some banjo too, and they did a version of "Jackson" by Johnny & June Carter Cash, saying everyone always requests it of them, so they decided to learn it. Something about the setting and the history of the Newport folk fest seems to inspire the performers, and they urged the boats to toot their horns if they could hear, and they did.

I caught some of Jake Shimabukuro, the young Hawaiian ukelele phenom who has been seen by millions on youtube. The small tent was packed, and he was marveling at his new-found fame, which he said he never imagined. I guess he has toured with Bela Fleck and had recently discovered bluegrass, so he treated us to an original composition based on Orange Blossom Special, plus his signature version of "While my Guitar gently Weeps."

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Levon Helm stole the show with his Americana revue, performing a mix of blues, country, bluegrass, and songs from the Band's catalog. There were so many musicians on stage - horns, including tuba, trombone, sax, trumpet - keyboards, harmonica (little Sammy Davis), accordion, banjo, fiddle. He played mandolin half the time, while daughter Amy got behind the drums, and also sang quite a bit. His voice sounded somewhat strained at times, but lent a familiar air to some of the bluegrass songs, ala Ralph Stanley. Their version of "Ashes of Love" had a kind of Cajun rhythm to it. There was always someone new stepping up to take a solo or sing, including Gillian Welch & David Rawlings. It kind of reminded me of Bruce Springsteen's Seeger sessions. I guess Levon figured, hey, I've been doing this type of music a lot longer than the boss so why not do it all the way? After that I would have been happy to call it a day, but wait, there's more (!)

Jimmy Buffett started out with a solo performance of "Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw", but was soon joined by the full band, contrary to what some of the advance billing suggested. He seemed to revel in the opportunity to finally play at Newport after 40 years, and acknowledged the sailors in the extended audience out in Narragansett Bay. He's always good at throwing in local and timely references, like conjuring up a volcano on Block Island in the intro to "Volcano", and changing lyrics to songs like "Fruitcakes" ("the future will be here soon - we should be living like George Jetson, but we're getting screwed by oil tycoons"). In keeping with the festival format, the show included some special guests, like ukelele star Jake Shimabukuro playing backup on several songs. Jake also played part of his claim-to-fame version of "My Guitar Gently Weeps". The darlings of the day, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, joined him for a toe-tapping version of Gillian's "Elvis Presley Blues", on which Jimmy played a National steel guitar. And of course there was the full complement of songs and stories of drunken debauchery, island mischief, and good times on the high seas - or is that high times on good seas? I am not really a parrothead, having only seen him once before, when his local summer tour appearance did not coincide with Rhythm and Roots. But I enjoy a good show, and I don't think there could be a better setting in which to experience a Jimmy Buffett concert. Jimmy even ordered up a rainbow during Margaritaville, and a "pirate ship" fired its cannons for him. Does it get any better than this?

The one thing I dislike about the Newport festival is the difficulty in getting out of there - if you stay until the end it usually takes over an hour to get out of the parking lot. But we made our escape during the "encore" of One Particular Harbor and made it home in no time.

It was such a beautiful day I couldn't help but take lots of pictures... here's a sampling on webshots.

and we can relive some of the performances, which are available on NPR

2008 Lowell Folk Festival

2008-07-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a trip to Lowell, MA this past weekend, where we savored the sights, sounds and smells that make this urban festival such a treat for the senses. It has been two years since I last visited Lowell for the Folk Festival , and I was amazed at all the activity emanating from new businesses that seem to spring up each year. Restaurants, bars and other businesses were all buzzing with activity, many hosting their own live music, augmenting the scheduled festival performances. The free festival takes place on several outdoor stages around the downtown area, which is centered around a National Historic Park showcasing the city's rich industrial history, with the textile mills and workers' housing that once hummed there now converted into parks, museums, condo's, gallery and office space.

The stage at Boarding House Park is the setting for most of the performances, with live broadcasts on Saturday afternoon on 89.7 WGBH. Over the three days of the festival, dozens of acts perform on that and several other stages, multiple times over the weekend. So if you miss someone at one day or time, you can usually catch them later. Or if you want to see the same performer two or three times, you can do that too. It's kind of like an outdoor First Night celebration without the cold (although the heat can be a challenge at times). The breadth and diversity of talent is always breathtaking. This year I saw the Lonesome River Bluegrass Band, Henry Gray and the Cats (boogie/blues piano player) , the Skatalites, (ska), Sister Marie Knight (gospel/spiritual), Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys (one of my favorite current Zydeco bands) , country music by Red Volkaert from Texas with Cindy Cashdollar, some French/Canadian and Irish fiddlers, a Croatian string band led by Jerry Grcevich and more. I don't know if it is possible to see and hear everything that is offered - I was there for part of all three days, and saw/ heard lots, but not everything (missed Mighty Sam McClain) but I enjoyed everything I did get to experience.

My favorite performance was probably by the Skatalites - Ska is a type of music I don't come across very often, and I liked all the horns, because they sounded jazzier than I would have thought - especially when they took turns soloing. The Creole Cowboys , who filled in for the previously scheduled Rosie Ledet, were excellent in the dance tent Friday night,with the ultra cool Classie Ballou on bass, but were more "subdued" for their NPR-broadcast set on the Boarding House stage on Saturday. It's always tough when you get a zydeco or cajun band to play to a mostly seated audience, but as usual there were several die-hard dancers forming a little dance-enclave off to one side, and here and there throughout the crowd.
A change this year from years past was the new location for the dance tent - instead of being conveniently located around the corner from Boarding House Park, it was several blocks away. Although it was more of a hike to get there, the new location allowed for a more open area surrounding it, more food booths, less crowding, and there was not problem with sound bleed between the two stages. However because I chose to spend most of my time between those two stages, I didn't bother to go over to JFK Plaza (the other big stage) because it seemed too far to travel between all three. And I missed the intimate "Market Mills" courtyard stage; that area was now being used to showcase visual arts.

Henry Gray was one of the featured artists this year (he's on the poster and T-shirt), and I was surprised not to have heard him before - although he has been around for a long time, out of Baton Rouge and Chicago. He plays rollicking boogie/ blues piano with a full band, including harmonica, and is a recent recipient of a NEA National Heritage Fellowship, this country’s highest recognition of traditional artists, plus some WC Handy and Grammy awards. That is what is great about this Lowell Folk festival - they always seem to find artists who may not always be household names, but are so good. Since I first discovered the Lowell festival around 1990 (?) I have seen so many great acts there over the years - from bona fide legends, to new discoveries and old favorites - Charles Brown, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Howard Armstrong, Peter Rowan, Beausoleil, Marcia Ball, Eddie Pennington, Doc Watson, Bill Kirchen, Shemekia Copeland, Donna the Buffalo, Treme Brass Band, Hot 8 Brass Band - the list goes on and on. And who can forget the "Tuvan throat singers" from a couple of years ago? Plus a host of great Polka bands, and everything else from Greek to Irish to Hmong to Puerto Rican music. It is a real melting pot of cultures, just like the city that hosts it, and this year was no exception.

One of the highlights of this great festival is sampling all the different ethnic foods, most of which are prepared and served by local community groups from various cultural and civic organizations.
They had a variety of Asian, Jamaican, Middle Eastern, Greek and other types of food for sale. This year I was in the mood for Asian, and enjoyed some Laotian noodles, spring rolls, teriyaki, and Thai curry. I was so tempted to try many of the others as well, but there's only so much one can eat! There's always next year.... and if you are reading this thinking, dang, how could I have missed this one? Do I really have to wait until next year? Well, there are a couple of options:

Although I have not been there yet, I am told there is a very similar festival that takes place in Bangor, Maine Aug 22-24, the American Folk Festival, . The Creole Cowboys will be there as well, along with a host of other ethnic and regional acts from across America. Like the Lowell festival, this one also started out a few years ago as the National Folk Festival . The National Folk Festival, produced by the National Council for Traditional arts and funded in part by NEA grants, moves to different cities every few years, showing the locals how to "do" a festival, then they move on - a worthy use of tax dollars, in my opinion! This year's National Folk Festival was held in Butte, Montana. The seeds planted in Lowell over two decades ago have not only sprouted but have taken root and grown into a strong vine, and have borne other fruits as well, which leads to the second alternative to waiting a whole year to hear some great music in Lowell. Besides the annual Folk festival, the city of Lowell hosts a summer music series - not free, but reasonably priced - in Boarding House park as well. Some of the acts scheduled for the remainder of this season year are: The Neville Brothers, Bruce Hornsby, John Hiatt, Keb Mo, Dan Hicks, Levon Helm, and more. The full schedule is at http://www.lowellsummermusic.org/page.php?page=root/home.htm

Click here for more of my pictures from this year's Lowell Folk Festival

2008 Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival

2008-07-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Down from the Mountain

We returned from Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival a few days ago. More so than any other festival, for me a trip to Grey Fox requires a little more time to ease back into "reality". Where else can you walk around in a sarong all day, not worry about how your hair looks, and consider a cold shower a luxury? It’s all about enjoying the simple things of life - acquiring food, drink and shelter, enjoying time spent with friends and family, the beauty of your surroundings, and of course, the music. For me the Grey Fox experience is like living in a kind of Utopian society for a few days. This is why I like to volunteer at Grey Fox – it's more about being part of the festival then paying close attention to all of the musical performances, many of whom I have seen multiple times in the past. My job at the festival for the past 5 years has been in the information booth, where we try to provide answers to questions about the site and surrounding area, as well as take suggestions and raffle entries, and manage the Lost & Found, among other things. As a bonus, I get to meet and greet old friends and new as they pass by on their way to a stage, vendor or campsite.
Much of the main stage audience is rather sedentary (witness the mad dash to place chairs on every available inch of the main concert area as soon as most people arrive), but thankfully there is also a dance tent/ pavilion at Grey Fox where you can cut loose. Musically, I gravitate more towards the non-bluegrass acts, many of whom play in the dance tent – like Big Sandy and the Fly Rite Boys, the Red Stick Ramblers, and the Wilders. On the main stage, I enjoyed the less traditional bluegrass such as Sam Bush, the Steeldrivers, and Missy Raines. The new site on the Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, NY had some improvements over the old site in Ancramdale - namely the vast, flat camping and vendor areas. I was able to ride my bike around the grounds and even off site a bit, and was not so tired from fighting gravity all weekend, as on the previous site. However, the size of the place was a bit daunting, and I missed being able to easily visit all my friends' campsites at night, not wanting to ride my bike in the dark (or while carrying instruments). At the previous site, we always knew where everyone would be camped, but now it is a whole new world. It took a while to figure out where everyone was – some were almost a half mile away, in the far corner near quiet camping. Also the position of the main stage at the top of a rather steep hill, away from most of the vendors, was a drawback, because you couldn't easily go get food or roam the vendor area from there. Tractor-shuttles were available, but were often full. Like taking the elevators at the Joe Val festival, sometimes you had to go down first to go up.

Lugging fest goers up the hill to the main stage

But aside from that, there was the same kind of familiar, friendly feeling at the festival (minus the drama of weather-related road closures and potential traffic mishaps on the hill) and it ran quite smoothly for the first year at a new place.

My first 24 hours felt a bit surreal. I arrived late Tuesday afternoon and set up in the staff camping area. After a quick staff meeting and some dinner, I passed by a friend’s campsite where they were watching a movie on their computer, “I’m Not There”, the rather bizarre Bob Dylan bio-pic that features several different actors playing various facets of Dylan. That was a trip. Then the next day, after moving into an adjacent site that had been occupied by a group of massage therapists, I took my bike out to explore the local area. I was going to ride to the store, but it was up a steep hill and it was over 90 degrees. So I stopped into a nearby café for an ice coffee and some air conditioning. The café inside was cool, dark and relaxing, with lots of wood, evoking a hobbit feel - but I wasn’t interested in the “spiritual nourishment” that was also being offered … I’ll leave it at that. Entering back into the festival, I rode around the grounds, and encountered a man riding a giant wooden rocking horse, kind of like a scene from the Bob Dylan movie of the night before. I climbed up for a ride and enjoyed the view, overlooking the mountains in the distance, rocking gently in the breeze. After working a few hours that evening, I ventured down to the far reaches of the campgrounds, where a group of friends from back home was set up, and I was amazed to find that they had arrived shortly after 9 am and had ended up so far away.

On Thursday, Joe & a friend were supposed to arrive around 9 pm, and I didn’t have to work until 10 pm, so I had the whole day to enjoy the festival. I climbed the hill for the Dry Branch welcome set at 2 pm. It was moving to hear Ron Thomason reminisce about all the years everyone has gathered for this festival, and they played some of the same songs they had played at the first festival over 30 years ago when it was the Berkshire Mountain Bluegrass festival. (I started attending in 1992, when it was still known as Winterhawk). Even though it was a pain to climb the hill to hear the music, it was fitting that we could still say “on the hill” to describe part of the festival anyway.

View from near the main stage, overlooking the rest of the festival, with camping areas in back

The fiddle fever workshop in the Masters Tent was great – Linzay Young & Kevin Wimmer from the Red Stick Ramblers, Michael Cleveland, and Brian Wicklund from the Kids’ Academy – played together and separately, and took turns explaining how they got started playing, attempting to answer the usual technical questions with not-so-technical answers. ( what kind of bow do you use? I dunno, whatever I can find,..etc). Then the Steeldrivers workshop right after that blew everyone away, myself included. They have a bluesy / country kind of sound, with unique vocals and stellar songwriting. It was fun to hear the stories as well as the songs. Then, after listening to the Red Stick Ramblers doing their swing thing on the main stage, I went to the customary tie-dying session at the Family Stage, thrusting my hands into buckets of red, purple, orange and blue dyes along with all the little kids. Had to get properly colorized for the rest of the weekend! After dinner I went back up on the hill for some music by Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, and to try to contact the guys by cell phone, to no avail. So I rode my bike to the entrance to see if they had arrived, and voila, not only had they turned in their tickets, but had found my campsite! Everything was going according to plan. I worked the booth from 10 to close while they went to see the Steeldrivers. hopefully I'll be able to catch them again at the Podunk bluegrass festival coming up in Hartford in a few weeks.

The notable thing about Grey Fox this year was the heat – temps in the 90’s every day and high humidity made it a challenge to sit out on the hill and listen to music on the main stage, so I didn’t mind working the info booth most of the afternoon – it was shady after all! While I was there I kept hearing reports of a creek on the edge of the property where many of the fest-goers went to cool off, so I was looking forward to jumping in after my shift, which just so happened to coincide with an announcement from the main stage advising people not to swim there. We took a walk down there to check it out anyway, but after seeing the crowds in the shallow water in the hot sun, we opted for cool showers back at camp instead. As you can see in this video someone has posted on youtube, there was a pretty good size jam session going on down there!

Afterwards, the Wilders were really stirring things up in the dance tent with their raucous hootin’ and hollerin’ music, and they were great. So much energy! Then we took the tractor up the hill for some of David Grisman’s set, then walked back down for Big Sandy and the Flyrite boys, probably the furthest from bluegrass, but one of the highlights of my festival, musically. And the dance tent was a good place to be during the thunderstorm, which Sandy took advantage of to play a few extra songs – he didn’t want to go out in it either! Walked back up the hill to end the night with Tim O’Brien and the Infamous Stringdusters, a good combination - but there was nowhere to sit since all the chairs were soaked. Afterwards I took my little accordion out and went to visit my jamming buddies in the hinterlands of the campground, and got to bed after 3 am.

Saturday was a full day – after breakfast I decided to take advantage of one of the volunteer perks, to see Missy Raines & the New Hip from the front row seating area. They were great –more jazzy than bluegrass, she played a set of perky instrumental grooves, joined by guitar, (electric and acoustic) mandolin, dobro and drums. I stayed for some of Chatham County Line, notable for their use of the single microphone, which requires a lot of coordination, and the harmonica. Then I brought my guitar down to the Grassroots stage for a little group lesson. After all these years, I finally learned something about picking bluegrass guitar! (ie., alternating picking directions down/up). After that, I went to see Gravity playing in the dance tent - they were okay for a band from Sweden, but not really inspiring much movement except for a few kids, and of course Dancin’ Chuck. Sometimes the “dance” pavillion is just a nice place to get out of the sun or rain, and sit on a flat surface as opposed to a hill. We had a nice shady camp set up and listened to some of the main stage from there, on the festival radio station, but I wanted to go back up front to see the Gibson Brothers, one of my favorite contemporary bluegrass acts. Love those harmonies and heartfelt songs about country life, especially the one they wrote about Grey Fox festival, with the refrain, "Aint nothin' in the world like bluegrass music."

Cleaned up and went back to work from 6-10. From my vantage point in the info booth, I spotted an old friend walk by, whom I hadn’t seen in years, and was not expecting to see at Grey Fox. She had come down from Vermont with family and friends. It was her first time there and she immediately commented on the great “vibe” at the festival, how it reminded her of the Cajun festival where we used to both volunteer at Escoheag.

After work I made it to the dance tent for some of the Red Stick Ramblers – decidedly not bluegrass, but another of my favorite bands at the festival. They were in Cajun mode, with Jesse Lege on accordion and vocals, and Joel Savoy taking Kevin Wimmer’s place on fiddle. As usual, they had the crowd worked up into a frenzy - not a formal “dance” by any means, but a rocking good time. The Red Sticks were followed by Red Knuckles, who played to a packed dance tent, but I thought it was too hot and crowded there, so we went up to see Sam Bush, who started a bit late. He was good as usual and played a long set, well past 2 am, but I didn’t stay till the end, since I wanted to catch up with my Vermont friends. I brought my accordion down to where they were camped and we jammed and hung out 'til the morning light.

Sunday I was going to go to the Gospel set, but decided to first stick my head in the “town meeting” which was held in the Masters Tent, giving people a chance to meet with the organizers and talk about what went right/ wrong at the festival and the new site. I found it so interesting that I ended up staying for the whole thing. If only all town meetings could be so well run and civilized! There were comments on a number of issues, mostly on the layout of the festival, and the fact that the camping appeared to fill up so quickly. I am sure things will improve next year, as the organizers review the notes from that meeting, the suggestion box, and the surveys that will be filled out in the weeks to come. In the meeting, some people referred to Grey Fox as “their Christmas”, a feeling I can definitely relate to, not only about Grey Fox, but also Jazz Fest, Rhythm and Roots and others. These festivals are the gatherings I look forward to every year, more so than other holidays.

More photos from Grey Fox 2008

Great Connecticut Cajun and Zydeco Festival

2008-06-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

For the second weekend in a row, eastern Connecticut became an extension of South Louisiana, with the Great CT Cajun Zydeco festival at the Sunrise Resort in Moodus, CT,. kind of a throwback to the fifties or sixties, reminiscent of the movie Dirty Dancing. After camping out at festivals the previous 2 weekends, we decided to make this one a day trip, attending Saturday only. The hot and humid weather lent an authentic atmosphere to the event, which featured some bands that we don't get to see so often in these parts, like Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers - WOW! Those guys can sure get a groove going.... His sound reminded me of a brighter, bouncier version of Beau Jocque, and also had some nice vocal harmonies. The day's entertainment started with local favorites River City Slim and the Zydeco Hogs, joined by a guest rubboard player from NY named Professor Jim, the Zydeco Messenger. They were followed by the Magnolia Sisters, then Brian Jack , and the afternoon ended up with the always fun and energetic Pine Leaf Boys, with fiddler Cedric Watson taking a turn on drums. Most of the action at this festival takes place under a huge tent, which was attended by a few hundred faithful fans of the music and dancing we have all grown to love. We spent the day visiting with friends and working up a sweat on the dance floor, but never made it to the swimming pool since (for the 3rd weekend in a row) thunderstorms threatened at the end of the afternoon set, when we left to go home... though the fest continued til around 1 am and then again on Sunday. Other bands who played there but we did not get to see were Dora and the Zydeco Bad Boys, another rarity in this area, and Corey Ledet. Missed the Basin Brothers, who were not there this year for the first time in I don't know how long. All in all, an enjoyable time at laid back and relaxed festival with a down-home feel. Kudos to the organizers for bringing us some of these not too familiar zydeco bands.

Blast from the Bayou at Strawberry Park

2008-06-10T02:48:00.000-07:00

With temperatures in the 90's and high humidity, last weekend began our first heatwave of the season. So it was as much to escape the heat and enjoy the wooded setting and resort-like amenities offered at Strawberry Park that we headed to the 12th annual Blast from the Bayou. The four day festival began on Thursday and featured an extensive lineup of well known Cajun and Zydeco acts, plus the Radiators to add a little variety. We arrived on Saturday around 2 pm, and purchased a 2-day ticket w/ an overnight option. Because Strawberry Park is a full service campground/ RV Park, they don' t require festival goers to purchase a full weekend pass to camp just one night. We set up our chairs in the shady amphitheater, just as Chris Ardoin was finishing up his set. One thing about Strawberry Park is they have continued to make improvements over the years, adding 2 dance floors - one right in front of the stage, and one off to side surrounded by trees, giving the effect of being in a large treehouse.

The festival has 2 stages, one in the wooded amphitheater, and another under a tent adjacent to the main pavilion which houses a snack bar and rec center, with lots of picnic tables from which to watch the music, so you don't have to carry your chair over (although you may). Beyond the rec center is a pool complex with 3 swimming pools and 2 hot tubs, so this is where we headed between bands, which alternate from one stage to the next. There is usually only a 15-20 minute break , but you can hear the music from the pool. I just kept my bathing suit on with a sarong or sun-dress on for the whole festival. The water was freezing cold (the air temperature had been in the 50's during the week, only warming up on Saturday) but provided a much needed refresher once I finally got in. However the sounds of Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys coming from rec center lured me back out. It is hard to see the band unless you are dancing on the large wooden dance floor under the tent, which was no problem.

The lineup I printed out a couple weeks in advance had the Radiators slated for two 1-hour sets, one at noon (!), and one at 6 pm following a scheduled one-hour dinner break (when they traditionally allow evening only attendees to come in for a lower price). But they wisely shifted around the schedule to allow the Rads one 2-hour set from 5-7 with no dinner break. From the pool area, we could hear them starting up, so we made our way back over to the amphitheater.

All these years of following New Orleans music, I have not seen the Radiators as much as you might think, only about a half-dozen times or so, including last weekend's Crawfish Fest, last year's midweek party during Jazzfest and a couple times at Rhythm and Roots and maybe one or two other festivals. In other words, it has always been at an event where there is a lot going on, or lots of people to talk to. This set at Strawberry Park was the first time I was able to focus on the music and get pretty close. I had thought they would be like a fish out of water at this festival, which was attended by more zydeco dancers than Fish Heads. But the dancers, who never stopped, seemed to enjoy the different style and kept grooving throughout the set. Looking around at the crowd, and the Radiators themselves, the song "Never Let your Fire Go Out" was an apt anthem.

The Pine Leaf Boys played after them under the Rec Center tent, with guest accordionist Jesse Lege on a few songs. Then, everyone who must have been hanging out at their campsites or at the pool emerged and packed the dance floor for the last set of the night, by the ever popular Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie.

Sunday brunch at the Strawberry Grill snack bar featured a "Cajun Omelet" filled with shrimp & sausage in a tomato based creole sauce. Well, it was Italian sausage but isn't that the Cajun way? Use what's available! It was pretty good, especially accompanied by BYO Bloody Mary's. Then right back on the dance floor for Jesse Lege & Bayou Brew, followed by Corey Ledet in the amphitheater. It was still really hot, so more pool time was in order before watching
Beausoleil, who played a beautiful set featuring more waltzes and instrumental numbers, (including one of my old favorites, Dimanche Apres Midi) instead of non stop raucous dance music. Not to say they there wasn't dancing, just at a more relaxed pace, and most dancers tried to stay in the shade.

Chris Ardoin ended up the day with his style of R&B tinged zydeco, ending just as a perfectly timed thunder storm rolled in, bringing relief to the heat.

More pictures from Strawberry Park

Crawfish Fest in NJ

2008-06-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

What comes to mind when you think of New Jersey? Jersey Turnpike, Jersey Shore, Jersey Girls, Springsteen, the Sopranos, Atlantic City, blueberry farms? Last weekend it was more like jambalaya, crawfish and gumbo. Add in some accordions and rubboards, hot Texas blues, a band of trombones playing funk, jazz and rock, including a Led Zeppelin cover, and you have Michael Arnone’s 19^th Annual Crawfish Fest, where we experienced all that and more. The 3-day festival in Northwest New Jersey made us feel like we were right back in Southwest Louisiana.

We arrived at the Sussex County fairgrounds a little after 2 pm and set up our camp, which consists of a conversion van , a folding table and chairs, a tent to store gear, and something for shade. We relaxed and visited with friends for awhile, then made our way over into the festival grounds, where I’d heard they were serving free jambalaya for campers only - one of the many perks offered to entice people to camp for the weekend rather than just go for a day. Expecting a small sample, I could barely finish the mountain of delicious jambalaya from Daddy Arnone’s giant pot, which resembled an industrial size washing machine tub. And as if that wasn’t enough, we were served a boatload of spicy boiled crawfish, too, which we devoured while listening to Donna the Buffalo. A shot of ice cold Jaeger purchased from the local firemen was a nice touch, helping to cool down our throats after all that spice. Afterwards we grooved to a nice long set by the Radiators. The Friday night music was for campers only, and it took place inside a pavilion with bleacher seats on the side, and a cement floor. That is one unique feature of the festival site - all the permanent structures that are part of the fairgrounds, which is used for equine and agricultural shows and an annual county fair, provide shelter in case of heat or bad weather. And the bathrooms are completely civilized! Instead of the usual porta-potties and makeshift showers (if your lucky) they have real indoor plumbing, plenty of stalls with an attendant (!) handing out paper towels and sundries, and free hot showers. It makes a huge difference to the "camping" experience, which is really not so much like camping as it is like an extended tailgate party.

We returned to our spot in Threadhead Village, home to dozens of friends we’ve met at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage fest over the years, to find a pile of mints for our pillows, which had been left for us by Melissa the Crawfish Camping Fairy. We are used to camping at fests and have our own set up, so we chose not to join in on the food commune that some of the other folks had organized. Plus, I wanted to try more of the food from the vendors, over the weekend. We appreciated the campfire though and it was nice to be near everyone, and relatively close to the music too. I did bring my accordion and was looking for people to jam with, but didn’t really find any. That is the one thing I found lacking, compared to the other music/camping festivals I go to. Well, my hubby and my girlfriend did their best to accompany me with a rubboard and a wooden frog, but I would have loved to see more musicians in the campgrounds. If any of my jamming buddies from Rhythm and Roots or Grey Fox are reading this, consider checking out this festival next year.

Saturday the sun woke us up at 5 am (because we didn’t put up the big tarp) but clouds rolled in and after breakfast, it started raining. Actually, according to the weather forecasts, we were expecting a washout that day and wore our yellow slickers into the festival. Of course, because of that, it stopped raining by the time we arrived at the main stage, and Roddie Romero and the Hub City All Stars took the stage, playing a lively set of Cajun and swamp pop music to dance to. Soon it was too hot to wear the rain gear, and it eventually turned out to be a beautiful day! We saw Little Freddy King, Leroy Thomas, Tab Benoit. Lunch was a scrumptious fried oyster po’boy and some turkey/quail/andouille gumbo. We watched a little of piano player Mitch Woods but after waking up so early we were tired and retreated back to camp for a nap during Donna the Buffalo, who we see quite often. We could hear them pretty well from the van though, and they sounded really good. I was eagerly anticipating the Funky Meters set, and it was great to see Art Neville, George Porter, and Russell Batiste. They started off slow and seemed to take a while to get going. In my opinion, it wasn’t the most inspired set I’ve heard from those guys, but I liked when they played Hey Pocky Way and some other New Orleans classics.

The set ended abruptly right on time, with a severe weather scare – possible tornadoes and hail! We rushed back to button things up at camp then sat in the van to wait it out, but luckily it wasn’t too bad, and didn't last long. After dinner we were treated to an awesome set by Tab Benoit’s band with guests Mitch Woods, Leroy Thomas, and Ruben the Rubboard player, who was going absolutely nuts on that thing. That set was definitely the high point of Saturday, maybe the whole weekend. There weren't too many people at Leroy's set in the dance hall earlier that afternoon, so it was so great to see the reception he and Ruben got during the night set. We get to see Leroy quite often, but it’s usually at a dance where that kind of showmanship is not fully appreciated. The crowd at the Crawfish Fest nighttime set – again, only available to campers – lapped it right up. Again it rained a bit, but the performance was under the pavilion, so it did not matter. By the time it finished around 10 pm the rain had ended too and we returned to Threadhead Village to hang with our friends.

Sunday morning started with the Lee Boys, who were great – they play that Robert Randolph kind of Sacred Steel. Then Rosie Ledet decided not to show up for some unknown reason, so Leroy Thomas was tapped to fill in. Alright! Another smoking zydeco set by Leroy and the Zydeco Roadrunners, especially that wildman Ruben on the rubboard. They had a chance to shine in front of a bigger audience than they would have had in the dance tent, and there were lots more people there Sunday because the weather was perfect. Dancers were not relegated to a side area - there were lots of people dancing, right in front of the stage, just like in Louisiana.

I loved hearing Bonerama on Sunday - I thought they were even better than last year. Railroad Earth sounded OK but I wasn't in the mood for them right after Bonerama. We had to get going anyway, though, so we said our goodbyes during RRE and hit the road. I probably would have stayed to hear some of Allen Toussaint if he had been on right after Bonerama. At this festival, I like hearing the New Orleans style music more. Even Donna the Buffalo, who I really like, I could have done without, since we see them at so many other festivals around here. At Crawfish Fest, I would love to see more brass bands, jazz bands, the kind of stuff we don't get so much of up here... of course that's why I go to New Orleans Jazzfest, which is the ultimate.... but this Crawfish fest to me is sort of like an extension of Jazzfest, in a more relaxed setting. In fact, I think what I like most about it is the relaxed atmosphere – no one is jockeying for position, or hogging space. Rather than fighting for a spot up front, many people stake their claim in the back, where they set up shade canopies. People go up front to see the band up close and dance in front of the stage, then retreat to the back when they want to chill out and talk.

There were times it felt just like being at jazzfest, looking around and seeing so many smiling familiar faces, with the bonus of actually having time to socialize at the fest and in the camp, without all the running around.

Many thanks to Michael, Chuck, Melissa, and the rest of the Crawfish Krewe for making this festival such a fun and relaxing event. We hope to return next year for the 20th annual.

Here is a link to the rest of my pictures from Crawfish Fest 2008 http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563673932qRCtHk

Additional photos by Swag , proprieter of swagland.com, a great resource for all things Fest.

http://swag.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?ap=&a=67b0de21b34674eee48f&pg=1

Bayou'n'Boogie Fest II

2008-05-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend kicked off a month long run of Lousiana-themed music festivals in the Northeast with the return of Bayou'nBoogie Fest, a joint venture of Sal's and Lagniappe Productions. Last time, it was a one day event in Foster, RI over 4th of July weekend a few years ago, with CJ Chenier headlining. This year it was held at the Elk's club in Smithfield, RI, on Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. The 2 day festival featured several Cajun and Zydeco bands and one blues act, but we only attended one day, since we sometimes have to take a break from all this festive living to tend to other tasks, like getting the garden started. So we headed out there on Sunday, when Curley Taylor and Leroy Thomas were the featured Louisiana acts, augmented by local favorites Lil Anne & Hot Cayenne, River City Slim and the Zydeco hogs, and Midwest based Dennis Stroughmatt & Creole Stomp. The setting was on a lake in a semi-rural area, with a covered wooden dance floor outdoors. The Elk's hall served as a place for accordion and dance workshops. A few hundred people were there, mostly a core group of dancers from the local area. It was a nice laid back and relaxed event, and may become an annual event.

Here's link to some of my photos from Bayou'n'Boogie Fest II

Jazzfest 2008 - First Weekend (and a few more days)

2008-05-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

No place embodies the spirit of festive living as much as the city of New Orleans, so when we go for Jazzfest, it is not for just a music festival, but an entire sensory experience of music, food, and hanging out with friends from all over the country. It is the kind of vacation where you have to spend a few days resting afterwards.... in other words, the good kind! Here's how we spent our 6 days there for Jazzfest 2008:

Thursday

We arrived in the French Quarter around 12:30, had some lunch at Napoleon House, then eased into fest mode by checking out some in-store performances at Louisiana Music Factory, and a couple of $2 Abita drafts at Ol'Toones saloon across the street. Checked into our hotel on Royal Street, then went back out to see the Rebirth Brass Band outside of La Belle Gallerie on Chartres.

This happened to be right across the street from Bacco restaurant, which was having a half-price wine happy hour; they had a table available, so we decided to have dinner there, and indulged in a decadent plate of lobster ravioli in champagne cream sauce. Not exactly New Orleans-style cuisine but delicious just the same. Met up with some friends at the hotel, and joined some of them at the Howling Wolf... for a so-called "brass band blowout", but we arrived during a very long set break and only ended up seeing one band, the Hot 8.

Friday
was the perfect opening day - started out with beautiful clear blue skies and sun, not too hot- and was our fullest day at Jazz Fest, which is like a big family reunion. We hit Liuzza's first, our favorite pre /post fest gathering spot, to have a couple of the most festive Bloody Marys in town while catching up with old friends, some we hadn't seen since last year's jazzfest. After a brief stop in the Gospel tent to get energized (and apply sunscreen) we went for a festival breakfast of Oyster Patty for me and Cochon de Lait for Joe, then headed over to Fais Do Do to catch the Figs, a new all-girl band out of Lafayette, playing country/ western swing. They had good harmonies and interesting material, plus colorful retro outfits.

They were followed by Joe Hall & the Louisiana Cane cutters, a traditional sounding Creole accordion player with 2 fiddle players in the band. After that we headed to the blues tent to see J. Monque D' a blues harmonica player/ singer , who is always entertaining. On the way in to the fest we had run into an old friend who is always raving about a Latin band called "Paky Saavedra's bandido", so we decided to check them out. We heard a few songs like "la Bamba", "Guantanamero", etc. then went to meet up with some friends. After that, we went to the blues tent to see CC Adcock & Doyle Bramhall - straight ahead blues/ rock, then over to Acura for Robert Plant & Alison Krauss- wow! I liked this more than I thought I would. It sounded better live than on the CD. T-bone Burnett and Buddy Miller accompanied them. They sounded good together, and I liked Plant's rendition of Allen Toussaint's "Fortune Teller". Hearing Black Dog with banjo was cool and they sounded good together on some of Alison's tunes too. However after spending over 30 minutes standing, shoulder to shoulder, packed in the thick crowd, barely able to move, craning my neck to see, I had to move on, and headed over to Congo Square for Leo Nocentelli's Rare Funk gathering. At least you could move around there, and dance, though it seemed to end a little early. Next was Ozomatli on the Gentilly stage, a kind of world music mix, with lots of percussion and horns and dance moves. Then in true Jazzfest fashion we switched gears again and went back to fais-do-do for Bruce Daigrepont, where we got some good Cajun dancing in. Ai-eee!

It's been a while since I've witnessed the watermelon sacrifice at Jazzfest, that bizarre ritual that takes place before the last act on the Fais do-do stage. It's tough to describe in words but I took some video:

After that was grammy award winning Terrence Simien, who always puts on a good show. There was a good crowd there.

Then we drifted back to Congo Square for the mellow reggae of Burning Spear, who seemed to be making up songs on the spot, and on the way out, stopped in Economy Hall to hear jazz chanteuse Banu Gibson. ...We saw about a dozen different acts that day, not counting the Second line parades and Mardi Gras Indians. It was a great first day at the fest!

Dinner that night was at Deanie's seafood - char broiled oysters, fried oysters and shrimp, stuffed crab. Yum!

Saturday

We started out in Economy Hall, where we heard Connie Jones' Crescent City jazz Band. After so much running around the day before it was nice to have a seat in this tent, listening to the traditional dixieland Jazz band. After that it was over to Fais Do Do to see Hadley J. Castille, a Cajun band with a country/ string band style. The next act I wanted to see was Turbinton's House - tribute to Willie Tee and Earl Turbinton, two brothers on the New Orleans music scene, who had both passed away within the last year. Those tributes can be good, since you never know who might show up. The first part of the set was the jazz portion, with members of Astral Project, and David Torkanowsky on piano; the second half was more of an R&B set. A few minutes into this tribute set, it started pouring rain outside, and became very crowded in the tent, so we stayed for the rest of the day, and this was how I heard the most jazz ever in one day at Jazz fest. Ever since the schedule came out, I was looking forward to seeing Billy Joel that day, and maybe some of the Ponderosa Stomp revue in the neighboring Blues tent, but we decided to stay put since we had pretty good seats in the jazz tent, and it was not a bad thing. Astral Project was up next, and they were very good. I had heard of them for years, but never seen them before. Then we were treated to a tight performance by the 17-piece Count Basie Orchestra, led by the dapper and dignified looking John Hughes.

That's how it goes at jazzfest- usually whatever you see is bound to be something good, even if it is not something you planned on. Later that night we headed out to Rock'n'Bowl, where we saw Jon Cleary, then Sonny Landreth.

Sunday started off sunny, though the grounds were still muddy from the day before. After an extravagant breakfast at Brennan's, we arrived at the fairgrounds a little later that day, starting off in the Gospel tent with Shades of Praise, then a little hoo-na-tee-na-nay, with the Golden Star Hunters Mardi Gras Indians. We watched a bit of Shamarr Allen, then made our way over to the Voice of the Wetlands Allstars at Acura. If you could only see one set at jazzfest, that was a good one to pick, since it included Tab Benoit, Dr. John, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Jumpin' Johnny Sansone. As they sang "Don't let the water - wash us away" I looked up at the darkening skies and echoed the song's plea. The next song was "Louisiana Sunshine" but it didn't do much to stop the deluge.

After about a half-dozen more songs, including a touching Johnny Sansone ballad for everyone trying to return home to New Orleans, the skies opened up and sent us running for cover under a food tent. When it let up a little bit we made our way over to the Gospel tent for a while, and I convinced Joe to stay by taking shelter in the Grandstands - it just couldn't rain all day! As we approached the sheltered Lagniappe stage inside the paddock area, we heard a familiar twang - the schedule said "Del McCoury Interview" but there was no interview, just Del and The Boys, picking away! I guess the interviewer didn't want to compete with the sound of the raindrops. No strangers to rainy festivals, the conditions didn't seem to bother them, and they let loose with their trademark hard-driving bluegrass, studded with humor. The announcer said they would be on the Fais-do-do stage later, and Del quipped, we'll be "dosey-do-ing". It was funny, they were one band I had not planned on trying to see that day, because I usually get to see them at other bluegrass festivals. But the venue provided a welcome refuge, and the music was uplifting anyway. Since it was still coming down pretty good we decided to stay put, and I slurped down a dozen oysters while listening to the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars. As soon as the sky started to brighten, we went back out, and I headed down to the jazz tent to see Nicholas Payton. The sun was back out, and I met up with Joe afterwards near Fais-do-do, where Del and the boys were playing to a mud-stomping crowd that included a couple of hula-hoopers. Not your average bluegrass festival.

For the last set of the day, I found a peaceful, relatively dry spot to watch Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint from across a moat full of with turtles. From that vantage point, I could hear and see the video screen pretty well and it was right near the Mango Freeze booth --- ah, nirvana! a nice way to end the day at the faigrounds, though we left a little earlier than usual, in search of dry socks and hot food. Even though it was a little wet, it was still a good jazzfest.

Here are the rest of my pictures from the first weekend.

Monday was a nice relaxing day, full of surprises. We had breakfast at Mena's, then wandered down to the French Market for some shopping, and rode the streetcar back and went to LMF to get some CD's. A little later we headed over to our friends' house in Gentilly for the raffle drawing / party, which I wrote about several weeks ago. There was some delicious food, including our hosts' famous homemade crawfish bread and crawfish cheesecake, and dozens of Threadheads hanging out in the backyard. Paul Sanchez, (ex-guitarist from Cowboy mouth, singer, songwriter, and just one of New Orleans uniquely talented musicians) was there, and silly me, I thought he was just there as an invited guest, and just "happened" to have his guitar with him. But he was there to perform, and he entertained us with a beautiful set of originals and covers, as only he can do it. Some were funny, like Manana, and Hurricane Party, and some were sad. When he sang Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927" there was not a dry eye, but he soon lifted us back up with "At the Foot of Canal Street". While all this was going on, the raffle prizes were being drawn inside, so at the end of the performance, some people were matched up with their winnings. I won a bunch of CD's and DVD's, mostly live recordings - can't wait to hear them all! Later on we went to Gumbo Shop for dinner, then on the advice of a couple of friends we just met, to Kerry Irish pub to see Kim Carson, and there was a whole crew of threadheads there too! Kim said something about Jazzfest being the best time in New Orleans, when all the real music lovers descend upon the city, and I must agree, it is wonderful to be in the company of so many like-minded individuals. We love it!

Tuesday was the fourth annual Threadhead party, aka "the patry", an excellent ending to the week that made up for some of the less than ideal conditions at the fairgrounds over the weekend. Organized by a group of threadheads from all over North America, what started as a simple backyard gathering in 2005 has turned into a somewhat larger event with a fundraising component, which benefits New Orleans Musicians Clinic (NOMC) and Silence is Violence (SIV) [see previous posts in this blog, or visit threadheads.org for more info.] This year over $20k was donated to the 2 charities, mostly from the raffle. The party itself was almost like a mini version of Jazzfest, but without all the running around. It started around noon, with Bob French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, followed by the Hot 8 Brass band, who were joined by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and some Mardi Gras Indians.

Paul Sanchez entertained us again, this time with his "Rolling Road show" revue, which included John and Lillian Boutte, Craig Klein from Bonerama, Susan Cowsill, and more.

To eat, there was plenty of boiled crawfish, jamabalaya, shrimp pasta, salad, and awesome desserts - plus plenty of beer, soft drinks, and spiked ice tea from the Old New Orleans Rum Distillery. One of the highlights of the day was the performance by the kids from the SIV sponsored music clinic, supported through the Fest4kidz initiative. What a jam! From where I was standing it was hard to get good pictures; here is a link to a short video on youtube. After that, Big Sam's Funky Nation got everybody grooving, then Shamarr Allen closed out the night with his band. The bass player, Will, had won a grammy for his work with Terrence Simien, and he brought the grammy out for all of us to behold. The night ended with a everyone second-lining and singing along to his "Meet me on Frenchmen Street", around 10pm.

A ten-hour party sounds like a long time, but it just flies by when in the company of good friends, great music and food, like a fest within the fest.

More pictures from Monday's raffle party and Tuesday's Threadhead patry

Inevitably, we had to leave New Orleans the next day, but we will return next year for Jazzfest, if not before. We consoled ourselves the following weekend by watching and listening to live internet broadcasts 2nd weekend... some year I hope to be able to make it for both weekends, but I don't think I would ever want to trade first weekend for second... there's just something about being there for the opening day that is so special.

Jazz Fest Training, and Recovery

2008-04-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

Jazzfest starts in less than two weeks, but there are some fine events taking place in the Northeast to help us get in shape (musically that is). Last night we were treated to a smokin' zydeco show by JJ Callier and the Zydeco Knockouts, at the German Club in Pawtucket. This was my first time seeing them and I was impressed by the way he alternated between different styles of zydeco and more, deftly switching between three accordions (single row, triple, and full-size piano key). The rubboard player and drummer kept a great groove going, reminding me a little of Beau Jocque on some songs ... heard later that the drummer used to play with Beau. Then the bass player (a Broussard) took a turn on accordion and he kicked it up even more. The dance floor was hopping all night.

Next Thursday 4/17, Marcia Ball will be at the Narrows Center for the Arts, and Saturday 4/19 CJ Chenier returns to the German Club.

After the fest there is a month long run of festivals featuring Lousiana Music:
The Bayou and Boogie Fest by Sals Productions on Memorial Day weekend brings a couple of Louisiana zydeco bands back to RI: Curley Taylor, Leroy Thomas , plus Dennis Stroughmatt, and local favorites Magnolia and Li'l Anne.

Later that week, Bonerama and Tab Benoit play at Chan's in Woonsocket, just before appearing at Mike Arnone's Crawfish Fest in NJ, 5/30 - 6/1, which again features a stellar jazz-fest like lineup, including Alan Toussaint, Rosie Ledet, Little Freddy King, the Radiators, and so much more. Check it out at http://www.crawfishfest.com/

The following weekend 6/5 - 6/8 is the Blast from the Bayou at Strawberry park, featuring Beausoleil, Steve Riley, Geno Delafose (to name just a few) , followed by the Cajun / Zydeco fest at Sunrise resort in Moodus CT. with its annual visits from Brian Jack, Dora and the zydeco Bad Boys, Pine Leaf boys and more.

If you're a fan of Louisiana music but favor more of the New Orleans styles, the Radiators and Henry Butler will be at the Narrows around that time too..... as well as lots of other excellent shows. There may be some I've left out, but I am not trying to give a comprehensive listing here- I am just amazed at the wealth of Lousiana music that will seemingly be following us up north after Jazz Fest. This may make it a little easier to leave the promised land of New Orleans and head home to New England, knowing that we will still be dancing and grooving our way into summer with some of our favorite bands. And that is just in June!

On Line Raffle to Benefit New Orleans Music

2008-03-20T18:12:00.001-07:00

New Orleans Jazzfest is only about a month away and I CAN'T WAIT! A highlight of my trip to Jazzfest for the past several years has been festing and and partying with other Jazzfest fanatics from all over the US, Canada and overseas that I've met through the Jazzfest message board. This forum is a great way to keep up with all the news and tips on stuff to do in New Orleans before, during and after Jazzfest. Due to the somewhat addictive nature of the board, and the fact that topics are called "threads", those of us who read and post there have come to be called Threadheads.

In 2008, for the third year in a row, some of the Threadheads have organized an online raffle to benefit New Orleans Musicians Clinic, which provides access to health and social welfare services for the local music community. A new beneficiary this year is a charity called Fest4Kids, which partners with Silence is Violence in a program to give New Orleans youth an opportunity to learn and play music, mentored by some of the talented local musicians, and to send kids to fest that might not otherwise be able to afford it.

There are over 100 items being raffled off this year, in so many categories - collectibles, music, art, travel and more. The way the raffle works, is you buy tickets for specific items on the website, threadheadraffle.org using Paypal. You can buy several tickets for one item, or one ticket for each of several items. Some of the prizes are for use in New Orleans, like tickets to night shows and restaurant certificates, but there are lots of other fun items that can be enjoyed anywhere, like t-shirts, posters, one-of-a-kind hand made artwork, jewelry, wine, and so much more. In the Travel category, there is a trip to Disney World being offered, as well as a weekend in New Orleans. And in the category of "Other", there's even an animatronic parrot - Squawkers McCaw - who loves to go to festivals!

The Threadhead Raffle will be held on 4/28, the Monday between Jazzfest weekends in New Orleans, but you need not be present to win. Prizes not picked up in New Orleans will be shipped to the winner, who will be notified by email. A list of the winners will also be posted on the messageboard. You can read more about the Threadheads, the raffle, and other related projects here. But to jump in and buy some tickets for any of these fun items, please click the link below:

Mardi Gras - RI Style

2008-02-24T17:14:00.000-08:00

A fine time was had by all last night at the RI Mardi Gras Ball (yeah, I know Mardi Gras was a few weeks ago, but it's RI and we do it our way)

The Mardi Gras Ball was like a really great night in the dance tent at Rhythm and Roots, only with a much more spacious and comfortable dance floor. The Hot Tamale Brass band kicked things off, playing for early arrivals, and also between sets, during the costume parade to make it extra festive. The Red Stick Ramblers were joined by Jesse Lege on accordion, then Steve Riley and the Mamou playboys took the stage. What made it seem more like the festival was the jam at the end of the set, when Tara Nevins of Donna the Buffalo joined them on rubboard, plus Kevin Wimmer of the Red Stick Ramblers also returned to the stage, with Brad Frank on drums, for an extended "Oh Mam" jam then a bluesy "All Night Long".

Then Tara and Kevin also played with Keith Frank. This is like the half way point between the last Rhythm and and Roots and the next one, so it is a good opportunity to reunite with many of our festival-loving friends, looking forward to another season of festive living.

Here is some video of the costume parade - lots of good ones, including some Roman soldiers, pirates, Marie Antoinette, and a jambalaya pot. The grand prize winners were a pair of colorful Mardi Gras Peacocks. I think one of the prizes this year was a tattoo or body piercing - glad I didn't go nuts putting together a costume for this one! My favorite was a gent dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, who can be seen dancing around. He didn't win, but I think he should have won something for most gutsy.

Jammin' at Joe Val

2008-02-18T17:36:00.000-08:00

The Joe Val Bluegrass festival is held at a 6-story Sheraton hotel that resembles a castle.
Upon entering this bluegrass kingdom, you are in for an experience that may at first seem more like a conference or convention than a festival because of its indoor setting, but as soon as you arrive, you realize this is no ordinary hotel experience. The entire hotel is filled with bluegrass musicians and fans, and there is usually a jam or two taking place right in the main lobby.

When one thinks of elevator music, it usually brings to mind some bland, boring background music meant to relax, but invariably having the opposite effect (at least to me). But at the festival this past weekend in Framingham, MA , the term "elevator music" took on a whole new meaning. As you ride the elevator between floors, you can hear the sounds of banjos and mandolins getting closer and closer and then surprise! The doors slide open to a pickin' party. Don't care for that rendition of "Old Home Place"? Step back in, go up or down a floor and find another group playing "Foggy Mountain Breakdown". This is what turns a 3-day concert into a real bluegrass festival, since bluegrass is a type of music where a high percentage of the audience are musicians themselves. You can just travel between floors listening to or taking part in endless jams all weekend.

Of course, these spontaneous jams are just one part of the 3 day event, the main focus of which is to present high quality bluegrass music from a wealth of national and regional bands. This year's festival seemed to be skewed more to the traditional side of bluegrass. On Friday night, Miller's Crossing, from NY, sang about a Cabin in the Pines and other such classic bluegrass subjects, and Mike Cleveland's aptly named band Flamekeeper closed out the night with their hard-driving music to a very enthusiastic crowd. Even though that was his only official set on the main stage, he joined several others the next day. It is such a joy to watch Michael play fiddle. After that I was in no mood to settle in for the night so I went wandering the halls in search of more music, and it was easy to find. Just step into aforementioned elevator, press the button and see what happens.

The next day, after a visit to the fitness center, I decided to try a yodeling workshop, and apparently I wasn't the only one intrigued by this, as it was standing room only in one of the conference rooms on the lower level. Have you ever heard of harmony yodeling? I wasn't sure I had, but it sounded very nice when Alan Kaufman and his partner demonstrated it, and all of us weekend cowpokes were eager to try it as well. Yodel-lay-ee-hoo!

After that I went to hear Frank Wakefield Band upstairs in the main room - he has a unique style, and is quite entertaining to watch, impishly playing his mandolin in his band-mates' ears while they are trying to take a break. He seemed to be having a great time up there, but I was pretty far back during that set, and got to appreciate his antics from a closer angle at a workshop later on. I also went downstairs to the vendor's area to hear some bands on the showcase stage. The whole lower level of the hotel has been renovated, so it is less maze-like and more open, so it was easier to listen to the bands on the showcase stage. Representatives from Grey Fox bluegrass festival had a table set up there, with pictures and info on the new site for that festival, and most people stopping by seemed receptive to and excited about the new digs in Greene County, NY.

My favorite band on Saturday was the Steeldrivers, a band with a traditional sort of name, but one of the less "bluegrassy" sounds, even though the instrumentation was traditional string band. The guitarist/lead vocalist had a bluesy, outlaw-country style, and harmonized beautifully with the female fiddle player. Looking forward to seeing them at other festivals this summer.


Steeldrivers	Steep Canyon Rangers

Audie Blaylock and Redline, then the Steep Canyon Rangers, got things back on the hard-driving bluegrass track. Veterans Seldom Scene closed out the night on the main stage. I enjoyed another night of jam-hopping, though I was not inspired to join in with my bluegrass accordion, since some of my usual cohorts were missing. One sign of the festival's success is that the hotel sells out so quickly, months in advance, so not everyone that would like to attend can make it. Sure there are other hotels in the area, but if you want to participate in the after hours jams, it is best to stay on site.

Sunday was a mad scramble to get everything packed up and ready to go -then downstairs for more music. My favorite band on Sunday was a family group called the Abrams Brothers, 14 and 16 year old brothers from Canada, with a cousin on bass and father on guitar, plus Bob Burtch on Mandolin and Brandon Green on banjo. They were amazing instrumentalists and did a varied set of bluegrass, gospel, progressive instrumentals, and some covers of Arlo Guthrie and Bob Dylan songs from their upoming recording.

Reminiscent of the time the Grascals filled in for someone due to illness a few years ago, the
surprise set of the afternoon was a last minute substitution. The band Dailey and Vincent were snowed in somewhere and couldn't make it, so James King and Audie Blaylock's bands joined forces for a rousing set of double-barreled bluegrass in the style of Jimmy Martin, the Stanley Brothers, and other classic material. It was a great unplanned set. Here's a little snippet of them doing "How Mountain Girls can Love":

Blue Highway wound things up for the weekend, with their dobro accented bluegrass and thoughtful country songwriting. And speaking of Stanley Bros, they augmented their set with some very funny Ralph Stanlely impressions, including a mock rendition of Led Zeppelin's Black Dog. As usual the weekend went by much too fast, so we're Goin' Down the Road feelin' Bad, like this guy:

But thanks to the magic of digital photography and youtube we can already start reliving it! Some of my other photos of the 2008 Joe Val festival can be viewed here. And it won't be long now til festival season is in full swing. Next weekend there is more festive living on tap at the RI Mardi Gras Ball. See, winter's not so bad!

Grey Fox finds a Home

2008-02-10T18:08:00.000-08:00

Uncertainty has been in the air the past few months, ever since the news came out in December that the Rothvoss Farm in Ancramdale, NY, was to be sold. Where would our beloved Greyfox Bluegrass festival, which has taken place at that same location every July for the past 30+ years, be moved to? After much rumor and speculation, an official announcement was made today on the Greyfox website, naming Walsh Farm in nearby Greene County, NY as the successor to the Rothvoss Farm. This should ease any doubts in the minds of some potential festival goers who may have been on the fence about making plans without knowing where we would end up. The new location, with its camping described as being "on the level" sounds promising. While I will miss the beautiful sunsets and overall atmosphere of the old location, I will not miss many of the challenges of festing on a hillside - walking on a slant all weekend, constantly trying to keep things in camp from rolling away, digging the tires in, worrying about people parking their cars the wrong way, getting stuck up top or down below when the road is closed due to r**n. It is still in the mountains of upstate NY, in the Hudson Valley, an area known for its natural beauty and laid back atmosphere - home to Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. An article in a local newspaper, the Independent, says it is "right off the Thruway (I-87), ... and also comes with a stream for wading", which will be great for those hot July days. I am looking forward to finding out more about the new site in the coming months, and possibly at next weekend's Joe Val Festival, where there will undoubtedly be some more info to be shared. Move it on over!

New Orleans Jazz Fest Schedule Releasead

2008-01-27T07:34:00.000-08:00

The performer list for the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was released earlier this week. For Jazzfest enthusiasts, the release of the daily schedules, or "the Dailies", is like Christmas Morning - the only day greeted with more anticipation is the release of the "Cubes", which list in grid format who is playing when on each of the 11 stages. Because we've had our fest plans set for some months now (after coming across an unbeatable hotel deal in the fall) we are already set for first weekend and a few days after, so the schedule doesn't really factor into our plans. This year's "Big Name Acts" or BNA's include Robert Plant & Alison Krause, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Buffet, Tim McGraw, Santana, Steel Pulse, Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint, Randy Newman and O.A.R. (apparently a Big Name but unknown to me). Those are some of the names I will likely toss around when people unfamiliar with New Orleans ask me who's playing the fest this year, and while I plan to check out some of them, I am most excited about just being there and taking in the full atmosphere, racing from stage to stage in an attempt to experience as much as possible, making new musical discoveries, enjoying old favorites, (especially the only-in-New Orleans bands that don't come up this way too often), stopping to sample delectable food offerings, parade a little bit, and chat with friends along the way. When I saw the schedule I simultaneously thought, "So glad we're going first weekend!", and "aww too bad we're not going second weekend." Especially now that they've added the second Thursday back, providing a seventh full day of festing, and the Neville brothers are scheduled to close out the fest in their first New Orleans appearance since 2005. Unless you plan to stay for 2 weeks, there's no way around it, whichever weekend you pick you're bound to miss something, but must console yourself with the thought of all the great music, food and friends you will get to experience- any time at Jazzfest is better than none at all. Plus, even when you are at the fest, you will miss something no matter what. Since I've had a little time to study the list, here's a short list of who I plan to see at this year's fest:
"BNA's":
Robert Plant & Alison Krause - I've always liked Led Zeppelin, have seen Robert Plant once solo, and have followed the music of Alison Krause and Union Station since she first starting appearing at the RI Cajun & Bluegrass festival when she was about 15 years old. People have been buzzing about a Jazzfest appearance by these two ever since the duet album, produced by T. Bone Burnett, came out last year. I have listened to it, and while much of it sounds dreamy and slow (not usually something I usually look forward to at a Jazzfest performance), it will be interesting to see these two together, plus maybe T Bone and other guests will join them.

Billy Joel - I have not always been a Billy Joel fan, (too "top 40" for me...) but have grown to appreciate him more in recent years. He is one of those artists who has an incredible catalog of hits, and it is sure to be a performance with a lot of audience participation and familiarity. Because it will be at the New Orleans Jazzfest, and he is the Piano Man, I am hoping he includes some guest appearances by other New Orleans piano greats, like Dr. John or Allen Toussaint.

I am most looking forward to the following acts, some of which are only-at-fest type of collaborations: Leo Nocentelli’s “Rare Gathering” feat. Bernie Worrell, Doug Wimbish & Will Calhoun; Doyle Bramhall with C.C. Adcock & the Lafayette Marquis; Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars; Ponderossa Stomp Revue feat. Tammy Lynn, Archie Bell, Roy Head, and Dennis Binder, Big Jay McNeely, Warren Storm w/ Willie Tee & the Cypress Band; Twangorama

And a whole host of real New Orleans bands that I know and love- Dr. John, Irma Thomas, Davell Crawford, Walter Wolfman Washington, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Trombone Shorty, and Shamarr Allen, who sings in Meet me on Frenchmen Street, "they got jazz bands and trad bands, funk bands, and brass bands - whatever your heart desires", Mardi Gras Indians and others we don't usually get to enjoy so often around these parts - too many to list here. Every time I look at this list, I see more to love, and just wait 'til the grids come out! (I'm trying not to look at second weekend, but you can...) A couple more months to make elaborate plans, which usually get laid to waste as soon as we walk through the gates and decide to follow a parade instead of camping out at the big stage- that's the way it goes at Jazzfest. The common question is "who did you miss to see who you saw?" So I don't feel too bad about being there for only one weekend, I can only be at one place at any one time anyway!

First Night with Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Cha's

2008-01-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

First Night Boston is an arts celebration that takes place in many different venues around the city. I have been to similar events in Providence and Newport, but this was my first visit to the original one, in Boston. It is rather spread out, but there are clusters of venues, like churches and hotels. What attracted me to this year's celebration was Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Cha's, but since this is a festival of many different kinds of arts we decided to sample a few other acts to round out the night. One was Birdsongs of the Mesozoic with baritone Oral Moses. They did some avant garde spirituals in a church, and the vocals /arrangements were interesting, but it was a little too serious for my mood. We only stayed for a few, then out to the parade (which looks better on TV than in real life, as it is difficult to get a good viewing spot). But it was fun to be out amongst all the revelers, who were getting ready for the early fireworks on Boston Common. Nathan was scheduled to start the first of 3 sets at 8pm, and shortly before that, the line was snaking all down the block, so we decided to check out some of Valerie Smith, a singer who tries to recreate Nina Simone. It was sweltering in the hotel conference room where she was performing, and she had to keep wiping sweat off her face that was getting in her eyes. She was a good, soulful singer, but not very convincing when she had to read the words of a Bessie Smith song. Out of there and across the street, they were already lined up for Nathan's 2nd set. It was in a huge cavernous space that used to be an armory. Apparently many of the people from the first set just filed right out and got in line for set #2. (They do that at First Night to give everyone a chance to get in.) At first,the audience was tentative, and most people were seated - all the chairs were taken and some were sitting on the floor. But with each song more and more people got up to dance. It's always so much fun to see people's reaction to zydeco music, when they aren't really familiar with it. I kind of take it for granted, but it is a new discovery for many people, especially in this part of the country. The sound was pretty bad in the drafty, high ceilinged armory. But Nathan's spirit was unstoppable, and the band's music is so infectious it is hard to sit still. I was interested in seeing a piano player back at the church a few blocks away, but we knew Nathan was a good bet so we went outside a few minutes before it ended to get back in line for the 3rd set. At the time there was no one else lined up so it felt kind of foolish but as soon as the set ended, more and more people who had been inside went out and re-joined the line. This made it look very desirable to passersby, so even more were attracted. The break was only about 10 minutes and the 2nd time in we got a better seat, which I wasn't in for very long anyway. This time even more people were dancing - some as couples, and others more free spirited moving and shaking, just reacting to the music more than trying to do the prescribed dance steps. As Nathan said towards the end, "If you don't shake a leg at a Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Cha's show, call the undertaker, 'cause you must be dead!" And as he so often says in his shows, when he gets a warm reception, "I'm from Louisiana, but I feel like I'm home". When there's a first-rate zydeco band from Louisiana at a First Night celebration, I feel like I'm home too. I mean, puppet shows and poets are ok, but when it comes to celebrations, there's nothing more upbeat than some good down-home zydeco, and what better way to welcome in the New Year.

Here's a little video plus a link to some photos of the evening's festivities.

Happy 2008 and here's to another year of festive living!

Festive Living 2007 Year in Review

2007-12-19T18:04:00.000-08:00

I started this blog in July, in the middle of Festival Season.... now it's time to catch up with a look back at all of the festivals we attended in 2007:

February

Joe Val Bluegrass Festival, Framingham, MA - This year, we had booked the room/ tickets for Joe Val months ahead of time, without realizing it was the same weekend as the RI Mardi Gras Ball. What a dilemma! I considered leaving the Joe Val fest Saturday to hit the MG Ball, but you know, the bluegrass fest is a fun time too and we were already there, as were many of our friends. So we stayed and had a great time, "camped out" in the hotel with our brother & sister-in-law - thanks to her, we already have our reservations for Joe Val 2008, which is set for Feb 15-18 . I didn't bring my accordion this year since much of the picking at this festival leans more toward the traditional bluegrass style. But it is hard for me to resist joining in,once things get going, and luckily my friend Paul happened to have his accordion with him, which he let me use. Thankfully next year, JV is NOT the same weekend as the Mardi Gras Ball, so I hope to be able to catch both events in 2008.

April

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival (1st weekend + daze between)

The premier event of the season, my favorite "far-away" festival in my favorite city with some of my favorite people. This year, we were in town from the Thursday before first weekend until Wednesday after, and stayed at the Holiday Inn Chateau LeMoyne in the French Quarter. Musical highlights of the fest were Tab Benoit, Lucky Peterson, Bonnie Raitt, Bonsoir Caitin, New Orleans Social Club, and more. Somewhere I have the daily grids with all the bands circled...a visit to Rock'n'Bowl to see Kermit Ruffins, The Wild Magnolias and Bonerama made a full day/night on Saturday. The best part of the whole week was the 3rd annual Threadhead Party that takes place on the Tuesday between weekends at a private home in the Marigny. Five bands provided entertainment - John Boutte & Paul Sanchez, Gumbohead, The Underdawgs led by Shamarr Allen, Papa Mali, and the Radiators - it was like a mini festival, complete with a surprise appearance from the Hot8 Brass Band. Besides being a fun-filled gathering of friends, food and music, the event is also a fundraiser for the New Orleans Musicians clinic. This year over $17,000 was raised for the cause through ticket sales and an online raffle.

Some of our pictures from this year's Jazzfest
and some video from the patry on youtube.

June

Crawfish Fest- Augusta NJ (Sat-Sun)

After hearing about it for years, we finally made it to this New Orleans style festival in rural New Jersey. Read more about it here.

Strawberry Park - Blast from the Bayou - This is a great place to camp, but we were only able to attend on Sunday this year, so we drove down for the day. We got to see Travis Matte and the Zydeco Kingpins in his first Northeast appearance. He was surprised we knew some of his material, but that's the magic of the internet - We listen to KBON all the time and they play him on there alot. We grooved to Donna the Buffalo in the shady grove, and ended up the day dancing to Chris Ardoin.

Moodus Zydeco & Cajun fest at Sunrise Resort. Another great place to camp - more relaxing and free-spirited than Strawberry Park - but again we were only able to attend on Sunday this year. We visited with friends, and got to see Brian Jack, who rarely comes up this way, Keith Frank, and the Basin Brothers. They ended the day with a big jam, maybe 7-8 fiddles up there all sawing away... but as it often happens in these big jams, one lone accordion (played by Jesse Lege) was able to stand up to all of em! ( That's why squeezebox kicks a**!)

July

New Bedford Summerfest was like old home week - we caught up with friends and family at this annual summer festival that takes place on the streets of historic New Bedford, by the waterfront. Beppe Gambetta, a guitar player from Italy, was a highlight this year, and Benoit Bourque, the perennial favorite from Canada delighted the crowds with his foot-stomping accordion playing music "from the kitchen" as they say.

GreyFox Bluegrass Festival - Maybe it was the nearly perfect weather, or the fact that I got there one day earlier than usual, on Tuesday, and had more time to settle in and soak up the vibe, or the stellar musical lineup... Whatever, this festival was magical for me this year, and is the one that inspired me to start this FestiveLiving blog, as a way to gather and share all my memories in one place. Here's the original post from the blog archives. I have heard that the Greyfox festival may be moving to a new location in 2008, so I am glad to have documented it more than usual this year.

The rest of these are also in the blog archives:

August

Newport Folk Festival (Saturday only)

Fall River Celebrates America (Sat & Sun)

Providence Summer fest (Saturday only)

September

Rhythm & Roots (all 3 days)

Pawtucket Arts Festival

Narrows Festival of the Arts

October

Festival Acadiens, Lafayette, LA

Other Live Music Events

In between festivals, we go to as many live music events as possible. Since I started this blog halfway through the year I haven't included everything, but here's a recap of some of the musical performances we enjoyed this year apart from the festivals.

The place we visit most is the Narrows Center for the Arts, since it is close, intimate, inexpensive, and has so many diverse, excellent shows all year long. With its wooden pews, it's like a joyous church, a place to catch up and socialize with friends before and after the spiritual uplift of the music. In 2007 we caught 15 shows at the Narrows, not counting the outdoor festivals they produced.

January: Remnants & Back Eddy, two local bluegrass/ folk bands; Dave Alvin & James McMurtry February: Kettle Joe's Psychedelic Swamp Revue - featuring Donna Jean Godcheaux from the Grateful Dead - pretty vocals, 3-4 part harmony. Their version of "Ripple" had me close to tears. March: John Cowan Band - (Bluegrass/ Newgrass); Mark Hummel's Blues Harp Blowout w/ Kim Wilson, Charlie Musselwhite + more), Ruthie Foster w/ Pat Boyack; Elana James and the Continental 2 April: the Waybacks , David Lindley June: Walter Wolfman Washington October:Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet November: Crooked Still, Tony Trishka Double Banjo Spectacular; Savoy Brown
December: Alison Brown Quartet , Drunk Stuntmen

If I had to pick a few favorites, they would be (in chronological order)
1) Dave Alvin & James Mc Murty -not only were they both good performances, but I was quite surprised to hear JM tell a story from the stage about the bouncer / hot dog vendor at the Continental Club in Austin who turned out to be a relative I had not seen or heard from in quite some time! Not having seen Jeff at Rhythm and Roots in a few years, I had wondered what happened to him....come to find out he was selling wieners in the land of hot tamales. This prompted me to get in touch with other family members who know him. Aside from that, I really enjoyed both James McMurty's song writing (more about him in the Rhythm and Roots recap) and Dave Alvin's rockin' tunes, some of it reminiscent of his days with the Blasters, but also some more country sounding material.

2) The Waybacks - Bluegrass/ newgrass/ Grateful Dead/ Jams- I love this band! Many of their shows, including this one from the Narrows, are available for streaming/ download on the internet Archive .

3) Walter Wolfman Washington - I always love to see some New Orleans style funk close to home, especially after Jazzfest. Relatively unknown around here, Wolfman is all over New Orleans, at clubs, in-stores and fest. He has a funky horn section and keeps people moving - it is one of those shows where it's hard to sit still in the pews, you just have to get up and shake that thang! After Katrina, he was one of the first musicians to bring live music back to the city playing at the Maple leaf with a generator in Sept of 2005.

4) Crooked Still - one of the last shows featuring the wild and eccentric Rashad Eggleston on cello, this was one of the group's most energetic shows that I have seen, especially the second half.

The other shows were all good too - it's never a bad night at the Narrows- where else can you bring your own refreshments, and sit or stand relatively close to the performers, overlooking a beautiful historic scene of the Battleship Massachusetts on the Taunton river under the Braga Bridge (love those sunset shows in the spring!) - not to mention the ever changing visual art displays.

Elsewhere, a favorite discovery this year was Fred Eaglesmith, at the Common Fence Point in January. He was very entertaining and funny, almost like Cheryl Wheeler with his storytelling. A sort of Canadian redneck, he had the whole audience in stitches most of the time, except for the few who took offense at some of his not so politcally correct remarks and left.

Another place to see great live music and DANCE between festivals is the German Club, courtesy of Sal's productions, which I've written about elsewhere in this blog. Just the other night we enjoyed a sumptuous Christmas feast with music by Magnolia, then Dexter Ardoin, a Creole accordion player, backed up by members of Magnolia. We've also enjoyed Candye Kane, Duke Robillard, Bryan Lee, Leroy Thomas, and other zydeco bands there this year.

Tab Benoit, one of our favorite New Orleans blues guitarists, paid a few visits to Chan's , the Chinese restaurant where he always plays when he comes to RI. We went to see him on a Thursday night in August. He arrived in a big ol' tourbus, no more pickup truck - and the guys from Leroux were with him. What a fun show, almost like a comedy act. He jokes around alot when he plays there, gets a little silly - or maybe that's the cognac talking. Tab even took a turn on drums. Anyway the sellout crowd of under 200 people loves him there. The only drawback is it's tough to get up and dance or move around because of all the tables - you just might knock over a waitress carrying pu-pu platters and scorpion bowls! But I did manage to break out of my table/chair prison after a while and find a spot towards the back to boogie a bit.

Once in a while we'll head to Boston for a club show. We are somewhat spoiled by the early start and end times of shows at the Narrows and these other venues, so it's really got to be someone we want to see, like a New Orleans band - Rebirth Brass Band at Harper's Ferry on my birthday, then just a few weeks ago, we saw Big Sam's Funky Nation at a place called Copperfields.

With all these great smaller, local venues around, who needs big impersonal concerts, that cost about the same as 5-6 shows at a place like the Narrows or Sal's? Well, we do make exceptions when its someone who just will never play in a small intimate venue, like Elton John, who we went to see in March at the Providence Civic Center . That same week we also saw Willie Nelson with Ray Price and Asleep at the Wheel at Mohegan Sun. More on those shows here.

We're planning on Boston for first night this year, where Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-cha's will be playing three sets indoors, followed by the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble, a NOLA-esque costumed band, outdoors, leading up to the midnight fireworks. There are also dozens of other acts scheduled to perform at various venues around town, so we'll end 2007 and welcome in 2008 with one last fest. Happy Holidays and live festively all year long!

Upcoming event - Joe Val Festival, Feb 2008

2007-12-17T10:42:00.000-08:00

This indoor bluegrass festival is a really fun way to get a festival fix in the dead of winter. Presented by the Boston Bluegrass union, it is held at the Sheraton in Framingham, MA, Presidents day weekend. The next one is scheduled for Feb 15-18, 2008. Rooms at the Sheraton hotel sold out with a few hours, but there are still some available at nearby hotels, linked on the festival website . Months later, I don't even remember much about what transpired on the mainstage this year... But like most bluegrass festivals, the mainstage performances are only a part of the experience - there is a lot of off-stage and after hours jamming going on. It is quite a sight, when you ride the elevator and the doors open to a full-blown jam, then you go up or down another floor and there's another one - The entire hotel is taken over by hillbillies, spilling out of people's rooms and into conference rooms, around the clock.

Like any outdoor bluegrass festival, the Joe Val festival features headline performances in a large ballroom as the main stage, plus a few smaller, more intimate "workshop" stages, and bluegrass themed movies some of the other conference rooms. Food and drinks are available for purchase, plus many folks bring their own coolers and snacks for their rooms. Because it's in a hotel, it looks like a conference, but feels like a camping festival, only you don't have to contend with the elements and other hassles of camping outdoors. It is like the best of both worlds.

A Pair of Queens

2007-11-19T18:56:00.000-08:00

Festive Living kind of slows down this time of year, but just because there haven't been any festivals around here lately doesn't mean there is a shortage of good music to be enjoyed. Earlier this month I got to see an old festival favorite, Candye Kane, at the German Club. She is a big blues mama who sings her heart out, backed by a band that rocks, and includes her son on drums. They were a couple hours late due to traffic, but everyone who came was treated to a lively performance reveling in her uniquely bawdy style. With songs like, "I'm on a Bender", "Eat it all night long", "Who do you love (it's OK) ", "White Trash Girl", and "Estrogen Bomb", it makes me think of Led Zeppelin's, Living, Loving, She's just a Woman", because those are the recurrent themes in her music. Throughout the show she tells stories of how writing songs was like her salvation, and a way to feel good about herself through tough times. She may have seemed like a novelty act in the past, playing the piano with her boobs and all....but she makes no apologies and showcases her singing, which is as robust as ever.

A couple of days later Wanda Jackson performed at the Towers in Narragansett, backed by the Lustre Kings from NY. I was not sure what to expect from the 70 year old rockabilly star from the 50's, but she was great! At only 5'2" she is a little dynamo of a singer who still enjoys performing and loves to rock and roll. Sparkling in a silver jacket, she pulled out one hit after another, and also shared many stories of touring around the world, hanging out with Elvis, visitng Japan, where they loved her song "Yokohama Mama", and even finding salvation in Jesus.

Even though in some ways she's the opposite of Candye Kane, because of her small size, they really have alot in common - both started out their careers as country singers, but preferred the more energetic genres of rockabilly and blues, which are mostly male dominated. And they both have big hair, love to perform and tell stories, and aren't afraid to be themselves. So I was not surpised when searching on Rhapsody a few days later for both of these artists, I found Candye on a tribute to Wanda Jackson CD!

Allons a Lafayette - Festivals Acadiens 2007

2007-10-18T20:42:00.001-07:00

We headed to Lafayette Friday afternoon from New Orleans, via US-90, past miles and miles of cane fields. Our hotel was in a busy commercial area surrounded by chain restaurants and stores - not a particularly scenic location, but convenient to everything we wanted to do.
That seems to be the way in Lafayette, unless you plan early and book one of
the B&B's in the area. (Maison Mouton, the one we had stayed at in 2002, is
no longer in operation). We wanted to end up at the Blue Moon Saloon that
night, so we went to find it. What a cool place! This is a hostel / guest
house with live music just about every night. It would be a great place to stay if you
don't mind sharing a bathroom and being in the middle of all the action.
When we were there it was happy hour, just a few people chilling, having
beers at the bar, or sitting on the porch or around the lush back
garden/patio which is surrounded by tropical plants.

The stage is directly behind the guesthouse, (which has some windows that overlook it) facing the bar, covered by a tin roof. One of the most unique venues I've ever been in,
reminded me a little of the place in Luckenbach Texas. After a couple of
Shiner Bocks, we walked a few blocks downtown for some dinner at Don's
seafood, and then to the nearby pavillion for Downtown Alive, a weekly
concert series, which this weekend was the kickoff to the festival. When we
arrived Li'l Nate & the Zydeco Big Timers (son of Nathan "Zydeco Cha-Cha"
Williams) were on stage, playing high energy zydeco to an enthusiastic
crowd. One of the rubboard players was a little kid, maybe a younger
brother? We've enjoyed Nathan Williams Sr. plenty of times, I'm hoping we
will get to see Lil Nate up our way soon!

When we made our way back to the Blue Moon Saloon, les Traiteurs were
getting ready to take the stage. This is a rocking Cajun band that only
gets together occasionally when all the members, who are all involved in
other bands or projects, are in town. Les Traiteurs is Al Berard of the
Basin Brothers on fiddle, Errol Veret (formerly of Beausoleil) on accordion, bassist Gary Newman and guitarist Tony Latiolais, and Sonny Landreth on slide
guitar. I've usually only seen Sonny Landreth with his own band, where the
guitar is the focus; with Les Traiteurs, in a departure from his usual role,
he traded leads with the fiddle and accordion, on mostly familiar Cajun
songs, but in that same unique style of his. The gig was a benefit for the Dr.
Tommy Comeaux fund and the place was packed - there was barely room to
stand, let alone dance, so the indoor/outdoor setting was much appreciated
for taking a breather between bands. After the Traiteurs came the
BlueRunners, another band I have not seen much of. They were kind of bluesy, kind of
country/sourthern rock, and at times they sounded like North Miss Allstars,
but also did some straight-ahead Cajun and Zydeco, including some songs by Boozoo Chavis
and Clifton Chenier.

Goin’ Back to Big Mamou
After that night there was no way we were going to make it out to Café Des
Amis in Breaux Bridge for the Zydeco breakfast at 8:30, but it had been a
while (15 years??!!) since we last visited Mamou, self-proclaimed "Cajun
Music Capitol”. So before heading to the festival, we decided to make the 1 hour drive out to Fred's Lounge, one of a string of small bars on Main Street, across from the
seemingly deserted Hotel Cazan (pictured on the cover of Steve Riley's first
album). Fred’s is a small brick building with a steel door which opens into a raucous Cajun jam and dance that only takes place on Saturday mornings from 9 am to 1 or 2 pm. As soon as you
enter, you are in the thick of it. This week, Sheryl Cormier (accordion
player) was there with her band, which included her husband Russell on
vocals, a young pedal steel guitar player, bassist, and drummer, and Gina
Forsyth, the fiddle player from Bruce Daigrepont's band. There is no stage
or dance floor - the band plays in a loosely roped off area in the the
center of the floor, surrounded by dancing, talking, smoking, drinking
patrons getting their weekend off to a good start. There are a few visitors
like us, but mostly everyone seems like regulars. It is hot outside,
but the air conditioner is blasting, and it is a good thing because the
place is packed. Behind the bar is Tante Sue de Mamou, widow of Fred Tate, the bar’s namesake. (They had owned the bar since the 1940’s but Fred died in 1992.The family sold the place in 1996 but Tante Sue has stayed on as manager. ) Tante Sue greets everyone who comes in, encouraging visitors to sign her guest book. She dances and swigs
out of a bottle of Cinnamon Schnapps (Hot Damn! is her slogan), offering the
bottle to band members and patrons. When she wants to hear a song she comes
out from behind the bar, holding her request in a sign above her head, and
after she bribes them with a few swigs from the Schnapps bottle, the band
accommodates her request for Pine Grove Blues.

This has been going on every Saturday for 60-plus years and is still broadcast on the radio. In one concession to modern times, it can be heard Saturday mornings over the internet on KVPI.
Around 12:30, we stepped out into the blinding sun and headed out of town.
When we got to Eunice, we passed by the KBON studios, which was blasting
Cajun music out at a deserted downtown street. Everyone must have been at
the Festivals Acadiens, which is where we headed next.

Festivals Acadiens

Festivals Acadiens is unlike most of the other music festivals I go to, in
that 100% of the music, food, and other features are local to the area.
About 2 dozen bands were on the schedule and I think all are based in
southwest Louisiana - mostly Cajun with a few Creole / Zydeco performers.
And that is just a sampling of the local talent available! Some of the
bands, like Beausoleil, are often on the road so they seem to relish the
chance to play in front of a hometown crowd, while others like Goldman
Thibodeaux, are more regional. The food is all from local restaurants and
civic organizations, with offerings such as boudin, cracklins, pork chop
sandwiches, fried softshell crab, shrimp or crawfish pasta, jambalaya, gumbo
and more.

It is a very relaxed atmosphere; the festival is free, held in Girard Park, at University of Lousiana Lafayette, so there is no gate and access is from all sides. Parking didn't seem to be a problem- we rolled in around 2:30 and got a spot a few blocks away. At that time Jeffrey
Broussard and the Creole Cowboys were rocking the main stage. We set up
chairs off to the side, in the shade, and caught the last 15 minutes or so,
then went in search of something to eat. I tried some Shrimp Penne and a
Fried Soft Shell crab sandwich which was pretty good. Needed some energy to
keep up with Feufollet, one of the fun-loving younger bands who was up next on the main stage.. Here's a video of them doing Flammes d'Enfer - check out the bass player, he's having
such a great time!
mvi_0123.avi

The next two bands were two more young Cajun bands, Bonsoir Catin - the
mostly all-girl Cajun band with Kristy Guillory on accordion and vocals -
she really belts out some of the old standards, followed by the Pineleaf Boys . Each year the festival honors an artist or group, and this year 's festival was dedicated to Mark and Ann Savoy, who were pictured on a large painting overlooking the main stage. When their son Wilson appeared that day with the Pineleaf Boys, it emphasized the multi-generational, traditional feeling of the festival, as musical traditions are preserved and enhanced at the same time. They were recording a live album, I think, so they were really on fire.

We left a little early, skipping Geno Delafose's performance on the
Heritage stage, because we were planning to go see him later at Grant Street Dancehall,
but then got hopelessly lost trying to find the place after dinner at
Prejeans. Grant Street is not all that hard to find if you know where it is (downtown near the train station), as we found out the next morning when we went on a recon mission to find it in the daytime.

Back at the festival on Sunday we ran into tons of people from New England,
some we knew already, and others we just met for the first time in
Lafayette - small world! So many of us New Englanders have grown to love
Cajun music from all those years at Escoheag and Ninigret.

On the main stage, I enjoyed hearing Goldman Thibodeaux, who was on early with his band the Lawtell Playboys, playing old-style Creole dance music; the rubboard player, "Zydeco Joe" was fun to watch. One thing I like about the Lafayette festival is that the people dance right in front of the stage, instead of on the sidelines. No dance floor necessary. It gets dusty but it’s so much fun to do and to watch. There are no rules, nobody telling you to sit down. Those that want to sit back and watch, or talk , stay on the sides, and when they want to get a closer look, or dance,
they jump into the fray. There are people of all ages - some families with
young kids, grandmas, college students, and travelling fest nuts like us.

Another cool thing about this festival is the continuous jam tent. When I
stopped by, Sheryl Cormier was jamming on accordion with several fiddles,
guitars, a few other accordions, triangles, etc...a mix of professionals and
amateurs, some people just stay there and jam all day. Speaking of
jamming, everywhere I turned on Sunday it seemed like Michael Doucet was on stage
with someone. Here with Jimmy Breaux and friends (including Waylon
Thibodeau), there with the Savoy Family Band (this year's festival honorees),
and of course with Beausoleil.

After watching some of Steve Riley, as he closed out the main stage joined
by Christine Balfa on triangle, we left a little early in order to make it
over to Grant Street, where the evening's show was scheduled to
start around 6:45 - a double bill with Bruce Daigrepont and the Creole
Cowboys, plus Cedric Watson of the Pineleaf Boys, and free jambalaya too.
Bruce is one of our favorite Cajun musicians - he does some of the old
classics, but also writes a lot of his own songs, and has a great voice and
energetic accordion style. He seldom comes up our way so we were glad to
see him. After a while, Cedric joined Gina Forsyth for some fine fiddle
harmonies. The band played for almost 2 hours, and are just as good as
ever. There wasn't a huge crowd, being Sunday night, post festival…but it
was really enjoyable, dancing in that large, smooth air conditioned space.

We were also glad to see Jeffrey Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, since we
missed some of their set at the festival. He is a great accordion player,
does a lot of Boozoo Chavis material, only more hard driving, and with the
amazing Classie Ballou on bass they really keeps the groove going. Cedric
jammed with them too, first on fiddle, then he and Jeffrey switched
instruments like the Pine Leaf Boys.

Even though we heard some of the same songs over and over, at the festival, in the dance hall, and on the radio, I never tired of it - that Cajun beat just gets into your soul and won't let go. Cajun and Zydeco bands play at Northeast festivals and other venues fairly often, but
if you like that type of music as much as we do, Lafayette and Festivals
Acadiens is the place to go. And if you can’t wait for Festivals Acadiens, there always seems to some festival going on in Louisiana – this weekend is the Rice Festival in Crowley. In a couple of weeks in New Orleans is the Swamp Festival, which is a two day festival of mostly Cajun and Zydeco bands at Audobon Zoo, and in Lafayette is the Black Pot festival at the Acadian Village. We picked up information in the Lafayette visitors center on hundreds of other festivals – Swine festival, Cracklin festival, Yambilee Festival, and countless others …. There’s at least one almost every weekend and most have great music and delicious food, the essence of festive living!

Lagniappe
Though the focus of this trip to Louisiana was to visit Lafayette for Festivals Acadiens, we flew into and out of New Orleans, and spent a day before and after the festival visiting with friends there and just enjoying the city without the craziness of Jazzfest. On Thursday we met up with our hosts Jenn and Dave and a few other friends at Snug Harbor, where they were having a CD release party for Shamarr Allen. Shamarr is a young trumpet player who we have seen and heard at Jazzfest and other gigs in New Orleans with the Rebirth Brass Band, and Bob French’s Original Tuxedo Jazz Band. This year his funk band, the Underdawgs, was probably the freshest act at the “patry” that takes place on the days between Jazzfest weekends in New Orleans. The CD is mostly traditional jazz with some originals. "Meet me on Frenchmen Street", the title tune, is all about the music and party atmosphere there (yes everyone thinks of Bourbon Street when they think of New Orleans, but many of the good music clubs are on Frenchmen). There are several special guests on the CD, and some of them sat in on the gig, including Irvin Mayfield, Bob French, Paul Sanchez, Ellen Smith. Kermit Ruffins, who sings some of the title track on the CD, was in the house too, but Shamarr’s young son & friend sang that song with him on stage. Besides being a talented musician and just genuinely sweet person, Shamarr runs a music clinic for youths in New Orleans. We and many of our friends are supporting their efforts with an initiative called Fest4Kids, which will be funding a group of kids participating in the music clinics to attend Jazzfest 2008, and possibly helping to sponsor one of the music clinics. You can read more about that program here, and here.

Monday we returned to New Orleans and went back to Frenchmen street for Bob French’s regular gig at dba. Shamarr, Steven (the trombone player from Thursday) and several guests played that night, including blues guitarist Little Freddy King. Bob is a drummer, and also a DJ on WWOZ; and his live show was similar to his radio show, where he plays music and holds court with a steady stream of guests from around New Orleans, who are often subject to some friendly ribbing between songs.

We returned home Tuesday and right back to work…and then Friday were treated to a visit from Beausoleil at the intimate Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, where we had a chance to dance and visit with the band we had just seen in a completely different atmosphere down in Lafayette. That was followed by a casual Saturday afternoon gig from our local Cajun band, Magnolia….so we could keep that Cajun Groove going a little longer… thus it took a while to get the blog updated this time. The rest of my pictures and some video from the trip to Louisiana can be seen here. Until next time, Allons danser!

More pictures:

NOLA & Festivals Acadiens 2007

Can't get enough of that Cajun stuff

2007-10-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

Rhythm and Roots was a month ago, and while it's not a Cajun festival, Cajun, Zydeco and other music from Louisiana figures heavily into the mix. Hosted by the Red Stick Ramblers, and featuring bands like Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Corey Ledet, and the Creole Cowboys, the Cajun/Creole component is strong. Now that its over, we hate the thought of a long winter with no more festivals, so this year we have decided to make a trip down to Lafayette, LA, the heart of Cajun Country. We are lucky to have Cajun and zydeco bands visit the northeast frequently, but there's nothing like going to the source. There are festivals almost every weekend in Lousiana, but two them caught our eye. One is the "Black Pot" festival, which we heard about from the the Red Stick Ramblers when they were at Rhythm and Roots. From what I gather, it seems to be more of a nighttime festival, taking place Friday night and Saturday until midnight, with onsite camping (and after hours jams) and features a 'black pot" cookoff. Sounds intriguing - I would love to go to that if we had the time to drive down with the van and camp out. But unfortunately we still have to work to support our festive lifestyle, so flying is a better time-saving option. And what better opportunity to "celebrate the rhythms of Cajun life" than at Festivals Acadiens, an annual celebration of all things Cajun.

The free festival takes place in Girard Park near the campus of University of LA. the weekend of Oct 12-14, and is actually four festivals in one: music, food, crafts, and Lousiana folklife/ wetlands. There are 2 stages with continuous music from 11am til about 7, with heavy hitters like Beausoleil, Steve Riley, Wayne Toups, newer bands like the Pine Leaf Boys and Bonsoir Catin, superstar combinations like les Traiteurs, and quite a few I don't think I've seen before, but who I've heard mentioned on KBON. Friday night is Downtown alive, a free concert in downtown Lafayette with T-Sale, and Lil Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timer's). From what I remember, the food is about as good as it is at Jazzfest, if not as varied. Lots of cajun specialties like boudin, cracklins, jambalaya, crawfish any way you want it, shrimp,seafood and other Cajun specialties. At night there are bands playing in clubs like Randols, Grant Street and Blue Moon Saloon. We'll check the Time of Acadiana for other local listings. There is more information on the festival on the Lafayette tourism website, and a pretty good description on the Tabasco website. Joe and I have visited Lafayette before but not in the last 5 years so we are looking forward to it. And we plan to spend a couple of days in our beloved New Orleans pre/post fest Acadiens, so it will be nice to visit there when it's not so busy like it is at Jazzfest. So laissez les bon temps roulez, et Allons a Lafayette!

Sept-october-fest

2007-09-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

Last weekend wrapped up the Pawtucket Arts Festival which not only featured some great music but a load of arts and crafts for sale at reasonable prices in the peaceful setting of Slater Park. The soothing sounds of Jerimoth Hill could be heard on speakers set up throughout the area, creating a very relaxed shopping/browsing experience for those of us who shun malls! It put me in such a good mood I signed up to carve jack-o-lanterns for next month’s “Pumpkins in the Park”! But those are not the only festivities taking place in this old mill town which seems to be reinventing itself as a hub for the arts. Next weekend, (Sept 21-22) Sal's Productions brings us an early “Oktoberfest” weekend, with 2 nights of music at the German Club: Duke Robillard (Blues/Swing) on Friday night, and Stumbleweeds ("Hillbilly Boogie"), Jesse Lege (Cajun) and Curley Taylor (Zydeco) on Saturday,with German food and beer for sale. Next week (Sept 29) is the German Oktoberfest which will feature more traditional German music along with the bratwurst and beer. It must be the accordion connection – I think the Germans brought the accordion to America, where it found its way to Texas, and Louisiana, and became a part of Cajun and Creole music. So it only makes sense that one of the best places in New England to hear accordion based music from LA/TX sung in French is at events booked by an Italian-American at the German Club in Pawtucket, right?

In case anyone was wondering what is behind that curtain, here's a picture from last year's Octoberfest at the German club:

Sometimes festive living means family parties, like last weekend's sweet sixteen and a 50th birthday this weekend... too bad we can't live festively everywhere at once! There is a full schedule of festive events taking place in southern New England this fall as outlined in the Projo's fall guide and weekend articles. And next month festive living heads south...more later.

Louisiana music Lagniappe

2007-09-10T18:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Rhythm and Roots, which usually means the end of the Cajun/Zydeco festivals around here for the year, but this weekend we got a little lagniappe of Louisiana music at two local festivals. On Friday CJ Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana band played at the opening night gala for the Pawtucket Arts festival. A $10 admission included food samples from a couple dozen local restaurants and there was alot of publicity in the local paper so of course the place was mobbed! The food was amazingly diverse, and really good. I tried some bbq chicken from from LJ's Barbecue, a Portuguese plate from Galito's and some clam cakes and chowder from Tolos restaurant, but there was so much more. We met up with lots of friends from R&R, who are all longtime CJ fans, but I think the band gained a lot of new fans too, judging by the crowded dance floor and the way Clifford the rubboard player was selling CD's and playing rubboard at the same time... at the end he had to recruit someone to stand in for him (on rubboard that is). They played a good long time and it was very hot and steamy under that tent so it felt quite a bit like Louisiana. I didn't take any pictures but there are some on the website of the Pawtucket Arts Festival, which continues through next weekend.

On Sunday the Narrows Festival of the Arts was a much mellower but funkier scene with a mix of local and Louisiana/ Texas acts, and all kinds of art for sale right outside the Narrows center, on the Fall River waterfront. When I arrived, Slaid Cleaves (of Maine and Texas) was just getting started. He did not have his full band along, just another guitarist and bass, and they did most of his folkier tunes. (Lydia, Brokedown etc.) There was a pretty good variety of food for sale - Portuguese, seafood, etc.. and the table-and-chair set up with a dance area in front made for a nice relaxed atmosphere. Upstairs, Duncan Walters was playing some rocking country music upstairs with his band. I had never heard him before so that was a nice surprise - always something new at the Narrows. The other band I saw upstairs was Louie Leeman and Cheap Sneakers - I had only seen him do his solo act before, so it was nice to see the full band, which ran the gamut from reggae to rock'n' roll, a cajuny original and a cover of Lucinda Williams' Can't let Go.

Henry Butler took the stage around 3:3o, looking suave in a posh red striped suit with a puffy white shirt (kind of like Beethoven). He started off the set with his trademark solo New Orleans style piano, before being joined on stage by Leo Nocentelli and the rhythm section.

(Leo and Henry made up half of the New Orleans Social Club, the highlight of the NJ Crawfish fest earlier this year.)

They were just picking up steam with the New Orleans grooves, when Leo broke a string, prompting a very long unplanned drum and bass solo in the middle of Cissy Strut. But then they got back into it, and pulled out all the New Orleans classics, like Fiyo on the Biyo, Pocky way, Tipitina, etc and I was having a Jazzfest moment. Piano heaven! It always seems to take a while for the Fall River crowd to get up out of their seats and start dancing, but when they do, it's "so hard to stop", as Buckwheat says.... So when Buckwheat Zydeco came out the audience was primed... (or maybe it was the Big Nazo Creatures of Fall River that started it...)

Anyway, everyone was ready to zydeco once Buckwheat started - "Hey Fellas! do you know what TIME it is?" - and the rubboard player kept us going.... After a while, Buckwheat called all the kids up on stage for a singalong to "Jeleron", which was sweet. Towards the end he even did a little funky B-3 organ number. Always a good time with Buckwheat, and thanks to the Narrows for putting on another great festival.

More of my pictures of the day's festivities can be seen here.

Narrows Festival 2007

Rhythm & Roots 2007

2007-09-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

Joe and I go to many festivals during the year, but Rhythm and Roots is special to us being our “home” festival , and the one that brought us together in a roundabout way. Rhythm and Roots, as well as its former incarnation as the Cajun Bluegrass Festival at Stepping Stone Ranch in Escoheag RI, has introduced us to so much great music, and to all of the other festivals, including New Orleans Jazzfest. This year’s festival was the 10th year of Rhythm and Roots and the 21st consecutive Labor Day weekend festival for me, and it was a spectacular weekend.

We arrived early Friday morning and set up camp in our usual spot, with the same great group of friends we have been festing with for years. After we got the van all tarped up and unloaded, I took a nap then rode my bike over to the pond for a swim to cool off and wake up, then returned to camp for our traditional pre-fest feast, where everyone brings something delicious and we raise a glass in anticipation of another weekend of great music and fun shared with friends.

As usual, it always takes longer than you think to make your way from the camp to the festival, so I missed Ray Bonneville’s opening set at 5 pm but arrived in time for the second act – the Buddhahood, the best Funk/ Reggae/ Blues/ Latin/ band out of Rochester NY that I’d never heard of. I get to see a lot of live music, but Chuck always manages to introduce us to something new at Rhythm and Roots, and the funky grooves and lively percussion jams of the Buddhahood were a fun way to start the weekend - a perfect lead in for Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeans, one of my favorite New Orleans bands that’s not from New Orleans….they got that semi-secondline funky beat going on. After that we were treated to a soulful set by Racines, a kind of Cajun supergroup with Steve Riley , Kevin Wimmer and other members of Red Stick Ramblers and Feufollet. They said it was their first gig away from Lafayette. I loved their bluesy sound, and they were my pick for the best set of the night. Natalie Macmaster closed out the night – she’s still got it, even after taking several months off to have a baby. Her new band was still working out the kinks but they all took solos, even the bagpiper! I’ve never been a fan of bagpipes, but maybe that’s because I never heard a really good one, like the one that played with Natalie.

Afterwards I took the accordion out for a spin around the campgrounds, ending up at the zydeco jam at Eric’s juke joint - that’s always a great place to let your hair down, and crank it up.

Saturday was a beautiful hot and sunny day. After a little morning jam at camp, I went to the Blues workshop in the Rounder workshop tent with three guitarists - Bob Halperin (of Li’l Anne and Hot Cayenne), Johnny Nicholas, Ray Bonneville, and Joel Guzman on accordion, all taking turns playing songs and sometimes playing together. With such a contingent of talented musicians assembled, there was more music, less talk than some workshops, which made it flow really smoothly. I was glad to get the chance to see Ray Bonneville, and apparently so was Paul Cebar, who was in the audience, and invited Ray up as a guest during his own set on the main stage later that afternoon. It was so pleasant in the shady tent we decided to stick around for the next workshop, with the Red Stick Ramblers, though I took a break to get some food and check out the Hot Tamale Brass Band.

The set of the day – maybe the weekend - had to be Los Straitjackets with Big Sandy. With the masks and the Spanish and the surf-rock and the synchronized dance moves they were so much fun! They got mostly everyone up off the chairs and dancing and kept yelling out, "applausio, por favor!". It was a great combination with Big Sandy, who looked so dapper in his black suit, sunglasses and short pants! They did some familiar rock’n’roll songs like “You Really Got Me” etc… in Spanish - Rock en Espanol!

Back at camp, we listened to Steve Riley on the on-site radio broadcast, and returned for Donna the Buffalo, another band that gets everyone up and dancing. It’s hard to stop the herd! Susan Tedeschi closed out the main stage. She was good to listen to , but for me, after a while, I was more in the mood for the wild spirit of the fais-do-do stage with the Red Stick Ramblers & friends. With Jesse Lege on accordion, they were pulling out all the old Cajun classics. Then Steve Riley joined them and it turned into almost another Racines set. Aaiee!

Sunday brought clear blue skies and sun again, a little cooler than Saturday – just perfect!

Started out with another new-to-me band, Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams. Progressive rock and roll with yodeling, accordion and flute, they looked a like a band of gypsies, and they fit right in! My favorite set of the afternoon was from James McMurtry a kind of rebel outlaw songwriter from Texas, with alot to say. Some of his songs paint grim pictures, but they got everyone up & dancing, front and center.

After that I watched the Cajun Kids’ academy perform on the main stage at 6 pm, a rather incongruous follow-up to James McMurty. This is similar to the bluegrass academy for kids they have at Greyfox, only it’s led by members of the Magnolia – who taught the kids a few Cajun songs, cultivating future musicians. Sunday night, Marty Stuart was very entertaining - I thought he was a better fit at R&R with his electric band, than he was at Greyfox with the bluegrass band. He’s a good showman, something people seem to appreciate more at Rhythm and Roots. The bluegrass version of Stayin’ Alive was a big hit, then he really impressed me by joining Bela Fleck on stage, improvising to "Sex in a Pan". There wasn’t really any other bluegrass at R&R so he really had a chance to shine there. The Flecktones were stunning as always but again, I was more in the mood for the Cajun joie de vivre at the fais do-do, this time led by Steve Riley & the Mamou playboys and friends, including Wilson Savoy on piano. To me, that dance tent at the end of night embodies the spirit of the festival. Another amazing all star jam and poof! At the stroke of midnight, that part of the festival was over for another year.

But that doesn’t mean things are over for the night, not at all. Hearing all those accordions throughout the day puts me in the mood to play at night, and there are always some after hours jams. There are musicians all over the campgrounds, some of whom have formed their own bands who play professionally, while others are roaming free agents like me. Our camping crew includes members of the Remnants, who usually draw in a few others once they start singing and playing by the fire. The bluegrass/ jug band contingent from Foster is nearby with Paul and the whole "slow jam" crew from GreyFox. (Except many of the jams at R&R are anything but slow!) Some of those guys play in bands such as Rocky Hollow, Fourth Street String Band, and Loose Roots, just to name a few. A couple from Canada who performs as Ball and Chain had a jam going on at their camp, as did Jesse Lege. Members of Magnolia, Lil Anne & Hot Cayenne, Slippery Sneakers and Girl Howdy are all around. There are lots of folks I love playing music with every year - guitars, banjos, rubboards, fiddles, saxophones, accordions, harmonicas and flutes - anything goes at Rhythm and Roots. It doesn’t really matter what everyone does in “real life”, at the fest we are all the same.

Monday morning we usually take our time with breakfast, since no one really wants to go to work and break everything down but sooner or later it must be done. As we pack up, others roll out of the camp one by one, tooting their horns and saying see you next year! And pretty soon the park starts to look just as it did when we found it, a big open space waiting for another festival, next year. Bon Reve, Rhythm and Roots, til we meet again.

Many of the festival performances are on mvyradio.com and the rest of my pictures can be seen here.

Rhythm and Roots 2007 - fest

After Rhythm and Roots – A double shot of Zydeco!

2007-08-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

CJ Chenier in Pawtucket Sep 7 + Buckwheat Zydeco at Narrows Fest Sep 9
After Summerfest Providence, I was checking out the web to see where Santa Mamba was going to be appearing next, and one of those places would be the Pawtucket Arts Festival. And it seems CJ Chenier will be performing at the Gala at Slater Mill on Friday Night (Sep 7)! That same weekend, Buckwheat Zydeco will be headlining the Narrows Festival of the Arts on Sunday the 9th. It used to be that Labor Day weekend was the main opportunity to see zydeco bands from Lousiana, but now we are lucky to get them on a semi-regular basis.

The Pawtucket Arts festival is in its Ninth Year and actually starts this week with a concert by Counting Crows, Live and Collective Soul at McCoy Stadium, and ends with a free festival in Slater Park the weekend of Sept 15, including the Stone Soup folk festival. Check it out at PawtucketArtsFestival.org The Narrows Festival is celebrating its 6th annual, and will be held outside the Narrows center in Fall River. See the Narrows website for more info.

Summerfest Providence

2007-08-20T17:55:00.001-07:00

This past weekend was the first Summerfest Providence. Held at the Port of Providence, at Conley Dock, it featured live music, food, arts, children’s activities and a Pro Volleyball tour. This industrial area, which is in the shadow of the construction site for the new “I-way” bridge linking Interstates 95 and 195, may not be as picturesque as the signature Waterplace Park downtown, but is also not as congested. The festival was in the gravel parking lot where you catch the ferry to Newport, and was organized by the same people who put on a series of music and other festivals at the Newport Yachting center across Narragansett Bay. Perhaps it was conceived as an extension of that scene, which featured acts such as Little Feat, Robert Cray and Joan Osborne earlier this year.

The Providence festival had two days of music, with a diverse lineup of Bluegrass, Cajun, Reggae, Latin, Blues, Country, Rock and Pop, but we only caught the last 2 acts on Saturday evening. We arrived shortly after 6 pm to the groove of Santa Mamba, a 6-piece Latin band with a rock’n’roll attitude. They were very entertaining to watch, especially the bass player with the Mohawk haircut jumping around on stage. During the break we went to check out the food vendors, which in addition to the ubuiqitous sausage and pepper sandwiches, also offered such RI treats as Saugy hot dogs, Clam Cakes and other seafood dishes from Johnny Angels of Newport, Brazilian barbeque from Casa Brasil in East Providence, and Jamaican fare from Tina’s in Providence. Wine and beer were for sale (for $4 and $5 respectively), with Corona as the main sponsor displaying two a giant inflatable bottles (in keeping with the Beach Volleyball them, I guess) . Soda and water were also available for $2. In the Volleyball Competition, there were men and women playing in bathing suits, on a sand court, but for “some reason” the women’s side attracted a larger group of spectators… go figure!

Then at 8pm the Fabulous Thunderbirds played an energetic 90+ minute set of rockin' boogie blues to an appreciative audience, which had finally grown to a respectable size. The Thunderbirds, fronted by Kim Wilson (the only original member) on vocals and harmonica rocked the house. They did some of their signature tunes such as Tuff Enuff, and Wrap it Up, Why Get Up, and plenty of other danceable songs, as evidenced by the dust cloud in front of the stage. RI sure loves the blues ..maybe some were reliving past shows at Lupo’s. Kim was not even phased by being hit by a beachball a few times, just coolly batted it back out into the audience. We did not return Sunday, opting instead for a bike ride – during which we stumbled across more live music, a local Blues/Classic Rock cover band called Shot in the Dark playing for free in a local park. Sometimes you have to work to find the music, and sometimes it finds you!

I can see the Providence Summerfest growing over the next few years. Since I wasn’t there for the whole thing I can’t give my impressions of the rest of the weekend’s festivities, but there is a more complete account in the Providence Journal.

Have music, will travel!

2007-08-17T22:41:00.000-07:00

Music Festivals are a great excuse to travel and see other parts of the country that you otherwise might not get to. Take Cincinnati for example – it doesn’t exactly spring to most people’s mind as a vacation destination, and I probably never would have thought to go there on vacation, but we went last year for the Tall Stacks festival. It’s a confluence of steam boats from all over the United States – kind of like the “Tall Ships” events on the East Coast. Because of the logistics involved, it only happens every few years. The last few times, they have expanded it to include a top notch roots music festival, and last year it was 5 days, with such diverse bands as Beausoleil, Del McCoury, Wilco, Old Crow Medicine Show, Blind Boys of Alabama, Sonny Landreth, Tea Leaf Green, Over the Rhine, Roseanne Cash, Mountain Heart, Sonny Landreth, Big Sandy and the FlyRite Boys, Tim O’Brien, Marcia Ball, Buddy Guy and many more. We found out about it on the Petdekat and Jazzfest message boards. The festival was in a city park on the banks of the Ohio. Between festing, we learned about the region, saw some Civil war demonstrations, rode on a steamboat, walked to Kentucky several times for food and fun, and passed a good time with friends from Ohio and Canada. There are a lot of Germans in that area so the food is of the meat and potato variety, but they also had an authentic Hofbrau house. They eat chili on top of spaghetti and have some of the best ice cream in the world. ….who knew?

In 2002 we went to Lafayette for Festivals Acadiens, then drove to Austin for the first ever Austin City Limits festival. Being fans of Cajun and Zydeco music, we love Lafayette and had visited it a few times, but had never been to Texas. Austin is a great music city and when we went for that first ACL fest (which we also found out about on the Petdekat board), we arrived on a Monday and spent a few days visiting and touring Austin, San Antonio (the Alamo, Riverwalk), Fredericksburg and other areas. By the time our other friends from RI arrived on Thursday we knew the area pretty well. People at the visitors’ center were surprised that we had come all the way from RI for it – I think they had no idea it would catch on the way it has.

New Orleans Jazzfest is the “reason” for our trip to New Orleans every spring, although that one is so much more than a music festival, and over the years we’ve met so many friends there that it is almost like a reunion or convention more than a music festival. New Orleans is such a unique and wonderful place to visit any time, and they seem to have a festival for one reason or another almost every weekend. But during Jazzfest, there is so much going on at the fairgrounds and in the city, it makes your head spin. Fear of Missing Something (or FOMS, as it is called in the Jazzfest forums) is contagious. There is the food, the clubs, arts and crafts, Mardi Gras Indians, parades and secondlines, in-store performaces, meeting up with friends, and other “daze between” happenings that make the week just fly by so fast you need a vacation from the vacation when you get home!

While we have many excellent festivals in the Northeast all summer long, and one of the best(Rhythm and Roots) is yet to come, I find myself wanting to plan another festival trip, which can help alleviate the melancholy feeling that comes every Labor Day when you pack up and say goodbye to Rhythm and Roots for another year.

These are some of the ones I'm considering:
Festivals Acadiens, Lafayette and/or Voice of the Wetlands Oct 13-14.
We love Lafayette/ Acadiana, but haven't been there since 2002; and just saw Tab last night so after looking on his website today, I see VOW is the same weekend as Lafayette. Maybe one day of each and a little travelling around.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass San Francisco Oct 6-7 . The lineup is not posted but pollstar lists alot of great acts and its free, and San Francisco is a very cool place to visit.

Blues Cruise out of San Diego Oct 6-13. We have never been on a cruise before, but this is the type of cruise I'd go on, if not now, maybe another year.

IBMA World of Bluegrass / Fan Fest Nashville Oct 5-7 - an indoor bluegrass festival with an unbelievable lineup. Haven't been to Nashville in a while, but that is also a good city to visit, lots of good music there anyway. There's also some kind of Americana conference in Nashville, later in the month, that looks intriguing.

Arkansas Blues and Heritage (aka King Biscuit) Oct 4-7. I have heard so many great things about this one, but don’t’ know much about the area… although I guess its not far from Memphis, and Memphis is pretty cool.

Magnolia fest, Florida Oct 26-29 – a camping festival at Suwannee music park in Northern Florida. We went once in 2000 , and passed a good time with some of the PetdeKat Krewe.

Fred Eaglesmith Roots Music Train from Albuquerque New Mexico - to Durango Colorado. A rail cruise! I came across this while browsing the web, but that is already sold out. Maybe another year.

and perhaps some other candidates will emerge....too bad Tallstacks isn't every year, that was a great time in Cincinnati last year!

New Fest in Providence

2007-08-15T19:47:00.001-07:00

The inaugural event is scheduled for this weekend, Aug 18-19. Saturday's lineup looks pretty good - bands include Magnolia Cajun band, Santa Mamba, the fabulous Thunderbirds...and more . Only $10 at Providence Piers (where the ferry to Newport docks)

http://summerfestprovidence.com/

Fall River Celebrates America

2007-08-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

This year's annual festival had a great musical lineup, thanks to the Narrows Center for the Arts ' partnership with the city to bring in some top notch roots music acts such as Los Lobos and the Iguanas. In fact, the Narrows sponsored a whole stage to showcase the types of performers they bring to the area regularly and also to promote the upcoming Narrows Festival of the Arts in September. On Saturday, we got there around 6 pm and mistakenly entered into the carnival area. After going through metal detectors and having our bags searched by both FR police and National Guard, and making our way down the noisy and garish midway, I was rethinking the evening's plans, until I found out the music stages were on the opposite side, near the Heritage museum. We exited and re-entered into a much more relaxed environment and set up our chairs just to the right of the sound booth, just in time for Dave Mason, who started right on time at 6:30. I wasn't particularly psyched to see this this band, only being familiar with the 70's lite-rock hits such as "It's only you and me and we just disagree", but Joe reminded me that Dave Mason had been a member of Traffic. We really enjoyed the set, which ended up with jamming renditions of "Hey Mr. Fantasy", "All Along the Watchtower" and "Feelin' Alright".

Dave Mason

Between sets we met up with several friends, and had some delicious cacoila sandwiches (Portuguese style pork) from the local food vendor. Then Los Lobos came on around 8:00 pm. There was a large area fenced off, right in front of the stage for the local politicos and other VIP's so the rest of the audience was relatively far back and consisted mostly of chair & blanket sitters - but it wasn't hard to go up to the front/ sides to get a closer look and boogie a bit.

The highlight of the evening for many in attendance was the scheduled fireworks at 9:30 so the Los Lobos set was much shorter than usual, with fewer jams, and included more of the crowd pleasing numbers like "La Bamba" and "Good Lovin"; we called it the "Civic event" set. They were just getting going when they had to end it after the one encore of "Cinnamon Girl" so that the fireworks could begin on time. We watched a few minutes then made our way out, pausing to admire the spectacle over the water every so often, and were able to make a relatively quick escape, without getting tied up in traffic. This made Joe very happy!

These types of public festivals are different than other music festivals that attract a core group of fans, in that there are alot of people who are just there for an evening out regardless of the bands scheduled, because it was so inexpensive ($10 for a four-day wristband). But it's nice to see people in the audience who otherwise might not search out this type of music, and who may become new fans. That is how it was for the closing acts on the Narrows Stage Sunday night - Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles, followed by The Iguanas, one of our favorite bands from New Orleans. Sarah and her band played a very loud and rocking set.... perhaps the sound was turned up extra loud in anticipation of the 21-gun salute from the Battleship that was to take place at 7:20 pm, in tribute to our nations veterans ( and also to Jim Haskins, one of the festival's founders who had passed away during the year) . This was following a display of military exercises, known as a "tattoo", with bands and soldiers marching in formation. I caught some of that, including a moving rendition of "America the Beautiful" by the Army band and chorus.

21-gun salute

On my way back to the Narrows stage, which was still rocking, I passed an elderly gentleman who exclaimed, pointing to the Narrows tent, "Now that's how a band's supposed to sound!" Yeah you right, ROCK AND ROLL! When I returned to the Narrows stage, Sarah was closing out the show with an unamplified sing-along, walking around in the audience. By this time she no longer had to compete with the Battleship.

After about a half hour break, the Iguanas took the stage. The chairs were set up in a u-shaped pattern around a dancing area front & center. The Iguanas played a good set, but many people were filtering out because it was Sunday night. There were a few dancers up front, and a few kids dancing around, but most people remained seated, although they seemed to enjoy the music. When they did the song "The Liquor Dance" it was funny because it was a rather sober crowd. It starts out pretty good, and is easy to dance to but then kind of unwinds, to simulate the effects of alcohol. The new trumpet player was really great, and it took them a while to break out the accordion, but when they did the crowd cheered loudly. Joe Cabral, the sax player, remarked "wow I didn't know we were in accordion country here... "to more applause. So they went nuts on a few polkas and conjunto-sounding songs, much to the delight of the mostly still-seated but enthusiastic crowd.

Click here to see more of my photos from Fall River Celebrates America

Bryan Lee and Blues Power

2007-08-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

Talk about Blues Power, this guy's got it! Not too many people were at the German Club last night, but those that were got a full strength dose of straight ahead blues. The first set was Bryan on guitar with his band of guitar, bass and drums. Dressed all in black with a black hat, sunglasses and white goatee, he is quite a presence, even though he sits while playing but stands to sing - and really belts it out. The venue is an old fashioned hall with a great wooden dance floor, and tables around the perimeter (That's where most of the zydeco bands, like Leroy Thomas, Nathan, CJ, and Rosie, etc. play when they come to RI for a one-night gig) It accomodates around 200, but there were only about 50-60, including several dancers, who had plenty of room to show off their moves. Bryan is blind so he kept saying, it doesn't matter if there's 3 or 3000, he loves to play for us, and the audience returned the love. A guest horn section of Doug James on baritone sax and "Carl Q" (ex Roomful of Blues) on trombone showed up for the second set, a little late due to Doug's having played with Duke Robillard in Fall River earlier. ( I was going to go there myself, but it was cold & rainy last night so we opted for the indoor venue) When the horns joined the band, it was like a totally different show, so funky and soulful. They did alot of material from the album "Six String Therapy" which was produced by Duke Robillard and recorded in Pawtucket and also featured Doug on sax. So they knew all the songs and did a great job, even though Bryan kept saying they hadn't played some of them since the album was recorded. The Duke was also in the house and sat in on the last tune. I did not realize that Duke has produced a few of Bryan's albums, including the latest, "Katrina was her Name". Another RI - LA connection. So we got a good show last night, I just wish I had brought more people, but I didn't know what to expect. I should have known, if Sal's books em, GO! They are playing in New London Ct tonight, then in NYC I think. Bryan only travels with the four-piece band, but he seems to really like having the horn section, so maybe some guest horns will show up at the other gigs.

Newport Folk Festival

2007-08-06T19:06:00.000-07:00

The Newport Folk fest on Saturday was as much a traditional “folk” festival as the New Orleans Jazzfest is strictly a jazz festival, which is to say purists probably wouldn’t call it a folk festival at all, but it was fine by me. There are plenty of other folk fests around, including the New Bedford Summerfest in early July. While some of the folkier acts, like singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright and some Canadian fiddlers played on the 2 smaller stages, the lineup on the mainstage consisted of Dirty Dozen Brass band, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, John Butler Trio, North Mississippi Allstars, and headliners the Allman Brothers band. When DDBB opened the festivities at 11:30, many people were just getting there. This year they did something new, setting up reserved seats on half of the field, which were pretty empty for the first few acts, but it made the general admission area much less crowded. It must have been strange for the bands to look out and see people on only one side of the audience and in the back.

DDBB did a good New Orleans style set and there were a few enthusiastic jazzfest-vets in the crowd, attempting to get that secondline vibe going….but we were outnumbered by the chair sitters. At least it was easy to get some good photos early in the day.

After that I went to see a couple of other bands on the outer stages - Martha Wainwright, who had a nice voice but was kind of depressing lyrically, then the Lonesome Brothers, who were quirky and fun hillbilly rock&roll.

Caught most of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, who rocked. An announcement was made from the mainstage, something to the effect of “hey, a lot of us here in the stage crew are from New Orleans (because Festival Productions does the Newport festivals too) and New Orleans is still really messed up, but you all should come visit! Come down for jazzfest!” This drew cheers from those of us who’ve been there, but I’m not so sure it would have made anyone else want to go - it was kind of a mixed message.

Fort Adams is a state park and there is usually no alcohol allowed, but this year they tried a “beer garden” way out near the water. The line was a mile long, I heard people say it was about an hour wait just to get your ID checked for the privilege of drinking a $6 beer so far away from the stage it didn’t seem worth it. With Dunkin Donuts as the sponsor, there were plenty of fruity cold beverages for sale at regular D&D prices, And of course there was Del’s (RI frozen lemonade) and other beverages which could easily be made more festive with a little pre-planning.

After grooving to the John Butler trio we went to hang in the shade near the back with some friends. From here we could see all the free-loading boat-people enjoying the fest from the water.

On my way to see Assembly of Dust on one of the outer stages I noticed a crowd at the Gibson guitar trailer, where Grace Potter & the nocturnals were doing an unannounced acoustic set. I could barely get near there to see, but I could hear pretty well and was able to snap a few photos by holding my camera up over head. Then I got a front row seat for a few AOD songs - it was too hot too dance much! I really like that band, especially the keyboard jams.

Allman Brothers came on just after 5 pm and played almost 2 1/2 hours.... Luther Dickinson joined them on stage for a version of "The Weight". "Melissa" was nice....We considered leaving a little early just to have an easier time getting out of the traffic but once I heard the first few notes of Mountain Jam, I knew I wasn't going anywhere. That's one of my favorite ABB songs.. so what if we had to wait an hour in the parking lot then it took us almost another hour to wind our way through the narrow streets of Newport to get home. It was worth it.

We were going to go back on Sunday but decided against it - the Newport festival is nice but it sure is a hassle getting in and out of there! So we went to the Seafood Fest at Ninigret park (held at the same place as Rhythm and Roots) but it was kind of lame so we only stayed a little while then just went to hang out at the beach, listening to the re-broadcast of some of the festival highlights from Saturday on WMVY 92.7, including the whole Allman Bros set, then went to the Mews Tavern in Wakefield. Many of the Newport performances are available to listen to on MVY radio online for free, including AOD. The ABB set is going to be available for download on Thursday on this other website called Hittin the Note.

The rest of my pictures from Newport can be viewed here .

Newport Folk Fest 2007

This is the schedule for Fall River Celebrates America, next weekend. Looking forward to Sunday, when the Iguanas and Sarah Borges will be on the Narrows stage, and Los Lobos on Saturday. But there are good bands there all weekend.

GreyFox Bluegrass Fest 2007

2007-07-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

After days of packing and preparations, I was starting to wonder if sometimes it is too much trouble to have so much fun. But once I arrived on the Hill, I knew that all the preparations were so totally worth it -GreyFox was a beautiful relaxing time. There was only a little bit of rain the first day, which magically ended just as the music started at 2pm on Thursday - and then the weather was gorgeous the rest of the weekend, sunny and dry, not too hot.

As a volunteer I can go a day early, so I arrived on the Tuesday before, set up camp on the hill, then went to hang out at the bottom with friends who had been there for a whole week, just camping and picking and having a good time - but they were like #150 "in line", and there were some who had been there a month or more! My volunteer job is in the info booth, located very close to the main stage, so I get to hand out programs and talk to people all day, and still hear the music while working - it is really fun. (Volunteers have to work a few hours a day anyway).

Nickel Creek played Friday night, but were a bit too mellow as a closing act - it was freezing up on that hill! Mountain Heart, who played just before them, and blew us away as usual, might have been a better choice to end the night on an up-note. Sam Bush Band was excellent on Saturday night, playing 'til nearly 2 am. And there were so many new, relatively young bands like the Duhks, the Incredible Stringdusters, Crooked Still, Waybacks, Uncle Earl, Nickel Creek, the Wilders, Mountain Heart. It was high energy all weekend. One of the best jams I heard all weekend was in the campgrounds, with members of many of the younger bands, plus fiddler Casey Driesen, all playing after hours near Uncle Earl's campsite.

On Saturday night I brought my accordion by my friends' campsite & elsewhere for some jams, but I got tired of lugging it around, so I left it behind while I journeyed to the top of the hill to listen to others picking.... and wouldn't you know I missed out on a real Cajun jam that was taking place just steps from our campsite! I heard from Joe the next day that Jesse Lege and the Redstick Ramblers were tearing it up over there til the wee hours! oh well, I'll just have to catch 'em at Rhythm and Roots.

I have been going to this festival since '92, Winterhawk X. Well, it is still the same in a lot of ways, the same great vibe and atmosphere, and of course the music, and picking, but some things have changed - they've added more musical diverstiy, including a dance pavillion, where people can cut loose to the likes of the RedStick Ramblers, the Waybacks, the Duhks... and they had yoga every morning, which I did and enjoyed very much. It was like being at a bluegrass spa! Especially since they also had massage therapists backstage for staff and performers. They had tie-dying in the childrens' area that I was able to participate in, and they have a bus to take you to Taconic state park during the day if you want so you don't have to drive up and down the hill. They are always trying to improve upon it. This year they have added a farmers' market with locally grown produce and organic meats and dairy products. It is really a unique festival, like a city on the hill. As Ron Thomason( Dry Branch Fire Squad, the "host" band every year) put it, a temporary community that forms every July, a wonderful celebration

More photos and video from Grey Fox 2007

Years past - 2006 2005 2004

NJ Crawfish Fest

2007-06-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

Our first visit to Crawfish fest was such a blast, thank you to everyone that put it on, and all the awesome people we passed a good time with. Cisco & his family had a great canopy area set up towards the back where we all were able to relax and visit, thanks for that! We loved meeting all the new-to-us threadheads (Michelino, Nola, Steeleye, Linza, ScoopJohn) and catching up with our all of our old friends too. Even though Jazzfest was just a few weeks ago, this was more relaxed, less running around. First thing we did Sat when we got there was get us some crawfish, to get in the spirit, and that was really good, as was the jambalaya we tried later on. Oh yeah, and the music didn’t suck either! Especially the Saturday afternoon combination of Bonerama/ New Orleans Social Club. It was an amazing feeling grooving to that set, surrounded by so many blissful people; it felt kind of like the patry because there were so many threadheads dancing so close to the stage, all grinning from ear to ear. I picked up that recording on Sunday too for the ride home. My favorite set on Sunday was Jon Cleary - it was the same kind of thing, with so many people enjoying the music and the vibe. Cowboy Mouth was a lot of fun too, I have only seen them in a huge crowd at jazzfest , so it was nice to be able to get closer in a smaller crowd to see the maniacal Fred. Superchief Trio, who opened up the Delta stage on Sunday was a pleasant surprise. Even though they are from RI I hadn’t seen them before - they do a lot of New Orleans material and older jazz and blues, like Fats Waller, Bessie Smith etc. Just Piano, Trombone and Drums, and the only female trombone player I’ve seen outside of a marching band, she is a good singer too. Happily, the only thing Crawfish Fest was lacking was R - - -. And it differs from most other camping fests I go to in that it ends a lot earlier, and there’s not as much after hours jamming in the campgrounds (though I heard it was livelier on Friday night). The combination of music, food, spirit, and this year’s heat & humidity made Crawfish Fest feel the most like a Louisiana festival than others in the northeast that I have been to – the perfect antidote for post-Jazzfest blues…. or, if you couldn’t make Jazzfest, not a bad substitute. I’ll be back again, thanks everyone!

- added to Festive Living Blog 12/11/07 ; Originally posted 6/4/2007 at http://www.nojazzfest.com/chat/showthread.php?t=2506

NE Summer Music Fests

2007-05-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

With Jazzfest behind us, our New England festival season rolls in - beginning next month there are festivals almost every weekend! This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some of my favorites:

June 7,8,9,10 Strawberry Park Blast from the Bayou Preston, CT. A nicely appointed campground resort, family atmosphere, 2 stages.Geno, Steve Riley, Chris Ardoin, Pine Leaf Boys, Iguanas, Travis Matte( first NE appearance?), Donna the Buffalo, & more
June 15-17 Cajun /Zydeco fest Sunrise Resort, Moodus CT cool, laid back, old style resort, camping available. Emphasis on Zydeco, very dance orientedKeith Frank, Brian Jack, Step Rideau, Big Red & the Zydeco Playmakers, Dora & the zydeco BadBoyz,Basin Brothers and more.
July 6-8 New Bedford Summerfest New Bedford ,MA Nice folk festival by the waterfront
July 19-22 GreyFox Bluegrass festival, Ancramdale NY Progressive bluegrass festival in an idyllic settingSam Bush, Nickel Creek Mountain heart, Peter Rowan and much more.
July 27-29 Lowell Folk Festival, Lowell MA Free folk festival w/ diverse international music and food.
Aug 4-5 Newport Folk Festival, Newport RI Allman Bros, NMAS, John Butler, Grace Potter, Dirty Dozen Assembly of Dust Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Alejandro Escovedo, Cheryl Wheeler & more
Aug 9 - 12 Fall River Celebrates AmericaFall River, MA Sammy Kershaw,Dave Mason, Los Lobos, the IGUANAS, Duke Robillard and MY LONGTIME FAVORITE
Aug 31 - Sep 2 (Labor DayWeekend) RHYTHM AND ROOTS Charlestown RI Riley, Red Stick Ramblers, Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeens,Donna the Buffalo,Los Straitjackets w/ Big Sandy & much much more multiple stages (mainstage, 2 covered dance floors, smaller workshop stage, family stage)
Sun Sep 09 Narrows Festival of the Arts Fall River, MA *Free*Buckwheat Zydeco, Henry Butler w/ Leo Nocentelli, Slaid Cleaves & more

Quite a run of live music I've enjoyed this past week

2007-03-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

Last night was my first time seeing Ruthie Foster, at the Narrows center for the Arts in Fall River, MA -but hopefully won't be the last. She is small in stature but not in voice or stage presence, very strong vocals and songwriting, and funny too, told some good stories. She does folk, blues, gospel, even a little reggae, and can really belt it out. plus having Pat Boyack (ex- Marcia Ball guitarist) along with her on electric guitar rounded out the sound with some really nice bluesy solos. He still makes all those faces too so is fun to watch on stage, he really gets into it.

On Thursday night, we went to see Elton John, my first time seeing him live, and he did not disappoint! He played around 2 1/2 hours, and performed lots of older, not so well known material that they don't do very often (B-sides, says Joe) plus of course plenty of more familiar stuff (Honky Cat, , and at least one new song, "the bridge" or something. The Providence concert was in preparation for this big 60th birthday extravaganza happening tonight at MSG in NY (to be shown live on MSN) so he started off with "60 years on", and ended with "Your Song". he may not hit all the high notes like he used to (like on Rocket man) , but is still quite a performer, one of those artists with so much material, it could have gone on for 4-5 hours easily.

And the light show was really spectacular, from our seats we could watch the lighting director who seemed to be having a blast "directing" the stage show.

Wednesday we went to the "Last of the Breed" show with Willie Nelson/ Merle Haggard/ Asleep at the Wheel and Ray Price. Asleep at the Wheel was the backup band, and Ray Price opened . He was a little too mellow for my tastes, like being on the grand ole opry - though at 81 the guy still sounds really good! Then after an intermission, Asleep at the Wheel did a few songs, then Merle joined the band, then Willie (and he had his harmonica player with him to give him the right sound on certain songs.....) Merle was cool and Willie was great, and they all shared some verses of the songs. I just love Willie Nelson. but I wish Ray Benson & the boys had been able to play more, though I'm not used to seeing them in such a large venue where you can't really dance too much (10,000 seat arena at Mohegan Sun)

Last Saturday was the great "Blues Harp Blowout" with Mark Hummel, Kim Wilson, Charlie Musselwhite. Each did a set, backed by a band with guitar, bass, drums, keyboard..., and then everyone came out for one big wailing jam, joined by Magic Dick from J Geils and also Doug James, sax player who has played with roomful of blues, Duke Robillard, etc as well as his own band. That was a smokin show and a night at the Narrows not soon to be forgotten. So today I'm taking a rest and hoping to catch Galactic w/ Papa Mali this Tuesday, Duke Robillard on Friday and Elana James & the Continental 2 on Saturday. We'll see how the week goes!

- added to Festive Living blog 12/11/2007; originally posted on: http://www.nojazzfest.com/chat/showthread.php?t=1179