Thursday at New Orleans Jazz Fest

Jazz Fest Thursday 4/28

Heavy rain was in the forecast for today so we headed straight for the blues tent while there were still plenty of seats available.   The Southern University Jazzy jags were on stage -  it was a large school band with 2 lead singers.  I got some food  to bring in ( Meaty white beans, Trout baquet and sweet potato pie)  so we were set for a while.   The rain started right on schedule, so Spencer  Bohren got play to a much larger audience than usual - there's always an upside to everything.  The band included  his son on drums, a woman named Aurora on accordion and clarinet, Alex McMurray on guitar, plus bass and B3.   They played mostly upbeat blues songs, some ballads, ( one where the son took  a turn on piano)  and a moving song about the impact of Katrina, called the Long Black Line ( referencing the  water marks on all the buildings).   Hard to believe it's been 10 years already!  At times the rain was so loud it sounded like applause, and you could see water gushing over the sides of the tent,  so we were in a good place.

Next up was Geno Delafose and French Rockin Boogie, a zydeco band I've seen numerous times at festivals back home.  Normally they would not play in the Blues tent, because that venue does not usually allow dancing - if you even get up to take  pictures, security hurries you back to your seat.  I am not sure why they booked them there instead of Fais Do Do.  If it weren't for the rain I wouldn't even have gone to the tent to see Geno, how can you sit still for that music?  However,  there were enough people determined to dance that they broke the rules and all the corners of the tent were bopping and two-stepping to the zydeco grooves of Uncle Bud, Johnny Billie Goat, Jongle a Moi and more.  They also had a much bigger audience due to the weather and featured other band members doing material I haven't heard them do before.  The bass player sang a really nice version of Tell it Like it Is, and the guitarist and rub-board player also took turns singing.

At the end of the set the sun came out, but I wanted to see Meschiya Lake again, because most bands kick it up a notch for their Jazz Fest set.   The band we had seen at the Patry was augmented by 2 swing dancers, and a couple of extra  horns, and she looked like a tattooed Rosie the Riveter.   I liked her version of Indian Red, and her version of Que Sera Sera almost brought tears to my eyes because I remember my mother singing that song when I was a kid.

When we left the tent we headed over to Gentilly to see Brandi Carlile.  They were playing the hit " Wherever  is your Heart" when we approached.  She looked so excited to be there, I think it was her first time playing the Jazz Fest.  The ground was wet and muddy and she kept thanking the audience for hanging in there, they didn't seem to mind.   The band was great and also added some really nice harmonies, especially on the song "the Eye" .   She mostly sang but also played guitar and piano and looked really cool,with her headband.   It was a really engaging performance, best of the day IMO.

After Brandi we headed over to get some Crawfish Monica then try out the bleachers at Acura for Tedeschi Trucks.   The bleachers are a new addition to the fairgrounds which they put up to alleviate the crowding of chairs on the track on busy days.  It was nice because we didn't bring chairs this day (as we spent so much time in the tent) and it was  cloudy so not too hot, and not crowded so we didn't have to climb up.  It was really far back but the sound was good and you could see the screens.  I've seen Susan Tedeschi before but not with this band.

They were great with a horn section, and I love her soulful bluesy singing.  After about 45  minutes they brought out some special guests, Jimmie Vaughan ("Let the a good times Roll" , "I Like it like that" ) the Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top joined them for a few, including a tribute to BB King.  skies threatening again, I started making my way out a little after 6 pm, but stopped by Economy Hall to hear a little of Tuba Skinny.

We lucked out and got right on a bus and were back at the hotel by 7:20.   My feet were hurting from walking around in rain boots  all,day so didn't go back out except around the corner for  a bite to eat.

12th Annnual Threadhead Patry

Twelfth annual Threadhead  patry

For me and my friends, the  best part of the  Jazzfest week happens on the Tuesday between festival weekends, the Threadhead patry.  What began as a casual gathering of friends has turned into a mini Fest within the fest.   This article explains it pretty well http://www.neworleans.me/journal/detail/1215/Unraveling-the-Threadhead-Patry

Here's  my take on the 12th edition:

We got on the #5 bus to the Marigny around 11:00 am to go to the old Ironworks and met up with some patry virgins.   After telling the newcomers "don't worry we know where to get off" we almost missed the stop because we were so busy yacking  with some other longtime friends/ patry goers who got on at the next stop.  When we arrived the line was pretty long and Meschiya Lake was already playing.  It takes a while to get in because we know everyone at the check in table and many in line, so you give and get a lot of hugs and chit chat along with your wristband.   However, it is a lot different than the early days when it was 50 then maybe 100 people.  Now there are over 300 guests and I would say I know about 100 of them.  The majority are also friends on Facebook.   My newsfeed comes alive on patry day!

They were serving brunch when we arrived, but I'd never seen Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Horns before so I opted to watch the show rather than eat, because the new people we'd  met on the bus said she's really something to see not just hear and they were right.  She sings old-time jazz/ swing music and sounds pretty traditional but is covered with tattoos and rocks the vintage look.  The band consisted of a New Orleans power trio (guitar tuba and drums) plus a multi instrumentalist who played fiddle and clarinet.  It was a good set to start with while sipping on a moonshine Bloody Mary ( all the food and drinks are included ) and dancing a little.


Near the end of the set I made my way inside and most of the breakfast food  was gone.  I got the last piece of spicy sausage with some grits and a really delicious donut.  That would hold me over til the crawfish was ready. Next  up on stage was the legendary rock band Royal Fingerbowl, led by Threadhead fave guitarist/ songwriter Alex McMurray.   I remember seeing them one of my first times at Fest around 20 ago and really liking them but then never again, I think they broke up.  So it was a good rocking/ eclectic set. Matt Perrine played stand up bass and they also had drums and B3.

Roddie Romero and the Hub  City all stars from Lafayette followed,  and to my surprise it was more of rock and roll sound. Last time I saw them they were more Cajun sounding, but that is probably because it was at Rhythm and Roots. There was an accordion on stage but Rod played guitar for the most part.  It was good upbeat music to dance to, as much as I could.  I was still a little hampered by my knee and and the uneven ground, but I really can't sit still when I hear good music.   Finally he picked up the accordion for a rocking version of Big Mamou, but to my dismay there was no rub board.  I played air rub board hoping for one to materialize but no  such luck.

The first 500 lbs of crawfish had gone quickly but the second batch was ready after Roddie Romero so I went I to have some.  Hot spicy and delicious! But such a mess. After I had my fill I cleaned up and went out to take my turn tending bar at the Moonshine table.   Midnight Moon was a sponsor this year but unlike New Orleans Rum and Zatarains, I guess the company didn't send any reps to dispense the product, so Threadheads signed up to take turns tending bar for one hour at a time. The Patry is a labor of love and many of us pitch In to help with check in, raffles, tending bar, cleanup.   Other times I've poured beer or helped with check in. None of these seem like work because you're meeting and talking to people the whole time, helping  everyone enjoy.   So we were dispensing premixed peach moonshine tea, bloody Mary's and other flavors like strawberry or blueberry mixed with lemonade or Sprite. It was the fastest  hour of the patry for me.  From that spot you ca hear the music fine, and can see a little.

At the end of my bar tending stint I went up front to catch the rest of Johnny Sansone.  He was going nuts on harmonica and looked so festive in a lime green print shirt.  During the last song he came out into the crowd and danced among us, what a wild man!  I though it might turn into a mosh pit with crowd surfing but that's the next generation.  We were moshing in our minds.

Cha Wa Mardi Gras Indian band were just perfect to have near the end of the day, because the late day sun made their colorful costumes look even more brilliant.  The two singers / were accompanied by 2 trombones, trumpet, tuba, guitar and b3 organ and drums. Lots of classic New Orleans songs and chants to remind us of the cultural component.

Last band was the Iron Funk all stars which appeared to be a version of Dumpstaphunk, and they didn't skimp on the funk! They did some good cover songs, like a funky version of David Bowie's  Fame and Steve millers Fly like an Eagle.  By now I was getting pretty tired and still couldn't resist dancing, but was ready to leave a few minutes before it ended to try and get a cab.  We waited a while then piled in to our favorite cab driver's van with 7 other Threadheads.   What a blast! A ten hour party sounds like a long  time but it just flew by! We are so lucky to be involved with this group. A day at the patry is like a bonus day at Jazzfest, every band that plays there has also played at the Fest, and all the food and drinks included you can't go wrong, especially being among so many friends in a more intimate setting than the fairgrounds. And let's not forget  the raffles,  both  online and at the party.   I don't want to quote the amount at the risk of being wrong, but it was a lot of money raised for  Threadhead Cultural foundation to help keep the music and culture of our beloved city alive, and come back for another one next year! To learn more about the Threadheads and all the projects we've supported over the years, please visit http://threadheads.org/

New Orleans Jazz Fest 2016 ( First weekend)

New Orleans Jazz Fest 2016 First  weekend

2016 marks the 20th anniversary of my love affair with New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival. (skipped last year but returned this year for my 17th.)   The festival is 2 consecutive weekends. Fri/Sat/Sun  last weekend in April, and Thursday through Sunday first weekend of May.  I've  never done all 7 days of the festival but  I like to go for a week and do some of each weekend plus the "daze between".  Here's my jazz fest journal from the first weekend:

Day 1 4/23

Hit the ground running Saturday - plane landed at noon, we hooked up with our regular cab driver we've known for 10 years now, who brought us to the hotel where we did a quick check in and off to the fairgrounds by 2 pm.  I found my way to our friends' camp at the Gentilly Stage where Tab Benoit was getting ready to come on, but no one we knew was there at the time, they must have been off getting food or seeing something else.    I love Tab but I've seen him plenty of times in small venues, where it is a much different and better experience, so was not really into it.  We stayed for about 30 minutes waiting for the gang to return but hunger took over, since we only had a egg sandwich in the airport at 6 am, and Southwest peanuts and pretzels on the flight.   The food area was packed with long lines. I was going to get some fried chicken but the line was not moving at all so I opted for a combo of pecan  crusted catfish Meunière and seafood Mirliton casserole.  Joe had a combo of Spinach/ artichoke /seafood casserole and sweet potato pone.  Yeah, this is not your average festival fare.  The first time you go it's surprising, but the food is such a big part of the festival you quickly get used to sampling restaurant quality food out of paper plates and plastic forks standing around in the sun with several thousand dining partners.  This started way before food trucks made it seem almost commonplace.   The hardest part is deciding what to try - there is so much to choose from!

After lunch we went to the Economy hall tent just to get out of the sun and have a seat listening to some traditional Dixieland .  The dancers were doing their thing, snaking their way through the aisles in a joyous second-line hoisting their umbrellas and waving their kerchiefs.  I saw many familiar faces there and was happy to be back!

Returned to the camp, and met up with some of the  group there.   It was difficult picking my way through the crowd which was really packed with people., chairs, tarps, and no aisles.  I'm nursing a knee injury and am fine with normal walking but not so much with the kind of maneuvering it takes to navigate a crowd like that.   But I made my way in to see  Nathaniel  Rateliff  and the Night Sweats, whom I'd never seen before but heard on radio and seen on Austin City.   Well I didn't see them much now either, as we were pretty far back and had to stand to see the video screen.  The music was soulful and danceable, and sounded great with the horn section.  Some of it kind of reminded me of Eric Lindell's band, and a little Van Morrison  who was up next.

40 minute set break, seemed like a good time to get a beer but again the crowd was so dense at the nearest beer stand. I waited a long time with no progress and just getting jostled by people trying to pass so I moved to another stand closer to the Fais do do stage.  I heard a tune that was familiar, and not, at the same time.... What was it... good ol Rocky Top!   Played  on electric guitars  with a horn section by a band called the Brothers Osborne! This was my favorite moment.   I stuck around for a couple more songs ending with "The Shape I'm In" recalling the famous Toussaint-arranged horns.  I then made my way back to Gentilly for Van Morrison,  where a bunch more Threadheads had returned and were grooving and chilling out on the tarp.. I had never  seen Van Morrison live before ( He had in his signature hat, jacket and dark glasses) so I really enjoyed hearing a lot of familiar songs and  some good jams with friends.   I heard some people comment that it was "too mellow". But I thought it as a great way to end the day.

Started making our way out on the last song ( Gloria) to  meet up with some other friends we hadn't seen in a long time.  They had a car so we were going to get a bite to eat and catch up/ visit with them.  We tried going to Parkway bakery but the line was all the way around the building and not moving.  Then tried Buds Broiler, which didn't look crowded but after waiting there for several minutes and no movement ( this was the theme of the day) we went to a place called Riccobono's  Cafe Navarre http://cafenavarre.com  Perfect! Not too crowded but still open, good service - and prices, four  of us had beers/ po boys / Cuban sandwich for $60 + tip.

Planning a trip like this sounds great on paper as you don't have to waste a day just traveling but I wouldn't recommend it.  Getting up at 4 am to catch a 6:50 flight out of Providence  and then a half day of festing is exhausting!  So I was in bed before 11 but after a good night's sleep I was ready for another day!


Day 2 Sunday 4/24

Woke up and went to sit out on the sundeck of our timeshare to have coffee.  It's a pretty nice place just steps from the bus stop to Fest but we were in a small ADA room. We didn't think about it much when we first checked in  since we wanted to get to the Fest. But  on a closer look we decided we would try to switch rooms as soon as possible.  More on that later.

Waited for about a half hour for the bus - it's so maddening seeing it there at the end of the line but not moving.  Was tempted to take the streetcar (2 came before the bus) but the bus gets you closer and is faster when it finally gets moving.  Finally we boarded and were on our way.  It's so much better entering the fairgrounds closer to opening time at 11, instead of in the middle of the day like we did Saturday.  It's less crowded, you can get your bearings, plan the day and most importantly get something to eat without waiting in long lines! My breakfast was a Cajun duck po boy and Joe had the paneed chicken sandwich ( lightly breaded/ pan fried) .

First stop was the Alison Miner stage in the grandstand to see an interview with Rhiannon Giddens, of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and who has just released a fantastic solo album produced by Tbone Burnett.  She was doing a set later that day we were looking forward to the most but it sometimes is fun to get more personal insight from the artists in an interview.  She talked about her country heritage and the black string band tradition from North Carolina, told stories behind some of her songs, experience of touring , history, family,  life on the road,  playing at the Grand ol' Opry and instruments.  Her current favorite is a fretless  5 string banjo with no resonator and gut strings so it has a more mellow tone than what we're used to.  She played and sang  a few songs on that instrument and at least one on fiddle.

We went from there to see Leyla McCalla,ex-Carolina Chocolate Drop and current resident of New Orleans ( from Haiti) who was performing on the Lagniappe  stage  with her band that included her daughter on viola.   She got her start in  New Orleans playing baroque classical Cello with a group of children that still does busking outside the Jazzfest!   ( I think she may have been one of the teachers) and now she plays  on a stage.  Leyla also plays banjo sings and writes songs. Rhiannon joined her  for a few songs too.


Next I wanted to see this band called at Royal Teeth! I don't know why....it's a younger band, touring nationally but  from Louisiana and they were playing on the Gentilly stage.  I just like to see something different I wouldn't normally go  for.  They were ok, kind of smooth sounding "indie-pop".   They had to work hard to get the crowd to sing along with something, seemed kind of forced.  And it was easy to get up front not like  the day before .  That should have told me something.  meanwhile Joe had gone to see Glen David Andrews in the blues tent and get a spot for Rhiannon.   I heard later it was a killer set and should  have gone there.   Oh well that's the beauty of Jazz Fest it offers a thousands of different experiences,  that's why you want  to go back again and again.  It so fun to trade stories with your friends, everyone has a different experience and collectively you can get it all.

On my way to the  blues tent I got a mango freeze and stopped to listen to Dede Saint-prix from  Martinique at Congo Square . He and his band were having no trouble getting the crowd to sing and dance along, to the carefree Caribbean music. And the crowd was really having a good time. But if you watch the Fest on AXS TV there will probably show Royal Teeth instead. ( that's where the cameras were) .  I also has caught some of Beausoleil on  Fais Do Do befor e finally catching up with Joe at the Blues tent just as Glen David was finishing up.

So we had a good spot for Rhiannon Giddens just 10 rows back on the side.   She was joined by her Carolina chocolate drops band mates and Dirk Powell on accordion and fiddle. At first there were sound problems, drums too loud .. drowning out her beautiful voice. But they made some  adjustments .  She did some material from the album like the Patsy Cline cover "She's got You" and some  CCD material.  She was the hit of the Fest!  Even getting an encore where they did "hit em up Style" .  And they seldom let artist do encores at the festival, since it's on a tight schedule.

Johnny Lang was scheduled to close  that stage but had to cancel so they got John Mayall.  I'd never seen him before but wanted to see little of the Red Hot Chili peppers , while Joe stayed put.  (I promised to bring  him back a beer when I returned ) .  So I slinked my way into the very dense crowd to hear a little of the Chili Peppers-  so packed really not too enjoyable from where I was standing.  I can see it on AXS tv maybe next weekend.  Back in the blues tent, John Mayall was sounding  great! playing keyboards and harmonica and leading his band through some good upbeat jams.  He had a notebook not an iPad on the keyboard and I did a great version of the Neville's Congo Square.  He had played guitar also before i got there. I don't think anyone missed Johnny Lang.

Headed out to the bus stopping briefly at Liuzzas to catch up with friends. When we got back to the hotel we were able to upgrade to a much larger nicer room.  This took some time and kind of killed any idea of going out to see more music that evening but was worth it.  We had a late dinner at Creole House around the corner and before turning in for the night.

Festive Living at Sea - Sandy Beaches 21

Festive Living at Sea

Just returned from  the 21st annual Sandy Beaches Cruise  on the Norwegian Pearl with Delbert McClinton and Friends,  courtesy of WMVY radio and Sixthman Tours!  This was my first Sandy Beaches and first cruise ever so I felt it was time to fire up the old blog again to record some of my impressions.

Most of my vacations are centered around music festivals,  like New  Orleans Jazz Fest, Grey Fox and Rhythm and Roots.  I've never even wanted to go on a cruise unless it was one of these music themed ones so when I won the cruise from WMVY radio as part of their December fundraising drive I was so excited I could hardly wait!   I only had a few weeks to make the plans and had to make my own travel arrangement so it wasn't totally free but still it was a great experience.   A music festival on a cruise ship is like the perfect vacation, especially when it features some of the finest musicians around, many of whom  are unfamiliar  to most people, unfortunately.

There were some I was already familiar with and excited to see again, such as Delbert, Marcia Ball, The Mavericks, Lyle Lovett, Paul Thorn, and Fred Eaglesmith.  But there were so many more that I didn't know before but am now a fan of, like Teresa James, Red Young,  Mingo Fishtrap, the McCrary Sisters,and many more.  The best part was everyone on the cruise was all there for the duration (except Lyle Lovett who had to leave us on Antigua for a gig in Dallas)  so everyone was relaxed and happy and ready to jam!  

I've heard from some of the regulars that the Sandy Beaches cruise had its origin on a blues cruise that Delbert had played on a few times,  then was not invited back the following year,  so he started his own cruise  and invited some of his musician friends to join him.   They had so much fun they decided to do it again and again, so it became an annual event.  Most acts on this cruise played multiple 90 minute sets,  and many of the artists sat in with each other  so you had the opportunity to experience them in a lot of different settings.  Because it was organized by musicians for musicians*,  it is not so much about fame than about quality.  As someone told me, it's music "too good for radio". Some of these artists ARE on the radio (especially stations like WMVY) but alot of them are not household names to most folks.

*for the past 2 years the cruise was run by Sixthman promotions company, but next year Delbert and his family will resume the management of the cruise.

Family of Friends

Like other festivals,  many of the same people return year after year and catch up with friends, so it feels like a reunion. The first few folks we ran into on the ship were friends we know from Jazz Fest, one a first-timer. and another couple who had been on SBC 10 times before  so they introduced us to some of the other cruisers old and new  - everyone was so friendly and welcoming, they made you feel right at home even  as a first timer.  

Freedom to choose 

Everyone in your party can do whatever they want whenever... even though the ship is huge you can't really get lost - sooner or later you'll end up in the same place,  You could pay extra for internet service or text message but we didn't feel it was necessary.  You can leave notes for each other in the cabin or use the ship phone.  It was really nice to be unplugged from the outside world and just living in the moment for most of the week.   The seas were a little rough at first and it was windy, so the shows that were supposed to be held outside the first night were moved inside to the Stardust theater, but the schedule changes were seamless and everything worked out fine.  On the first night,  we saw Marcia Ball, Wayne Toups and Delbert McClinton. The first weekend coincided with NFL Playoffs so my husband Joe was occupied with watching football on Sunday while I enjoyed the music in the Atrium by Mingo Fishtrap and the McCrary Sisters..  The boat was mostly full of Dallas fans so it didn't go so well for them but everyone had a great time watching the games together in one of the bars.  Even if they had to pay over $30 for a a bucket of 6 beers!


Musical Highlights  

Paul Thorn - I had only seen him once before, with his band at the Narrows Festival in Fall River MA last year.  On the cruise I got to see him do 3 completely different shows.  First was a "fan event" at 11 am on Monday, what they call a  workshop at other festivals, where he told stories and sang a few songs. He took questions from the audience and was very funny. Paul is from Tupelo, MS  and speaks with an unmistakable twang, which adds to the story-telling.  I learned that he used to be  a prize fighter and does his own album cover art.  Later that night was a solo acoustic set in the Stardust Theater, where he did some different, and some of the same songs, with completely different stories leading into them, just as funny.  Then another night, when we were finally able to have a show out on the pool deck, he did a  show with his band, that rocked!  By now I was singing along with most of the songs as if I'd heard them my whole life. I would love to see Paul Thorn again at one of  our local fests like Rhythm and Roots.


Red Young - where has he been all  my life? After hearing rave reviews of his Sunday night set, we decided to check out Red Young in the Spinnaker lounge at the very front of the ship on Monday night.  It is a classy round room with a wooden dance floor and fabulous sound system, probably used for disco on most other cruises.  Red had assembled a pickup band of himself on keyboards, a 4-5 piece horn section including the incredible Dana Robbins on sax  and some of the guys from Mingo Fishtrap. (2 more names I'd never heard before but by the end of the cruise became a fan)   The band did mostly jazz and swing standards and were so incredibly tight!    Some people danced,  a few thought they were on "Dancing with the Stars"....and we gave it a go but the ship was rocking up there and I had a hard time keeping my balance!  I think he played shows in the Spinnaker nightly. The next morning I ran into him at breakfast and found out he has been touring with Eric Burdon and the Animals, and has played with just about everyone! He actually has been in our area before, but I had just not come across him, surprising since he has played with some of the  members of RI based Roomful of Blues.   He also hosted late night jams in the Bliss Lounge  on the ship, where he would play piano and be joined by anyone from Raul Malo to Teresa James to Delbert himself.    I think he has been on almost all (if not all 21) cruises with Delbert, whom he has known since 1965.  Red played B3 organ during Marcia Ball's set, and sat in with a lot of other bands too, and every time I saw him he was smiling!

Lyle Lovett - We missed his first show on Sunday after  a late dinner,  but on Monday he did a Q&A in the Stardust theater.   He also took questions from the audience but had his whole band with him and told stories about the songs before playing them.  Joe caught the whole show and I caught the last 20 minutes of it after the Paul Thorn event.  When I walked in they were doing Friend of the Devil. He was very engaging and funny, with his self deprecating humor.  Another couple who had also won the cruise from WMVY had the brilliant idea of asking to get our picture taken with him, and he not only obliged us with a photo op but we talked to him for a few minutes.  Later that night we saw the full show in the Stardust theater which holds maybe 1000?.  I have seen Lyle before but not in such an intimate setting... I forgot how good he really is, such a great song writer,  He didn't have the large band but a medium sized  one that included bass, drums,  keyboard, fiddle, and a guitar player who could pass for Matthew McConnahey

Marcia Ball/ Pianorama - I have been a fan of Marcia ball for more than 20 years since the first time  I saw her play the boogie woogie piano at the Ocean Mist in Matunuck, RI on a Monday night, and even though I have seen her so many times, she never disappoints. She was one of my favorites at Jazz fest last year and one of the reasons I was so excited to be going on the Sandy Beaches Cruise! She kicked things off with  an excellent rocking set the first night, and I was able to get down front and dance for most of it.  On Thursday afternoon at 2 pm she hosted an event called  Pianorama, modelled after the WWOZ piano night that happens during Jazz Fest, where she and every other piano or keyboard player  gets on stage together, at least 5-6 keyboards at once, where they all take turns leading a song or two while the other jam along. This was even better than WWOZ piano night because  Instead of a full band they used  only a drummer as accompaniment and it was compressed into 90 minutes instead of 5-6 hours.  She was joined on stage by Red Young, Teresa James,  and at least 7 others - I don't  remember all of the names but I know one was the 14(?) year old son of Delbert's keyboard player, and  he also played drums! The whole thing ended up with a finale where all 10 or so of them played together on the 5 pianos. It was definitely worth missing a couple hours of sunshine to be inside that theater.

Then on the last night Marcia played again, it was a mostly upbeat set that included many old favorites.  She opened  with "New Orleans is a Party Town" and a few other older songs, with the Mingo Fishtrap horn section joining he new sax player. She also played some songs from the excellent new album, the Tattooed Lady and Alligator man and ended up with "Play with your Poodle".  Once again we were dancing right down front for a good portion of the show.  We made a request on a piece of paper and although she didn't play it she hooked us up with a pair of tattoo sleeves after the show.

Teresa James - another one that made me think, where you been all my life??? This west coast piano player originally from Houston is also a song writer and band leader like Marcia, but different style, more R&B less New Orleans style.  She has a very powerful singing voice and enhanced her band with  lots of special guests including the ubiquitous Red Young and some horns and Marcia Ball got up to sing with her, along with some other special guests.  The highlight of that set was at the end where she asked all the women singers to join her onstage for a reggae-infused version of Janis Joplin's "Piece of my Heartt" , The guests included McCrary sisters and Kree Harrison of American Idol fame.  I caught a little on my camera video but the sound is terrible.  I hope a better video of this surfaces from Jay Curlee, the official Sandy Beaches videographer!

Mingo Fishtap - so who is this Mingo Fishtrap anyway?  I have  mentioned them a few times, as the horn players who kept popping up to join others....They are a  funk and soul band from Texas who can really get a groove going!  I got to see them once in the indoor Atrium and once outside by the pool. I was surprised and impressed to hear them do a cover of Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer.

McCrary Sisters - a gospel group from Nashville, 4 sisters  reminiscent of the Staple Singers, they do a lot of good strong vocal harmonies and tambourine shaking that really made you want to get up and give thanks and praise!  They did some songs about sunshine and some songs about happiness, such a joyful sound! It says on the  SBC website that they are the daughters of one of the late Rev. Samuel McCrary, of the Fairfield Four. They were joined on stage by some young players from Nashville, one of whom was a violin player. I met his mom the first day.

Delbert McClinton of course, our host for the cruise,  played at least three times during the week. I saw him the first night in the theater, one afternoon outside while I was swimming in the pool, and  final set on Friday that included a non-stop parade of special guests.

Mavericks  - One of the few bands we got to see outdoors by pool, at night and it was a really fun show!  

We saw the AJ Ghent Band outside by the pool and in a late night jam plus  Fred Eaglesmith and Big Joe Maher and probably a few more I'm forgetting. So much good music over the seven days....., and we also got to dance to Wayne Toups a few times!

Late Night Jams

After the shows in the theater there were 2 Open Jams on the schedule.   I had brought my small red accordion, thinking it would be like Rhythm and Roots or Grey Fox, but it was more like an open mike, where you had to put your name on a list and  wait for them to call you up, where you could sing or play with a "house" band  that kept changing.   I thought about doing something but it was too stressful.   As one friend  pointed out, "hey you're not getting paid!".   I enjoyed it much more after I decided to just hang back and listen and dance with everyone else.  I have plenty of other opportunities to jam at my local festivals.   There was a steady stream of keyboard players, guitarists, sax, horn players, singers, most of whom were pros... this went on until 3-4  am every night. A few of the amateurs were folks who obviously were comfortable performing in front of an audience... but one of them was a spirited spoon player wearing a New England Patriots shirt, who  turned out to be an old friend  from RI I hadn't seen in about 10 years after she moved from RI to NC. 


The other open jam was the aforementioned Bliss Lounge jam hosted by Red Young.  Much more mellow atmosphere than the other one,  furnished with beautiful plush velvet sofas  and chaise lounges. You could fall asleep in there and be in heaven.

Ports of Call

So all the non-music people I came across leading up to the cruise, and even afterwards wanted to know "where are you going on this cruise"???  and some found it strange that we only stopped at 2 ports on a 7-day cruise. But this cruise is all about the music and the fellowship.  Honestly they could have just gone out a few miles and dropped anchor and it would have been fine.  But we got to stop at Antigua and St. Croix.   We ended up docking at a container port in Antigua, which is  known for the beaches so we just took an excursion to one of them that included unlimited rum punch.  That was fun.  In St. Croix we teamed up with another couple who had arranged for a car rental and we got to see a lot more of the island, including the old fort at Chirstiansted.  We ended up at Rainbow beach bar where there was a live band playing, and  the Mavericks were hanging out there doing a photo shoot, and we got to talk to them and take some pictures....  and that reminds me I forgot to mention them in my musical highlights above! Just added.

Sandy Beaches was a fantastic time with all the fun of an outdoor festival with none of the stress of worrying about weather or anything else really, no portapotties, excellent food and friendly people everywhere, and the added bonus of being in the Caribbean in January.   I hope to be able to do it again!
  

Joe Val Festival - just keeps getting better and better

I wanted to write about what a great time I had at the Joe Val fest this year, and as I was looking at my 2009  post on this festival, I remembered why I gave up writing in this blog. The beginning would be exactly the same, and I wouldn't change a thing I wrote in the final section on bluegrass accordion.

This mid winter festival is still a great way to escape the winter doldrums, especially this year with a blizzard swirling outside for most of Saturday.  Those of us who were lucky enough to be "camped" at the hotel had no worries about the outside conditions.  A few bands couldn't make it due to the weather, but the Gibson Brothers filled in nicely on Friday for Sideline with a terrific set of vocal duets, and the Lonely Heartstrings band - denied an encore on Saturday morning in favor of keeping with the schedule - were a fine substitution for Junior Sisk.  Desert Rose band's acoustic set was good,  but I found it lacking in drive because their bass player apparently couldn't make it...All the songs they did were familiar and I don't know why one of the  many bass players in attendance was not asked to fill in.  Sister Sadie I think was my favorite "new" discovery - I had seen Dale Ann several times before but not with this group, and I was really impressed with the fiddling of Deanie Richardson and the playing and singing of all of the members of this all-female group.   I missed IIIrd tyme out because I was pulled into a rollicking jam in the lobby, but my husband Joe enjoyed them very much.

Besides the non-stop jamming, some of my favorite moments were  on the Showcase stage - there is always  lots of variety there in a much more intimate setting.  Especially thrilled with the debut of a "dance" set, as Brother's Rye (not really bluegrass but more of a jug band) actually got them to move some of the chairs out of the way so those of us who were inspired could do some high stepping if we wanted to.  Could Joe Val fest be turning a corner?  I  also enjoyed Too Blue, Honky Tonk Masquerade, and EC's Moonshiners who all played on the Showcase stage on Sunday.  All of these bands play a little different styles than bluegrass, like western swing and country/blues.

All in all a fantastic time with friends both old and new...  Can we do it again next weekend?
 

http://festiveliving.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html

2012 Fresh Grass Festival at Mass MoCa

What was once an enormous factory is now home to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCa) a museum dedicated to modern art that also hosts several performing arts events, including  a bluegrass/ acoustic music festival called Fresh Grass, which we attended last weekend.  When I tried to get tickets to the festival I was surprised to learn it was temporarily sold out, pending a good weather forecast.   But once I got there and saw the size of the performance areas, I could understand why, since they could only comfortably accommodate a few hundred people.

Old Tyme Kozmic Trio

The facility has housed many industries over its 200+ year history, most recently an electronics/  transistor factory.  I could envision a heavy metal fest being held at the site with all the industrial background, as there is literally plenty of actual metal on the premises -  rusting old boilers, machinery, and  other remnants of its past.  But the music presented as part of Fresh Grass festival ran the gamut from bluegrass to old-timey to jazzy/acoustic new grass and rock, attracted an enthusiastic crowd of all ages from babies to elders. There is very little green grass at Fresh Grass, as most of the space in front of the stage is concrete.  It is not the most comfortable space for a festival since no chairs were allowed due to space constraints.  If you wanted to sit you had to either find a picnic table off to the side or on the upper deck which was set up as a bar/ cafe.  Some of the early arrivals spread out their blankets on top of concrete, but when the headliner bands came on most people were up and dancing anyway.

On Saturday we saw Old Tyme Kozmic trio (Rushad Eggleston, Darrol Anger and Bruce Molsky)  Joy Kills Sorrow,  Alison Brown,  and David Grisman, who did a more bluegrass-y set than other times I've seen him.  There was also a movie screening of a documentary about bluegrass called "The Porchlight Sessions".  My favorite set of Saturday was the Devil Makes Three, a high energy acoustic trio who played indoors while it poured rained outside at what was called  a "barn dance" but was more like a club atmosphere with a stage facing a rubbery floor surrounded by black walls, high ceilings and a bar set up in back.  The band's material was new to me but most people there seemed to know all the songs and were singing along. There were also some "pop up" concerts inside the galleries, where Rushad was kind of like a pied piper and some of the other bands who had played on Friday gave additional performances indoors.

 Sunday started out with a solo set by Leyla McCalla, the cellist for the Carolina Chocolate drops, and she was joined by some of the other band members for some songs.  Lonesome River Band was the most bluegrass-y set of Sunday.  Carolina Chocolate Drops put on a very spirited performance that had most of the audience singing and dancing along.  The bones and banjos clattered and clanged and Rhiannon's voice soared to the heavens.

Carolina Chocolate Drops

They were a tough act to follow, but Trampled By Turtles was able to fill the bill with their foot stomping wicked fast punked out acoustic music, which is only "bluegrass" in instrumentation. To me it sounded more like punk rock.

Mass MoCa is a rambling space filled with surprises, with lots to see and do between music sets.  It was an added bonus to be able to view multiple art exhibits, which included O, Canada, some abstract/ geometric installations by Sol Lewitt, an  "Invisible Cities" exhibit and a huge installation by Sanford Biggers called  "The Cartographers Conundrum" which purported to combine the funky and the sacred in a tribute to "Afro futurism"... think the Mothership from Parliament/ Funkadelic, Sun-Ra, and even those silver-painted dudes who work the streets in New Orleans.  I have to admit I did not make that connection the first time I viewed the piece, which consisted of several instruments scattered around the floor with broken star shaped mirrors, and a huge  pipe organ simultaneously appearing to explode and  levitate in front of a series of pews which started out solid on the ground and gradually became more translucent and suspended in air in a heavenly array.  At the time there was a banjo player performing in front of the organ which made it more interactive, and the organ and the pews underscored the sacred part.  The "Afro-futurism" angle was revealed to me on a tour I took the second day,  and by viewing a multimedia presentation in another room. 

Apart from the galleries there were all kinds of sights, sounds and smells to behold.  Musicians jamming all around the grounds and up in the old boiler room, pigs roasting on a spit out back, gift shops and an antique shop, a restaurant/ cafe and full bar,  upside down trees,  a massive clock tower, bicycles for rent,  chimes and other sounds emanating from rusted pieces of machinery and boiler rooms you could climb up into,  an Air Stream trailer up on permanent scaffolding filled with all kinds of retro artifacts,  high stone and brick walls and metal chutes,  wildflowers everywhere, and swings under the highway overpass - instead of a homeless camp, it was kind of a  playground for hippies.  While it is somewhat sad to think of all the jobs that used to be done there and all the thousands of people that used to be employed there, it is good to see the space being put to use and still inventing things.  And as often happens, in my travels, I may not have taken the opportunity to experience this place  if it weren't for the music festival that attracted me to it.

2011 New Orleans Jazz Fest

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