PVDFest 2016

PVD Fest 2016

Saturday was a hot day and I had some stuff to do around the house, so I only went to the PVD Fest for a few hours in the evening, opting to take a RIPTA bus from East Providence rather than deal with altered traffic and parking. When I stepped off the bus  and saw the crowds , and people selling beer and cocktails in go- cups , it felt like being on Bourbon street!  Giant black and silver dinosaurs bobbing their heads high above the crowds, and all sorts of colorful characters including Big  Nazo puppets and members of the Extraordinary  Rendition  band made for a carnival atmosphere .  Kids were playing in a mountain of suds where someone  had set up a bubble machine on one of the side streets.  For the moment it  like I was in a whole different city, except running into a few local friends.  I had also met a kindred spirit on the bus and we had similar interest in what bands to see so we ended up hanging out together for most of the evening.

The first band I saw was Red Baraat, a Brooklyn  based band that fuses funk and northern Indian music together and is really high energy.  They got everyone up dancing right at the beginning by encouraging people to get up out of their seats and move closer.   After a few songs they called for a few dancers to come up on stage for a sort of contest.   I recognized one as a Zumba instructor who also teaches  Indian  dancing.   Two of the others were costumed members of extraordinary Rendition Band, so they almost looked like part of the show.   The music was so infectious we could not stop dancing but I had to use the bathroom, and found to my dismay they only had 3 port-a-potties near the main stage,,  so it was a long wait.

After Red Baraat we went to get something to eat at one of the food trucks, but some of them were out of food, and most had very long lines that were moving very slowly.  I ended up going to Haven Brothers.    They've been in business for about 100 years and are reputed to be the first diner in America.  The hot dog I had was nothing special, but they seemed to be the most efficient at catering to the large crowds.

After eating I went to catch what I thought was the Afro Cuban All Stars ( due to bad info from the volunteer staff) m but learned later it was a Puerto  Rican ensemble called Plena Libre. Many in the audience were salsa dancing.  I recognized some of the songs from Zumba so danced in my own style, then  headed home a little after 11:00.

Jorge Elorza, mayor of Providence, was quoted  in the local media as saying: “It  is my vision that this festival becomes something akin to South by Southwest in Austin or New Orleans’ Jazz Festival.”   Only in it's second year, PVD  Fest has potential to become a destination festival but I have a few suggestions to help make that happen:

1) IF YOU ARE GOING TO SELL BEER HAVE A LOT OF. PUBLIC  BATHROOMS,  This seems to be the case with most of the outdoor events I've attended in Providence.  How much can it cost to add more bathrooms?

2)  Have better info.  The printed brochure was confusing and hard to read, and the website was not much better.   The volunteers were not well versed in the performance locations or the schedule.   When I had asked where  the 2 bands I wanted to see were going to be playing they directed me to the wrong stages.  Luckily everything was running a little behind schedule (another flaw that worked to my advantage) .

3) If you are going to  encourage public transportation,  have extra buses!  The RIPTA  buses stop running shortly after 10 pm on Saturday and are not very frequent.  And Sunday is worse.  Luckily I was able to get a ride home with a friend but it would be better if the city could provide better transportation options so people could enjoy more of the Fest.   New Orleans and Austin do a pretty good job of this with the Jazz Fest and Austin City  Limits festival.

Despite these minor inconveniences, the PVD Fest was a really fun time.  Hopefully they will learn a little more each year so it will continue to grow and attract more visitors to our unique city, like the Lowell  Folk  festival.

Bluegrass on the Bogs 2016

Bluegrass on the Bogs takes place  in May and for many of us, it is the first outdoor camping / music festival of the season in New England.   Now in its 11th year, 2016 was my 3rd time attending this regional festival  that features bluegrass and other acoustic/ string bands from  all over New England and New York.   Because so many of us know each other from going to other festivals and jams in the area, it feels a lot like a family reunion, especially since it is early in the season and some people may not have seen each other in a while.   For the past few years it has been held at Camp Kiwanee, originally a summer home for a wealthy Boston lawyer, then a camp used by the Campfire Girls, and is currently owned by the town of Hanson MA.   The piney wooded setting is peaceful and rustic, with very simple cabins to sleep in (no heat or electricity , just cots)  and some space for tents and RV's.  There are also actual bathrooms  and free hot showers, which is a bonus for anyone who is used to camping at other festivals that only have port-a-potties and makeshift showers.

Needles Lodge, photo by John Phelan, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Needles_Lodge,_Camp_Kiwanee,_Hanson_MA.jpg 

On the grounds is big lodge with a wrap-around veranda and gazebo in the back.  The back porch has steps that lead down to the pristine Lake Maquan.  The building used to be the summer home, and is now often rented out for weddings and other functions but is not open for the festival, although we can sit on the porch and enjoy the view.  There are some trails through the woods, where some people set up tents to camp in more secluded areas, unlike our camp neighbors who had set up  tents all over the place in between the cabins in order to be close to the music, vendors, bathrooms, etc.  They sacrificed privacy for convenience.

Friday night's lineup was solid, starting out with a couple of  traditional sounding bluegrass bands,  then ending up with 3 Berklee based string bands that play a combination of bluegrass and other roots style music.

6:30 PM	Local Freight
7:30 PM	Bill Thibodeau Band
8:30 PM	Damn Tall Buildings
9:30 PM	Chasing Blue
10:30 PM	Lonely Heartstring Band

We really are lucky to have so many  talented,  up-and-coming bands in the area. Most of them were familiar to me, but Damn Tall Buildings was a new one, lots of energy. Can't wait to see them again at Podunk!

After the show it was a little cold, so we went to sit by the fire with our neighbors Mike and Natalee, under the full moon.  Just because it's called a bluegrass festival doesn't mean that is the only kind of music you hear.  There are usually a few good real bluegrass jams then a mix of other styles.  The people camping on the other side of us  were in a band called Wheelhouse Rodeo with a ukelele, some drums, electric bass, banjo, guitar and were doing  a lot of the same fun original songs over and over, obviously practicing their set for the next day so I didn't want to jump in with them.   I brought my accordion out to some other jams. When I have my accordion with me I seek out the less traditional jams. There was one with a few guitars, where they were playing some blues and jazzy instrumentals, then later on I went down the hill for a sing along type jam of classic rock and other stuff.   At those kind of jams there's always some inebriated folks who think the musicians are a karaoke machine and can play whatever pops into their head. So you might end up trying to play some songs you never tried before, and had no idea you could play! But it's still fun.

Saturday morning,  they offered  2-hour classes for a fee, with musicians from some of the bands that would be playing that day.  I decided to take the fiddle class with Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, from the band Mile Twelve.  She is only in her early twenties, but has been playing fiddle since she was about 3 and teaches professionally through Berklee college, from which she graduated in 2013 with a degree in violin performance.   There were five of us in the class, which was held on the porch overlooking the pond - a beautiful setting for learning!  We worked through a bluegrass song called On and On, learning the melody, fills, chords, etc. and half-way through she went around to each of the  5 students and gave us some individual tips on technique.  Then we went back to the song, trying out the different parts. It was a good class, but after that I was kind of tired so went to rest and listen to Sinner's Pie on the main stage.

Now here was the best part (for me).  The other 2  times I've been to this festival, most of my friends have been  in bands that are playing there.  I am not in a band but love to jam with people after hours.  This year, I had the honor and privilege of playing in a group assembled for the occasion by my friend Ellen,  a vocalist who had played the festival the previous two years with Acousticana ( no longer together).  So "Ellen Breen and Friends" included Matt on guitar, Joe on fiddle/ guitar, Sal from Bill Thibodeau band on mandolin, Carol and Nelson from Sinner's Pie on vocal and bass, and myself on accordion.  We played a 30 minute set on the Pavilion stage.  It was fun because we have all played together in jam settings,  some have played together in bands, and the audience was mostly people we knew so it was a relaxed and uplifting experience.

After the show I went to watch Cold Chocolate, a trio of  guitar, upright bass, percussion - with a kind of jazzy / funky sound,  not  bluegrass, just really good acoustic music.  They describe themselves as "Bluegrass Funk",  Kirsten Lamb, the bass player is as much of a vocalist as bass player.  She is front and center not in the background like some bass players.

Highlight of the evening for me was seeing  Mile Twelve, the fiddle teacher's band. They are a young, hard-driving bluegrass band, another product of the thriving Berklee acoustic music scene.  I found it kind of funny the fiddle player is from Virginia but came to Boston to learn bluegrass.  The banjo player is also female and is from New Zealand and the two guys (guitar and bass) are from MA and NY.  They played some traditional as well as some originals, all done very well.  Watch for them at Grey Fox!

Went back to camp and after a while we got a jam going at our neighbor's site, where they had another nice fire. The threat of rain never really materialized except for a few sprinkles around 2:30 am, and that was my cue to pack it in for the night, but some of the others stayed up playing a bit later. I don't think it rained much at all.

Seems like most of the bluegrass festivals around here have some version of a Kids' Academy which I think was started at Grey Fox.  It's an important component to the festivals, a way to get kids involved and keep the tradition going.   Children register and spend time over the weekend learning some songs together, and on the last day they perform on the stage.  They take turns singing, soloing, and playing rhythm.    The Kids Academy at BOTB is run by the RI Bluegrass association.  They had a bigger turn out this year than last (as more people find out about it and plan for it).  Hats off to the Bog Squad and the RIBA teachers who coached them!

The weather Sunday turned out much nicer than expected  -  a washout was predicted but it ended up being sunny and pleasant... go figure!  Just goes to show you can't let the weather predictions rule your life.  So I was able to hang out and watch Monadnok before making the 45-mile  drive home.  I hope the rest of the festival season turns out as nicely as last weekend at Bluegrass on the Bogs!

I did not take any pictures (except for the one of the kids with my cheesy phone.) But there are lots of excellent photos on the BOTB Facebook page.

Friday at New Orleans Jazz Fest

Jazzfest  - Friday 4/29

My plan for our last day at Jazz Fest was to camp at the Fais do-do stage,  to see Feufollet, Creole String Beans, and Honey Island Swamp band, with side trips to Gentilly  for Bonerama and the Revivalists  and Congo for Shamarr Allen, closing out at Acura with Paul Simon, whom I'd never seen before.  If we couldn't find a good spot at Acura we'd go back to Fais do-do for CJ Chenier.   It was sunny and breezy,  but the grounds were sure to be muddy from the day before, so I wore my old sneakers which were ready to be thrown out anyway, so I wouldn't mind if they got wrecked in the mud.  They were much better for walking than the hot rubber rain boots from yesterday.

We got there too late for Feufollet, so went for breakfast of Soft Shell Crab Po Boy and Crawfish Pie washed down with iced Cafe au Lait.  Ran into some friends from back home so we brought them over to the Threadhead meeting spot behind Ms Lena's beer stand.  That was a good place to eat in the shade, visit with friends and check in to our Southwest flight for the next day with the smartphone.   Across from there was the Belize Pavillion,  (every year at Fest they feature a different country) so we stopped in there to check out the display.  There was a drumming group playing , and 2 men carving instruments out of cedar, smelled so good! They let me try out the harp and the fiddle but I could not hear how it sounded with all the drumming.  The makers were going to play the instruments at 2:30 so I planned to return to see them.  They also had some really beautiful costumes and head dresses on display , that I could try on!





From there we finally headed over to Fais Do Do , too late to get a spot in the shade but we found room  for our little chairs near the back, unfortunately next to the Native American display where they were drumming nonstop between bands. We secured our chairs then went over to Gentilly for Bonerama and met up with a semi- international group of Thread-heads - Kathie and Greg from Canada, Jenn and Dave from New Orleans, ( flying an Aussie flag) , Bonnie from Boston, Mel from Louisiana, Matthew from Salt  Lake/ now residing in Poland.

Bonerama sounded great as usual,they did a cover of Led Zeppelin's Misty mountain hop, among other covers and originals.  There was a young blonde  kid maybe  10 or 12 playing guitar with them, I heard it was Matt Perrine's son.  How exciting to play in front of such a crowd!  After Bonerama  we were going to try and see a little of both Shamarr and Creole String Beans,  but decided it wasn't possible to see a good amount of both, so we made made our way back to our little chair camp at Fais DoDo.  Creole String Beans play swamp pop and Rock'n'roll  ala Fats Domino.   They had one pre-announced special guest (TK Hulin) and a surprise guest Bill Kirchen who kept things rocking.

On the break I went back to the Belize Pavilion to see the native instruments being played by their makers and learned they were keeping alive an  ancient Mayan musical tradition.    With all the noise from outside, it was hard to hear the string instruments until I went up by the  speakers.  The carved wooden harp and mandolin strung with nylon fishing line sounded about as primitive and basic as they looked.   But it had a soothing quality.  They play this music at all kinds of occasions on Belize, weddings, funerals, etc.

Returned to the chairs for Honey Island Swamp band.  Today was a really good day for finding friends - there were a couple of St. Louis Thread-heads  sitting in front of us.   HISB seemed to be playing a lot of new material, at least I wasn't too familiar with it (I only have their first CD) but it sounded good and rocking.  However the heat was getting to me ( even though we'd had a Mango Freeze while sitting there ) so I suggested a trip inside to the grandstand to cool off and use the real bathrooms.   As usual a very long line for the ladies room so I got to see a cooking demo waiting in line while Joe went to watch the band on the Lagniappe stage.     By the time I came out of the bathroom they were just getting ready to hand out samples of the dish - which was a vegan stir fried tofu with basmati rice, with a nice curry flavor.  Not New Orleans style but pretty good!  The chef explained she turned vegan after her mother died at  the age of 37 of heart disease  ( probably brought on by a southern meat-centric diet)

On the Lagniappe stage was a country bluesy rock band called Cary Hudson and the Piney Woods players.   This was my surprise of the day,  and so appropriate for a little something extra, or lagniappe as they say in Louisiana.  They sounded like early Rolling Stones ( eg. Hip Shake) or North Mississippi Allstars with the addition of a female singer and fiddle player.

Back outside to see the Revivalists on the big Gentilly stage. It had gotten a lot more crowded since Bonerama.  Music was good but unfamiliar, so I could not really get into it.  I can enjoy an unfamiliar band on a small stage, but to me, when it is so big it's hard to connect with if you don't  know the music.  We stayed for a while but never met up with anyone we knew there.  Returned to our chairs at Fais do-do where Los Lobos was doing an acoustic set of Mexican folk music, not their east L.A. rock sound.  This would have been good in a smaller venue but with all the background noise it was hard to hear from where we were so we packed up the chairs and headed over to Acura a little early where we found a spot in the bleachers.  I really like those bleachers, they are the sturdy wooden kind not flimsy aluminum and give a good vantage point.   It was almost the same spot we had been at the day before but way more crowded!   That's what a sunny breezy day and a big name headliner will do.

Paul Simon opened with a musical interlude of accordion and percussion  then into the opening track from Graceland (Boy  in the Bubble)  This was followed by "50 Ways to Leave your Lover" a couple of new songs then back to the tried and true like "Mother and Child Reunion" , "Me and Julio" , "Still crazy after all these Years " which really seemed to resonate with the crowd, who sang along.  A few more older songs  with the addition of pan flute ( I think ).  They sounded different but he sounded fine vocally and seemed upbeat with an acoustic guitar, wearing a white hat.  Good thing they have the big screens!  After about 45 minutes in the bleachers , I wanted to get down a little closer.  I could see the Threadhead flag flying over to the right near the inner track and we stepped our way through the muck to where my friend Neen was camped out with her Atlanta crew and other friends we know.  We were just in time  to dance to the zydeco -sounding  "That was Your Mother"   and listened to a few more familiar songs over there then said our goodbyes before heading out a little early to catch the bus, hearing a new song called "Wristband" on the way out.

All the walking  ( and restrained dancing)  over the past week had taken its toll on my knees! Instead of walking several blocks to Deanie's seafood we ate dinner at the nearby Cafe Giovanni, then went back up to hang out on the deck before packing up.  As they say,  Jazz Fest is a marathon not a sprint, and I was glad to enjoy the days I attended,   Even if it was only the half marathon.  That was plenty! And I was grateful for 3 good weather days out of 4.

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!