Issue Articles — Features
Born to Win: Britti always wore her heart outwardly
There are certain vocalists who bring you to full attention the first time you hear them. A unique signature means a lot, especially so in a world where mimicry reigns. Britti can’t help being herself, though. Her new album Hello, I’m Britti on Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound is a stellar introduction, a testament to the power of strong songwriting, abiding and genuine expression enduring.
A Tale of Two Allens: Luke Allen and His Son Arlo Talk Music—and Poultry
Over a fresh goose-egg omelet, prepared by Luke Allen, we dig into Happy Talk Band’s history and their new album, Low Shoulder, and trace the musical evolution of Luke’s prodigious son Arlo.
Journey to Funkstar: Water Seed – Anticipating The Future
You can always expect the new and unexpected from Water Seed and bandleader Lou Hill. They’re about to unveil Journey To Funkstar: An Immersive Concert and take you on a ride. It promises to be quite the experience and one not to be missed.
Zulu Coconuts: Jon Cleary Goes to the Mardi Gras
On Twelfth Night, Grammy-winning Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen released “Zulu Coconuts,” a new Mardi Gras song. We sat down in Bywater to talk about the tune, Carnival perennials, and how the ultimate connection between Mardi Gras music & Afro-Caribbean roots mirrors Cleary’s own musical passions.
Carnival Tales: Musicians Tell Their Favorite Mardi Gras Stories
Carnival Tales: Musicians Tell Their Favorite Mardi Gras Stories. With Carnival season approaching, we’ve once again asked some musicians to tell us their favorite Mardi Gras stories and included others from previous years. The stories we got range from the heartwarming to the fanciful to the downright raunchy; we wouldn’t expect anything else. And all are, of course, absolutely true—but then, who can really tell at this time of year?
Mamie Desdunes: The teenage girl who helped create the New Orleans sound
Mamie Desdunes: The teenage girl who helped make the New Orleans sound.
The great pianist Jelly Roll Morton who popularized jazz, claimed to have been the inventor of it. He would have been a little too young for that, being born in 1890. Storyville, the notorious red-light district where he eventually played as a piano “professor,” was already in full swing with this music when he was still a kid.
Don Marshall – Best of the Beat Lifetime Achievement in Music Business
New Orleans legend, Dr. John, was known to shout: “Call the doctor!” And, for almost 50 years, local arts organizations have called upon the pragmatic nonprofit administrator Don Marshall to perform a healing on them, discovering innovative cures for their financial ailments. Marshall, who has earned an unbeatable reputation for rescuing a variety of cultural organizations, is being awarded OffBeat’s 2023 Best of the Beat Lifetime Achievement Award in Music Business.
Ricky Sebastian: Best Of The Beat Lifetime Achievement In Music Education
Ricky Sebastian, this year’s Lifetime Achievement in Music Education Award honoree is a drummer extraordinaire who has played with the best, in New Orleans and around the world, and is an educator as high quality as it gets. We sat down to talk about how a kid from Opelousas became one of the most versatile drummers anywhere and where sheer talent, consistent dedication, and ongoing curiosity can lead you.
Best of the Beat: Heartbeat Award – Fred Joseph Johnson Jr.
Fred Joseph Johnson’s life has been dedicated to serving the Black community in his hometown of New Orleans. He’s excelled as a force in uplifting the spirit and outcome of people’s lives throughout his four major endeavors—as a spyboy with the Yellow Pocahontas Mardi Gras Indians, working with the Tambourine & Fan youth organization, as co-founder and president of the Black Men of Labor and heading the non-profit New Orleans Neighborhood Development Foundation.
Best Albums Of 2023 in Louisiana Music
Some of our Best of the Albums of 2023 picks were nominated for a Grammy, including Jon Batiste’s World Music Radio, Bobby Rush’s All My Love For You, Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton’s Death Wish Blues, Buckwheat Zydeco, Jr.’s New Beginnings…, Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s self-titled album, New Breed Brass Band’s Made in New Orleans, New Orleans Nightcrawler’s Too Much To Hold, The Rumble’s Live at the Maple Leaf, Dwayne Dopsie’s Live at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Rickie Lee Jones’ Pieces of Treasure.
