August 2019
BackTalk
- Ricky Riccardi talks back
Ricky Riccardi’s devotion to Louis Armstrong began when he was a high school freshman in Toms River, New Jersey. Then 15,…
Cover Story
- For Doreen Ketchens, the clarinet was her beacon and her way of life
“God gave us the streets—it’s a true blessing,” praises clarinetist and vocalist Doreen Ketchens. “We can play what we want, we can…
Features
- Satchmo SummerFest 2019: Stage schedules and map
Satchmo SummerFest Presented by Chevron returns Friday, August 2 and runs through Sunday, August 4. Click here for a PDF of… - A Resident Englishman: Clive Wilson talks about his jazz journey from London to New Orleans
Preservation Hall proprietor Larry Borenstein once remarked to Clive Wilson that the New Orleans jazz scene has always had a… - Tony Jackson: The man of a thousand songs.
Now known as the most innocent of standards, “Pretty Baby” is really an artifact from the heyday of Storyville. And… - Two Japanese jazz musicians travelled 7,000 miles to find a home in New Orleans
Haruka Kikuchi grew up in Tokyo: a big city girl with a background in classical music. Yoshitaka “Z2” Tsuji is… - Like a Cobra in the Dark: A conversation with Alex McMurray
Alex McMurray is rightfully recognized as a great guitarist and singer-songwriter, but beyond that he is also a tremendous navigator… - Moving and Grooving: Joshua Gouzy is fostering friendships in a dozen of bands
A member of 11 New Orleans bands, Joshua Gouzy gigs at least seven days a week. The bassist also founded one… - Dave Bartholomew Memorial
The day after the massive funeral and second line for Dr. John, even as WWOZ was continuing its unprecedented…
Online Exclusive
- Masters of Louisiana Music: Dave Bartholomew
Born: December, 24, 1918, Edgard, Louisiana Died: June 23, 2019, New Orleans, Louisiana Without Dave Bartholomew’s production, songs and band, Fats…
Fresh
- My Music with Michael Liuzza
“When my mama sang when I was a baby, I responded to her. My grandma told her, ‘That’s your singer.’ Singing… - My Music with Cyrus Nabipoor of NORUZ and Sexual Thunder
“I grew up in Portland. Piano was my first instrument, although I’m not very good at it. I didn’t practice much,… - Five Questions with Rusty Metoyer
At 27, Rusty Metoyer is experiencing success unknown to many zydeco musicians twice his age. His gigs stretch from the…
Letters
- Letters to the Editor, August 2019
Dr. John Mac was holed up in a hotel room between gigs and asked me to come by, because he had…
Mojo Mouth
- Another Adios
I hate telling my friends goodbye, but it’s part of life: another one of my generation’s music icons has passed away:…
Obituaries
- In Memoriam: Andrew Cormier (1936 - 2019)
During his 60 years on stage, Cajun music legend Jo-El Sonnier enjoyed rare crossover success, with two top ten country hits,… - In Memoriam: Nolton Semien (1939-2019)
Joe Hall is a happy anomaly. In zydeco’s homeland of southwest Louisiana, Hall swims in a sea of zydeco players who… - In Memoriam: Dave Bartholomew (1918 – 2019)
Described as a pioneer, an innovator, a genius, and a slave driver in the recording studio, Dave Bartholomew died at a…
OffBeat Eats
- Dining Out: Dian Xin
Since opening at the beginning of the year, Dian Xin has been wildly successful, and deservedly so. Created by the family…
Reviews
- Martin Scorsese, "The Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story" (Netflix)
Bob Dylan’s musical career has taken many unforeseen twists and turns, with the period immediately following Blood on the Tracks remembered… - Keith Jarrett, "J.S. Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier – Book I" (ECM)
In 1988 ECM released Keith Jarrett’s studio recording of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, Book One. ECM has now released a live version… - Preservation Hall Jazz Band, "Tuba to Cuba" (Sub Pop)
It’s been quite a few years since the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, under the leadership of tuba man/bassist Ben Jaffe, shook… - Smoky Greenwell, "Blues and the Power of Peace" (Greenwell Records)
Smoky Greenwell was on his way to a yoga retreat in Tennessee when he visited longtime buddy Johnny Neel, producer of… - The Bummers, "Dairy Beach" (Independent)
Near daily heat advisories, algae choking the Gulf, sharks, flesh-eating bacteria … 2019 is not turning out to be a banner… - Deacon John, "Crowded Shotgun House" (Independent)
Deacon John brilliantly digs into some new territory by recording a couple of tunes by Neil Finn, the leader of the… - Keith Frank Presents the Soulwood All-Stars Vol. 3, "Legends of the South" (Soulwood Records)
Zydeco boss Keith Frank didn’t record much for a few years, admittedly hitting an artistic drought. But then the floodgates bust… - NOLA is Calling, "Sewing Machine Effects" (Independent)
If you think the Mardi Gras Indian traditionalists out there were upset when the Wild Magnolias went electric and added funky… - Frank Salis and Michael Watson Frank Salis Meets Michael Watson (Independent)
On this album, pianist, guitarist and organist Frank Salis, a native of Switzerland, not only encounters Crescent City vocalist and trombonist… - Raymond Anthony Myles, "New Orleans Gospel Genius" (Tuff City)
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Raymond Anthony Myles, who was murdered at age 40 in 1998, has turned out to be… - Hash Cabbage, "Hash Cabbage" (Independent)
What’s this? Hash what now? Are these guys referring to a hash made out of cabbage or profits made off of… - Spider Murphy’s Fatback Vipers, "Smells Like Salvation" (Independent)
Spider Murphy is a name I have seen and heard numerous times in local music listings, but besides the fact that… - Jon Batiste, "Anatomy of Angels – Live at the Village Vanguard" (Verve)
Jon Batiste brings the same vitality, imagination and a certain playfulness to Anatomy of Angels, that he displays weeknights as the… - Khris Royal & Dark Matter, "Dark Matter II" (Independent)
This is the sort of album that a major labels would no longer release in a million years: a jazz-funk set… - South To Louisiana—The Music of the Cajun Bayous 2nd Edition (Pelican Publishing)
A testament to the readability and subject matter of the 1983 first edition of South to Louisiana, is that I bought…
