Last year at French Quarter Fest, a number of his friends and bandmates joined for a tribute to the late voodoo bluesman Coco Robicheaux. And midway through the set, a strange phenomenon occurred. “Apparently a big queen bee got disturbed so a whole hive moved out over the crowd, “recalls singer Irene Sage, who was [...]
Tag Archives: Treme Brass Band
Guiding Spirits: Jazz Fest Tributes to Coco Robicheaux, Uncle Lionel, Bob French & Hadley Castille
May 1, 2013 – 12:23 pm
OffBeat’s Concert Picks of the Week: March 21-27, 2013
March 20, 2013 – 4:59 pm
Louisiana Music on Tour Full Concert Calendar THURSDAY, MARCH 21 Chickie Wah Wah: Creole String Beans (RB) 8p New Orleans Arena: Alicia Keyes (RB) 8p Ogden Museum of Southern Art: John Boutte (JV) 6p Alicia Keys plays the New Orleans Arena on Thursday. FRIDAY, MARCH 22 Carrollton Station: Jimmy Robinson, Cranston Clements [...]
Ezra Credit: Better Than Ezra, Krewe of Rocckus’ Kevin Griffin Chats
February 1, 2013 – 12:10 am
Though born in the blues and baptized in brass, New Orleans can still rock. Case in point: longtime stalwarts Better Than Ezra. The band broke onto the national scene with 1995’s Deluxe, your typical overnight success story that was years in the making. Singer-guitarist Kevin Griffin puzzles at the paradox, noting, “It took us seven [...]
Obituary: “Uncle” Lionel Batiste (1931-2012)
August 1, 2012 – 12:09 am
Of all the colorful char-actors who’ve populated the streets of New Orleans over the years, Uncle Lionel Batiste takes the cake. Uncle Lionel patrolled the banquette along lower Decatur and Frenchmen Streets with the panache of a potentate or prelate. Always impeccably dressed in a crisply tailored suit, usually accompanied by a color-coordinated bowler hat, [...]
End of an Era: Reflections on the Passing of Uncle Lionel
July 25, 2012 – 12:08 pm
Now that Uncle Lionel is in the ground I feel like I can finally talk about an issue that disturbed me greatly during the roughly two weeks of celebrations, some planned and some spontaneous, of his remarkable life. Blog, twitter and facebook wars raged about the propriety of the celebrations, with complaints ranging from the [...]
Uncle Lionel Batiste’s Funeral Procession on Friday, July 20: Photos
July 24, 2012 – 12:41 pm
The somber passing of revered char-actor and Treme Brass Band bass drummer Uncle Lionel Batiste on Sunday, July 8 affected New Orleans music fans the world over. Following a second-line-for-the-ages a week earlier, a funeral procession on Friday, July 20, marked Batiste’s final sendoff. Undaunted by an afternoon deluge, a spirited crowd of “Unc’s” nieces [...]
Uncle Lionel Batiste Funeral Arrangements
July 13, 2012 – 11:53 am
“Uncle” Lionel Batiste‘s funeral arrangements have been announced by his family. Mr. Batiste died earlier this week, and will be sadly missed by the New Orleans music community and his fans all over the world. A public viewing will take place Thursday, July 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Charbonnet Funeral Home [...]
YouTube du Jour: Remembering Uncle Lionel
July 9, 2012 – 2:36 pm
As the somber news of Uncle Lionel Batiste’s parting weighs heavy on our hearts, fond recollections of the beloved char-actor have helped to ease his passing. Today, John Swenson shared his favorite memory of Uncle Lionel, a magical Mardi Gras sit-in at the Spotted Cat with fellow Treme denizen Davis Rogan. With today’s You Tube [...]
Uncle Lionel Batiste: February 1, 1931 – July 8, 2012
July 9, 2012 – 12:34 pm
Of all the colorful char-actors who’ve populated the streets of New Orleans over the years, Uncle Lionel Batiste takes the cake. Uncle Lionel patrolled the banquette along lower Decatur and Frenchmen Streets with the panache of a potentate or prelate. Always impeccably dressed in a crisply tailored suit, usually accompanied by a color coordinated bowler [...]
