Issue Articles — Features
Soul and Joy: Keiko Komaki’s Tokyo to New Orleans Odyssey
Drawn to the rhythm and soul of New Orleans, keyboardist Keiko Komaki moved to the city from Japan in 2006. She made the seven-thousand-mile leap seven months after Hurricane Katrina, when New Orleans was still deep in disaster recovery mode.
My Music with Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas, the matriarch of a family spanning four generations with great grandchildren, can rest on well-deserved laurels. But with numerous accolades including a Grammy, she maintains that an appreciative audience is more precious.
Cumbia de Nueva Orleans: Los Guiros brings the beat
Los Guiros is a psychedelic cumbia band whose time has come for New Orleans. Their core sound spans at least the last 200 years with respect for the traditional but is also of the now with electronics and effects. Like three of the best restaurants in our city—Fritai, Queen Trini Lisa, and Bratz Y’all—they fill a gap, are of a uniquely particular region, and have a New Orleans-centric quality.
Diggin’ Her New Hometown: Dee Dee Bridgewater is a vocal powerhouse
Three-time Grammy winner, vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater leads her own bands, has played with countless jazz legends and continues to perform concerts around the world. Yet considering her very impressive resume, she’s nonetheless particularly eager about her appearance at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Blurring Boundaries: Molly Tuttle is respectful of tradition but is not bound to it
Molly Tuttle & Golden HighwayFriday May 5 at 1 p.m., Alison Miner StageFriday May 5 at 4:15 p.m., Fais Do-Do Stage Getting back to her roots proved a winning move […]
Once Upon a Time in the Soul Chamber: Soul Rebels’ Lumar LeBlanc from A to Z
Soul Rebels co-founder Lumar LeBlanc opened his mind and his memory for a stunning A-to-Z of New Orleans, influences, loves, learning moments, and, of course, music.
A Joyous Celebration: Michael Doucet avec Lâcher Prise let things happen organically
Side projects involving your favorite musicians are often intriguing and a growth experience for the musician and attentive listener. BeauSoleil’s fiddling front man Michael Doucet is certainly no stranger to side projects.
Exuberance and Passion: Angélique Kidjo makes a lot of music
Angélique Kidjo is rapturously, ravenously eating crawfish, stuffing her mouth from her hands, making ecstatic noises, then rubbing the top of her shaved head in the throes of pure elation, never mind the residue and spices she’s getting all over.
Hey Hey, All Together: Ivan Neville’s Touch My Soul is his first solo album in 19 years
If you’re a renowned New Orleans artist and you want to write a song about the need for everyone to get along, it will probably come out funky and uplifting. But if you’re Ivan Neville, you can also pull out your address book and get a dream team of guests to perform it with you.
Jazz Icon Ellis Marsalis’ ELM Records: David Torkanowsky pays tribute to the ELM Music Company
It’s actually a rarity to see David Torkanowsky leading an ensemble at Jazz Fest. That’s not to say it’s rare to see him, one of New Orleans’ finest, most talented and spontaneous musicians, at the piano on a festival stage.
