Issue Articles — Features
Inspired by New Orleans, vocalist Carmela Rappazzo continually hones her style and songs
“I try really hard as a writer to write light and airy songs,” says jazz singer and songwriter Carmela Rappazzo. “And I suck at it.” Rappazzo is trying to identify […]
Leyla McCalla navigates her Haitian identity in multimedia production
A woman twists and gyrates, seemingly deep in a trance, silhouetted behind a screen on which images of other ceremonial dancers are projected. She emerges onto a dark stage and […]
Daria Dzurik and the Hip Drops bring Caribbean-flavored indie-pop to New Orleans
Daria Dzurik, singer, songwriter and steel pan player in Daria and the Hip Drops, is one of many Florida State University music graduates who find themselves drawn to New Orleans. […]
Boma Bango brings Congolese Rumba to French Louisiana
The story of Congolese rumba is quite an intriguing chapter in ethnomusicology. The Central African genre germinated from its son Cubano roots (from Cuba) in the 1940s after Radio Congo […]
Conquered by New Orleans: Cyrille Aimée embodies New Orleans’ French and Caribbean heritage
Cyrille Aimée’s connection to New Orleans’ cultural milieu existed long before her recent move to Louisiana. The jazz-singing daughter of a French father and Dominican mother, she shared the […]
‘City of a Million Dreams’ fulfills 25-year documentary quest for Jason Berry
Among the many films to be screened at the 2021 New Orleans Film Festival is City of a Million Dreams, a documentary by that examines the evolution of the jazz […]
Life Begets Music: Nicholas Payton premieres ‘Smoke Sessions’
Though it took close to four decades, trumpeter, keyboardist and composer Nicholas Payton’s dream of playing with legendary bassist Ron Carter finally came true on the recording of his latest […]
My Music with Christian Serpas
Christian Serpas is the vocalist and guitar player for Ghost Town, a band known for honky tonk lyrics with scorching rock ’n’ roll guitars. The band has shared the stage […]
‘Hey, Can You Play Us A Song?’: Louis Michot Connects the Past with the Present
Fiddling frontman Louis Michot has made a career of excavating the hallowed foundation of Cajun-Creole music with his bands Lost Bayou Ramblers, Michot Melody Makers and Soul Creole and then […]
Party Spirit: Dash Rip Rock continues to evolve
In a perfect world, Dash Rip Rock would now be getting ready to play its big set at French Quarter Fest, a moment that would have capped off a busy […]
