Issue Articles — Features
The Best Of The Beat Music Awards 2023 Nominations
OffBeat’s annual Best of the Beat Awards started nearly 30 years ago, in 1996.
On Her Way: Sierra Green’s powerful spirit is preparing her for the future
Sierra Green is quietly taking necessary steps to come out strong in 2024. She’s actively in the studio with a new sound, her management team is handling business, and she’s keeping her head down to do the work. This is a singer whose name you’re about to hear much more of. She gave me the scoop at PJ’s Coffee near the lakefront shortly before she and her band The Giants performed at the New Orleans Pelicans game.
The World’s Premier Guitar, Sousaphone and Washboard Trio: The Tin Men Celebrate 20 Years
Chaz Leary, you know him as “Washboard” Chaz, holds the back cover of the new Tin Men album, Hit It!, up to the computer camera on a Zoom chat. He’s sitting with bandmate Alex McMurray at the latter’s house, while in another chat window is the third member of the trio, Matt Perrine.
From Adonis Rose & NOJO: Taking New Orleans to the World
Adonis Rose seems to operate on a different clock than the rest of us, one with extra hours. As both the managing and artistic director of the award-winning New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO), he’s making things happen with a strong drive of service to the New Orleans community and the world-at-large. We had a good talk about what’s been going on the past few years and what the future holds.
Messenger of God: Jemima Joél and the Divine Feminine
Jemima Joél, known as ‘The woman who sings and paints,’ has been making a name for herself.
Loving the tempo of New Orleans: Ricardo Pascal considers New Orleans the Disney World for musicians
It seems almost inevitable that Ricardo Pascal became “omnipresent” on the New Orleans music scene.
Sticking to the Bass-ics: Robert Snow’s original music is new and fresh
They call Robert Snow the king of the sidemen.
“That’s what everybody calls me,” bassist Robert Snow said. “They say, ‘Oh, you play with everybody.’ But you’ve got to do that in New Orleans. You’ve got to play with a bunch of different bands.”
Sounds of Freedom: Pianist and composer Courtney Bryan chosen for the MacArthur Award
“They do a good job of surprising you,” Courtney Bryan says with a laugh on how she learned she’d been chosen to receive a very prestigious 2023 MacArthur Fellowship award, colloquially known as the “genius grants.”
Bringing the Happy: Sean Ardoin teams up with the Stax Music Academy
“People ask, ‘What do you do?’” Sean Ardoin says in a chat from his Lake Charles home. His answer? “I get to provide the atmosphere for people to choose to be happy.” He pauses a fraction of a second for emphasis. “I bring the happy.”
