Issue Articles
In memoriam: Lucien Barbarin (1956-2020)
The name Lucien Barbarin elicits nothing but praise from his fellow musicians and all of those lucky enough to have heard him play trombone. “He was very special,” says trumpeter […]
Delfeayo Marsalis & Uptown Jazz Orchestra: Jazz Party (Troubadour Jass Records)
Vocalist Tonya Boyd-Cannon kicks off the title cut of Jazz Party with a spirit that embraces the album’s name. It’s a swinging number and one of seven originals by Delfeayo […]
Five Questions with Kermit Ruffins on His New 9th Ward Juke Joint
Some people have expressed concern that because you’ve opened Kermit’s 9th Ward Juke Joint you might be giving up the Mother-In-Law. Are you keeping both clubs and if so, why […]
Victor Harris, the Spirit of Fi-Yi-Yi, celebrates 55 years of beauty and culture
Victor Harris, the Spirit of Fi-Yi-Yi, remains one of the most recognizable big chiefs in the Mardi Gras Indian Nation. His style is unique in everything he pursues—the designing, the […]
Kenneth Hagans, New Orleans Trumpet (Independent)
Trumpeter Kenneth Hagans combines New Orleans traditional jazz chestnuts, spirituals, a couple of classic New Orleans rhythm and blues numbers and, perhaps surprisingly, hits from the Beatles songbook on New […]
Shanin Novrasli, From Baku to New York City (Jazz Village)
The name Shanin Novrasli might not ring a bell, though his associates on his latest album, From Baku to New York, certainly give the pianist and composer impressive creds. The […]
Lifetime Achievement in Music Education: Steve Masakowski
Steve Masakowski never focused on making teaching his career. While attending Boston’s Berklee College of Music he earned a Professional Diploma rather than a degree in music education. When pianist/educator […]
Positive Vibrations HeartBeat Award (Culture Bearer): Clarence “Delco” Dalcour
Best of the Beat Positive Vibrations HeartBeat Award (Culture Bearer) Clarence Dalcour, 71, is a soft-spoken man who as Big Chief Delco of the Creole Osceola displays old time […]
Lifetime Achievement in Music: Charlie Gabriel
Lifetime Achievement in Music Charlie Gabriel When Charlie Gabriel, 87, was a youngster of maybe eight or nine years old, he had a talk with God. “I remember myself saying: […]
Bruce Sunpie Barnes and Rachel Breunlin, Le Kèr Creole: Creole Composition & Stories from Louisiana (University of New Orleans Press)
The Louisiana Creole language, referred to by many as Creole French, surrounds those living in Louisiana even more than most people probably realize. It’s been defined as “a francophone language […]
