June 2023
Cover Story
- Genius and Depth: Jon Batiste always smiles when talking about New Orleans
Jon Batiste can’t get the camera working on his Zoom. “The internet here is a little funny,” he apologizes. Here being…
BackTalk
- John Boutte talks back
The Voice of New Orleans: John Boutté in the eternal now. John Boutté is, without question, an American treasure. “The voice…
Features
- 2023 Jazz Fest Redux
OffBeat has published a Jazz Fest recap since the magazine started in 1988. Headlines like “Squeezing Out Sparks at Jazz Fest”… - It's A Clean Machine: New Breed Brass Band’s fresh sound and the making of Made in New Orleans
Mentoring younger musicians remains a tradition in New Orleans, which went down when Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews decided to give a… - From New Orleans to Kingston and Back Again: Papa Mali's Shantytown Underground reimagines reggae
A year or so back, evocative flyers for a band called Shantytown Underground began to appear. They mysteriously hinted at a… - Unlike Any Other: Zydeco’s Rusty Metoyer plays for everybody
If the oft-said phrase “it skips a generation” is borderline cliquish, nonetheless, it still fits Rusty Metoyer to a “T.” The… - 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… - My Music with Irma Thomas
Occasionally an introductory email followed in a day or two by a phone call is enough to get someone’s attention. Irma…
Fresh
- King and Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll: PBS to broadcast this year’s second Little Richard documentary
Two months after the premiere of Little Richard: I Am Everything, Richard Penniman is the worthy subject of a second documentary.… - Vintage Vinyl Treasures (Episode 27)
This month’s installment of Vintage Vinyl includes an eclectic mix of soundtracks residing in my current record collection from five memorable…
Dining Out
- Dining Out: King Brasserie and Bar
King Brasserie and Bar opened at the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot in March 2023. The restaurant serves breakfast and dinner seven days…
Obituaries
- Peter “Chuck” Badie (1925-2023)
Beyond being a master of the upright bass, Peter “Chuck” Badie was blessed with an astounding memory. He'd tell stories of…
Reviews
- Ivan Neville: Touch My Soul (Mascot Label Group/The Funk Garage)
Keyboardist, vocalist and Neville family scion Ivan Neville has released Touch My Soul, his first solo album in nearly 20 years. Best… - Dr. John: Dr. John: The Montreux Years (BMG)
Dr. John: The Montreux Years collects recordings from seven of the much-loved singer-pianist’s Montreux Jazz Festival sets. Following the April release… - Jourdan Thibodeaux et les Rôdailleurs: La Prière (Valcour Records)
If you think this is more traditional fare of alternating Cajun two-steps and waltzes, then skip on by. That would be… - Vick LeCar: Vick LeCar’s Gallus Rex (Righteous Path)
Not many people seem to write love songs for their guitars anymore. Vick LeCar’s “My Guitar and I” is probably the… - Smiloh: Kaleidoscape (Independent)
When my editor suggested reviewing a new album that is billed as “dream pop,” I hesitated. Then I noticed the sly… - 4Horses Cajun Dancehall Band: Live at La Poussiere, Breaux Bridge, LA – Part One (Flattown Music)
4Horses was spawned from Cajun supergroup High Performance when steel guitarist Richard Comeaux had difficulty booking a gig and his usual… - Sean Hobbes and the Hi Res: Images of Rose (Independent)
Back in the day, the kind of music Sean Hobbes and the Hi Res are making was called “blue-eyed soul.” Defined… - Dan Montgomery: Cast-Iron Songs and Torch Ballads (Fantastic Yes Records)
“What you did back then don’t mean a thing today,” sings Dan Montgomery in the cast-iron curtain-raiser for this affectionately rocking…
