Music
Carmela Rappazzo: Whispering (Studiola Records)
Well, it’s not hard to imagine that scene with Carmela Rappazzo’s Whispering. There is a cabaret theatricality to it, flowing from that opening, not forced, not in every song, but threading through the words and sounds and manners. And it’s probably no accident that several songs make explicit allusions to acting and pretending, to playing roles.
The New Orleans Nightcrawlers: Too Much To Hold (Independent)
The New Orleans Nightcrawlers
Billy Iuso: 52 Hz (Independent)
Billy Iuso was one of the first local musicians to really get busy during the pandemic; he started doing livestreams in spring 2020 and returned to live gigs as soon as there were any. He used a lot of the downtime to stockpile songs—and while his new album isn’t specifically about lockdown, it does stir up a lot of the emotions that surfaced during that time.
Jason Mingledorff: Start It! (Independent)
Having such a strong presence on the New Orleans music scene and beyond, it comes as a surprise that Start It! stands as Jason Mindgledorff’s debut release as leader.
Dr Mary’s Monkey: Velvet Dreams (Audio Platters)
On the surface, there’s some serious psychedelic damage in this band. Most of their tracks could pass for buried treasures on some little-known Pebbles or Nuggets compilation, and lovers of late-’60s garage/psych will latch onto it right away. Especially since the reverb-drenched recording makes it all sound like it’s emanating from some long-ago bat
cave.
Dean Zucchero: Electric Church for the Spiritually Misguided (Pugnacious Records)
Since moving to New Orleans, a decade ago, Dean Zucchero has certainly made his mark on his adopted city’s abundant music scene.
Dusky Waters: Pass It On (Independent)
Dusky Waters hits the ground running and sets the tone from the beginning with the title track. Jenn Jeffers sings acapella, “Go down, Moses/ Pass it on/ Take your hurts/ Hand them to your son.” After these plaintive lyrics, strings enter, and the rest of the band progressively steps in. By the 3/4 mark, the hypnotic interweaving of all that’s been building levitates to its cruising altitude and takes you home wondering where you’re heading next.
The Garden of Joy: Bouncin’ Around (Big Tone Records)
The Garden of Joy, a traditional jazz band led by banjoist, guitarist and vocalist Hunter Bergamy, recently released their debut album. If that name sounds familiar it’s because Bergamy has been featured in OffBeat for his work with Fritzel’s Jazz Pub’s releases and recordings by the Secret Six.
Laura Huval: Raised in the Choir Loft (OCP)
When Laura Huval says she was practically weaned in the church choir loft, she’s not kidding. Her parents, Cajun musician Al and Karleen (née Guidry) Berard, met as teenagers at choir practice at St. Joseph Church in Cecilia, Louisiana. Al played guitar, helped arrange, and even wrote a few songs while Karleen sang alto and soprano. Huval joined the choir at age nine and performed her first professional gig, a wedding, three years later.
Storyville Stompers Brass Band: Count Your Blessings (Independent)
Storyville Stompers Brass Band Count Your Blessings
