Frankie Ford

“When I recorded this song, Quint Davis was poor,” announced Frankie Ford cheerfully during his performance of New Orleans R&B classics.

—Michael Tisserand

 

Oliver Morgan

“Here comes Fats Domino,” said Oliver Morgan, causing half the audience to turn around in anticipation of a surprise appearance by the reclusive Fat Man. Then Morgan launched into his own version of “Blueberry Hill.”

—Michael Tisserand

 

Blue Lu

Blue Lu Barker’s brief but moving talk at her husband’s tribute: “I set my table but my man Danny Barker ain’t coming home no more.”

—Michael Tisserand

 

DJ Jubilee

Hundreds of area students on field trips followed DJ Jubilee into a land of a thousand line dances during his local rap hit, “Stop. Pause. Do The Jubilee Part 2.” Best of all were the cartoon dances, like the “Big Bird.”

—Michael Tisserand

 

Gonzo King

A crowd mobbed the book tent to return recently-purchased Hunter S. Thompson books after the Gonzo King only scribbled his name on a handful of covers during an announced book-signing.

—Michael Tisserand

 

 

25th Anniversary

Even by New Orleans’ insatiable standards, the mind-boggling line-up of the 25th anniversary of the Jazz and Heritage Festival was enough to wreak havoc on even seasoned die-hards. But when you wait all year for these two glorious weekends, physical condition becomes secondary.

—Scott Jordan

 

Steve Masakowski

The shaded cool of the WWOZ Jazz tent was heated up considerably by local jazz guitar master Steve Masakowski, spotlighting material from his new Blue Note release What It Was. Whether trading leads with his saxophonist or embarking on his own cascading and spiraling solos, Masakowski dazzled throughout, expertly backed by a full band including his Astral Project bandmate, drummer Johnny Vidacovich.

—Scott Jordan

 

Little Richard

Little Richard, making his first Jazz Fest appearance, pulled out all the stops in his headlining slot and lived up to his legacy as the architect of rock n’ roll. Before he’d even played a note, Richard stood, arms outstretched, on top of his piano in a red sequined suit, feeding off a boisterous welcome from the audience. He then generously supplied screaming versions of all the big ones: “Bony Maronie,” “Good Golly, Miss Molly,” “Tutti-Frutti,” et aI, all the while reminding fans he is “still beautiful,” and sending emissaries into the crowd with autographed glossies. WWOZ disc jockey Ready Teddy even made a stage appearance in a lavish green silk shirt, showing off his dance moves and one-armed handstands for the benefit of out-of-towners.

—Scott Jordan

 

George Porter, Jr.

The surprise of the day was George Porter, Jr. and the Running Pardners backing up pianist Henry Butler for a magical collaboration that sparked Butler to scat most of his lyrics, playing off the funk Porter and bandmates were laying down, and diving deep into a ten-minute plus piano-driven version of The Meters’ “Cissy Strut.”

—Scott Jordan

 

Kermit Ruffins

I planned on wrapping it all up with the Nevilles, but bad-ass trumpeter Kermit Ruffins and his Barbeque Swingers performance summed up the essence of Jazz Fest. Although grounded in traditional jazz, Ruffins continues to bring a youthful streetwise angle to the genre, and sparked “Kermit’s Second Line” and an impromptu mass derriere-swinging session midway through his set. But even with his hip take on his trumpet playing, he still reveres old-school sentiment, evidenced with a dreamy version of Fats Domino’s “When My Dreamboat Comes Home” and, most fittingly, a no-holds-barred stomp through Danny Barker’s “Palm Court Strut.” With Barker’s recent passing still reverberating through the New Orleans music will continue to thrive and prosper — which makes the potential for a future golden anniversary of the Jazz and Heritage Festival a sweet prospect.

—Scott Jordan