Fats and Bartholomew
In the end, this day belonged to Fats Domino, a particularly significant moment in that it marked Domino’s public reunion with longtime bandleader Dave Bartholomew, who drove the massive R&B orchestra with its six-saxophone front line like he was behind the wheel of a speeding Cadillac. The 71-year old Domino roared through a set of well-known hits including ‘Tm Ready,” “Blueberry Hill,” “Blue Monday” and “Walking Through New Orleans.” He ended the show with his trademark move, bouncing the piano across the stage with his midsection as the band blasted out “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
—John Swenson
Lil’ Band of Gold
One of the first weekend’s most extraordinary performances came from the south Louisiana swamp-pop super group Lil’ Band of Gold, led by drummer/vocalist Warren Storm. who has been charting local hits since his 1958 single “The Prisoner’s Song.” Joining Storm in the band are Cajun accordionist Steve Riley and guitar slinger C.C. Adcock. both group leaders themselves. Lil’ Band of Gold delivered a red-hot set of vintage rock and R&B, from a soulful cover of the Lloyd Price ballad “Just Because” to the raucous “Seven Nights To Rock” and a superb version of Little Richard’s “Lucille” as the finale.
—John Swenson
Most Intense Ballad
Right in the middle of a white-hot burning set, saxophonist Branford Marsalis changed gears, closed his eyes and embraced his beautiful composition, “A Thousand Autumns.” Unfazed even by a horsefly buzzing around his head, which he deftly head-bobbed to avoid, Branford tapped into an endless stream of fragile, unconscious notes. Behind him, drummer Jeff “Train” Watts allowed time to ebb and flow to fit the mood of the moment. The overflowing Jazz Tent seemed captivated, suspended, afraid to move or speak.
—Jonathan Tabak
No K-Doe
Ernie K-Doe’s inspired performance at last year’s Jazz Fest should have made him a lock for the 1999 event. But K-Doe and JazzFest officials couldn’t come to terms on his fee, and so the self-proclaimed “emperor” spent most of the festival season entertaining (and feeding) patrons at the Mother-in-Law Lounge with backing from pianist Rico Watts and a drum machine. Though in fine voice and good spirits at his club, K-Doe was openly bitter that the festival powers-that-be wouldn’t meet his top price, $100,000, or his bottom-line, $50.000. “Only two songs that everybody in the world knows come from America—‘The Star Spangled Banner’ and ‘Mother-in-Law’,” K-Doe said with a straight face.—Andre Salvail
Worst Duets
Willie Nelson/Harry Lee and Willie Nelson/John Goodman.
—Robert Fontenot
Best Seduction
Bobby Blue Bland’s come-on to a young woman: “I may be old, but I ain’t dead yet!”
—Robert Fontenot
Oddest Cover
Henry Butler’s version of Chris Kenner’s “Sick And Tired,” which interpolated the Temptations’ “Papa Was A Rolling Stone.” Odder still, it worked.
—Robert Fontenot
Worst Set
Cowboy Mouth, who turned their good three-minute pop hits (and the Who’s “Won’t Get ‘Fooled Again”) intro painfully long exercises in Rock-Star Cliché 101. On one song alone, they praised New Orleans rock and roll, asked for a prayer for the Colorado shooting victims, ladled out yet another feel-good Up With People speech, led the audience in about two million sing-a-longs, and asked everyone to request their songs on B-97. What? No fake blood?
—Robert Fontenot
Jazz Fest Food
The food is definitely one of the biggest highlights for any Jazz Fest connoisseur. From the delightful bubbles of pleasure that one feels when biting into the popular crawfish bread, to the sweet and spicy excitement of the crawfish strudel, one’s mouth is likely to get the best of one’s tummy. The jumbo shrimp stuffed with crabmeat, crawfish sacks, and crawfish cakes also deserve merit among the seafood orgy. To wash it all down, the strawberry lemonade was the most refreshing choice. For dessert the fried pied from Elizabeth’s and the WWOZ mango freeze was a rave for this year’s fest. The pies were scrumptious, but I have one question, got milk?
The mango freeze was the ideal refresher after a long day at the fairgrounds: not too frozen, not to squishy and the fruit slides down nice and easy. Much better than Hagen Dazs Sorbet any day!
—Danielle Biondo
21 Year Old Trumpeter Irvin Mayfield
After stripping away all of the growing controversies over whether or not Jazz Fest has become too commercial, too corporate or too colossal, Irvin Mayfield reminded me of what the 30-year-old festival is supposed to be all about. I was in no way prepared for the absolutely brilliant performance the 21-year-old trumpet virtuoso delivered to his audience on April 23rd at the WWOZ Jazz Tent. Hearing the swelling brass of “Giant Steps” from the other side of the Fair Grounds, I followed the music and quickly made my way to its source. At the jazz tent I found hundreds of foot-stomping jazz fans, their skin glistening in the sweltering heat, wearing rapturous grins on their faces, and a look of almost divine reverence in their eyes. Mayfield brought the house down, and I firmly believe that this was one of those spectacular moments that will stay with those who saw it for the rest of their lives.
—Keith Pandolfi
Frog Figurines
Frogman Henry‘s purple Lincoln Continental has a dozen frog figurines in the back window. Frogman’s house guest during the Festival was Billy Diamond, Fats Domino’s original band leader.
—Jeff Hannusch
