Please Hug This Show!

I got my first outside of the bubble hug last week. I was one half of a consenting pair of fully vaccinated adults performing a full body stand-up snuggle. Sigh! I then selected the music for this week’s show.

Bobby Rush, who looks and acts like he does a lot of hugging, started the show with “Good Stuff.” This guy has won two Grammys while in his 80’s. And he’s still making music (the best may still be out there!)

Then its a full set of brass band – – Lil Rascals, Forgotten Souls and Hot 8. The Hot 8 number is spiffed up in a remix by Lack of Afro. Definitely a set of music to warm up the body and get

A set of hot jazz follows featuring Marla Dixon’s two bands (Shotgun and Shake ‘Em Up). Then its Secret Six Jazz Band from their new debut album. And the set finishes with Eddie Edwards represented in the form of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band’s “Barnyard Blues.” Edwards, a New Orleans native who was also an electrician and minor league ballplayer, was born 130 years ago this weekend. That’s a picture of Mr. Edwards in the Mixcloud player above which you should have activated by now so that you can listen while reading this.

So the motion of hugging makes me think of squeezing an accordion which is what I serve up next in the form of Eddie (lots of Ed’s today) LeJeune, Johnny Sansone and the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars.

I premiered, at least for KAOS and KMRE, three new records today: Peace Love & Donuts by Robert Snow and his merry band of vegetables, Kid Eggplant and the Groovy Melatauns; Down Below by Ted Hefko and the Thousandaires, and Bloodstains and Tears by Monk Boudreaux. I’ll dive deeper into them next week.

If you can make it past the first half of the show, you’ll hear a set that captures some of my euphoria resulting from being able to touch and be touched again. The New Orleans Jazz Vipers do “If I Could Hug You.” Antoine Diel sings Gershwin’s “Embraceable You.” And then Dash Rip Rock totally readjusts the mood (you’re welcome) with “Touch of You.” Some times, just a “dash” is all you need.

If you’re one of the few who make it to the last section of the show, you’ll hear the Radiators, Allen Toussaint performing with Nicholas Payton, Alex McMurray, Al Hirt and the Meters. Yea, I like to mix it up and then give it a big hug (assuming consent and vaccination, of course).

Please subscribe!