Sonny Landreth – Sweeney's Gumbo YaYa

Lafayette/Baton Rouge visit ground me a bit in the non-NOLA sounds of Gumbo YaYa

To mix it up on Gumbo YaYa, I often played music from acts from Baton Rouge and Lafayette. But until this week, I had barely passed through those towns. A musical evening in Lafayette and a quick blues festival stop in Baton Rouge began the process of remedying that experience gap.

Kim and I have been driving about a bit since the last show and we’ve caught music in Bend, Oregon (The Pinehearts), some stray live tunes in Moab, Utah and Santa Fe, and a hoedown at the Little Longhorn Saloon in Austin. But we hit the main music vein when we got to Lafayette.

Fingerpistols at The Little Longhorn Saloon, Austin, April 19, 2022

We caught a few bands downtown and at the Blue Moon Saloon but the big strike was the “Medicine Show” a showcase of student and faculty performances from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Traditional Music Program. The program was celebrating 25 years of providing guidance to young musicians in the history and practice of Cajun music, zydeco, bluegrass, blues and other root styles.

Accomplished students with famous last names such as “Benoit,” “Sonnier” and “Guidry” offered up songs such as “Hand Me Down My Walking Cane,” “Give Him Cornbread,” and “Zydeco Stomp.” In all, five distinct student groups took the stage led by some of the all-star cast of this amazing music program.

The faculty includes, among others, Nathan Williams Jr. of Lil Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers, Chas Justus of the Revelers, Chad Huval with Beausoleil, Blake Miller of the Red Stick Ramblers and Pine Leaf Boys, Gina Forsyth solo fiddler/songwriter and Lee Allen Zeno who played with Buckwheat Zydeco. All of the faculty performed, including coming together for an “Instructor All-Stars” performance. That was followed by another long set by an ad hoc group that included Zachary Richard, Sonny Landreth, Henry Hample, Ward Lormand, Gary Newman and Danny Kimball.

From left: Sonny Landreth, Gary Newman, Ward Lormand and Zachary Richard, Angelle Hall Auditorium, Lafayette,

The next day, Kim and I drove into Baton Rouge, hooked up with Bill Boelens who co-hosts Dirty Rice on KRVS in Lafayette and Back Down the Bayou on WPVM in Baton Rouge. We got on downtown for the blues festival and caught Roddie Romero and Michael Juan Nunez as they were performing Romero’s “The Creole Nightingale Sings” from his excellent Gulfstream release from 2016 (Show featuring my interview with him.) This fan boy moment of meeting these two musicians after their set (and getting Nunez new record) was made even greater when Bill introduced me to Larry Garner who was sitting in the audience preparing to catch the next act. This Louisiana Blues Hall of Famer has three of his records on the KAOS blues shelf and I’ve drawn from them regularly over the years.

Wrote more than I really wanted to do, just needed an excuse to show off these pictures.

Me, Roddie Romero and Bill Boelens

Roddie Romero and Michael Juan Nunez at the Baton Rouge Blues Festival, May 23, 2o22

Another example of how New Orleans and Jazzfest latches on

I know I’m not the only person whose attraction to New Orleans grew as a result of attending the city’s Jazz and Heritage Festival. In this week’s show, you’ll hear how it hooked a young Wisconsin musician into making New Orleans his home.

Ted Hefko is an established New Orleans musician with a handful of records and many years experience of leading a band, but he was not even out of high school when he attended his first New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. His experience prompted him to return to Madison, Wisconsin, get his diploma, pack up his few belongings and move to New Orleans. You’ll hear him tell this story on today’s show.

But first, Dr. Michael White will entertain you with “Mpingo Blues” and you’ll be subjected to another set of live music. Remember last week’s show? Well, I didn’t get to all the songs I wanted to, such as The Radiators doing “7 Devils” from the 2006 JazzFest — the event that has resulted in nearly annual visits to my birthplace (and not for JazzFest). By the way, the Jazzfest line up for this year has just been announced. And you’ll find Ted Hefko and his band on the list. Also on the JazzFest line up (for the first time) is Bon Bon Vivant an they will be making its second appearance in the KAOS studio in two weeks!

In this week’s show You’ll also hear live performances by Sonny Landreth, Harry Connick, Jr. Sunpie Barnes and Smoky Greenwell, J & the Causeways, Boozoo Chavis and Kermit Ruffins.

At about the 25 minute mark, I start sharing clips from an interview I had with Hefko who plays guitar and saxophone, leads a band called “The Thousandaires” and writes songs. He tells the story of his moving to New Orleans and starting his professional music career, his tenure in New York and his return. His latest album is Down Below. You’ll hear him perform “The Next Train,” “Egyptland,” and “Into My Head.”

More music follows including Helen Gillet, John “Papa” Grow, the Big Dixie Swingers, the New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Lynn Drury, Andrew Duhon, Rosie Ledet and Kristin Diable to name a few.

Take a Joy Ride Without Leaving Your Driveway

We take a joy ride with the help of The Melatauns and dozens of other New Orleans musical acts on this week’s show.You can get it started while I fill you in on the show.

We’ve been cooped up long enough so let’s hit the road with The Melataun’s “Joy Ride” — a song that reminded me of my childhood visits to Pontchartrain Beach — an amusement park that featured a wooden roller coaster called the Zephyr. We stay on track with Kenny Neal’s “Blues Mobile,” Marva Wright’s “Further On Up the Road,” Paul Sanchez’ “Drive Right Back” and Sonny Landreth’s “U.S.S. Zydecoldsmobile.”

But “What Goes Around Comes Around” (Rebirth Brass Band) and so we dive into a little weirdness including Ecirb Muller’s Twisted Dixie rendition of “My Blue Heaven” redone as a historical ménage à trois and Bon Bon Vivant’s “The Bones.”

Here’s hoping that Cosmic Cajuns will not be the last recording from the famous Saturn Bar.

I set aside 16 minutes for a live performance at the now closed Saturn Bar by Michot’s Melody Makers. That set also includes Booker performing live in Manchester England.

You’ll also hear the New Orleans Suspects, Shawn Williams, Albanie Falletta, James Andrews, the Subdudes, Creole String Beans, and Papa Mali, among others. It’s a two-hour show afterall.

One more recorded show before I’m back in the studio doing live shows. Subscribe if you like and thanks for tuning in.

More NOLA Acts making the I-5 Circuit

More acts from Louisiana and particularly New Orleans are visiting the relatively cooler Northwest during the summer. This show showcases some of those groups so get it started and the read on.

As far as I can tell, Billy Iuso is not visiting the Northwest. He seems content rocking out clubs like Tipitina’s and Chickie Wah Wah in New Orleans. Yet, his “Trippin’ Over Dragons” opens the show. Deacon John sings an old-style swing number for you to open an R&B set before we get on to three that you should make a point to catch when they’re in the Northwest.

Bon Bon Vivant will be in the KAOS studio August 1 and performing in Olympia August 2.

Bon Bon Vivant will be in the KAOS studio during my show on August 1 and will perform at Octapas Cafe in Olympia the next evening. The band’s new song “Pinkerton” from their Live at the Circus should be sufficient temptation for you. Shamarr Allen follows with his unique take on the Gnarls Barkley number “Crazy.” Trumpeter-extraordinaire Shamarr will be in Seattle, Portland and Tacoma in mid-August. The set finishes with Rebirth Brass Band’s “Take ‘Em to the Moon.” Rebirth will be playing Seattle, Bellingham and Vancouver BC next week. (By the way more details are available on my calendar page.)

How about Marcia Ball? I play her number “Watermelon Time” to get your mouth watering for her two evenings of performances in Seattle in August. Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes takes a rare turn on the piano to highlight his gigs and appearances at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival at the end of July.

If you’ve made it through the show so far then you’re ready for some zydeco with three groups that played the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland last week (Chubby Carrier, Lil Pookie and Feufollet). A second set kicks off with Dwayne Dopsie who will also be up in Vancouver B.C for the Vancouver Folk Fest.

Later in the show you’ll hear Sonny Landreth (playing Mt. Vernon in August) and Frog and Henry (playing all over the region in August). I provide an encore performance of Shamarr Allen and finish the show with a track off of the Bonerama does Led Zeppelin record.

Thanks for listening and please subscribe. Thank you.

Southern heat and area festivals create a parade of musicians

I just updated my website’s concert calendar page for bands from New Orleans (which for me includes Lafayette area) and this week’s show features those bands coming to visit us. Get it started and I’ll tell you more.

Jon Cleary won’t be coming here soon but his song “Bringing Back the Home” captures the spirit of my show with the chorus of “jazz, funk, rhythm and blues and soul” so it kicks off today’s show. The second set starts with Trombone Shorty who will be in Seattle and Portland in July. Chubby Carrier takes a turn on the next set. His band will be playing the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival in July, along with Cyril Neville also featured on the show. Sonny Landreth, a Northwest regular visitor, will perform at The Triple Door in June and then come back in August to play in Mt. Vernon.

The Vancouver Folk Festival in British Columbia will host Dwayne Dopsie and the Rebirth Brass Band . Portland’s Pickathon will host Preservation Hall Jazz Band. And the Portland Acoustic Blues Workshop/Festival will have Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and Frog and Henry. All these acts are featured in the show.

Go to my calendar page to find the actual dates and locations.

This Week’s Show Flaunts Its Horsepower

This week’s show features a set about cars and two sets on quadrupeds such as horses, ponies and mules. But really this show is about chilling out with some blues, folk, country and Americana. Get it started and I’ll tell you more.

Andrew Duhon kicks it off with his ode to New Orleans street fairs, inspired by stumbling across the Freret Street Fair while biking. AllDay Radio carries on the vibe with its “Pothole City,” Gina Forsyth takes a turn with “Somewhere Off the Foot of the Mountain” and the Subdudes finish the first full set with “Wedding Rites.”

I hit the Subdudes again later in the show since they’ll be performing in Seattle next week. (May 19th at The Triple Door). I also play Sonny Landreth’s “U.S.S. Zydecoldsmobile” to anchor a set on cars. Landreth will be playing two nights at the Triple Door.

The horse sets started as a coincidence. When I build a playlist for a show, I often just go for songs I want to hear. I picked the Meter’s cover of “Ride Your Pony” and later pulled Spencer Bohren’s “Stone Pony Blues.” When I noticed that, it was easy to pull some other songs such as Benny Turner’s “Dont’ You Ride my Mule” and Bonerama’s energetic “High Horse.”

Stay with the show and you’ll hear some wonderful songs by Yvette Landry, Helen Gillet, Leyla McCalla, Jonathon Long and Shawn Williams. Thanks for listening and please consider subscribing so you can be notified of future shows.

Katrina 13 year anniversary – What the hell!

Thirteen years since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the lives of over a thousand New Orleans residents, scattering survivors throughout the country. And yet, based on our abysmal response to the damage wrought by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, we’ve learned little. Get this year’s annual Katrina recognition dedicated to Puerto Rico started.

katrina3 Shamarr Allen creates the intensity of a hurricane with the opening track of this show “Katrina and the Flood.” It’s become almost a tradition to play that song as well as Marva Wright’s heart-wrenching “The Levee is Breaking Down” which comes off her post-Katrina album, After the Levees Broke.

This year’s show features the KAOS premiere of “You and Me” a song written to dramatize the story of Tim Bruneau, a New Orleans police officer who was working when the levees broke. Bruneau found the body of 23-year-old Marie Latino after the hurricane had passed but before the city had started to flood. After several attempts to have the body picked up, he put her in the back seat of his car. But after failing to find a hospital to take the body, he was ordered to “undo” what he did. He placed Latino’s body in a body bag and returned it to where he found, where it floated on flood waters until it was picked up a few days later. The song is poignant and haunting. An autopsy later revealed that she had been shot instead of killed by the storm as originally believed.

Sonny Landreth song “Blue Tarp Blues” references President George Bush’s famous looking out from Air Force One and Marcia Ball sings Randy Newman’s ode to the 1927 Louisiana flood. I finish the show with Dee-1 and Shamarr Allen singing about the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico titled “Sorry Ain’t Enough No More.”

Your 2017 New Orleans Music Buying Guide, Part 1

This is my fourth annual Buying Guide to encourage you to give the gift of music. To hear the music click on this week’s show and then read about it below. (Here’s Part 2 of the guide).

Links to all the bands are provided so you can purchase from the source. There’s no pecking order to my presentation (I’ll present my top 10 at the end of the month). Also, while there is a Part 2 coming, this list is far from comprehensive. Let me know if I’ve left something out you like.

Bonerama -Trombone Shorty was 12-years-old when two trombonists from Harry Connick Jr.’s band decided to move to the front of the stage and create the brass-funk-rock group, Bonerama. With their seventh release, Hot Like Fire, Craig Klein and Mark Mullins joined by a third trombonist, a sousaphone, guitar and drums, are clearly in their element jamming on original tunes as well as a Radiohead cover and Allen Toussaint’s Basic Lady. Learn more about this cool band, check out my interview with Klein and Mullins.

Stanton Moore – One of the best drummers in the business, Moore pulled together an all-star cast (Trombone Shorty, Nicholas Payton, Maceo Parker, Donald Harrison Jr. and Cyril Neville to name a few) in paying homage to Allen Toussaint with With You In Mind. Whether you like Toussaint or not (what?!), you’re going to dig this album from “Here Come the Girls” with Trombone Shorty to Toussaint’s autobiographical “Southern Nights” with Wendell Pierce reading, not singing, the lyrics.

The Deslondes – The band’s second release, Hurry Home, solidifies the Deslondes reputation as the premiere example of the New Orleans Americana scene. Despite its title, the album takes its time, meandering 13 songs with lyrics that linger in your mind and entice you to sing along. Why not? Four of the five band members sing as well.

hot 8 on the spot.jpg Hot 8 Brass Band – A good brass band can get even the most stiff-limbed old man moving his hips. But what makes this venerable New Orleans brass band special is its great solos, unexpected twists and those sneaky covers you don’t recognize at first. From the band that has survived to see it all and gave the world the brass version of “Sexual Healing” comes On The Spot — essential to any brass band fan collection.

Tuba Skinny – With its eighth release Tupelo Pine, Tuba Skinny has moved from the streets into institutional status in New Orleans. This band has a deep repertoire of Prohibition and Depression era tunes performed with entertaining and reverent orchestration. If you’re looking for something special for a traditional jazz fan, you can’t go wrong with this band that has won its audience one street performance at a time. See Pops Coffee for a far more detailed review.

Smoking Time Jazz Club – Another street-hardened traditional jazz band that takes you back to another era, Smoking Time has a sultry quality fueled by the band’s mission statement embedded in its name The band started 2017 with a new release Ain’t We Fortunate and finishes the year with Take Your Time and Fly — they’re both excellent but the second one is strengthened by Sarah Peterson’s vocals.

erica-falls-home-grown Erica Falls – With HomeGrown, Erica Falls has demonstrated that hard work, grit and talent can pay off. At least it does for the listener. While this is her first full release, Fall has paid her dues singing with Allen Toussaint and Galactic and providing backing vocals in the studio for Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Marva Wright, and Bobby Charles — not to mention adding some sweet vocals to two tracks on Rebirth Brass Band’s last release. But HomeGrown is all hers — eight of the songs are her own composition. She’s soulful, funky, sweet. . .yea, I’m in love.

Naughty Professor – While Identity does not have a title track, its first two songs go right to the heart of the issue. The rhythmic “Mirror,” choruses with “Give people what they want” while the second track advises to “be what you want, do what you feel.” And that’s exactly how this jazz-funk sextet has rolled ever since emerging from the New Orlean’s Loyola jazz program in 2010. The band skillfully flows through soul, R&B and hip hop. But underlying it all is a strong jazz sensibility that keeps its fresh and unique. Now that’s an identity.

New Orleans Jazz Vipers – If you’ve visited Frenchmen Street, chances are you’ve had the opportunity to see the Vipers live. The swing jazz band has been a fixture there long before tourist knew to direct their cab to Frenchmen. “Live & Viperizin” captures the band at its most enigmatic with danceable numbers designed to draw you into the nightclub, except now you can get that live feeling at home.

Jon Cleary – With Live at Chickie Wah Wah, this master piano player follows up his grammy-award winning album featuring his funk group Monster Gentleman with an intimate solo performance recorded live at one of his favorite hometown venues. It’s just Cleary, his voice and his piano playing some of his favorites, including two from GoGo Juice, as well as some tasty R&B and soul numbers made famous by Smiley Lewis, Jessie Hill and Jessie Belvin. The only way you can beat this release is if you really catch him live at Chickie Wah Wah.

Sonny Landreth – This electric slide guitar master delivers a much-anticipated live acoustic set performed in his hometown Lafayette and for lagniappe, a second live set with his electric guitar. If you are fan of this tireless touring professional (he’s in Deming for the Mt. Baker Blues Festival in August 2018), you’ve heard these songs before but not like this. If not, Live at Lafayette is a great way to become a new fan.

debbie-davie-josh-paxton-vices-and-virtues Debbie Davis and Josh Paxton – There is a magic that derives from the alchemy of a pianist and vocalist who have performed regularly, particularly if they use their familiarity to push each other. Davis is a lifelong singer who, in addition to her own projects, performs with The Pfister Sisters. Josh Paxton, who is part of Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, is clearly capable of tearing up the keyboards on inspired solos but lovingly wraps his performance around Davis’ voice. Vices and Virtues puts you in the room with these two creative professionals.

Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes – The band’s website describes it best: “their irreverent funk is cut with rock riffs, a Gypsy/Klezmer flare, a Latin tinge courtesy of a hard hitting horn section, and a sense of humor.” Yea, you right. And Sketch is the band’s best release yet. I’m still pissed I can’t play “Fine Time” on the radio but I’ve definitely been playing the dozen other tracks that deliver soul, funk, reggae, and a power violin rock thing (“The Dragon”) that has garnered listener phone calls to the studio.

John Mooney – John Mooney is a hard act to catch. He has no website and his Facebook and wikipedia pages don’t list his latest CD, Truth of the Matter. But don’t let that stop you. Mooney’s voice and guitar playing are top flight but its the arrangements and the support he gets that should elevate this release to your shopping list. Ten songs with eight originals. Most are backed up by a rotating cast of star power keyboardists (Jon Cleary, John Gros and C.R. Gruver) usually on a Hammond B-3. And his use of male background singers on “Deal with Love” and “Push & Shove” enhance an already strong soul feeling to Mooney’s music.

Egg Yolk Jubilee – To celebrate 20 years of performing, Egg Yolk Jubilee has compiled a retrospective of a dozen previously released songs and three new ones in Crux of the Yolk. Yes, they are frenetic, irreverent, loud and pretty damn funny, but they also rock. The band provided the brass on Jello Biafra’s New Orleans Raunch All-Stars release a few years back. If you have a Frank Zappa fan on your shopping list, particularly if they like horns, literally blow them away with Egg Yolk Jubilee.

Sweet Crude – Like many indie acts from New Orleans, Sweet Crude’s music may not make its hometown roots obvious. Well, except that they sing a lot of their songs in French. “We are joining a small but fervent group of young Louisianians engaged in keeping the language relevant via art,” announces the band’s website. Soaring vocals (Mon Esprit in particular) and world rhythms place the band’s first full release, Creatures, above the large stack of alternative rock releases we get in the station.

Stay tuned for Part 2 and catch my show on Thursday.

Sonny Landreth, slide guitar master, to tour Northwest

Sonny Landreth is hitting the Northwest this week with his longstanding group (bassist David Ranson and drummer Brian Brignac). This is the same trio that recorded his 2015 release, Bound by the Blues which showcases Sonny’s unique mastery of the slide guitar.

Veteran slide guitarist brings his unique sound to the Northwest. Photo by Jack Spencer

Raised in Lafayette, LA, Landreth got his professional start as a teenager performing with Clifton Chenier’s Red Hot Louisiana Band and five decades later he continues to showcase a sound inflected with Zydeco. Yet his guitar is so unique, it’s easily recognizable . . .at least to his fans.

And that’s the thing. Sonny Landreth is probably one of the most talented guitarists that not enough folks know about. His tour in the Northwest should help.

He plays Jazzbones in Tacoma on Friday, January 15. He’ll be in Victoria and Vancouver Saturday and Sunday. Seattle’s Triple Door will feature him for two nights, (January 18 and 19). And he’ll finish his wet coast tour next Wednesday, January 20 at Portland’s Aladdin Theater.

When reached by email, he wrote: “We’ll be playing a mix of old and new that will include songs off Bound By The Blues as well as some from most of my previous albums.”

Other New Orleans acts coming to the Northwest:

Rebirth Brass Band – at Tractor Tavern in Seattle, January 22 and Dantes in Portland, January 23.
Nigel Hall – at the Showbox in Seattle, February 4 and the Roseland in Portland, February 5.
Jon Cleary – at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, February 8.
Galactic – at the Showbox in Seattle, February 26 and Crystal Ballroom in Portland, February 27.
The Revivalists – at Neumos in Seattle, March 9 and Aladdin Theater in Portland, March 10.
Trombone Shorty – at the Moore Theater in Seattle, April 14 and Keller Auditorium, Portland, April 15.
Walter Wolfman Washington – opening for Bettye LaVette at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, May 12 – 15.