New Orleans Brass Bands S/D

Trumpet player Lionel Ferbos is the coolest, and he's turning 99. See Offbeat e-mail thing below-

This week we celebrate the birthdays of trumpet player Lionel Ferbos (pictured) and guitarist Little Freddie King. On Saturday, Ferbos will celebrate his 99th birthday, cementing his role as the oldest active jazz musician in New Orleans. Not one to take a night off, he will be performing that evening with the Palm Court Jazz Band at the Palm Court Jazz Café at 8 p.m. Come out to celebrate and honor the beloved musician, who will be presented with awards from City Councilmember-at-large Jackie Clarkson and state representative Juan LaFonta. Monday marks the 70th birthday of Little Freddie King, but we can't wait that long to celebrate - we've already waited 70 years, and we're impatient. Tomorrow night, BJ's Lounge will host King's birthday bash at 10:30 p.m.

From Offbeat Editor Jan Ramsey's blog more on the battles between residents near and in commercial areas who are getting the police to use noise ordinaces to stop brass bands from performing on street corners:

One thing that stuck in my mind was that the residents at the meeting last week did not seem to comprehend that musicians make a living by playing on the street. I perceived a sort of elitist attitude from some of the residents at the meeting. To hear someone protest that the musicians are driving business away from the Quarter is patently absurd. A person who owns property on Frenchmen Street was the first person to speak at the event and said that two of her long-time tenants who live on Frenchmen near Chartres were leaving because of the noise of the brass band that occasionally plays on that corner. I don’t believe the band plays there every single evening, so this was sort of a lame excuse. And it also harks back to the fact that Frenchmen Street is a commercial entertainment area. If living almost inside an entertainment area bothers you, then you need to be living elsewhere.

Happy birthday Lionel Ferbos! For the past I don't know how many years he's been on my "don't miss" list at Jazzfest. He's usually on first thing in the morning in Economy Hall and it's such a heartwarming way to start the day!

Somebody should buy the Mother-in-Law Lounge. They were just putting up new murals outside when I last visited there, in 2008.

Quintron should buy it. Is his Spellcaster Lodge still in operation?

Don't know.

RIP jazz photographer Herman Leonard, who had been living in New Orleans until Katrina wiped out his photo archive and home there (his negatives were elsewhere and were saved)

http://www.nola.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2010/08/herman_leonard_photgrapher_of.html

http://www.google.com/images?q=herman+leonard&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7RNTN_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=extoTKWvB8P38AbWzJG0BA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CEoQsAQwAw&biw=1345&bih=516

5 years anniversary of Katrina coming up

From Offbeat:

At the Mahalia Jackson Theatre on Tuesday, August 17, Spike Lee premiered If God Is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise, his new documentary about the five years of rebuilding in New Orleans post-Katrina and the effects of the BP Oil Spill. Mayor Mitch Landrieu, U.S. Representative Anh “Joseph” Cao, director Spike Lee, actors Wendell Pierce and Phyllis Montana Leblanc, musician Terrence Blanchard, and others who appear in the documentary were present for the red carpet premiere.

Airing Monday, wish I had HBO, looks fantastic...

http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/if-god-is-willing-and-da-creek-dont-rise/

New Orleans is 5th on a list of America's 10 Dead Cities

Faster growing southern cities like Atlanta became more important financial centers as their populations grew. One of the industries that began to offset the faltering trade and financial sectors was tourism which rose throughout the second half of the last century. But the city suffered from its location, part of it below sea level, and several hurricanes that hit the city, particularly Hurricane Betsy in 1965. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina dealt the city a nearly fatal blow. In the year after that, the population dropped to just above 250,000, down from 627,000 in 1960. The BP oil crisis has already begun to damage what might have been a nascent recovery, post Katrina.

Read more: America’s Ten Dead Cities: From Detroit To New Orleans - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/2010/08/23/americas-ten-dead-cities-from-detroit-to-new-orleans/2/#ixzz0xcxnEgxJ

So sad that such a culturally rich city is fading away. I don't think I've enjoyed visiting any city as much as I enjoy New Orleans.

Me too. I've made so many trips there since the '80s I think of it as a second home. I was just there last year (first time post-Katrina) and saw encouraging remodeling and construction happening.

I wanna go to the Ponderosa Stomp in New Orleans September 25th. I haven't been since 2006 (or was it 2007?). Jordan still makes it there pretty regularly (I think).

Those P-Stomp lineups are so amazing, and recent Jazzfest lineups so uninspiring by comparison. I've got to get to another Stomp.

Ponderosa has also now added rarely seen movie docs and panel interviews as a daytime portion to go along with the evening Stomp. http://www.ponderosastomp.com/clandestine_celluloid_film_series.php

Yeah, I'm on their e-mail list, although I haven't been to one since the very first. I'm on Bumbershoot's list too, and haven't been to Seattle since 2004. I just like to torture myself looking at festivals I can't attend, I guess...

RIP Clyde Kerr, Jr. -- Trumpeter, composer and influential music teacher Clyde Kerr Jr., whose list of students included Nicholas Payton, Terence Blanchard, Irvin Mayfield, Christian Scott and Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, has died. He was 67.

http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/Legendary-music-teacher-trumpeter-Clyde-Kerr-Jr-dies-at-67-100231364.html

http://www.offbeat.com/2010/08/09/teacher-musician-clyde-kerr-jr-dies/

Offbeat mag talks to Kerr's famous students

Don't think this has been posted anywhere else; just read this for the first time today: Donna's Bar and Grill on Rampart Street has closed. I had some of the best times of my life in that place. Damn...

http://nolafunknyc.blogspot.com/2010/08/donnas-bar-grill-closes.html

yeah it's too bad, i have so many memories there. guess we'll have to find a new home base when it comes to gigs in new orleans.

I see that my DC City Paper arts editor noted that some of the masses at the Virgin Free Fest at Merriweather Post Pavilion (MIA, Ludacris, LCD SOundsystem, Pavement and others on the bill)looked "befuddled" by Trombone Shorty's set and didn't dance. Doesn't surprise me that rock fans would respond this way, although I thought Shorty plays up the rock and jam band influences enough to please some young rock kids otherwise unafamiliar with him. The Washington Post music critic recently discovered Shorty and has been praising him alot.

Celebrated photographer Herman Leonard passed away in August, and on Saturday, November 6, a Second Line and Celebration will be held in his honor. Details on locations and times will follow; events are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. A group rate for out-of-towners is available at the International House Hotel. To receive the rate, mention that you're attending the "Herman Leonard Memorial." from Offbeat

Treme tv show soundtrack

Treme Song” (main title version) -- John Boutté
2. “Feel Like Funkin' it Up” (live street mix) -- Rebirth Brass Band
3. “I Hope You're Comin' Back to New Orleans” -- The New Orleans Jazz Vipers
4. “Skokiaan” -- Kermit Ruffins & The Barbecue Swingers
5. “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” – Trombone Shorty & James Andrews
6. “Drinka Little Poison (4 U Die)” -- Soul Rebels Brass Band & John Mooney
7. “We Made it Through That Water” -- Free Agents Brass Band
8. “Shame, Shame, Shame” – Steve Zahn and Friends
9. “My Indian Red” – Dr. John
10. “At the Foot of Canal Street” – John Boutte, Paul Sanchez, Glen David Andrews & New Birth Brass Band
11. “Buona Sera” – Louis Prima
12. “New Orleans Blues” – Tom McDermott & Lucia Micarelli
13. “I Don’t Stand a Ghost of a Chance” Michiel Huisman, Lucia Micarelli & Wendell Pierce
14. “Indian Red” (Wild Man memorial) – Mardi Gras Indians
15. “Indian Red” – Donald Harrison
16. “Time is on My Side” – Irma Thomas & Allen Toussaint
17. “This City” – Steve Earle
18. “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” – Treme Brass Band19. “My Darlin’ New Orleans” – Li’l Queenie & the Percolators

New Offbeat magazine has a cover story about some of the younger brass bands, and a Dirty Dozen looking back piece on the 7os and 80s.

cool. and a donna's piece: http://www.offbeat.com/2010/10/01/goodbye-donnas/

Oh, the brass band story is online as well

http://www.offbeat.com/2010/10/01/the-new-generation-of-brass-bands-live-for-today/

“It’s hard to single out a Donna’s ‘greatest performance,’ as we heard hundreds of great ones,” continues Donna.

^^^ Yes indeed. My highlights would include seeing a very young Irvin Mayfield for the first time, Evan Christopher, Shannon Powell, Mitch Woods playing solo piano to about 3 people one afternoon... There's a great Mama Digdown's set in my memory, too. Alltime high, though, probably Soul Rebels Brass Band improvising a rap about booty sex, vocalized through a COMPLETELY distorted little practice amp.

ha. i've seen so much great music there...herlin riley sitting in with bob french's band, lots of amazing leroy jones sets, leroy sitting in with us, every time i saw shannon powell (especially with herlin watching), jeff "tain" watts sitting in on shannon powell's gig (branford was in the house that night too), etc.

lots of great videos from big red cotton up right now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho42OKZ93oc

haha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwGxSV5-cR0

There's a full-page ad on the back of Offbeat magazine for this Red Bull Street Kings Brass Band Blowout:

Some of New Orleans’ greatest music doesn’t come from inside the clubs; it comes from the street. On October 23 at 2 p.m. underneath the Claiborne overpass, Red Bull will host Red Bull Street Kings Brass Band Blowout, a competition between four local brass bands that will, according to organizers, “be a showcase and platform for the next generation of brass bands influenced by the rich musical legacy of the New Orleans streets.” The bands will compete for a three-day trip to Los Angeles to record in the Red Bull Studio.

One band competing is the Free Agents Brass Band. Ellis “EJo” Joseph formed the band of musical “free agents” one month after Hurricane Katrina, and they combine brass traditions with new funk. They’re respected in the musical community for their musicianship and energetic performances.

Another competitor is the Stooges Brass Band. Formed in 1996 by graduates of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, the Stooges blend 19th Century brass band traditions with modern hip-hop. They have performed with Jessica Simpson and Jadakiss, and they performed for Barack Obama when he was running for Senate.

Also competing is the To Be Continued Brass Band (TBC), a group that formed and started playing in the French Quarter while its members were in high school. It’s the youngest band in the competition, and it released its first album, Modern Times, earlier this year. After the storm in 2005, the group had rehearsals at the home of Efrem Towns of Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Older musicians would stop by for jam sessions and teach TBC about New Orleans jazz traditions.

The Soul Rebels Brass Band will also vie for the prize. The Soul Rebels emerged from the Young Olympia Brass Band and took brass band traditions and incorporated R&B, funk, and hip-hop, most notably through half-sung, half-rapped lyrics. The band has performed worldwide and was featured in an episode of Treme, performing “Drinka Little Poison (4 U Die)” in Le Bon Temps Roule with John Mooney in Le Bon Temps Roule.

The event will be hosted by Glen David Andrews, a brass band classicist who cut his musical teeth in Jackson Square with Tuba Fats.

Each band will play at least one traditional brass band standard along with original songs of their choice. Performances will be judged by a panel that will be looking for presentation, musicality, innovation, energy and material.

On Saturday, four New Orleans brass bands, Free Agents, The Stooges, To Be Continued and Soul Rebels take part in the first annual Red Bull Street Kings competition.

This would be fun to watch if I was down there

the best videos (i.e. the ones where the sound isn't horribly distorted -- i don't know if playing under the overpass AND mic'ing all the bands up was the best thing to do) i've found are here: http://www.youtube.com/user/davekoolman

stooges totally deserved it imo, but tbc is going in.

"the five oh four"

RIP bounce rapper and comedian Messy Mya

http://blog.nola.com/crime_impact/print.html?entry=/2010/11/messy_mya_funeral.html

Reading about New Orleans raised Dawn Richards who was in Dannity Kane and is now in Diddy's new group DiddyDirty Money, has me curious about her dad Frank Richard's 1970s New Orleans band Chocolate Milk. I've never heard them. Has anyone here?

http://www.offbeat.com/2010/05/01/chocolate-milk-the-other-funk-band/

I guess no one else here has heard "Chocolate Milk"

The only song of theirs I'm familar with is "Action Speaks Louder Than Words," and that mostly via Galactic's cover. Underheard slab o' synth-y funk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaWx3sbqlFg

Kermit Ruffins, Happy Talk

Christian Scott, Yesterday You Said Tomorrow

These 2 made NPR's top 50 albums of the year

Alex Rawls from Offbeat is doing the following presentation at the EMP conference in LA at the end of February:

"Treme Second Line"
What followed when money, notoriety and prestige came to a historically overlooked music community? What dance took place when David Simon came to New Orleans to shoot Treme for HBO? Musicians who have lived in the shadows of Armstrong and the city's R&B greats suddenly found itself in the spotlight, and money was floating around in a way that it rarely has in the past. What happens when everybody - even your neighbor - gets five minutes of screen time? When tourists identify places by what they saw on the show? Less happened than you'd think. The reason why reveals some fundamental truths about New Orleans music.

Since there is no dedicated Jazzfest thread, I'll stick the "highlights" from their just-released schedule here:

Arcade Fire, Bon Jovi, Jimmy Buffett, Kid Rock, John Mellencamp, Wilco, Willie Nelson, The Strokes, Robert Plant, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Tom Jones, Jeff Beck, Sonny Rollins, John Legend & The Roots, The Avett Brothers, Cyndi Lauper, Wyclef Jean, Mumford & Sons, Alejandro Sanz, Jason Mraz, Maze feat. Frankie Beverly, Lupe Fiasco, Arlo Guthrie, Jamey Johnson, Fantasia, Kenny G, Michael Franti & Spearhead, The Decemberists...

This fest has well and truly jumped the shark for me. Kid Rock and Kenny G?

at least maze is still playing. eh, the best music is never at the festival grounds anyway imo.

money was floating around in a way that it rarely has in the past.

uh, i don't know that the HBO money was that great (from what i heard), but who knows.

(xpost) I love lots of the smaller stage stuff at the fairgrounds, but this just looks like such a crazy hodgepodge of courting the Coachella Crowd with Arcade Fire and The Strokes, coupled with WTF-ness like Tom Jones. I'm amazed there was room for Sonny Rollins on that list.

The promoters like to claim that some of the money from the fest goes to help do stuff for New Orleans bands, but I am a bit skeptical of that.

They still have the same locals- Soul Rebels, Glen Andrews, Trombone Shorty... I wonder if some of the other brass bands made it

http://blog.nola.com/entertainment_impact_music/print.html?entry=/2011/03/herman_ernest_longtime_dr_john.html

Herman Ernest, longtime Dr. John drummer, dies of cancer

Published: Monday, March 07, 2011, 12:41 PM

By Keith Spera, The Times-Picayune

Herman Ernest III, the longtime drummer in Dr. John’s Lower 911 band and a literal and figurative giant of New Orleans funk drumming, died Sunday of cancer at his home. He was 59.

Renowned for his larger-than-life personality, Mr. Ernest, known affectionately as Roscoe, was both a powerful percussionist and steadfast individual. He referred to his playing style as “diesel funk.”

He was featured on most Dr. John recordings going back at least 20 years, as well as on myriad albums by artists across the spectrum of New Orleans music. He starred in a 2004 New Orleans drumming instructional DVD alongside Herlin Riley, Johnny Vidacovich and Earl Palmer.

New Rebirth album on Basin Street coming soon

it's out now, and it's got some cuts

Just wanted to interject that it's pretty frickin' cool that this thread is as long as it is.

RIP Herman Ernest, 59 was way too young, awesomely soulful drummer. (He's also on most of my favorite Snooks Eaglin records.)