New Orleans Brass Bands S/D

Can the city get bullet-proof vests and new identities for the witnesses and potential jurors?

i think it depends on whether or not nagin/a city councilperson/bill jefferson has a crony or family member to take an inflated no-bid contract for bulletproof vests and new identities.

Ha.

Back to the music---I love how the horn-playing Andrews cousins--David Glenn and Trombone Shorty--manage to appear on numerous stages at Jazzfest every year. Glenn David's in that Treme movie too.

I just found a postcard in my local bagel place for some hippie jamband fest in Virginia this summer that Trombone Shorty and his Orleans Ave band are gonna be at. That jam band stuff is not for me, but it may be a nicer paycheck for Trombone Shorty these days than just playing New Orleans clubs in the summer after the festivals have come and gone.

May 3rd article on police breaking up another brass band funeral procession--

http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?/base/library-147/1209793205219220.xml&coll=1

excerpt:

The only squad car involved with the parade was the unit that followed the parade, Young said. He doesn't know anything about a second car, the one that allegedly dispersed mourners. "If there was another unit, we don't know about it," Young said.

Yet the marchers say a police cruiser ordered them to disperse and a Dillard University professor who witnessed the incident took a photograph.

Snuffing Saturday's parade was an "attack on the culture," the same culture that gave birth to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, said Wilson's longtime friend, Jerome Smith. He found the timing ironic: At about the same time that police had scattered an authentic funeral march, near Esplanade and Claiborne avenues, Jazz and Heritage Festival-goers were lined up behind a band at the Fair Grounds, ready to follow a second-line recreated for tourists.

Wilson, known to hundreds of protégés as "Coach T-Gully," was a fixture in the 6th and 7th wards because of his involvement at Hunter's Field.

new Rebirth!

Louisiana Music Factory unfortunately sells too much stuff at list price--$17.99 for Rebirth.

yeah, their prices are pretty ridiculous. the problem is that the only other option is usually to get it at a show.

(maybe it'll get on iTunes eventually, Rebirth is pretty good about that)

TBC killing it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ipIYa3KHcM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG1C0wQO_eQ

No brass involved but still worth checking out:

One of the most enduring artists and greatest icons of New Orleans, Irma Thomas, will be featured on the season finale of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In the episode, the Extreme Makeover project is Noah’s Ark Missionary Baptist Church, which was destroyed by the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina. After the completion of the church, Thomas performs the gospel song “Singing Hallelujah” in its new sanctuary. She is accompanied by Hammond B-3 organist Dwight Franklin and pianist Diane Peterson, from the historic New Orleans First African Baptist Church. The episode airs Sunday, May 18 at 8 PM EST/7 PM CST.

more TBC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw1rww16oTc

i'm digging the new rebirth, btw. it's short (~55 min) and a couple of the tracks are throwaways, but the long medleys are hot shit for real.

apparently it's available here as a download: http://www.digstation.com/AlbumDetails.aspx?albumid=ALB000018692

cool

you're going to pay $2 for 2/3rds of the album, admit it

Apparently, there's a song on the new Dr. John cd called "My People Need a Second Line" with James Andrews and Trombone Shorty Andrews (Though, uh, Eric Clapton's name and others get the big type on the image in the link) see part-time New Orleans resident and jazz critic Blumenfeld's review below:

THE VILLAGE VOICE
May 27th, 2008

http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0822,crucial-caustic-postcards-from-new-orleans,451825,22.html

Dr. John and the Lower 911's City That Care Forgot
Crucial, caustic postcards from New Orleans

by Larry Blumenfeld

"This record ain't mad as it coulda been," Dr. John told me recently, sitting in his Harlem office. Fan-pleasing funky grooves aside, City That Care Forgot seems angry enough-more a connected set of rants than a collection of songs. But it's easy to underestimate the depth of outrage in New Orleans, the breadth of indignity and injustice endured in his beloved birthplace. Locals gave knowing nods and approving hollers when Dr. John tried out some of this material at this year's Jazz & Heritage Festival. Taken in full, these 13 tracks might incite more widespread outcry: He channels post-Katrina fury as capably as rappers like Juvenile have, and lays out relevant issues-local, national, and global-in ways that, say, Nancy Pelosi simply hasn't. If elected leaders lack Dr. John's political will, they also don't have his magnetic drawl or the bristling power of his Lower 911 band. Plus, he's built a strong coalition of the concerned here, including Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Ani DiFranco, Terence Blanchard, and a number of local-hero New Orleans players.

"If ya wonder how we doin'/Short version is we gettin' there," Dr. John sings at one point, then changes up the lyric: "If ya wonder how we doin'/Short version is we gettin' mad." "Promises, Promises" sounds like a revival-tent version of "Down by the Riverside," its sing-song refrain nonetheless cynical: "The road to the White House is paved with lies." "Black Gold" takes on the oil-industry greed fueling everything from environmental catastrophe in the Gulf to endless war in Iraq. "Say Whut?" demands accountability for the botched Katrina response, and bites hard: "Say it's a job well done/Then you giggled like a bitch/Hopped back on the Air Force One." In "Dream Warrior," Dr. John imagines himself as an avenging samurai "sleeping with my sword" and proffers a conspiracy theory: "Lemme explain/About the second battle of New Orleans/Not about the loss, not even the devastation/About it was done with intention." Beneath this beats a bamboula rhythm, bedrock of local resistance music for centuries.

It's not all national headlines, though. "My People Need a Second Line" is a pointed response to an ongoing culture war over the brass-band-led funeral processions that define New Orleans musical tradition. It specifically references a moment when 20 police cars converged in Tremé (the oldest black neighborhood in the city), and two musicians were led away in cuffs. Dr. John explains the meaning of the jazz funeral via a doleful melody; then a snare-drum snaps and the tempo speeds up, signaling the second-line. "It's something spiritual/Ought to be kept out of politics," he chants as trumpeter James Andrews and trombonist Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews-older and younger brothers of a storied Tremé lineage-play soaring variations on a hymn. Such songs, directed at us all, are dedicated to families like these.

I bet this was a good time

Rebirth Brass Band 25th Anniversary Celebration with Special Guests Kirk Joseph, John Gros, Trombone Shorty , Shamaar Allen, Kermit Ruffins, and DJ Captain Charles. More TBA

Friday, May 30, 2008 10:00 PM CDT
at The Howlin' Wolf

The Rebirth 25th Anniversary show was great. Not so much for the named guests as the many, many graduates of "Rebirth University." I think every living band member who still resides in New Orleans was there and onstage. In addition to Shorty, Kermit, and Shamaar (rapping the hidden track from his solo CD), there was James Durant and John Prince Gilbert on saxes, Tyrus Chapman (singing "Let Me Do My Thing") and Keith "Wolf" Anderson on tbs. Plus everyone who is in Rebirth now. I know I'm forgetting someone. OK, and now that I think about it, drummer Ajay Mallery wasn't there and neither was trombonist Herb Stevens. But still amazing to hear Rebirth as a 15 piece! And most of them stuck on stage the whole night and played through 2 sets.

At one point they played their signature jazz funeral dirge for about 10 minutes and gave a shout out to all the members, friends, and family who have died over the last 25 years.

Saw an ad for a new Treme Brass cd. Haven't heard it yet.

saw hot 8 adventurously booked opening for indie-afropop novelty band extra golden the other week. took them a little while to get into it but they are prob most consistently good of the big name brass bands.

that new dr john record is pretty decent as far as late period phoning-it-in dr john goes.

new treme cd is okay, i guess. good tracklist, but it sounds a little sterile and the dirty dozen sax players on it are annoying. corey h3nry is on trombone, but he doesn't really let it rip like he can.

no one hits a slow groove like the h8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl74E-0F_Fo

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92456200&sc=nl&cc=nn-20080711

Farai Chideya talks with three notable musicians from the Crescent City: Irvin Mayfield, a trumpeter, composer, and bandleader; Irma Thomas, who is known as the queen of New Orleans soul; and Greg Davis, a trumpeter and member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, one the most famous marching bands in New Orleans.

A 17 minute NPR interview

apparently TBC is in spain? good for them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0soxSM265g

interview w/benny pete on boing boing tv: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgbjjECWrvU

How about this ridiculous showdown between TBC and Glen David Andrews at Jackson Square? I wish the kids had been able to bring it, but they still make the older guys look pretty pathetic...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZEzkNPe1q0&feature=related

Kinda sad...

Hot 8 and Donald Harrison in Maine July 30th posting by Larry Blumenfeld

http://www.artsjournal.com/listengood/2008/07/lobstercrackers-social-aid-ple.html

Satchmo Summerfest

music starts Friday night with the Satchmo Club Strut. The event takes place on and around the Frenchmen Street corridor Friday, August 1 starting at 5 p.m. with opening ceremonies and the start of a second line with the Rebirth Brass Band at Washington Square. Over the course of the evening, 29 acts will perform including Irvin Mayfield, Lionel Ferbos, Ellis Marsalis, Charmaine Neville, Vavavoom, Good Enough for Good Times, New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Twangorama, the New Orleans Saxophone Quartet and many more. During the Club Strut, writer Gary Giddins-who speaks Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Old Mint on Louis Armstrong's influence on Bing Crosby-will sign books at Faubourg Marigny Art and Books.

tbc doing a wedding: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtCQqthjt_M

Good sounds in NYC today.

25th Annual Roots of American Music Festival Learn More Saturday, August 23, 2008 4:00 PM South Plaza Lincoln Center Out of Doors - free, no tickets required Battle of the Brass with The Pinettes Brass Band and The Hot 8 Brass Band 25th Annual Roots of American Music Festival Learn More Saturday, August 23, 2008 5:00 PM South Plaza Lincoln Center Out of Doors - free, no tickets required Featuring The Hot 8 Brass Band featuring Shamarr Allen; Betty Harris with the Marc Stone All Star Soul Band; The Campbell Brothers’ Sacred Funk featuring Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Horns; John Boutté & the Hot Calas; and Irma Thomas & the Professionals

x-post. Wow that looked like fun--A Nigerian wedding with TBC.

looks like that tbc documentary is on dvd

I don't like Galactic but I gotta give 'em credit for taking brass band guys on tour...this year they've got Shamarr Allen and Corey Henry

The second clip with everyone singing along to "Let Your Mind Be Free" is soooo great!

http://www.neworleansdrumming.com/?id=1

x-post. Wow, great stuff.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble from New York via Chicago I think

From Offbeat's weekly Beat e-mail

BIG CHIEFS IN THE HOSPITAL

Cherise Harrison-Nelson reports that Big Chief Bo Dollis of the Wild Magnolias and Chief Joe Prieur of the Red, White and Blue are in the hospital at Touro Infirmary. Prieur suffered a heart attack last week, and Dollis has been in poor health for the last few years. He's scheduled to undergo surgery Thursday. Dollis can't have visitors at this time, but cards, prayers and well wishes are appreciated.

RUFFINS BACK WITH BASIN STREET

Earlier this week, Kermit Ruffins re-signed with Basin Street Records, agreeing to a three-album deal. The first will be out this spring. "Kermit Ruffins was our first artist signed in October 1997, the first to record in November 1997 and the first CD release in February 1998," Basin Street owner Mark Samuels says. "It also marks the first new contract for Basin Street since October of 2003."

Ordered New Orleans singer John Boutte's latest self-released effort Good Neighbor from Louisiana M. Factory and when Boutte finally brought them more copies, one was sent my way. He has trumpeter Leroy Jones playing (learned from Danny Barker and other old-timers years ago) plus two of the Andrews cousins--James and Trombone Shorty. He also has trombonist Craig Klein who plays with Leroy Jones. The cd is growing on me.

i'm not a big fan of that one, but i haven't listened to it much. the production (by the dude from soul asylum) is odd...i wish he just would've recorded his live trio (leroy + todd duke on guitar).

I didn't like it on first listen and agree with you on the production. Some of it sounds better to me on subsequent listens (that's why I said it was growing on me) but maybe that's me rationalizing.

tbc doing 'night shift':

my band in switzerland:

Both very nice. Wow, Switzerland.

Now this is sad. I did not realize awesome photographer Michael Smith died--and only 71. I have his book "A Joyful Noise" . I wish some rich folks would develop all those negatives of his--he has been taking amazing photos in New Orleans since 1969. Here's an excerpt from his obit

http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?/base/library-156/1222581110165570.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

Photographer, 71, specialized in jazz Sunday, September 28, 2008By John Pope
Michael P. Smith, a photographer who spent three decades capturing vivid, vibrant images at jazz funerals, Mardi Gras Indian ceremonies and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, died Friday at his New Orleans home of two diseases that destroyed his nervous system. He was 71.

A man of boundless energy who devoted himself to the culture he chronicled, Mr. Smith seemed to be everywhere at whatever event he was shooting. Fellow photographers joked that every good Jazzfest picture they took included the back of Mr. Smith's head.

Mr. Smith's subjects included Mahalia Jackson, Irma Thomas, James Booker, Harry Connick Jr., Professor Longhair and the Neville Brothers, as well as anonymous mourners, strutters and Indians whom Mr. Smith always managed to capture caught up in the moment.

"I don't think there's another photographer who has more sensitively documented very significant aspects of the second half of 20th century New Orleans culture," said Steven Maklansky, a former curator of photographs at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Mr. Smith started concentrating on this kind of photography at a 1969 jazz funeral and kept at it, covering every Jazzfest through 2003. Though he showed up at subsequent festivals, silently cradling his camera, the degeneration of his nervous system had put an end to his career.

He built up a trove of more than 500,000 negatives, many of which remain unprocessed because he couldn't afford to have them developed, said Michael Sartisky, president and executive director of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.

"He did something that no other photographer had done: He captured the cultural landscape of the streets and did so with a vision of passion and beauty," said Jason Berry, who has written extensively about indigenous music.

This world provided a sharp contrast to the genteel environment in which he had grown up. A child of Metairie who was a star athlete, he was the son of a member of the Rex organization and the Boston Club, and he graduated from Metairie Park Country Day School and Tulane University.

Everything changed, he said in a 1995 interview, when he went to work as Tulane's jazz archive's staff photographer in the 1960s. He heard hours and hours of the music that had been created in New Orleans' bars and brothels, and he was hooked.

"He paid attention when many locals took that culture for granted or ignored it," said Bruce Raeburn, the archive's curator.

Here's the rest--

He summed up his philosophy in three words: "Follow the music."

He was a founder of Tipitina's, the Uptown music club that has become famous worldwide. Mr. Smith's pictures have been collected in five books, and in magazine articles.

To supplement his income, Mr. Smith regularly took commercial jobs, such as shooting pictures for annual reports.

Mr. Smith's work has been shown in galleries, embassies and museums and at jazz festivals, and it is part of the permanent collections of the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, the Louisiana State Museum, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the New Orleans Museum of Art.

In March 2007, the Historic New Orleans Collection bought Mr. Smith's archives, which contain more than 2,000 rolls of black-and-white film, tens of thousands of color slides and about 200 audiotapes. Collection spokeswoman Mary Mees declined to disclose the price.

"Michael P. Smith has defined the visual appearance of contemporary homegrown New Orleans music for people around the world," said John Lawrence, the collection's director of museum programs.

Mr. Smith's work is important, Lawrence said, because "it serves to document not just the musicians and their music, but the environment, social structures and neighborhoods that both create and sustain the musical traditions."

Mr. Smith received two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Mayor's Arts Award, the Clarence John Laughlin Lifetime Achievement Award from the local chapter of the American Society of Magazine Photographers and the Artist Recognition Award from the New Orleans Museum of Art's Delgado Society.

Survivors include a companion, Karen Louise Snyder; two daughters, Jan Lamberton Smith of Quail Springs, Calif., and Leslie Blackshear Smith of New Orleans; a brother, Joseph Byrd Hatchitt Smith of Port Angeles, Wash.; and two grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

http://www.michaelpsmithphotography.com/jazzfest/pages/jazz1.htm

Dude really deserves his own thread.

Just read that great "A Joyful Noise" book is out of print. But I think one he did, that I don't have, of Jazzfest photos from the 1st jazzfest onward, may still be in print. I haven't looked it up yet.