Author Archives: Jay Mazza

This evening, a new concert series presented by the Friends of the Cabildo and the Ponderosa Stomp Foundation begins. The series will highlight the music scenes in New Orleans, Lafayette, and Shreveport.

Tonight’s performance features New Orleans R&B musician C.P. Love. It will be held in the wonderful new performance space at the Old U.S. Mint, which is located at 400 Esplanade Avenue.

The doors open at 5:30 PM. The concert includes a 75-minute performance and 30-minute interview and question period. Read More »

Though the big one has passed and we all should be recovered by now, there are at least two outdoor festival-type events scheduled for this weekend. There’s also a pair of big benefits Friday night and Saturday night.

First the daytime activities—Saturday, the Alumni Association of the University of New Orleans will host the first annual Crawfish Mambo, an all-you-can-eat crawfish feast with the crawfish prepared by teams of competitive boilers. The event will also include an arts area and other food booths.

It takes place on the UNO Lakefront Campus’ main quad starting at 11 a.m. and continues to 7 p.m. with music by Bonerama, Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr., Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show, Brass-a-Holics, Mia Borders and the UNO Jazz Allstars.

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The saxophonist and flutist has been in town for two weeks taking in the sights, sounds and seasonings while playing a number of night shows. For those who didn’t get a chance to see him with this own band or with his seminal group, the Greyboy Allstars, he is sticking around for one last show beginning this afternoon at 5 PM with the soul and blues singer Robin Barnes opening.

Karl Denson has a deep pedigree in modern jazz and funk. He was a member of Lenny Kravitz’s band for five years and scored a major hit with the guitarist/songwriter when Let Love Rule was released. Following that he was an apprentice-of-sorts for the great James Brown sideman, Fred Wesley.

He has also shared stages with a veritable who’s who in the music world including Jack Johnson, D’Angelo, James Brown, Dave Matthews Band, Michael Franti & Spearhead, The Allman Brothers, Keane, and Maroon 5.

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I made a serious effort this year to go and hear some of the out-of-town buzz bands that were booked at the New Orleans Fairgrounds. Here’s a look back on new and old favorites from the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Friday dawned cool and bright and I immediately raced to the Acura stage to hear the New Orleans Suspects. As most fans of the Radiators have heard, the bassist Reggie Scanlan was hospitalized for three weeks and was only released a few days before their set at Jazz Fest. You couldn’t tell from his playing—he was on fire, as was the rest of the band.

Monk Boudreaux of the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indian tribe is an elder in the community who has kept one foot in his youth. He performs with musicians decades younger and always appears with his grandchildren in tow. He turned up the mysticism during an intimate set at the Jazz and Heritage stage. Read More »

The final two days of the 2012 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival are packed with talent. There are hundreds of musicians scheduled to perform and what follows are my picks. I am highlighting acts that you may not be familiar with but ought to consider checking out.

Mas Mamones is a Cuban-inspired band made up of New Orleans musicians who typically play in other genres. They were a central part of the Frenchmen Street scene in the 1990s that is documented in my new book. Get yours here. After a long hiatus they are back with danceable sounds and killer musicianship. They hit bright and early on the Acura stage on Saturday.

If the crowds don’t get you then the Fishheads will because the Malone Brothers (pictured) follow Mas Mamones leading up to the big peak of the Eagles closing the Acura stage. Read More »

If you don’t make it out to Slackers Day today, then you’re definitely a real slacker. Locals play hooky and hit the Fairgrounds tomorrow for the last less-than-packed day of the 2012 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Here are my picks.

There are newcomers in every genre of New Orleans music including the Mardi Gras Indians. You can’t go wrong by starting your day with a little of that Indian spirit. The Red Hawk Hunters are a relatively new tribe, but they definitely bring the fire.

Theresa Andersson (pictured) took a year off to have a baby and stoke the creative fires for her new album, Street Parade. She returns to the Fairgrounds with a huge band that features members of the nearly-all-female ska band the Local Skank on horns.

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What started out as an experiment has turned into an institution. Alternatively called “Locals Day,” the Thursday before the second weekend of the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is now a favorite of locals and visitors alike. Here are my picks.

Conflicts emerge immediately in the first time slot. Both Hurray for the Riff Raff and Flow Tribe are great young bands that perform with incredible energy. I have seen a few Flow Tribe sets lately and have been impressed with the band’s ability to read a crowd and flow with it. Hurray for the Riff Raff was last year’s sleeper set of the fest. They have now graduated to the opening slot on the Acura stage.

I just saw Hurray for the Riff Raff at the Louisiana Music Factory on Tuesday, and lead singer and primary songwriter Alynda Lee has revamped her band’s lineup once again adding a fiddle player and multi-instrumentalist Casey McAlister on guitar and keyboards. She mentioned how bummed the entire band felt when Levon Helm had to cancel his Jazz Fest appearance this year and then subsequently passed away. She dedicated a spirited version of “Ophelia” to him. It should be a great set by the folk rockers.

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The non-profit group that has helped so many musicians and artists, including this writer, put out new works, only has one major fundraiser a year and it’s at the Old Iron Works today from noon until 9 PM.

Headlining the event is the one and only Irma Thomas. She recently performed at the Big Easy Entertainment Awards and brought down the house with a rousing rendition of Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” She hits at 7:30 PM.

The day begins with Lionel Ferbos and the Palm Court Jazz Band at 12:30 PM.

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