PHOTO: MOLLY MALDOVAN | Don’t let the fact that it’s Friday the 13th scare you away from the French Quarter. The lineup of the neighborhood’s namesake festival just gets better every day. Here are our picks. The full schedule is here.
Kick off the day with Bon Bon Vivant. This band of young gypsy jazz-inspired musicians has been impressing people with their tight musicality and the original songs of Abigail Cosio (pictured at top) since they burst on the scene several years back.
I had a chance to check them out for the first time at an in-store performance at the Louisiana Music Factory and loved their sound, particularly the strong sax work of Jeremy Kelley and the harmony vocals from Cosio’s sister, Glori.
As the day goes on, the festival may start to get crowded. A good place to chill out and listen to the music or dance up an appetite is at the Popeye’s Brass Band stage (presented with OffBeat magazine). The lineup is solid all day but pay attention to the New Orleans Nightcrawlers and Magnetic Ear.
The Nightcrawlers are a brass band supergroup featuring standout players on every instrument who rarely play around town. For fans with long memories, the rhythm section most likely will include two Tremé stalwarts from back in the day who were behind the New Birth Brass Band—bass drummer Tanio Hingle and snare drummer Kerry “Fat Man” Hunter.
I can’t sing the praises of Magnetic Ear loud enough. Led by German expatriate saxophonist Martin Krusche, the group takes the brass band form into another dimension with original compositions that defy gravity. They do some great covers as well including Prince’s anthem, “Seven.”
Some of the other bands on my must-see list include Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers, Chocolate Milk, Kumasi, Crooked Vines, and Naughty Professor. But the true-dat fact is you can’t go wrong with any of the bands appearing this year.
Tomorrow—our weekend picks!
