Galactic at Jazz Fest 2011

By Geoffrey Himes at 4:00 PM on May 16, 2011

There’s a myth that you have to grow up in New Orleans to truly absorb the city’s distinctive music. But that myth has been shattered countless times, from British pianist Jon Cleary to California sousaphonist Matt Perrine. Like so many others, those two moved to New Orleans and after a long apprenticeship—after countless crummy bar gigs and humiliating comparisons to the local virtuosos—became true New Orleans masters themselves....  read more

Found in: Music, Features

Trombone Shorty at Jazz Fest 2011

By Geoffrey Himes at 11:45 AM on May 16, 2011

There’s a reason Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews is the hottest star to come out of New Orleans in a generation. It’s not because he’s more talented than his peers; as gifted as Andrews is, many musicians in his hometown can play and sing as well as he does. Nor is it because he has such unusual musical sources. He may have toured with Lenny Kravitz and the James Andrews All-Star Brass Band; he may have name-checked James Brown and Louis Armstrong during his Saturday set at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, but such influences aren’t so unusual in...  read more

Found in: Music, Features

Jazz Fest Day 6 Report and Photos

By Geoffrey Himes at 11:30 AM on May 13, 2011

When Sonny Rollins began the final set of the 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the 80-year-old jazz legend was obviously in frail health. Sporting a white floppy hat, a shiny black shirt and a bushy white beard, he hobbled to the stage, dragging his uncooperative legs along with him. When he began one of his trademark calypsos, he was bent over like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. There was nothing wrong with his wind, however, and his brawny tone began tying and untying the bouncy theme into one knot after another. Several times, he seemed ready to bring...  read more

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Jazz Fest Report and Photos: Day 5

By Geoffrey Himes at 4:35 PM on May 9, 2011

Country music has always been a hard sell at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. After all, this festival is all about drums, which drive the syncopated rhythms that define Louisiana music, and in country music drums typically play a secondary role (I’m talking here about traditional country music and not the warmed-over ‘70s rock that now dominates “country” radio). Conversely, lyrics play a secondary role in Louisiana music—so much so that songs such as “Iko Iko,” “Jockamo” and “Ya Ya” don’t even need real English words to work, while country music is all about storytelling....  read more

Found in: Music, Features

Jazz Fest Report and Photos: Day 3

By Geoffrey Himes at 11:03 AM on May 5, 2011

After a weekend at the New Orleans Jazzfest — a weekend of smelling sunblock and spilled beer, of breathing dead grass and dust, of standing in line for lemonade and port-a-pots, of hearing the sounds of the Roots, the Decemberists and Tom Jones simultaneously competing for your attention — the best antidote, the best therapy, your best bet for getting re-civilized is Monday evening at the Columns Hotel....  read more

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John Boutte at Jazzfest

By Geoffrey Himes at 11:30 AM on May 4, 2011

This is John Boutte’s moment. The New Orleans singer was named the city’s Entertainer of the Year at the April 25 Big Easy Awards, and the theme song that he wrote and sang for HBO’s Treme show has made him financially secure for the first time in his career and more famous than he has ever been....  read more

Found in: Concerts, Features

Jazzfest Report and Photos: Day 2 - The Decemberists

By Geoffrey Himes at 1:09 PM on May 3, 2011

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival builds character. This may seem like a strange thing to say about an event that features tens of thousands of half-naked people swilling beer and dancing like lunatics in the afternoon sun, but it’s true. Jazzfest builds character because it forces you to make hard choices....  read more

Found in: Music, Features

Jazz Fest Report and Photos:
Day 1

By Geoffrey Himes at 12:14 PM on May 2, 2011

Jazzfest is often hot-and-dusty or rainy-and-muddy, but the first day of the 2011 Jazzfest enjoyed perfect weather: blue skies, temperatures of 79-81 and a refreshing breeze off Lake Pontchartrain.  read more

Found in: Concerts, Features