March 2008 Issue 302 jazz &blues report www.jazz-blues.com now in our 34th year PREVIEWED New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Ponderosa Stomp New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Published by Martin Wahl A Preview By Ron Weinstock Communications 39th JazzFest Presents Rich Musical Gumbo Editor & Founder Bill Wahl April 25-27 and May 1-4 Layout & Design Bill Wahl In 1970, the first New Orleans Operations Jim Martin Jazz Festival and Heritage Fair took Pilar Martin place at the legendary Congo Contributors Square (now Armstrong Park). Michael Braxton, Mark Cole, Back in April, 1970, Mahalia Kelly Ferjutz, Dewey Forward, Jackson returned to her hometown Chris Hovan, Nancy Ann Lee, to appear at the first New Orleans Peanuts, Matt Simpson, Wanda Jazz & Heritage Festival. “While at- Simpson, Mark Smith, Dave tending the Louisiana Heritage Fair Sunde, Duane Verh, Emily Wahl in Congo Square ..., she and Duke and Ron Weinstock. Ellington, who also appeared at the event, came upon the Eureka Brass Check out our constantly updated website. Now you can search for CD Band leading a crowd of second-line Reviews by artists, titles, record revelers through the Festival labels, keyword or JBR Writers. 15 grounds. George Wein, producer of years of reviews are up and we’ll be the Festival, handed Ms. Jackson a going all the way back to 1974. microphone, she sang along with the band and joined the parade...and the spirit of JazzFest was born.” A spon- Comments...billwahl@ jazz-blues.com taneous, momentous scene—this Web .................. www.jazz-blues.com meeting of jazz and heritage—still Copyright © 2008 Martin-Wahl Communications Inc. stands a stirring symbol of the cel- No portion of this publication may be ebration that has become a cultural reproduced without written permission force. from the publisher. All rights Reserved. George Wein, the impresario be- Wolfman Washington performing at the 2004 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Jazz Report was founded in Buffalo New hind the Newport Jazz and Folk Fes- Photo by Ron Weinstock York in March of 1974 and began in Cleve- tivals, was chosen to put together the land in April of 1978. Festival in 1970. “Wein’s concept of to accommodate the 1971 Festival and a W division of artin-Wahl the Louisiana Heritage Fair—a large it moved to the New Orleans Fair c o m m u n i c a t i o n s daytime fair with multiple stages fea- Grounds and Race Track in 1972 turing a wide variety of indigenous where it has been held every year music styles, food booths of Louisi- since. On the Cover ana cuisine, and arts and crafts Starting the Festival, Wein hired The Pinstripe Brass Band - and to booths, along with an evening con- Quint Davis and later Allison Miner to the right, Wolfman Washington - cert series—formed a construct that work on the event. Davis became the performing at a previous New would prove vastly appealing and main force behind the festival while Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival enduring.” Miner, who passed away in 1995, Photos by Ron Weinstock The first festival presented, in made numerous contributions includ- addition to Mahalia Jackson and ing creating the Musical Heritage Duke Ellington, Pete Fountain, Al Stage, which was renamed in her "Buffalonious" Hirt, Clifton Chenier, Fats Domino, honor. Miner was especially con- The Meters, The Preservation Hall Our original mascot cerned with retaining its focus on New Band and others, plus parades ev- from the early Orleans and Louisiana Culture and not ery day with The Olympia Brass Buffalo Jazz Report major international music acts, al- Band and Mardi Gras Indians. About days – mid '70s. though as the years have gone buy 350 people attended the first festi- He is older now, and the need for such festivals to have val, about half the total number of but global & large corporate support, the mix of lo- musicians and participants, How- still very cool! cal and major performers remains an ever, Congo Square proved too small uneasy relationship. PAGE TWO March 2008 • Issue 302 The Festival has grown to become one of the major Jones’ Crescent City Jazz Band... musical events in the world with hundreds of thousands Sunday April 27: Irma Thomas, Tim McGraw, Al attending. In 1976 the Festival expanded to two week- Green, Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, Cassandra ends (in 1979 it was scheduled for three weekends to Wilson, Delbert McClinton, Del McCoury Band, Pete Foun- celebrate its tenth year, but one weekend was canceled tain, Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars, Jeremy Davenport, because of the weather), and for the first time since Hur- Rockin’ Dopsie & the Zydeco Twisters, Hot 8 Brass Band, ricane Katrina, the Thursday has been added to the Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles, Festival’s second weekend. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Nicholas Payton, Davell Over its 38 years, JazzFest has showcased most of Crawford’s New Orleans R & B Orchestra, Dolemite, Tim the great artists of New Orleans and Louisiana of the last Laughlin, Little Freddie King, Jesse McBride, Leroy Jones, half century: Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, The Neville Larry Garner with Henry Gray, Willis Prudhomme & Brothers, Wynton Marsalis, Dr. John, Branford Marsalis, Zydeco Express, Kenny Bill Stinson, Golden Star Hunt- Harry Connick Jr., Ellis Marsalis, The Radiators, Irma Tho- ers Mardi Gras Indians, David Egan, Lars Edegran’s New mas, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Allen Toussaint, Orleans Ragtime Orchestra, Furious Five, Paulin Broth- Buckwheat Zydeco, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Better ers Brass Band, Lionel Ferbos & the Palm Court Jazz Than Ezra, Ernie K-Doe, Vernel Bagneris, The Zion Har- Band, VisionQuest Chorale feat. Maurette Brown Clark, monizers, Beausoleil and many others. N’Fungola Sibo West African Dance Company, Ninth Ward It has also included a wide mix of internationally re- Navajo and Cherokee Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, ... nowned guests, among them: Aretha Franklin, Miles Thursday May 1: Randy Newman, Widespread Davis, Bob Dylan, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Panic, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, Bettye Santana, Sarah Vaughan, Paul Simon, Jimmy Buffett, Max LaVette, Gene “Duke of Earl” Chandler, Deacon John, Roach, B.B. King, Dave Matthews Band, Patti LaBelle, Donald Harrison, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Bonerama, Tito Puente, the Allman Brothers Band, Joni Mitchell, Al Luther Kent & Trickbag, Porter- Batiste-Stoltz, Steve Riley Green, Linda Ronstadt, Lenny Kravitz, Sonny Rollins, & the Mamou Playboys, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Loui- Bonnie Raitt, James Brown, Celia Cruz, Stevie Ray siana Band, Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes, The Lee Vaughan, Hugh Masekela, Cassandra Wilson, Willie Boys, Fredy Omar con su Banda, Maurice Brown, Nelson, The Temptations, Burning Spear, Van Morrison, Lafayette Rhythm Devils, Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove, LL Cool J, Abbey Lincoln, Erykah Badu, Dave Brubeck, Creole Zydeco Farmers, Walter Payton & FilÈ Gumbo, Gladys Knight, Youssou N’Dour and many, many others. Music Makers’ Relief Foundation’s Blues Review featur- This year’s JazzFest will be at the Fair Grounds, Fri- ing Boo Hanks, Macavine Hayes and Eddie Kirkland, Hot day April 25-27 and May 1-4. Again it has a lineup of Club of New Orleans, Topsy Chapman’s Tribute to Dinah some of the greatest names in music, including several Washington, John Ellis feat. Jason Marsalis, Mem Shan- pop superstars making rare JazzFest appearances. In a non & the Membership, New Orleans Rhythm Conspiracy, press release the Festival announced an impressive line- Ernie Vincent & the Top Notes, Panorama Jazz Band, up and it seems appropriate to provide a selective listing Mighty Chariots of Fire, John Lee & the Heralds of Christ, of performers for each day: Mark Braud, Joe Torregano, God’s House Westbank Ca- Friday, April 25: Roger Plant & Alison Krauss, Burn- thedral Choir, TBC Brass Band, Tony “Oulabula” Bazley ing Spear, Buckwheat Zydeco, Tab Benoit, Big Sam’s & the Kickers, Hawk and Geronimo Hunters Mardi Gras Funky Nation, Leo Nocentelli’s “Rare Gathering” feat. Indians, David & Roselyn, Second Mt. Carmel Voices from Bernie Worrell, Doug Wimbish & Will Calhoun, Dwayne the Mount Choir, Basin Street Sheiks... Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, Barbara Lynn, James Friday May 2: Art Neville, Stevie Wonder, John Prine, Rivers, Susan Cowsill Band, J. Monque’D Blues Band, John Hammond, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave, Marva Pastor Sean T. Elder & the Mt. Hermon BC Praise Del- Wright & the BMWs, Terence Blanchard & the Louisiana egation Choir, Creole Wild West and Semolian Warriors Philharmonic Orchestra, Papa Grows Funk, Zigaboo Mardi Gras Indians, and Hazel & the Delta Ramblers ... Modeliste, The Jackson Southernaires, The Lee Boys, The Saturday April 26: Dr. John, Billy Joel, The Count Bad Plus, John BouttÈ, Soul Rebels, Jumpin’ Johnny’s Basie Orchestra feat. Patti Austin, Cowboy Mouth, James Harmonica Revue, Coco Robicheaux & Spiritland, Chubby Cotton, Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Wanda Rouzan, Ann Wayne Toups & Zydecajun, Walter “Wolfman” Washing- Savoy’s Sleepless Knights, Clive Wilson & the New Or- ton & the Roadmasters, Harlem Blues and Jazz Band w/ leans Serenaders feat. Butch Thompson, New Wave guest Gunhild Carling, Ponderosa Stomp Revue feat. Brass Band, Tuba Woodshed feat. Matt Perrine and Kirk Tammy Lynn, Archie Bell, Roy Head, and Dennis Binder, Joseph, Belton Richard & the Musical Aces, Reggie Hall Big Jay McNeely, Warren Storm w/ Willie Tee & the Cy- & the Twilighters feat. Lady Bee, Louisiana Repertory Jazz press