I can’t believe I’ve never been to New Orleans. I have two good friends who love that city – one for the food and the weirdness, the other for the music and the food. (And I love music, food and weirdness.)One of these days I’ll get it together and check out Jazzfest. Until then, let me tell you about DigitalSoundboard.net... in case you don’t know.
That’s a site where, if you register, you can purchase and legally download good-quality MP3s (or, if you prefer, FLAC files) of live gigs.
They got hip artists such as Will Bernard, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and Steve Kimock. And they got festival shows... including sets from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival a few weeks ago.
I’m streaming some of that Jazzfest funk on my Vox blog, by way of DigitalSoundboard... because it’s never the wrong time to get your NOLA on. Click the song titles below to listen.
1. “Mr. Go” – Bonerama
2. “Meters Medley” – Bonerama
Bonerama (pictured above) is all about the bone. Trom-bone, that is. This band puts four trombonists out front. Founders Mark Mullins and Craig Klein came out of Harry Connick’s big band.
These performances are from Bonerama’s May 1 set at Tipitina’s French Quarter.
3. “Bring In the Noise” – Porter Batiste Stoltz
Also known as PBS, Porter Batiste Stoltz (pictured below) is a spinoff of the Meters. Bass player George Porter was an original member of that legendary groove band; drummer Russell Batiste and guitarist Brian Stoltz joined the Meters during the 1990s. You best believe this is a hard-funking power trio. (All three share singing duties.)
This recording is from PBS’s May 2 gig at the Howlin’ Wolf.
4. “Squeezin’ My Heart” – New Orleans Allstars
This one-off jam band included George Porter, Ivan Neville (Aaron’s son) and a peculiar Swedish performer – Theresa Andersson – who calls New Orleans home.
This tune is from a May 2 set at the Howlin’ Wolf. And if you’re interested in Ms. Andersson’s looped vocal effects and violing playing, below is an unrelated video that shows her in action:
It's really hard for me to believe, too, that you haven't been to New Orleans. Jazzfest is wonderful, but it's no more than a symbol of that New Orleans spirit you don't find anywhere else. Music and food for sure (the best street music in the world) but even more it's the way people relate to each other, maybe using music, or food, for a handle, for a help up to getting along.
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