Always More to Hear: New Orleans

Showing posts with label New Orleans. Show all posts

Monday, February 20, 2012

Monday Mix: New Orleans playlist on Spotify

Big Easy: music about and from New Orleans - click to link to spotify!

I think I've finally figured out the best way (for the time being anyway) to share my mixes with the world: SPOTIFY! I'll be posting playlists/mixes every Monday.

My Mom recently went to New Orleans as part of a volunteer trip and she's been inspired to throw a New Orleans party, and asked me to put some music together. This mix is WAY too good not to share.

Click here to listen

In it you will find tunes that my parents specifically asked for, and some stuff that I've either performed, studied, or just plan old like.

What I love about New Orleans music, more than any other regional "genre" is its sense of fun. With names like "Cissy Strut" and "Ooh Poh Pah Doo" there's just this feeling of silliness. And this mix certainly capitalizes on that.

Enjoy!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Dance off your pants with the California Honeydrops at their biggest Bay Area show and CD release

When was the last time you heard a groove so good you wanted to boogie all night? Last week I checked out the new Chasing the Moon podcast and have been shakin' it ever since. The California Honeydrops will be dropping their third album Spreadin' Honey at the New Parish in Oakland next Friday. It promises to be quite a party with non-stop dancing, bbq and, my sources tell me, honey dripping from the walls.

"Our mission, says band leader Lech Wierzynski (who sings, plays trumpet and guitar), "is to get the whole crowd participating and singing along, and we want them partying. It's about feeling good - everybody together."

Honeydrops fans are not just a necessary piece of the puzzle in terms of music making, but in the success of the band from a business side. The band has just returned from a tour of Holland (read about it here) where their Dutch friends helped them book shows through word of mouth. Later this month the Honeydrops will tour Spain, the Pacific Northwest and Eastern Europe. The band is not signed, and therefore relies on fundraising to pay for albums. The new album Spreadin' Honey was funded by a benefit at the Cheeseboard Collective in Berkeley.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Theresa Andersson's one woman show comes to the Swedish American Hall

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I first saw Theresa Andersson and her one woman band in Austin last March at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. But as soon as she started I was a fan. This tiny woman has pipes, she's got creativity and she's got spirit. And I'm excited to again see the Swede now calling New Orleans home this Thursday, May 14th at the Swedish American Hall in San Francisco.

Many artists use audio looping to take their show on the road: it's cheaper than taking along band. I've seen KT Tunstall, Imogen Heap, Yoav and Magnet do it (click on the links and watch them do it!). It's always interesting and each artist uses the technology in a different creative way. Some people layer one instrument over and over again like Tunstall, Magnet and Yoav and some, like Andersson are multi-instrumental. You're not watching a regular performance where one note can be played wrong and in a split second it's gone, each musical moment depends on the one before it. It's more of an intricate dance between person and machine.

Continue Reading my article at Examiner.com...

Monday, March 30, 2009

New Orleans peeps - Midnight Preserves coming your way

Check out this awesome line-up of midnight shows at Preservation Hall from April 29 - May 2 in New Orleans including my former teacher Glenn Hartman, members of the Meters and the Neville Brothers, The Rebirth Brass Band and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

"Preservation Hall is proud to announce the return of Midnight Preserves, the popular late-night Jazz Fest music series hosted by the world-renowned home of Traditional New Orleans Jazz. Now in its fifth year, Midnight Preserves offers music fans the opportunity to experience intimate performances from legendary New Orleans artists as well as rare small-venue performances from some of the biggest names on the national scene. Tickets are now on sale for April 24-26 via ticketweb.com, with more dates to be added soon. Performers include Zigaboo and Friends, Marva Wright, Walter Wolfman Washington, The Del McCoury Band, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Leo Nocentelli, Eric McFadden and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Ticket sales will be limited for these intimate performances, so order in advance!"

SCHEDULE:
Friday, April 24, 11:59pm
Zigaboo and Friends with special guest Marva Wright
$25 (early purchase price!)

Saturday, April 25, 11:59pm
Zigaboo & Friends w/ special guest Walter Wolfman Washington
$25 (early purchase price!)

Sunday, April 26, 8:30pm
The Del McCoury Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band
$25

Sunday, April 26, 11:00pm
The Del McCoury Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band
$25

Thursday, April 30, 11:59pm
Rebirth Brass Band
$15 (early purchase price!)

Friday, May 1, 11:59pm
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
$20

Saturday, May 2, 11:59pm
Feet To The Floor (Leo Nocentelli, Eric McFadden, Mean Willie Green, Glenn Hartman, Nick Daniels)
$20 (early purchase price!)

click here for tickets.

This video will make you want to go to New Orleans right now. Watch out.

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