Hey Piggies - As promised, a little bit about New Orleans and JazzFest.

Got into town Wednesday and headed over to Lafayette Park for a free concert. Big Sam’s Funky Nation and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Nice way to kick things off. Little did I know then that Big Sam (formerly the trombonist for the Dirty Dozen) would come into the picture a couple of times more over the next few days.

Thursday we headed out to the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge to see the gators, birds and cypress. Wetland preservation is a big issue in the area and hopefully this incredible place will remain protected from development. Back in the French Quarter that afternoon, stumbled on another free concert in the street featuring the ReBirth Brass Band. This is when I started to figure out that you can’t walk too far in this town without bumping into amazing musicians playing on the street and people dancing like crazy. That night we headed to Mid City Rock and Bowl for Zydeco night. Yes, there really is a bowling alley and a stage and giant dance floor. The floor was shaking. Every kind of people—together—having a time.

JazzFest. Here’s how it pretty much went all three days. Got to the fairgrounds, grabbed a Café au Lait and some beinets from the Café Du Monde booth and headed over to the Gospel tent to get things started. Big voices, great musicians and if you couldn’t get stirred up in there, well then, I just don’t know.

After the gospel tent, it was usually time for some Zydeco and Cajun. Saw The Figs and a band called The Zydepunks that someone has got to get to Santa Cruz. Hadley J. Castille and the Sharecroppers Band – three generations on the stage. And a real treat Sunday morning, Willis Prudhomme & the Zydeco Express. Willis claims to be 76 years old. Take a look at the picture and let me know what you think. I guess people usually don’t lie to say they’re older than they are . . .

I’m not going to list everything I saw there—or everything I missed—because decisions had to be made of course. Highlights.

Friday: Tab Benoit. Okay, I just had no idea. Blew the roof off the Blues Tent. I understand now – Tab Benoit! Leo’s “Rare Funk Gathering” featuring Leo Nocentelli (the Meters), Bernie Worell (P-Funk) and Doug Wimbish and Will Calhoun (Living Colour). I didn’t see Robert Plant and Allison Kraus cause I was avoiding the main stage. Once I have to be back far enough that my eyes keep getting drawn to the video screen, I figure it’s time to go see something where I can stand a few feet away from the stage.

Saturday: James Cotton. Cowboy Mouth. I know I saw Big Sam again at some point. The Ponderosa Stomp Revue featuring Tammy Lynn, Archie Bell (“Tighten Up”- you know), Roy Head, Chick Willis and many others. Not listed on the bill, but the best part – Buckwheat Zydeco doing a blues funk thing on the organ that surprised everyone. This performance was cut short because it had been pouring, blowing, thunder and lightning for a while. The water in the tent was getting knee level. Made a run for it through the mud. Hey, I’m a pig, I can do mud.

Sunday: Voice of the Wetland All Stars. This is Tab Benoit, Dr. John, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne and many others. And this is where the desperation of the situation in New Orleans really came to the forefront. These musicians are doing everything they can to help save this city and bring back its people. The music was beautiful but the sadness and anger that came through each person on the stage was overwhelming. They have lost their community. Many people have left and are unable to return (about 100,000 or 40%). Things are not going well (80,000 homes unrepaired). Public services—schools, libraries, health facilities, law enforcement —broken—and there’s not a lot of hope that things will be fixed anytime soon. Or, what will happen the next time a hurricane comes through. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux was chanting on stage when the heavens opened up once again. It seemed somehow appropriate to feel the force of the weather as these guys attempted to keep playing. Finally, with the wind blowing the rain on stage, they had to stop.

The rain ended eventually and things ended on a high note with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint. The Imposters were there. And in the horn section? Big Sam! They opened with What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding? and traded back and forth between their hits. Watching the Detectives, Tears, Tears, and More Tears. Allen left the stage for a while and Elvis played a bunch of songs from his new release, Momofuku. Sounds like a good one. Allen came back and they played some more. Clearly enjoying being on stage together.

Now I see that Big Sam is playing at Moe’s on May 15th. Bon Ton Roule!

Hey Piggies – Jackson Browne was great Saturday night, wasn’t he? I like the beard (the main topic of conversation among some of his women fans during the break). He was in good humor – joking with the crowd and being very patient with the constant shout outs for songs. He was even polite enough to explain why he didn’t want people taking pictures of him with their cameras while he was trying to perform. Of course the upside was that when someone shouted, “Do a Warren song” as he was heading toward the piano, he turned around, picked up the guitar and did a great version of Lawyers, Guns and Money. Would have been nice to hear what else Warren Zevon would have come up with if he’d stayed around longer, but he sure did leave us with a lot of amazing songs. Speaking of missing people, Chris Gaffney’s recent departure leaves me with a heavy heart. Some of the best nights of my life were spent watching Chris playing alongside Dave Alvin and at Hacienda Brothers shows. Thanks for all the great music Chris.

I’m off to New Orleans to catch the first weekend of Jazz Fest. Will let you know how that was when I get back. Until then, take care of each other and keep listening to the PIG!

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