It is the best time of the year to be in New Orleans with perfect weather, lots of parades and wedding parties! It is not uncommon to see groups of friends and relatives walking from their hotel to a reception in the French Quarter. Antoine’s (the oldest family-run restaurant in the United States for over 180 years) is always decked out with thousands of flowers and hundreds of balloons welcoming the current brides and grooms that month. Small parades with a leading band produce lots of smiles and waves from the nearby pedestrians eager to share in their celebrations!
We were able to attend a private, iconic party in the neighborhood with musicians Tim Laughlin (cl), Duke Heitger (tp), John Gill (bj) and Tom Saunders (tuba). The lovely home in the residential area screams French Quarter charm with dozens of neighbors and many mutual friends roaming from room to room with appetizers and small plates while enjoying the music. It was an extreme pleasure to meet many of the local residents, several of whom had connections with our very own University of Arizona in the aftermath of the Katrina days.
Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub held our attention many nights with terrific talents beginning a bit after noon each day and well into the late hours. With 3-5 bands per day, there is something for everyone in the traditional genre. Many of the afternoon performers have regular gigs at the many clubs along Frenchmen in the evenings, so being able to enjoy them in the afternoons is a real treat. The audience pulls from several nearby hotels and people just wandering Bourbon street enticed by the music pouring out of the venue on a beautiful sunny day. Music Director, Kevin Ray Clark, has many of the traditional jazz musicians in time slots throughout the day and evening, so it is impossible not to be entertained at any hour.
Richard Scott (p) is there most afternoons and on Mondays with his Monday Night Magic band featuring Catie Rodgers (tp), Ted Long (bs) and Bryan Besse (dr). Usually Ben Fox (bs) is part of the Monday line-up.
Fritzel’s also introduced Trombone Charlotte from Toronto and a dynamic musician out of our neighbors to the North.
With international star Gunhild Carling holding a three night residency, Fritzel’s celebrated their 55th anniversary in grand style. Serving Greek foods on the back patio, lots of musicians make their way to the stage for an impromptu visit on their way back from the delicacies. Gunhild Carling is a multi-instrumentalist and sings and dances while leading the band with her trombone or trumpet. She grabs a slide whistle or recorder during her set and is equally at ease playing any one of those instruments. When performing with her Big Band or her Family Jazz Band in the United States or Europe, Gunhild will grab any one of the 18 or so music-makers (harp, bagpipes, piano, ukulele, harmonica, flute etc.) she has on stage while her daughter, son, husband, siblings and others accompany her. Be sure to check out the recent reviews of her and her latest CD—Jazz Is My Lifestyle—in this paper.
She can play three trumpets at once (you have to see it to believe it) and several times at Fritzel’s, leaned back, placed the trumpet to her lips so it was in a vertical position and strummed an upright bass while blowing the horn exquisitely balanced on her lips!
The New Orleans Jazz Celebration has free Sunday afternoon performances—Nickel-A-Dance—in March and October and this year the five Palm Court bands were highlighted. With its permanent closing on June 2nd, Palm Court and its owner, Nina Buck, were honored many times over at these afternoon events. Mark Braud’s Sunday night band brought lots of memories to the attendees with his own composition of “Palm Sunday,” a tune especially written for Nina’s Palm Court. We saw two of the regular bands here and then Snug Harbor on Frenchmen (see more below) had one of the bands in their Friday night time slot. All in all, we saw most of the musicians that played at Palm Court including an evening at Preservation Hall, temporarily performing at the Toulouse Theater, to hear Wendell Brunious (tp), Caroline Brunious (cl), Richard Moten (bs), Aron Lambert (dr), Lars Edegran (p) and Steven Walker (tb) playing to a sold-out crowd.
These venues were attended by many of the Palm Court “regulars” and it was fun to catch up with them and express fond memories of our previous haunt! Chef Bobby Davis and General Manager Kathy Edegran made appearances enjoying the “reunions” of their fellow guests.
The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park has four or five free weekly lectures or performances at their Decatur site and it is just a short walk from our hotel. One afternoon featured Preservation Hall pianist Rickie Monie and another had narrator and producer, Fred Kasten with Charlie Dennard (p), Doug Belote (dr) and Brian Quezergue (bs). Rangers Kerry Lewis (bs) and Hunter Miles Davis (dr) led a full band several days later on the patio.
Then a few blocks from that is the 21st Amendment to see Big Joe Kennedy (p) and Jory Woodis (cl) across the street from the famous Acme Oyster House which demands a visit for their char-grilled oysters!
The Musical Legends Park across from the Royal Sonesta on Bourbon also has music from about 10:00 am through the early evenings. A solo piano, a duet or trio will provide a pleasant time while enjoying some beignets, sandwiches, omelets, etc. on the patio. We were able to catch Dave Ruffner (tb) for a pleasant visit before he was headed to the Sun Valley Jazz Fest in Idaho with his Blue Street Jazz Band.
Buffa’s Bar & Restaurant on Esplanade featured Steve Pistorius (p) one evening with Jamie Wight (tp), Brian Connelly (cl), and Tyler “Twerk” Thomson (bs). We stopped by to see the quartet and enjoyed a light dinner.
A quick visit with a dear friend on the Steamboat Natchez had the latest members of The DUKES of Dixieland entertaining the crowds. Dave Mahoney (dr), Robert Wallace (tb), Jason Danti (reeds), Morale Hoskins (bs), Matt Perronne (tp), and Eduardo Tozzato (p) warm up the audience prior to the evening voyage and get everyone in a “New Orleans” mood!
No visit would be complete without a stop at Mahogany Hall on Chartres. Leroy Jones (tp), Paul Longstreth (p), Gerald French (dr), and Mitchell Player (bs) are well known in the jazz community and we always enjoy hearing them.
The Historic New Orleans Collection has exhibits, lectures, photographs, interactive displays and a gift shop! Entrance is free although some of the activities have a small charge. We always drop in for the latest offerings and enjoy the “surround sound” theater with its informative content.
Frenchmen Street’s Snug Harbor is a grand-daddy of venues on that now famous street. We saw Charlie Gabriel (cl/sx), Larry Sieberth (p), Johnny Vidacovich (dr), and Amina Scott (bs) one night. The following Friday had Mark Braud (tp) leading Kevin Louis’ Friday night Palm Court Band with Shawn King (dr), James Singleton (bs), Connor Stewart (sx), Craig Klein (tb), Mari Watanabe (Ip) and vocalist Yolanda Robinson.
Lots of visits with old friends and numerous hugs and kisses made this stay extra special even without the Palm Court—it was bittersweet at times but always wonderful!
