New orleans culture

nitetime is the right time

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 13:24:12 -0500

I can’t say I’m sad second line season is over. I’m down for the cause to a point but I’m not for looking like a drowned cat wearing a sweaty Rick James wig. Summer in New Orleans doesn’t mean you can’t get your roll on though - you just gotta do that ish at night when the sun goes down. You’ll still sweat but you won’t stroke out.

Below is your brass band weeknight Summer hit list. You can thank me with a gin and Red Bull - I’ll be standing over by the fan.

SUNDAY:
Hot 8 Brass Band at the Wolf Den 907 S. Peters in the Warehouse District (9pm)
Free Agents Brass Band at The Green Room c/o Galvez at Conti (11pm)

MONDAY
Glen David at d.b.a. 618 Frenchman Street (9pm)

TUESDAY
Kermit Ruffins at Bullet’s 2441 A.P. Tureaud St. (7pm)
REBIRTH! at Maple Leaf 8316 Oak Street (11pm)

WEDNESDAY
Treme Brass Band at The Candlelight 925 N. Robertson at Dumaine (9:30pm)
Hot 8 Brass Band at Club Good Times #2 2901 Conti & Dupre (9:00pm)

THURSDAY
Stooges Brass Band at the Hi Ho 2239 St. Claude (9:30pm)

FRIDAY
We Are One Brass Band at Balcony Bar 1331 Decatur Street at Esplanade (1am)

SATURDAY
Brass Band Jam at Irvin Mayfield’s Playhouse in the Royal Sonesta Hotel 300 Bourbon Street (12 Midnite)

perfect gentlemen father’s day second line sunday june 20, 2010 1-5pm

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 16:04:05 -0500

Thank You! Thank You! You are far too kind… Fun and a very good time!!!

Start: Tapp’s II Lounge. Out Washington Avenue to Magnolia Street. Left on Magnolia to Second Street.
Stop: Teddy’s Hole in the Wall. Out Brainard Street. Right on Brainard to Baronne Street. Down Baronne St. Right to Second Street to Dryades.

Stop: Sportsmen’s Corner. Continue out Second St. to Danneel. Left on Danneel to Washington Ave. Out Washington Ave. to Baronne St.

Stop: Turning Point. Out Washington Ave. to St. Charles Ave. Left on St. Charles Ave. to Jackson Ave. Left on Jackson Avenue to Simon Bolivar. Left on Simon Bolivar to Washington Ave. Right on Washington Avenue.

Disband: Tapp’s II Lounge.

Uptown Swingers Annual Second Line Parade

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 10:06:03 -0500

UPTOWN SWINGERS SUNDAY JUNE 13, 2010 1-5pm ‘TOUCH MY SWAG, WISH U COULD’

Featuring Stooges Brass Band

PARADE ROUTE:
(START) 4615 FRERET (DENNIS’ BARBER SHOP) DOWN FRERET TO VALENCE LEFT ON VALENCE TO LOYOLA LEFT ON LOYOLA

(STOP) ELAINE HOUSE PICK UP LIL KING & LIL QUEEN. DOWN LOYOLA TO NAPOLEON LEFT ON NAPOLEON DOWN NAPOLEON TO CLAIBORNE RIGHT ON CLAIBORNE AVE TO JAZZ DAIQUIRI SHOP

(STOP) DOWN CLAIBORNE AVE TO WASHINGTON RIGHT ON WASHINGTON AVE. TO S. SARATOGA

(STOP) PURPLE RAIN PICK UP BLACK WILLIAM. DOWN WASHINGTON TO DRYADES ST. LEFT ON DRYADES TO SECOND

(STOP) SPORTSMAN BAR (SPORTSMAN LADIES) LEFT ON SECOND TO DANNEEL DOWN DANNEEL TO FOUCHER RIGHT ON FOUCHER

(STOP) THE OTHER PLACE. DOWN FOUCHER TO LIBERTY LEFT ON LIBERTY TO MARENGO RIGHT ON MARENGO TO FRERET LEFT DOWN FRERET TO LATRINA’S 5016 FRERET (DISBAND)

big freedia’s milkshake brings the shadow government to the yard

Tue, 25 May 2010 09:44:53 -0500

If you ever wondered what Kelsey Grammer’s TV character ‘Frazier’ would look like as a southern, sazerac-sipping, big business baller at a party MC’d by Black drag queens preaching the gospel according to Ru Paul - your wait for this remarkable dream to come true is over. May is the month of Ogden Museum’s Annual ‘Sippin In Seersucker’ benefit, held this year in Canal Place, for which some brilliant event planner had the creative courage to feature the raw x-rated talent of sissy rapper phenomena Katey Red and Big Freedia. Feast your eyes upon this wonder: St. Charles Avenue a’nem p-popping to bounce music classics such as ‘I’m a Punk Under Pressure (When We Finish Put My Money On The Dresser)’, ‘Azz Everywhere! (Toot It UP!)’, and ‘It Must Be the P*&^ssy Cause It Aint Your Face’. Who woulda thought - mansion-dwellers are just like us! The mall-turned-Duck-Off on AP Tureaud was chocked full of daddy’s credit card wielding hot young blondes, Catholic high school students, civic leaders, somebody’s mailman, and a few Adams and Reese-looking types dropping it like its hot - or trying their best. At the 3:35 minute mark, Big Freedia’s milkshake brings the shadow government to the yard.
Now see… all that beefing in the council chambers during the last administration could have been avoided had we sent Big Freedia to City Hall. That whole dust-up between ex-Sanitation Director Veronica White and Councilwoman Ms Heyaaaad woulda been shut down on Day One. Believe.This.

Remember when Stacy threatened to fire Veronica who in turn told the councilwoman off, collected that stack of binders full of reports she never read and stormed out of the council chambers? That is exactly when we should have unleashed fantabulation times a million known as Big Freedia into the City Council meeting where she no doubt would have worn her Dynasty’s Alexis Carrington-style wide hat and dominatrix combat boots. She woulda stalked right up to Veronica, flinched at her, filed her nails as the paramedics carted the stroke patient away, then fluffed her tri-colored Rihanna bangs, looked directly into the Public Access Channel camera and told the whole city of New Orleans: Miss Thing had it aaaaaall wrong. Miss Head is NOT the one - I’M THE ONE!

Sissy rappers are the true civic power brokers of this city. That’s Real Talk.

tbc Brass band’s brandon franklin sunrise August 20 1987 - sunset may 9, 2010

Thu, 13 May 2010 09:27:35 -0500

Every evening since the untimely death of TBC Brass Band’s saxophonist Brandon Franklin on Mother’s Day, his friends and family have paid tribute to him in his old neighborhood of the Ninth Ward. Over 40 musicians played together, all of them between high school age and early 30’s, from different bands, different high schools and the musical mastery was absolutely phenomenal. At any given time, various musicians took the lead in directing the band to transition songs or feature a horn player or a line of instruments, accomplished through coded beats and hand gestures all while navigating neighborhood streets, potholes, dancers and traffic and yet the music never once faltered. The songs just kept flowing, flying, diving, building wide and high into overflowing heartfelt testimonies of love for their fallen fellow soldier. The grief at times was visible and palpable amidst the crowd. But the fire of the music, marching and second-lining transformed the collective sadness into release, acceptance and celebration of a life that brought so much joy to the community. These tributes are a testament to the power of New Orleans culture, high school music programs and to a life lived right as several musicians testified to, exemplified in the words of TBC trombonist Edward ‘Juicy’ Jackson: “I’m not worried…cause Brandon was good with God.”

The videos below are from the first two nights of second line parades in his honor. Funeral details are listed below as well.

* Musicians assemble to pay tribute to Brandon (Day Two):

Just A Closer Walk With Thee/I’ll Fly Away:

So hard to say Goodbye To Yesterday

Oh Why? (Original tune by The Hot 8 Brass Band about the murder of band member/trombonist Shotgun Joe by the NOPD)

I’ll Be Missing You

Funeral Services for Brandon Franklin are scheduled for Friday May 21st at The Church at New Orleans 11700 Chef Mentur Hwy Viewing: 9 a.m Service: 11:00 am Burial: Rest Haven Memorial Park, 10400 Old Gentilly Rd., N.O. LA Repast: O. Perry Walker College and Career Preparatory High School and Community Center 2832 General Meyer Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70114
A Facebook tribute page for Brandon has been set up for those who wish to leave their memories and condolences.
*Additional video footage provided by Lisa Palumbo

Original Big 7 second line parade route/schedule

Sat, 8 May 2010 14:20:41 -0500

THE ORIGINAL BIG 7 SOCIAL AID AND PLEASURE CLUB and
THE ORIGINAL BIG 7 JUNIOR STEPPERS 14th ANNUAL PARADE
Mother’s Day Sunday May 9, 2010 1-5pm

“Do You Remember the Time?”

Start: 3820 Alfred Street (Across from the old St. Bernard Projects). Alfred Street to St. Bernard Ave. Turn right. Up St. Bernard Ave. to 2436 St. Bernard Ave.
Stop: Black Genies House. Up St. Bernard to N. Claiborne Ave. Turn right. Take N. Claiborne Ave. to Esplanade Ave. Turn Left. Esplanade to N. Villere. Turn left on N. Villere to Kerlerec St. Turn left.

Stop: Hank’s Bar (9 Times Social Aid & Pleasure Club hosting). Kerlerec St. to N. Claiborne. Turn right on N. Claiborne to St. Bernard. Turn right. Up St. Bernard to Marais.

Stop: Justine’s Next Stop Lounge. Marais St. To Frenchmen St. Left on Frenchmen to Urquhart. Urquhart to Pauger St.
Stop: The Porch 7th Ward Cultural Organization. Down Urquhart to St. Bernard Ave. Turn left on St. Bernard. Down St. Bernard to Marais.
Disband: Justine’s Next Stop

King: Troy Avery
Junior King: Ray Jordan
Junior Queen: Aniya Wade

this went down in my neighborhood yesterday - what went down in yours?

Wed, 5 May 2010 09:02:00 -0500

6th Ward Allstars featuring Benny Pete, Gregory Veals; Sammy Cyrus, Terence Andrews and Prince of The Hot 8; Kenny Terry, Jeffrey Hills of The Treme Brass Band; Troy Michael “Trombone Shorty’ Andrews; Glen Hall, Michael Brooks, Jenard Andrews of The Baby Boyz; and Tambourine Green

Baby Boyz Brass Band at jazz fest

Sat, 1 May 2010 08:59:22 -0500

Leaving Jazz Fest yesterday, I ran into one of my favorite bands The Baby Boyz playing at Stallings Park. I’ve been watching these proteges of trombonist Glen David Andrews for two years now and I’m increasingly impressed by their talent and stage presence. Well, what are the options really when you come from a musical legacy like the Andrews Family and the Treme 6th Ward? You kinda have to be awesome - or else.
You can check out The Baby Boyz today/Saturday at Jazz Fest at 1:40pm playing for the Westbank Steppers, Valley of Silent Men, And Pigeon Town Steppers Second Line. They’ll also be performing later today and Sunday at Stallings Park starting around 6pm to send the euphoria-weary Jazz Festers on home in that ‘Only In New Orleans’ brass band style.

red’s sunday jazzfest pick: trombone shorty

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:11:05 -0500

Above is footage of Trombone Shorty, our beloved Treme-tian, playing the title track from his new CD ‘Backatown’ at the Louisiana Music Factory during their free Jazz Fest in-store concerts happening this week. Universal Records recently signed our boy and his Orleans Avenue Band to his first record deal under a genre he and his bandmates created call ‘SupaFunkRock’, of which I concur. Its really unlike anything else out there, just like his hometown New Orleans.
I couldn’t get thru the throngs to get over and talk to Troy Michael (that’s what his people him and we’re all his people) but I got some side time with his percussionist Dwayne Williams who is also plays bass drum for The Stooges Brass Band. Dwayne, who’s 23 years old, grew up across the street from Troy Michael on Robertson and Dumaine, the epicenter of Where It Goes Down in Treme and has been playing music with him since they were both three years old. Dwayne shared a great story about his childhood days playing in the original ‘Trombone Shorty Brass Band’ which included Troy’s cousin Glen David Andrews, Sammy Cyrus from The Hot 8, and Travis Nelson.

“We used to play for tips in the French Quarter. The cops came and arrested us one day for disturbing the peace… They piled us all in the back of the police car with our instruments and took right over there to that station on Royal St. When our parents came to pick us up, we asked, ‘Where’s our money?’ They said, ‘You didn’t have any money’ and handed us some change, dimes and quarters. But we had around $3,000 and they kept that.”

The little musicians, however, weren’t taking getting played by the NOPD. They protested for three weeks straight, marching from the French Quarter to City Hall. Dwayne laughed, “Sam wore a homemade sign that said ‘We Went To Jail For Playing Music”. Weeks of protesting, court appearances and public pressure led to the passage by the City Council of an ordinance that allows musicians to play music in the French Quarter without threat of being arrested. As of press time, I wasn’t able to confirm the actual ordinance language, but if it’s true - which seems completely plausible to me - we have Trombone Shorty and his people to thank for pioneering more than just SupaFunkRock - they trailblazed the road for musician’s rights in New Orleans. So next time you see Troy Michael, Dwayne anem, make sure you give them their props.
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will be performing at Jazz Fest Sunday from 2-3pm at the Gentilly Stage. This is where you go for that FIRE. And make sure and listen up for my new favorite jam (a lot of ladies’ favorite actually) called ‘Show Me Something Beautiful’.

scenes from the revolution and pigeon town parades

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 09:49:18 -0500

I don’t know what I ever did to the Revolution but they drove my ass at that parade like a slave on a planation at harvest time (yeah I said it!) I shoulda known it was going down bad from the beginning - they have the longest route of the season - 6 miles - and they started late and took hella long with their change of suits. And if you know anything about the NOPD you know you betta have that parade at the finish line by 5pm - you don’t need nor want to know the ‘or else’. We were rolling so hard I pulled groin muscles on both sides! Now how the hell am I supposed to be all I can be with a crippled taint?? Hobbled coochie is not a cute look! By the time I got to St. Charles and Louisiana, I’d been at it for 3 hours with one more to go and I had a decision to make: thug it out another several miles to Tchoup and Peninston. Or revert back to my lady of leisure roots, hop on the next streetcar, get home and rest my nerves. At that precise moment, a sissy wearing tight stonewash jeans, studded belt and checkered vans scurrying with the rest of the parade tripped and splattered across the streetcar tracks, Heineken crashing right next to his startled face, with the rest of the parade rolling right over all that broken glass. And that my friends was sign-at-the-crossroads enough for me. If the gay boy is falling down from parade stress, what chance do I have of getting to the finish line looking like anything but a smoked out mess? Baby I jumped on that streetcar so quick- I didn’t even have the right cash on me. Thank God for the man from Baton Rouge in the seersucker suit who saw my distress and dirty feet, took pity on me and paid my fare. I cast the sea of wide-eyed staring riders that ‘Do Not Disturb’ Black woman side-eye, collapsed on the bench, whipped out the wet nap

The following Sunday was Pigeon Town’s parade and they were only a half mile shorter in length. I see right now we need to organize a second line labor union. Paraders have rights too. We need our 15 minute breaks, workplace safety, on the job injury insurance. I know one thing - if I see any signs of long term coochie arthritis, I’m filing a worker’s comp claim. And if they don’t pay up I’m a pull a Norma Rae, snatch that bullhorn from the ‘Got them cole cole Heinekens!’ man and shut parade season down till they’re ready to bargain.

In case you’re just joining us, no I’m not always this bitter…

old and nu style fellas second Line parade Sunday April 18 1-5pm

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 18:20:41 -0500

(check out my blog post on last year’s parade here)

Start: 919 N. Claiborne Ave. (Jackie & George). Up. N. Claiborne Ave. to St. Ann. Left on St. An to N. Claiborne Ave. Left on N. Claiborne Ave. Up N. Claiborne Ave. to St. Philip Right on St. Philip.
Stop: Charbonnet Family Center, 1615 St. Philip St. Out St. Philip Street to N. Villere St. Left on N. Villere St. to Esplanade Ave. Left on Esplanade. Up Esplanade Ave. to N. Broad St. Right on N. Broad St. Up N. Broad to A.P. Tureaud. Right onto A.P. Tureaud. Up A.P. Tureaud.
Stop 2240 A.P. Tureaud (Jordan’s Place) Dumaine St. Gang S&PC. Up A.P. Tureaud. Left turn onto St. Bernard Ave. Up St. Bernard Ave.
Justine’s Lounge (Men & Women of Unity) Up St. Bernard to N. Rampart Street. Up N. Rampart. Right on Barracks Street.
Stop: Lil People’s (Revolution S&PC). Up Barracks St. Right onto Treme. Up Treme. Left on Esplanade Ave. Down Esplanade Ave. to N. Robertson. Left onto N. Robertson. Continue on N. Robertson.
Stop: Candle Light Lounge (Dumaine Ladies). Continue on N. Robertson. Right turn onto Dumaine St.
Stop: 1622 Dumaine Street (Institute of Development). Up Dumaine to N. Derbigny. Right onto St. Philip. Out St. Philip onto N. Claiborne. Right turn onto N. Claiborne.
Disband: 919 N. Claiborne Ave. (Jackie & George)
King: Carlos Butler
Queen: Keysha Armstrong
Stooges Brass Band

pigeontown steppers Annual second line parade

Thu, 8 Apr 2010 16:28:12 -0500

“Pigeon Town Steppers Boys, Dey Be Comin’ Hard”

Start: Big Man Lounge (Louisiana and Claiborne). Down Louisiana Avenue to S. Claiborne. Right on Claiborne to Toledano. Left on Toledano St. to S. Rocheblave St. Turn right on S. Rocheblave.
Stop: Foxx Lounge. Continue down Washington Ave. to Earhart Blvd. Turn left on Earhart to Broadway. Turn left on Broadway to Fig Street.
Stop: Broadway Bar (Toast to the Queen and King). Continue down Broadway to Walmsley Ave. Turn right on Walmsley to Carrollton Avenue. Turn left on Carrollton Avenue to Apple St. Turn right on Apple to Monroe St.
Stop: E&C Lounge. Continue down Monroe St. to Claiborne. Left on Claiborne to Leondias. Turn right on Leondias to Spruce St. Right on Spruce to Eagle St.
Stop: Leroy’s Lounge. Continue down Eagle to Cohn Street. Left on Cohn to Short Street. Right on Short to Hickory St. Left on Hickory Street to Adam Street.
Pause: “For a Worthy Cause.” Continue down Adam Street to Birch St. Right on Birch to Short Street. Left on Short Street to Oak Street. Turn right on Oak Street to Cambronne Street.
Stop: Maple Leaf. Continue down Oak to Leondias St. Right on Leondias to Willow Street. Left on Willow to General Ogden Street.
Disband: Diva’s Lounge
2010 Queen – Ms. Troval Jefferson
2010 King – Mr. Darnell Green

Scenes From TReme Sidewalk Steppers and Vip Kids Second Line Parades

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:43:31 -0500

Sunday before last, you may have wondered why your mouth broke into a spontaneous smile for no apparent reason. Well, there was a gloriously wonderful reason. The VIP kids were rolling Uptown, tearing up the streets with little leprechaun feet. In an effort to offset our collective suffering due to the massive traffic snarls taking place all over the city, our future civic leaders jumped in to help speed up the pace on The Great Dig Project which was recently initiated by one of their peers, juvenile behavior’s favorite spokesperson Mayor Nagin. Even though his tenure’s last cry for negative attention proves what we’ve come to know: ‘All f*&^ked up roads lead to the big bald chocolate child’, the VIP children nonetheless generously lent their technical assistance to Boh Brothers in the form of fancy footwork, drop it like its hot jackhammer moves, and a massive crowd steamroll for several hours. It’s highly unlikely they’ll be compensated for all their hard work though since they’re not on the approved list of contractors that line the malicious little toddler’s pockets with our tax dollars (aren’t you excited about the upcoming citywide celebration when he finally storms back to his playpen in Dallas? 40 more days!) So the next time you see one of these beloved little public servants doing the damn thing for the love of New Orleans, make sure you give em a big POTUS-FLOTUS fist bump and tell em “My blood pressure and car axle both thank you.”

paradescapes

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Every Sunday in my fair hamlet, children from o’er the land come to play in the ramshakle streets of the town square and make a parade. Secret societies host these bacchanals where musical troupes perform and colorful characters dance in a herb-fueled, Hennessey- saturated fairytale dreamscape.
Below are scenes from the reverie, brought to you by the Province of ‘Only In New Orleans’. CAUTION: if you don’t reside here, you may experience episodes in which you wake up at night, run to your window with your laptop streaming parade clips and scream at your town: “BE MORE LIKE THIS!”

Young Kev. This dude does more with one arm before 6am with one arm than I do all day.

@ 4 minute mark: PETA has these fur coat wearing sistas on their ‘Do Not Disturb’ list.

FOUND: Bin Laden! Hiding (not really) in Bagdad, Louisiana

Lil’ Lion buckjump.

There’s also group calisthenics for burning off those three hot sausage sandwiches you bought off the back of the man’s truck. And for the advanced level workout, see the 2:30 mark for New Orleans-style pole dancing.