Sorry that it has been so long since the last post, but we'll get back on top of things now. For those of you that did not know, a few friends and I went down to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival last weekend. This is a 12 stage festivla showcasing all kinds of music from Jazz to Blues to Zydeco to Big Band to straight up pop. If you have any breadth in your music tastes, it's an incedible place to go, chill, and listen to great music. Not only that, but the Cajun dishes are absolutely incredible down there. I think Teddy and I tried almost every food imaginable from Crawfish Etoufees to Muffaletas to Pheasant Gumbo to fried pickles. All of the food was very tasty, and we really enjoyed everything that we tried washed down with some Louisiana-brewed Abita beers.
On to the music. Teddy and I tried to get a taste of all the music genres available, and I think that we did a pretty good job. We saw a 40 person gospel choir belting out tunes that made you want to get up and clap your hands. We saw an old blues guitarist called Po Henry and his ridiculous harmonica player Tookie play some blues standards and traditional delta blues. We saw a Zydeco band that played everything from washboards to fiddles to accordions and guitars. We saw a Dixie band where all the members had to be 65+ year olds wearing straw hats just like you would expect. Wa saw a bit of Stephen Marley playing mostly his father's hits. We caught New Orleans funk band Galactic making the entire crowd bounce during their set. We saw the Allman Brothers still goin strong. And we saw some more pop-oriented acts like Better Than Ezra, Counting Crows, and John Mayer take the stage. Overall, it was an unforgettable musical and culinary experience.
Below are a few songs from bands that really impressed us. One is the Gangbe Brass Band from West Africa. These guys play an afrobeat style of brass band music that got a lot of the crown dancing. They sang some arabic and some indistiguishable African languages over a few songs, while all of the intruments also had their own solo time. Each player was incredibly talented, and there is a reason that the Gangbe Brass Band tours the world with great success. The song posted, 'Remember Fela' really showcases how all of the instruments fit together. There is a great layering element over the distinct afro-beat.
The other was ancient blues guitarist Snooks Eaglin. Two people had to walk him out, set him in a chair, and put the guitar in his hands. However, once he got his guitar....let me tell you, he was damn good. He played a style of blues that incorporated an organ and kept things a bit more uptempo. His recorded songs just showcase him, alone, with an acoustic, and they are a great blues primer if you haven't listened to much blues. The first tune, 'Walking Blues' is a real traditional blues tune with a drawling voice, repeating bars, and a sad feel. The other, 'Lookin for a Woman' lets Snooks go a bit. He seems a bit happier when singin this tune, and it makes you want to tap your feet just as you can hear him doing the same. These recordings feel quite intimate, like he just set up a mic and went....which is pretty neat. Enjoy!
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