4/28/09

Jazzfest Recap and New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund Benefit Update

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Based on the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Nicolas Cage is selling his New Orleans houses too soon. All roads lead back to NOLA, evidenced when Wilco's Jeff Tweedy said from the stage, "It feels like home. John is home." Louisiana native John Stirratt somehow managed to keep a straight face while their John Holmes-looking cowbell player stole the show dashing around the stage during Hoodoo Voodoo - a song written by Wilco and Billy Bragg with reclaimed Woody Guthrie lyrics. Speculation ran rampant that the mystery cowbeller was a roadie, but it could have been a Second City alum doing a shirtless impression of the most enthusiastic cowbell artiste since Will Farrell on SNL.

(*Update from John Stirratt, it was guitar tech Josh Goldberg who will probably be booked on a solo cowbell tour once video of his, ummm, acrobatic performance gets out.)

It was Old Home Week when Stirratt was interviewed by reporter David Fricke of Rolling Stone. We caught up with him after his interview and before the cowbell and thanked him for the Wilco benefit that helped the Preservation Resource Center and New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund jump into action shortly after Katrina. Both are still going strong - the Preservation Resource Center sponsors programs to deconstruct and reuse materials in rebuilding New Orleans, and the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund donates repurposed instruments and, on a good day, used cars for evacuation.

2009-04-28-fricke.jpgWhen Fricke asked the Wilco bass player which CD he most recently bought and enjoyed, it was a recent reissue of legendary songwriter Bobby Charles, of "Walking to New Orleans" fame. Bobby often co-writes songs with Mac Rebennack, a/k/a Dr. John, and Mac passed the word back to Bobby that he received a shout out at Jazzfest, so there's your full circle. Gambit Weekly's Entertainer of the Year, Mac played at a NOMRF benefit and Eddie Bo tribute at the new Mid City Lanes Rock n Bowl Tuesday; interviews Wardell Quezergue at the Ponderosa Stomp Wednesday; plays at the House of Blues with the full band on Friday; at the 40th New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on Saturday; and with the Voice of the Wetlands on Sunday so it's worth a trip down to New Orleans - at the very least for Weekend 2 of Jazzfest.

Hugh Masecela closed down the first weekend in the WWOZ Jazz Tent describing how he still tours with the same white bandmate the South African police used to harass him about having in the band when Apartheid still separated the races. In response, Masecela gave the quote of the weekend: "We didn't give a shit."

With so many returnees, evacuees and relocatees walking the track at the Fest these days, I keep finding myself pulled into a mini-reunion around every corner with relocated friends like Jimmy Descant whose found object artwork rocked the art booths. Standing in the sandy racetrack path on Friday afternoon, our crew listened to Joe Cocker belt out "With a Little Help from My Friends." I've been humming it ever since.

4/27/09

NOMRf Benefit, Eddie Bo Tribute at Rock N Bowl with Dr. John

The New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund, a grass roots 501c(3) charity, is proud to announce a Living Legends benefit at the brand new Mid City Lanes Rock n Bowl with solo piano by Dr. John, Marcia Ball, Joe Krown, Papa Gros, Cynthia Chen, Tom Worrell, Bob Andrews and Marc Adams. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, and the tunes will include classic songs written by the late Eddie Bo.

The new Mid City Lanes Rock n Bowl is located in the old Helm Paint Store and it's now all on one level and beautifully restored, debuting to rave reviews in nola.com.

Benefit tickets are $25 and are available at Mid City Lanes Rock n Bowl, behind the old Helm Paint store and next to Ye Olde College Inn.

4/15/09

Dr. John, Friend of New Orleans Musicians, to Host Benefit

Dr. John has a heart that's still broken over his lifelong musician friends scattered to the four winds after Hurricane Katrina. That said, he is resilient, hilarious, generous and a badass depending upon what's called for at any given time.

Here is a photo essay of one week in the life of a friend of New Orleans music; a friend of New Orleans and, we're proud to say, a friend. Here he is delivering a donated New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund saxophone to the legendary Smokey Johnson for his church; sitting in with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at Tulane's Benefit Crawfest; and spending time with Red Tyler and Al Johnson at the Musicians Village.

Dr. John will be playing the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund Living Legends Benefit on Tuesday, April 28th at the new Rock 'n Bowl Mid City Lanes, with New Orleans pianists including Joe Krown and Papa Gros with musical tributes to the late Eddie Bo.

He was recently honored with a Blues Foundation Slim Harpo Award including this City of Baton Rouge proclamation officially declaring it Dr. John Day.

Isn't every day?