A Nickel-A-Dance will get you great entertainment

26th September 2011   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

Trombonist/vocalist Lucien Barbarin has some advice for those who’ve never attended one of the Nickel-A-Dance shows that he kicks off on Sunday, October 2.

“I would tell ‘em to come out because it’s a joyful moment,” Barbarin offers. “One of my lines may be: “You’re feet will get dusty, your underarms are gonna get musty. So come out and have fun.”

Barbarin, 55, a member of the illustrious New Orleans Barbarin family, will lead a hand-selected group of musicians dubbed the Magnificent Seven for his performance at Frenchmen Street’s Maison, which hosts the ever-popular Nickel-A-Dance series. The group includes drummer Ernie Elly, bassist Mitchell Player, pianist Maria Watanabe, guitarist Carl LeBlanc, trumpeter Leon Brown and reedman Calvin Johnson.

“You want to find versatile musicians,” says Barbarin who particularly enjoys playing these gigs as they offer him the opportunity to perform in a variety of styles. On tap is music from the big band era, swing, New Orleans R&B along with traditional jazz. Barbarin points to Elly, who has play­ed/recorded with artists including Ray Charles, pianist Ellis Marsalis and traditional drummer Papa French, as a musician who can do it all. “I think Ernie is one of the top and most under-rated drummers in New Orleans,” Barbarin declares. “Ernie plays, you know.”

Having started his musical journey as a drummer under the tutelage of his great uncle, the legendary Paul Barbarin (1899-1969), the trombonist boasts a special kinship with the instrument. “I was inspired by one of the great drummers who created New Orleans style drumming – that certain kind of beat that you hear drummers playing today,” says Barbarin.

“He always gave me and my brother Charles what he called the “two-beat.” I must have been about seven or eight years old and we would play with the Onward Brass Band (then led by Paul Barbarin). When the band would stop playing usually the drums would play this cadence. Instead of us playing that, me and my brother would play the two beat. That’s to keep the dancers and the second liners excited. So that’s the first beat I can remember learning from my uncle.”

When, as a teenager, Barbarin joined the Fairview Baptist Church Brass Band, which was established by his elder cousin, the great guitarist/banjoist Danny Barker, he played drums with the group. Though Barbarin started playing brass instruments in elementary school, it wasn’t until the end of his tenure with the Fairview and when he began working with the Hurricane Brass Band that the trombone became his main ax.

Naturally, Barker was a huge influence on Barbarin both in lessons offered and simply by observing the master. When he took up trombone, Barbarin remembers Barker’s advice that you would never go wrong if you stuck to the melody. On stage, Barbarin shares his cousin’s flair for showmanship and humor. “Of course it’s in my genes,” Barbarin says adding that he picked up on Barker’s style. “I find myself doing some of the things he used to do,” he says with a laugh.

Barbarin began blowing trombone in earnest when he was around 20 and started working on Bourbon Street with drumming great June Gardner. He realized that he could get more work and earn more money with the horn. “I took a liking to it too,” Barbarin says.

He spent about five years working on Bourbon and has shared stages with the likes of such notables as trumpeters Wallace Davenport, Teddy Riley and Pud Brown, Humphrey brothers trumpeter Percy and clarinetist Willie. Presently, Barbarin leads his own band at the Palm Court and performs at Preservation Hall.

For the last 21 years, Barbarin has played and recorded with pianist/vocalist Harry Connick Jr. and is often featured when Connick turns to New Orleans classics. Recently the trombonist headed to Los Angeles to perform with Connick’s band for the television show “Dancing with the Stars.” Viewers might not have spied him as he was in the back playing congas and bongos on the ensemble’s one tune, “On a Clear Day.”

“Harry digs me so much so he likes to have me involved with certain events even if I’m not playing trombone,” Barbarin says. “He’s a very generous person and likes to give me the opportunity to play at these kinds of things.”

Many of the aspects of the Nickel-A-Dance series, which is celebrating its 17th year, that Barbarin digs are those that bring folks back to the shows each Sunday. For one, the music and venue encourage dancing. “The title tells itself,” agrees Barbarin who plans to take to the microphone to sing selections from traditional jazz songbooks as well as favs from Fats Domino and more modern standards. “It’s bringing back that era to New Orleans and that’s pretty cool.”

That the shows, which run on Sundays through October, begin at 4 p.m. is also a plus for him and many of the attendees. “A lot of people don’t really like going out too much at night,” he says. “And four o’clock is a great time for me because I can also do other jobs.

When Barbarin packs up his horn at the Maison at 7 p.m. he’ll head around the corner and up Decatur Street to lead a totally different band at the Palm Court Jazz Cafe. Traditional jazz will reign at this job that includes pianist Steve Pistorious, drummer Gerald French and trumpeter Mark Braud.

Whatever the style, it’s apparent that Barbarin enjoys keeping things lively.

“I like to explore with the music. I love to have fun with music.”

Celebrating Gentilly

On Saturday, October 1, and Sunday, October 2, “all things Gentilly” will be celebrated at Ponchartrain Park at the Fourth Annual Gentilly Fest. Vocalist Sharon Martin opens up the activities at 11 a.m. on Saturday at one of the event’s two stages. The Gospel Tent rejoices a bit later each day and during the weekend welcomes such notables as the Zion Harmonizers and the Watson Memorial Choir.

The Gentilly Fest, which is free, truly boasts a neighborhood spirit and proceeds from sales benefit such worthy recipients as the police and fire department and others. Food, arts and crafts and children’s activities are a part of the mix at Pontchartrain Park located on Press and Prentiss Drives.

Rapper Doug E. Fresh closes out Saturday’s offerings at 5 p.m. and trumpeter/vocalist Kermit Ruffins heralds the final notes of the festivities at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For the full line-up and more information go to www.gentillyfest.org.

This article was originally published in the September 26, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper