Treme Fall Fest and the Nickel-A-Dance series bring the New Orleans music community together

30th September 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

Through the generosity of private donors, grants awarded by foundations plus business sponsors, free musical events take place throughout the year in New Orleans. This weekend’s 5th annual Treme Fall Festival and the next edition of the long-running Nickel-A-Dance series represent two very warmly inviting musical experiences that focus on New Orleans music and its devoted community.

First up is Saturday’s Treme Fest, which is presented by the Historic Faubourg Treme Association, to benefit aspects of the culturally rich Treme neighborhood. It unfortunately been pared down from three days to one, October 5, though it continues to shine brightly with talent and good vibes.

Few artists scream New Orleans more authentically than vocalist, educator and actress Wanda Rouzan, who is making her debut performance at the Treme Fall Festival. At noon, she’ll take the stage located in the side yard of the historic St. Augustine Church located on the corner of Henriette Delille and Gov. Nicholls streets. As always, Rouzan will be leading her Taste of New Orleans band, an ensemble that she took over in 1987 after the passing of the great saxophonist David Lastie. The group includes pianist Clark Knighten and trumpeter Tracy Griffin both of whom Rouzan taught as students at Xavier. On drums is Earl Smith – “he comes from that uptown funk,” Rouzan declares, mentioning his time laying down the beat behind Aaron Neville. Rounding out the “Taste” are the much in demand Donald Ramsey on bass and saxophonist Emile “Pooney” Hall who is best known for blowing behind Irma Thomas.

Rouzan will share part of her set with fellow vocalist Naydja CoJoe. “We’ve been doing at lot of events together,” says Wanda who also mixes it up with Griffin’s and Knighten’s bands, Trac One and 4×4, respectively. “Naydja is easy to plug in because she does a little trad and a little R&B and she’s a very comfortable person,” Rouzan adds. At the end of the show the two will share the stage for a duet that will likely include a chart-topper from New Orleans R&B heydays.

“They’re all starting to do classic New Orleans stuff now,” Rouzan says of the younger vocalists. “So it’s not just Wanda doing “I Know” anymore. Gina Brown said to me, ‘Girl, I thought that was your record.’ I always attributed it to Barbara George. Giving tribute to New Orleans artists and doing songs like “Mr. Big Stuff” and “Ooh Poo Pah Doo” is still important to me in my shows.”

Always an educator at heart and a person who gives back to the community through the Xavier Prep Alumni Association that she established 27 years ago, Rouzan enjoys offering advice, which she humorously calls “little tidbits of gold” to younger artists. “They’ll say, ‘Mama Wanda, Mama Roux, tell me what to do.’ I love sharing and it’s just like when I would call Irma (Thomas) or Germaine (Bazzle).”

Rouzan’s number one piece of advice for her up-and-coming, female proteges is: “Make your own way because it’s a man’s business. For the most part, you better get your own gig and understand the music business, contracts, copyrights. Do your homework.”

A smart business woman, when Wanda hits a stage and enthusiastically greets a crowd shouting “Where ya at?” delivered with her wonderfully unique Creole/7th Ward accent and flair, it’s all about having a good time.

Sunday Evening
Nickel-A-Dance Series Kicks Off with
a Tribute to Percy and Willie Humphrey

Trumpeter and vocalist Mark Braud so impressed folks at this year’s Jazz Fest with his tribute to the legendary Humphrey brothers – trumpeter Percy (born 1905) and clarinetist Willie (born 1900) – that he was requested to revisit the theme to kick off the fall edition of the Nickel-A-Dance series on Sunday, October 6.

“They were pioneers of the music that we’re still playing today,” says Braud of the classic New Orleans jazz for which they and he are known. “We’re just doing our best to carry on this tradition that they paved the way for.”

When he was a teenager, Braud, 44, whose band will include clarinetist Tim Laughlin, trombonist Lucien Barbarin, pianist Meghan Swartz, bassist Mark Brooks and the bassist’s son, drummer Marlon Brooks, did get to experience the Humphreys at Preservation Hall and the Palm Court.

“I picked some songs that I heard them play many times live and some songs I heard them do on records,” Braud explains of his repertoire. They include a few of his favorites like “Old Spinning Wheel,” “Oh How I Miss You Tonight” and “Rip ‘Em Up Joe.”

“One thing that I’ve always loved about New Orleans music is the ensemble playing and the musicians’ tendency to play melodically,” Braud says. “They both played melodically because they knew a lot of songs. When they were improvising it was still very melodic even though it wasn’t a written melody.”

“I like that the people are coming out to listen as well as to dance,” he says of the traditional series held at 4 p.m. on Sundays through October 27 at Frenchmen Street’s Maison club. “Dancing can have as much of an effect on the musicians as the musicians have on the dancers. We like to see people having a good time and usually when you’re dancing, you’re having a good time.”

This article originally published in the September 30, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.