A look back to Jazz Fest’s finale and forward to Bayou Boogaloo
15th May 2017 · 0 Comments
By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer
Weekend Two of the 2017 edition of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival boasted a bit of everything. Fest-goers were bundled up on a cool and windy Thursday while they enjoyed light crowds. More folks took advantage of Friday’s warmer temperatures and just forget Saturday – the Fair Grounds was packed. That, of course, was expected with headliners like the legendary Stevie Wonder and superstar Snoop Dogg closing out the Acura and Congo Square stages, respectively. Sunday was easier despite the fact that the ever popular Maze featuring Frankie Beverly and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue played the last notes of the event.
While the main stages draw the biggest audiences and receive the most attention, the motto, “When in doubt, go to the Gospel Tent – it always swings” held true during Jazz Fest’s second weekend. However, the Cultural Exchange Pavilion, which was dedicated to Cuban musicians, was another surefire destination this year. Conga player and vocalist Pedrito Martinez, who also performed the first weekend, returned though this time heading his Rumba Project that featured the great conga master Roman Diaz. Martinez put down some dance moves that would impress those rollin’ on a second line.
Audience participation and joyfulness was a big part of the appeal of the Cuban groups including Conga Los Hoyos. The members, some of whom were wearing colorful outfits, danced off the stage and into the crowd. The percussion section included a guy utilizing a refurbished brake drum as a rhythm instrument. “We have lots of old cars in Cuba,” he informed with a laugh. Another man, costumed as a very animated horse, clowned around and even shared a dance with New Orleans bassist James Singleton.
Over in the Gospel Tent, the always amazing McDonogh 35 High School Choir relied not only on the ensemble’s strong, young voices on tunes like “I Put It All in His Hands” but also its excellent arrangements and use of syncopation and stop time. Long-time choir director Veronica Dorsey-Downs, was up front for part of the set but then let a very spirited, spinning and jumping young man take over as director as she sat smiling at the side of the stage.
Two veteran groups, the Rocks of Harmony and the Electrifying Crown Seekers performing back-to-back got the Gospel Tent off to a rousing start on Sunday. Both are stylistically and visually old-school with an accent on harmonizing and testifying. The Seekers add a bit of country western flair particularly coming from the fine guitar of leader James Williams Sr. For the last several years, the group includes not only one but two extraordinary vocalist singing falsetto. Wow.
“I’m five feet two and I’m not afraid,” sang Little Charles Taylor, the chief of the White Cloud Hunters. The chief, wearing a gorgeous purple suit with butterfly ornamentation, is renowned as one of the best singers and story tellers in the Black Indian Nation. He brought a lot of fellow Indians and friends to his set on the user-friendly Jazz & Heritage Stage, and was backed by a full rhythm section. Tambourines rang out when the Big Chief sang, “Sew, Sew, Sew.”
Dancing in front of the Fais-Do-Do Stage is a necessity. As they say on the second lines, “If you ain’t gonna roll get the hell out the way.” C. J. Chenier, the son of the late, King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier, tours so much that his stops in New Orleans are few. So it seemed so appropriate when he got down on his big, piano keyboard accordion to do “I’m a Road Dog, Baby.” Lil Buck Sinegal, who decades ago played with C.J.’s dad, backed the accordionist with some mean, yet always tasty, guitar licks throughout the solid set.
The Jazz Tent often seemed like trumpet headquarters and presented two of New Orleans finest modern purveyors, Terence Blanchard and Nicholas Payton. “This is still my favorite place to play,” Blanchard declared during a performance that included him blowing some pure horn screams plus electronics. Most of Blanchard’s repertoire came from his recent release, Breathless. Payton too went to material from his new album, Afro-Caribbean Mix Tape. The beauty of Payton, who played trumpet while sitting at his electric keyboard, is that he encompasses the total spectrum of what he insightfully calls Black American Music. He reaches back for some old-school slurs and forward by utilizing electronic samplings and flourishes provided by DJ Lady Fingaz.
Pianist and vocalist Davell Crawford could be declared the “Keeper of the Flame” of New Orleans rhythm and blues for his set in the Blues Tent. He did some great, authentic versions of hits like Lee Dorsey’s hit, “Working in a Coal Mine,” Chris Kenner’s “Something You Got” and Irma Thomas’ “Ruler of My Heart.” The grandson of James “Sugar Boy” Crawford, Davell has it – and a ton of gospel, blues and jazz – in his blood.
One dissenting note… Something really needs to be done to make the Blues Tent dance-friendly. People are even discouraged from standing up at their seats to get their moves on. The artists need feedback from the audience too. It felt so odd when the powerhouse duo of the Cedric Burnside Project slammed its hill country blues without its fans giving the driving spirit of the music back to them through dance.
No such problem at Trombone Shorty’s closing set at the Acura Stage where he knowingly yelled, “We came to party… Everybody get your roll on.”
Bayou Boogaloo – Mid-City Continues the Musical Mayhem
The Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo keeps the party rollin’ out at Bayou St. John from Friday, May 19 through Sunday, May 21. On Friday the music kicks off at 5 pm on three stages. There’s a strong line-up that includes Tank & the Bangas (6:15 p.m.) and Zigaboo Modeliste & His Funk Revue (7:45 p.m.) on the Orleans Avenue Stage. The Caesar Brothers Funkbox featuring Big Chief Juan Pardo (5 p.m.) get things going on the Dumaine Street Stage.
On Saturday and Sunday the music begins at 11 a.m. at this beautiful setting along the bayou.
