A taste of the many flavors of the Blues and barbecue

14th October 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

It’s probably safe to say that there are as many flavors of the blues as there are of barbecue. In both cases, their primary distinction comes from the area of the country from which they originated. The diversity of blues and barbecue is definitely reflected at this year’s Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, taking place on Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20, 2019 at Lafayette Square.

In Louisiana, we can boast the swamp blues of artists like Kenny Neal and his father before him, Raful Neal Jr.; the urban, late night blues styling of guitarist and vocalist Walter “Wolfman” Washington; the complexity of the late great “human jukebox” guitarist and vocalist Snooks Eaglin; the jump blues of vocalist Deacon John; and big band blues by Luther Kent and Trick Bag (Friday, 5:30 p.m.).

There’s the Chicago blues exemplified by Louisiana native Buddy Guy and the Mississippi hill country blues of drummer/vocalist Cedric Burnside, who worked with his grandfather, the late guitarist and vocalist R.L. Burnside. There’s Delta blues, soul blues, down home blues, blues rock and other derivatives of the genre that finds its roots in Africa and was planted in American soil along with the blood and tears of the enslaved. It grew out of work songs, chants and spirituals to become an American heritage and the basis of much of the music we hear today – gospel, jazz, rock ‘n roll, R&B, soul, hip hop and beyond.

There’s certainly no question about the blues creds of artists like Louisiana-born guitarist Tab Benoit (Friday, 7 p.m.) or Sonny Landreth (Sunday, 4:30 p.m.), though several other scheduled acts are most renowned in other, more specific genres. Sunday night’s headliner and rising star Tucka (7 p.m.), who is from southwest Louisiana and once sang with zydeco accordionist Keith Frank, is hailed as the “King of Swing.” His old school style, however, could easily be described as soul blues. Vocalist Erica Falls (Saturday, 3:15 p.m.), whose reputation soared during her stint with the progressive jam band Galactic, has been hailed as the New Queen of New Orleans Neo-Soul. However, reports are that during her 2016 appearance at the Bogalusa Blues Festival she presented a blues-filled set.

Even Saturday night’s closers, the much-anticipated Allman Betts Band (7 p.m.), led by the late Gregg Allman’s son, guitarist/vocalist Devon Allman and Dickey Betts son, guitarist/vocalist Duane Betts, could best be described as a southern rock group though, granted, blues-based country rock band could also work.

Kenny Neal (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.), the Grammy-nominated, multiple award-winning guitarist, vocalist and composer from Baton Rouge, clearly describes the make up of his hybrid musical style known as swamp blues.

“It has a French influence because we have that right next door to us in Lafayette,” Neal explains adding that many people moved from there to Baton Rouge. He also mentions folks arriving from towns like Woodville, Mississippi and, of course, New Orleans music as influencing his hometown’s brand of the blues.

“That’s where we get our swamp blues from – Cajuns, the Delta and New Orleans,” Neal says. “Oh, and it’s very much country because we’re deep down in the south.”

Neal, 62, who is the eldest of 10 children, credits his father for all of the music surrounding and influencing him. He began playing guitar with his father’s band when he was just 13 years old.

“I grew up in a household of music,” Neal says. “My dad always would have musicians over and that was like a free concert for us. So that – playing music – was what we (he and his siblings) wanted to do since we were little kids. Thanks to my mom for letting us make all that noise in the house.”

At Neal’s performance at the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival his band will include his two youngest brothers, keyboardist Frederick and bassist Darnell Neal. His 2016 release, “Bloodline,” which included eight members of his musical family, garnered Neal much attention for his original material and sound.

A regular at the Blues & BBQ fest and festivals around the world, Neal returned home to Baton Rouge three-and-a-half years ago after time spent in Palo Alto, California. He also had his beloved mule, Arkie Hollywood, shipped down to his property in Louisiana.

“I come home after touring and enjoy riding my mule and working in my shop on my 1948 Buick,” he says. Since his return, Neal established a studio, Brookstown Recording, and started a record label, Booga Music. He has begun recruiting young artists “to put them out there.” Neal just finished a new solo, country album, Reminiscing, he describes as “back porch pickin.”

On Sunday at 5:45 p.m., guitarist and vocalist Little Freddie King closes out the Camp Street stage of this uniquely presented two-stage festival – when the music stops at the St. Charles Street side, it starts across the way and visa versa. A native of Mississippi and cousin to the legendary Lightnin’ Hopkins, King was only 14 when he arrived in New Orleans. “The turning point was really getting away from that hard slavery (in McComb) what really gave me the blues,” King, who is known for putting a spin on the Delta style of his youth, once said.

At 79, King stands as the elder statesman at the free event and probably wins the award for the best dressed. One of Little Freddie’s trademarks is looking sharp. “It’s something I just love to do,” King once declared. “Once you’re dressed, it tells people who you are.” So he jumps on his “two-wheel Cadillac” (bicycle) and heads from his home in the Musicians Village to Canal Street’s New York Fashions for his duds. The nearby Meyer the Hatter shop is where he picks out his tasty chapeaus.

This article originally published in the October 14, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.