Jazz Fest Second Weekend – Rainy but raging

9th May 2016   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

It can’t be helped, the second weekend of Jazz Fest 2016 will undoubtedly be remembered in part at least for the rain resulting in the incredibly muddy conditions at the Fair Grounds. Check that – it wasn’t just rain, there were monsoon-like downpours plus gusty winds. Despite that, an email was sent that read, “Another great Jazz Fest!” Now that’s a diehard fan and many with a similar attitude attended “Part Two” of the festival. They knew how to make the very best of what was hardly an ideal situation. Jazz, gospel and blues fans had it easier than those whose favorite acts were scheduled for the big, open-air stages like Acura, Gentilly and Congo Square. So some adjustments to carefully planned out schedules of “must see” and “check this out” acts often needed to be made.

There was a big moan all around when on Saturday when it was announced that the final acts of the day, including the much anticipated, legendary Stevie Wonder and Congo Square headliner Snoop Dogg, would be canceled. Damn.

Weather-wise, Friday was the best day at the Fair Grounds. At Congo Square, vocalist/guitar-ist/bassist Tony Hall was literally introduced as James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, to whom Hall and his band were paying tribute on this day. With his Brown-like screams returned by blasts from the horn section, Hall had the crowd getting down as he named dance styles of era like the boogaloo and mashed potatoes in the lyrics of his songs. With Raymond Weber on drums, the funk groove of “Papa’s Gotta Brand New Bag” and “Cold Sweat” were assured. Guitarist Renard Poche surprised some when he moved into the horn section to play trombone on a set that was pure soul and fun.

“All African culture did not die,” declared Nicholas Payton, who musically journeyed around the Caribbean and New Orleans areas of the diaspora. Unlike recent years when his trumpet would be perched on top of his keyboards, Payton stood up to blow – often high and hot – at center stage. The curiosity of the set was how a new element DJ Lady Fingaz would fit in the mix. She unobtrusively added spoken word and tonal segments that complimented the aura. Drummer Joe Dyson was the perfect match for Payton as both are highly modern artists with old souls. Percussionist Daniel Sadownick accentuated the African flavors of this knockout set.

Payton was also prominently featured in the ensemble Trumpet Mafia, a group established by Ashlin Parker that totally impressed both in size – it included a dozen trumpeters – and tightness. It was terrific to hear trumpeter Maurice Brown, once a New Orleans resident, blow several solos and duos out front. The battle of the trumpeters, half on one side of the stage facing off against an equal number of horn players on the other, really capped off the show.

Two veteran saxophonists – Joe Lovano and Gary Bartz – obviously share the philosophy of just letting it rip. Simply the way Lovano, who led his own group, aggressively held his tenor at an angle – kind of pushing it away from his body – and prowled the stage as he blew showed he meant business. Similarly, on the Fest’s final day, Bartz, who performed with the talent packed all-star group, Heads of State, was constantly engaged. He too is a blower though with a certain edginess understood well by drummer Al Foster who earns a spot on the “smiling drummers” list. The joy of jazz at its best.

The Belizean Pavilion often turned into a dance hall especially with the arrival of vocalist/guitarist bredda “DAVID” on the last two days of the weekend. The many young people at the festival – and there seemed to be more this year – really injected a lot of youthful energy for his set and elsewhere around the Fair Grounds.. Their enthusiasm and determination to kick up their heels seemed to inspire the older generation to get dancing. It was interesting to experience the difference in styles between lead vocalist Chico Ramos of the Supa G band at Congo Square and then run over to hear bredda “DAVID.” Ramos, also noted throughout Belize, was more comedic and animated in his delivery that is typical of the good-timing, party-down, have a laugh tradition in Belize. Though a bit more seriously into his playing, bredda “DAVID” was equally fun. He slammed into the dance-provoking brukdown style made popular by the legendary accordionist Mr. Peters to whom he paid tribute in a tune.

The Gospel Tent became not only a spiritual and musical destination during the rainy and windy weekend but also a shelter from the storm. The Eleanor McMain “Singing Mustangs” led off on Thursday and lit up its set. Notable was how the ensemble cheered and clapped for their fellow students as they stepped out to solo – now that’s what we call support. Led by an always smiling choir director, the program was simultaneously energetic and precisely arranged that resulted in the perfect mix.

There was, of course, so much more. Deacon John, who really killed at the French Quarter Fest playing more guitar than in recent memory, started the day old-school at the Acura Stage. Bassist Chris Severin dug into material from an array of New Orleans artists like drummer Smokey Johnson and composer/pianist Allen Toussaint. The band did a fine job on Toussaint’s wonderful “Play Something Sweet, Play Something Mellow” with soulful interjections by saxophonist Clarence Johnson. Feeling snug and dry on Saturday in the Economy Hall Tent with few worries about conditions outside, the happy, cozy crowd enjoying trumpeter/vocalist Kermit Ruffins and his killer band in a tribute to Louis Armstrong couldn’t quite get that it wasn’t such a “Wonderful World” just beyond their immediate realm. The audience seemed shocked and obviously dismayed when the set was abruptly ended and it was announced that the festival was closing down. Those in attendance deemed their world as “The Sunny Side of the Street” as did all the true diehard Jazz Fest fans.

This article originally published in the May 9, 2016 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.