Rhythmic and melodic roots continue to move the music forward
25th March 2019 · 0 Comments
By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer
The Congo Square Rhythms Festival, presented by the Jazz & Heritage Foundation on Saturday, March 30 and Sunday, March 31, celebrates the African rhythms and melodic flavors that enslaved people brought with them when they were forced from the continent and how they eventually influenced music throughout the diaspora. That the event is held at Congo Square, a spiritual locale for many, where slaves and people of color were allowed to play their drums, dance and trade goods on Sundays, makes the activities at the festival that much more significant.
Traditional African dancers, many of whom perform on Sunday afternoon, represent the roots of the music while modern jazz combos, brass bands and contemporary African-styled groups exemplify how the sounds have traveled and evolved.
On Saturday, Max Moran, a much-called upon bassist on the New Orleans modern jazz scene, will lead his own band, Neospectric, which recently released its fine album of the same name. Expect exceptional musicianship at this 2:15 p.m. set that shows New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, connection to Africa.
REBIRTH BRASS BAND
The rhythms, drumming and street traditions of the Mardi Gras Indians certainly demonstrate some of the most direct ties to the African culture in New Orleans. Many of the Black Indian gangs these days further emphasize the links through the design of their suits. A “battle” will take place among various Indian tribes during the afternoon followed by a performance by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, one of the finest singers and storytellers in the Indian Nation.
Closing at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday is the Kumasi Afrobeat Orchestra, a New Orleans ensemble that was inspired by the great multi-instrumentalist and Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. The orchestra is also informed by the Afro-funk drive of the artists on the scene in Ghana in the 1970s and performs many of its own originals that embrace the musical concepts of West Africa. All that adds up to music made for dancing.
Sunday morning begins at 11 a.m. with a traditional drum circle followed by a whole lot of brass. First up is the Pinettes Brass Band, famously known as the only all-female unit of its kind. Then there’s the popular Class Got Brass completion that pits brass bands made up of students coming out of their respective school marching bands against one another. The top prize is $10,000 that is given to the winning school’s band department. The purpose of this very successful completion was initially to get more young people interested in and form brass bands and thus continue their involvement with music and the tradition.
The mighty, Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band will close the festival beginning at 5:30 p.m. They’ll show those youngsters how it’s done.
New Orleans Music of Cousin Joe, James Booker and Snooks Eaglin Rhapsody in Bronze</strong>
Fans of the late vocalist/composer Cousin Joe (Pleasant Joseph), pianist/vocalist/composer James Booker and guitarist/vocalist/composer Fird “Snooks” Eaglin will rejoice on hearing the previously unreleased material on Rhapsody in Bronze. Those who have yet to be introduced to these very influential musicians get a good taste of the sound of their eras and what New Orleans music is all about.
The three, individual “short sessions,” were recorded live at various venues over a period of three decades. A real plus here is the outstanding members of the bands who back up Cousin Joe and Eaglin – all stars one and all. Booker does a solo set that was captured in 1976 while he played piano and sang at the Memphis Hotel in Amsterdam.
Perhaps the artist who is least recognized by the general public is Cousin Joe who kicks off the album. (For those who want to know more about him, he tells his own story in his autobiography, “Cousin Joe: Blues from New Orleans.”) Cousin Joe, who lyrically is often hilarious, gets the party going with a jump blues, “Country Boy,” with the great tenor saxophonist Clarence Ford really honking. Recorded in a New Orleans studio in 1988, the vocalist is backed by Ford, pianist Ed Frank, guitarist Justin Adams, bassist Frank Fields, drummer Frank Park and saxophonists Tim Green and Andy Ridley on all four of his cuts.
James Booker must have blown the folks in the audience minds with this session that displays the many sides of the pianist, vocalist and composer’s genius. In just seven cuts, he musically tells the listener so much about himself and his virtuosity and makes the experience personal in the intimate setting. He immediately moves from the straight-up “Booker’s Boogie” to “Beethoven’s Fur Elise” that transitions into “One Helluva Nerve” complete with lyrics that have Beethoven – in Booker’s voice – finding fault with James’ version before offering him some advice.
Just hearing Snooks Eaglin sing the words “Groove Me,” on his first selection is enough to put a smile on one’s face. The vocalist and guitarist is immediately up to his usual, wonderful trickery on this first of eight selections. On this cut, he amazingly makes his guitar picks sound like single notes on a piano. Recorded live in 1967 at Gloria’s Living Room on Spain Street in New Orleans, the audience’s reaction helps make the scene come alive and makes you wish you were there. With Bob French at the drums and Frank Fields on bass, Snooks gets funky on his always outrageous take on “Malaguena.” His voice grows tender on “Yesterday,” singing the familiar song with a less frequently heard gentleness. Producer Tom Stagg, an always reliable source for solid music and information, writes extensively about the club in his liner notes.
Rhapsody in Bronze moves beyond a trip down memory lane – it lives and breathes the legacy of these great artists.
This article originally published in the March 25, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
