The rhythm stops for Richardson, but plays on in Congo Square

16th March 2015   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

payday loan companies near me Marcel Richardson was a man of many musical flavors. The pianist played and/or recorded with vocalists Lee Dorsey and Barbara George and was a member of saxo­phon­ist/vocalist James Rivers’ band. In other words, he was a New Orleans musician – ready, and as people have pointed out, always on time, for whatever gig he might be called on to make. Marcel Richardson died Tuesday, February 24, 2015, at the age of 75.

“He was a great piano player,” says Rivers with whom Richardson performed as a regular member of the saxophonist’s band in the early 1970s. A regular spot where they could be heard was a popular jazz club called Silvia’s. He remained Rivers’ “first call” pianist throughout the years whenever the bandleader needed a sub.

In more recent years, Richardson performed every Tuesday night at Julius Kimbrough’s North Broad Street digs, the Prime Example with a group dubbed the Sidemen. low rate unsecured personal loan He also worked weekly in a duo format with saxophonist Kirk Ford in a club in Slidell. In 2010, the pianist performed at community radio station WWOZ’s renowned Piano Night and often got the call from the Mardi Gras Indian Council to participate at its Indian Super Sunday’s March event where Richardson would play solo piano during the day-long festivities at A.L. Davis Park.

Marcel Richardson was a jazz man, an R&B man and a gentle soul. A musical tribute to the pianist was held on Friday, February 27, 2015, followed on Saturday, February 28, 2015, by a funeral service. Appropriately, and just as we hope he’d like it, a repast was held at his stomping grounds at the Prime Example.

Congo Square Rhythms Festival

African drum beats traveled around the world in the memories of those unfortunate souls aboard slave ships. They brought those rhythms, those sounds of home with them and they continue to ring out today in the music of payday loan in guelph New Orleans, the Caribbean and throughout the African diaspora.

The Congo Square Rhythms Festival, presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation on Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, March 22, from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., celebrates Africa’s vibrant musical contribution to the world. The free event will be held in Armstrong Park’s Congo Square, where, uniquely in the United States, enslaved Blacks were allowed to play their drums and dance on Sundays. The festival offers the opportunity to experience both the roots of African rhythms performed by traditional drum and dance ensembles alongside modern groups that display the music’s evolution and transformation.

New Orleans’ close musical link to Africa is most clearly heard and seen in the Mardi Gras Indians. On Saturday, the Black Indians rule with Big Chief Smiley Ricks coming on at 2:30 p.m. immediately followed by a “battle” between the Spirit of Fi-Yi-Yi and the Mandingo Warriors led by Big Chief Victor Harris and the Guardians of cash advance Las Vegas NV the Flame gang. The day ends with a performance by the Wild Magnolias featuring Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and Chief Bo Dollis Jr.

Cuba is well-represented on Saturday with sets by percussionist Alexey Marti (1 p.m.), a native of the island nation and now-resident of New Orleans. He’s an exciting musician and has lit up stages as a sideman on the local jazz scene. Up next at 1:45 p.m. is Cuban-born drummer Yissy Garcia, another exceptional and dynamic musician. She’s definitely worth checking out. Yissy Garcia & Bandancha will also be performing at the Prime Example on Saturday night and at Snug Harbor on Sunday.

Sunday at the Congo Square Rhythm Festival things get a little brassier. Once again the event presents its signature Class Got Brass (3:30 p.m.) competition. It’s a contest between brass bands made up of high school students who vie for not only the title of best band but also $20,000 worth of instruments for their school. It’s fun to see these talented kids strut their stuff.

Next up is the steaming Hot 8 Brass Band with the mighty, Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band closing out the festival on Sunday beginning at 6 p.m.

Naturally, there will be lots of food available and it is promised that the festival has expanded the children’s area and activities.

After a long winter, it will be exciting to have Armstrong Park lively again. Next up, Jazz in the Park, presented by the People United for Armstrong Park (PUFAP), kicks off its evening series of concerts beginning on April 16, 2015.

Herlin Riley Goes Back to His Roots

“It’s fun,” says drummer Herlin Riley of performing at the Nickel-A-Dance classic jazz series where he returns on Sunday, March 21. “I like playing traditional jazz. It’s part of my background; it’s part of my roots.”

Riley, who is best known on the modern jazz scene as a leader, performing with the great pianist Ahmad Jamal, working as best and safest payday loan a former member of trumpeter Wynton Marsalis’ orchestra and band, can and does play it all. At his own gigs, he’ll throw in some street beats and mightily wield a tambourine Mardi Gras Indian style. Currently the drummer is touring with Grammy-winning pianist/vocalist Dr. John. It’s a made to order job for a musician of Riley’s great versatility.

For his Nickel-A-Dance show at Frenchmen Street’s Maison, Riley has recruited some of New Orleans’ finest from this city’s wealth of classic jazz musicians including trumpeter Leroy Jones, trombonist Lucien Barbarin, guitarist/banjoist Detroit Books and bassist Mitchell Player.

“It’s always nice to see people dancing – music and dancing go hand-in-hand,” says Riley of his previous experience participating in the series. “I always get inspired by seeing people dance and it helps me interpret a particular style.”

To hear musicians like Riley, a member of the musical Lastie family and a true master of the drums, performing outside of their usual or most expected genres is one installment loan history of the special aspects of Nickel-A-Dance. Several weeks ago, trumpeter Kermit Ruffins stepped out of his mixed-bag mode to dig into sets filled with traditional jazz.

Another joy of the series is that the band leaders choose the musicians in their groups. Unfor­tunately, that is not always the case on some local gigs. For instance, Detroit Brooks’ appearance boasted a front line that included reedman Roderick Paulin and trumpeter/vocalist Gregg Stafford. It represented a combination rarely heard around town. Few will forget the always amusing Stafford hiking up his pants to mid-chest and singing the chestnut “Moonlight Bay” in a woman-ish falsetto. He was, as usual, totally old-school and totally hilarious.

The Nickel-A-Dance series is presented by music associations and music lovers and it feels that way. It is also free and open to all ages so kids, parents and grandparents can party together at the early hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

This article originally published in the March 16, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.