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Final Count
Count Basin™
recaps the sounds and sights of Jazz Fest 2003
Count Basin,
Shala Carlson, Cristina Diettinger,
Frank Etheridge,
Eileen Loh Harrist,
Raoul Hernandez,
Scott Jordan,
David Kunian,
Sara Roahen,
David Lee Simmons and
Michael Tisserand
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| Louisiana
legend Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown is an annual Fest highlight.
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| Photo
by Tracie Morris/Young Studio |
Three's Company
Ornette Coleman's much-anticipated Jazz Fest set began with
the 73-year-old free jazz forefather introducing his set with
a story about Ellis Marsalis and Alvin Batiste driving from New
Orleans to L.A. at the apex of Coleman's controversial career
to tell him they understood what he was doing. Sixty minutes later,
as the packed Jazz Tent was scraping its collective jaws from
among the peanut shells, Marsalis and Batiste augmented their
friend's trio for one last celebration of the Sabbath. It was
the first time Coleman smiled all day -- if only the reclusive,
quickly exiting alto saxophonist had lingered for a moment at
the end of his set to see the stunned bliss caused by his soliloquy
of melodic wizardry.
Piano Professors
Henry Butler blew the roof off the Popeyes Blues Tent. By
the time the throatiest bullfrog this side of Clarence "Frogman"
Henry banged out "Iko Iko," Professor Longhair's "Mardi Gras in
New Orleans" and Huey "Piano" Smith's "Rockin' Pneumonia and the
Boogie Woogie Flu" on his Roland electric keyboard, he could've
been flagged by the NOPD for inciting a riot. Fortunately, the
dust had settled by the time Eddie Bo caught the same bug in the
same place to the same sort of reception the following day.
Most in Need of Bob Dylan's Black Cowboy Hat
Given her recent tangles with the law, Austin singer-songwriter
Tish Hinojosa, in her first appearance at Jazz Fest, cut something
of a bad-girl pose dressed all in black on the Fais Do-Do stage.
Her sexy, Latin folk lilted with Hinojosa's trademark delivery
-- youthful innocence personified -- made her appearance that
much more tantalizing.
Heals the Sick
While both the newly released CD and DVD of Fats Domino's
last appearance at Jazz Fest (2001) capture the afterimage of
music history, only the real thing heals the sick. Festgoer Gene
Broussard of Lafayette was four days out of major surgery and
on the Fair Grounds for Domino's headlining of Jazz Fest's first
weekend first Thursday. Having seen Domino live 30 or so times
since the late '50s, Broussard wasn't listening to his doctor
-- he was going. Two dozen classics later, Fats bumping his Black
Yamaha on a "Sentimental Journey" across the stage, Broussard
was seriously considering attending the next day's Festival International
de Louisiane. Don't tell his physician.
Yet Another Hospital Release
Tom Stamps, front man for Colonel Sanchez, arrived at the
Louisiana Heritage Stage from Tulane Hospital just in time for
the set opener, an original funk jam titled "SEPA." He was fine:
the band members are all former and current Tulane medical students,
and Stamps, a pediatric intern, had just been released from a
run-of-the-mill 30-hour shift.
We Got to Go Now ... Well, Maybe Not Yet
After turning in one of the most stunning gospel vocal quartet
performances of the Fest, legendary ensemble Spencer Taylor &
the Highway QC's kept its backing band churning, changing spiritual
lyrics to the goodbye salute "We Got to Go Now." Well, not quite:
the cheering crowd at the Jazz Tent brought the band back onstage
for two more bows.
Best/Worst Tom Green Impression
When the rhythm section of drummer Stanton Moore, percussionist/vibraphonist
Mike Dillon and guitarist Charlie Hunter locked into a groove,
funk/jazz/fusion outfit Garage a Trois threw down some of the
most inspired jams of the first weekend. Too bad maniacal saxophonist
Skerik, who bears more than a striking resemblance to comedian
Tom Green, derailed the momentum more than once with some Yoko
Ono-style screaming, ridiculous stage banter, and messy sax honking.
He did pull off one funny line: referring to the customized Garage
a Trois promotional foam index fingers that dotted the landscape,
he mused of the band's crass commercialization: "What would Mahalia
Jackson think?"
Different Look, Same Class
His new quartet sports a serious name, "Allen Toussaint's
Jazz Project," but it boils down to the same ol' sandal-wearing
piano professor: short tunes, short solos, and nothing short of
pure, elegant Ellington-like class. "Meterhead" played tribute
to Cissy, "Ruler of My Heart" to Irma and Otis, and "Carlene"
to its namesake. Same ol' solace, different dream.
Best
R&B Gem Performed by a Zydeco Band
Geneva Fields (aka Mrs. Thomas "Big Hat" Fields) singing lead
on The Falcons "I Found a Love," sounding almost as good as Wilson
Pickett himself.
Best Evocation of Louis Armstrong by a Wilford Brimley Lookalike
Looking as if he had just stepped out of an oatmeal commercial
with his straw hat and round glasses, Kustbandet drummer Christer
Ekhé stood behind his drum kit and growled out a delightful
version of Pops' "After You've Gone" to round out a superior second-Saturday
set in the Economy Hall Tent. The band -- whose 12 members bill
themselves as the "Swinging Swedes of Sweden" -- returned to Jazz
Fest for the first time since 1973, with trombonist and emcee
Jens Lindgren paying constant homage to such New Orleans greats
as Steve Brown, Red Allen and, of course, Armstrong.
If Only Armstrong Had Lived to See Video Games ...
17-year old Trombone Shorty's version of "St. James Infirmary"
included brother James Andrews on trumpet and Glen Andrews singing
updated lyrics that included references to Sony PlayStations.
Stay Lady Stay
Recorded, Cassandra Wilson is an acquired taste. Live, in
the Jazz Tent, the Delta vocal sorceress cast a spell from which
there's no escape. Opening with a cover from one of the previous
day's headliners, Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay," it was as if Wilson
was laying the entire, seam-bursting tent across her own big brass
bed. Dinah Washington, Muddy Waters, Jobim, all massaged by her
backing trio, notched just as high up the bedpost. What a way
to go.
Notable Guest Appearances
Lil' Band o' Gold saxophonist Dickie Landry with Bob Dylan
at the night concert. The Fabulous Thunderbirds' Kim Wilson with
Jumpin' Johnny Sansone. Los Lobos' David Hidalgo with Terrance
Simien. J.D. Hill and Sista Teedy with Deacon John. Troy Andrews
with the Neville Brothers.
In Memoriam, Part I
The late songwriting genius Earl King received his share of
tributes, as Dr. John paid homage to "one of his podners" with
a rollicking version of "Big Chief," Snooks Eaglin covered "A
Mother's Love," and New Orleans rock-steady band 007 pulled out
King's "Trick Bag." The strangest tribute came unexpectedly from
Los Lobos, as David Hidalgo announced that the band was sending
a song out to King, and started to pick out the opening chords
to "(Come on) Let the Good Times Roll." Then they abruptly went
into the Lil' Bob & the Lollipops classic "I Got Loaded."
In Memoriam, Part II
True street culture was presented with the first Sunday's
rolling of Uptowner's Hobo Clowns second line accompanied by the
Pinstripe Brass Band. Essentially one large extended family, the
group formed more than 30 years ago on the Central City blocks
of Jackson Avenue with the purpose of remembering and honoring
deceased family members. Featuring all homemade costumes, most
impressive was founding member Julia Patterson's tribute to her
father -- with a hobo clown costume resplendent with face paint,
top hot and large, sequined umbrella completely covered in her
father's collection of Mardi Gras beads, lottery tickets and Jazz
Fest tickets.
In Memoriam, Part III
Gregg Stafford & the Jazz Hounds dedicated their reverent
set of trad-jazz to the late great New Orleans bassist Erving
Charles, a long-time member of the band.
Rock Unsteady
While rock-steady doesn't necessarily have to feature a keyboard
or horn section to make it good rock-steady, something seemed
to be missing in 007's set -- especially considering the quality
onstage: guitarists Jonathan Freilich and Alex McMurray, and the
rhythm section of bassist Joe Cabral and Jeffrey Clements. McMurray's
incessant mugging and snide comments (a strength in his solo work,
but not here) and a lack of the soulful harmonies made this set
a curiosity. Still, kudos for their send-up of The Clash's "Bankrobber";
maybe these talented musicians should stick to the second wave
of ska instead of the first.
Tone Cool
The Economy Hall Tent served as a blissful comparison/contrast
study in technique by two of this city's most gifted trad-jazz
clarinetists: Tim Laughlin and Evan Christopher. Laughlin, performing
on the first Sunday, dug into his new album of all-original trad-jazz
recordings (a rarity these days), Isle of New Orleans.
Laughlin's no showman; he stays completely within himself but
in the process produces tons of tone, as he displayed on his cheekily
titled "Suburban Street Parade" -- an homage to Paul Barbarin's
"Bourbon Street Parade." By contrast, Christopher is a magnificent
showman who, unlike Laughlin, was fearless in his stage presence
and wailing while performing on the second Thursday with Danza.
The group is a collaboration with pianist Tom McDermott (who,
along with bassist/tuba player Matt Perrine, also backed up Laughlin),
and examines the musical connection between Brazil and New Orleans.
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| A
blow-up doll makes her statement. |
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Photo by Eileen Loh Harrist |
Tent
Revival
The Holmes Brothers put on one of the best sets in the Blues
Tent, and wrapped up their performance with dazzling three-part
harmonies on "Amazing Grace" and a rolling version of "Jesus is
on the Mainline," timely reminders of the close connection between
blues and gospel.
Gumbo Revival
Spectators at Zatarain's Food Heritage Stage got more sermon
than they bargained for during a panel discussion titled "Gumbo:
The Way I Do Mine." Participating chefs Leah Chase, Frank Brigtsen,
Richard Stewart and Faye Ann Gardner bantered about which is the
greater mortal sin: a gumbo without seafood; a vegetarian gumbo
des herbes; or omitting a limb of the Creole "holy trinity" of
onion, celery and green bell pepper. Moderator Lolis Eric Elie,
in the role of Solomon, never pronounced his judgment.
Advice From One Who's Been There
Sean Ardoin & Zydekool proved that there is in fact a next
generation hoping to fill the void left behind by the recent deaths
of zydeco lions Beau Jocque and Boozoo Chavis. Ardoin, who sort
of resembles a dancing refrigerator onstage, boogied his way through
James Brown-fueled funk versions of zydeco on his triple-row accordion
while rousing the crowd into action before a prescient warning.
"Last year, I played here the same time of day, but it was 20
degrees hotter," Ardoin said, already sweating. "And I almost
passed out! I had to have a seat on the speaker. Someone said,
'That man can put on a show!' ... So, for every three beers y'all
drink, drink a water!"
Ride Your Pony
While the Plastic System Band of Martinique played its version
of Duke Ellington's "Caravan" at the Congo Square Stage, it was
so funky that the big gray police horse patrolling the adjacent
track started cantering and jumping up and down.
Ride a Painted Pony
With its hot, accordion-based traditional music and hand-painted
ponies, the Chouval Bwa Carousel from featured country Martinique
proved the biggest surprise of this year's Fest. Kids abandoned
the Kids' Tent to climb aboard the fast, muscle-propelled merry-go-round,
while couples danced within earshot of the attraction. The Count
pronounces Chouval Bwa this year's Fest Best, and hopes it can
become an annual attraction. Still, he noticed that for some folks,
what seemed like a lovely spin didn't mix well with Miller Lite,
Fest food and hot sun. "Here comes my Crawfish Monica," said one
green-faced rider, before stumbling toward a trash can.
Sonnus Interruptus
Sonny Landreth and his band members couldn't have been working
harder during their Acura Stage set -- not that the audience could
hear. In one of the worst sound lapses at the big stage that the
Count can remember, the speakers began to fade in and out midway
through Landreth's set, then gave out altogether. After a sweaty,
extended jam that aired in silence over the screens, the band
launched into another song, despite the frantic pantomime of frustrated
fans up front trying to tell the band to "Cut!" until the sound
was fixed. A few minutes later, the speakers came back on full
force, and the consummate professional Landreth thanked Quint
Davis and his staff "for putting together an incredible festival."
What Not ToDo During
a Groovy Old-School Set
Gladys Knight wafted from hard-edged soul to gospel to Motown
standards on a set of still-silky pipes on the Acura Stage, and
guest saxophonist Vince Preister got a rousing response when he
came onstage blowing hard with Knight and her brother, former
"Pip" Bubba Knight. About a minute later, though, Preister inexplicably
swung the mood 180 degrees -- from Al Green to Celine Dion --
by launching into a somber Kenny G-style soprano sax solo on "My
Heart Will Go On," followed by a similarly mellow "Somewhere Over
the Rainbow" and "If I Only Had A Brain." By the time Knight joined
him on "That's What Friends Are For," many "friends" had wandered
off.
They Sound Good in Sunlight, Too
The New Orleans Jazz Vipers made an effortless transition
from the late-night vibe of their regular Spotted Cat gig to an
afternoon set in blazing sun on the Lagniappe Stage. The band's
acoustic sound was a perfect fit, with violinist Neti Vaan's violin
wafting toward the skies on tracks like "Blue Drag," and guest
vocalist Linnzi Zaorski's airy vocals effortlessly floating through
the paddock.
Best Quint Davis Moment
When Chouval Bwa of Martinique took over the Fais Do-Do stage,
the band's graceful songstress reached out and dragged a headset-wearing
Quint Davis onto the stage to dance. He obliged with a unique,
doubled-over at the waist, legs kicking out, how-did-I-get-here
two-step. You had to admire his pluck, if not his moves, and the
crowd cheered.
If Loving You is Wrong, Al Jarreau Doesn't Want to Be Right
Well-known for his stage-as-soapbox performance style, Al
Jarreau was in rare form closing out Congo Square the first Sunday,
taking a few minutes to showcase his still-powerful vocal range,
after which he said, "Damn, I'm good. Thirty years and still on
the radio!" Later monologues touched on class warfare: "That silver
spoon, that 17-year-old with the Porsche, does not impress me,
and he should not impress you. That's not how we live." Jarreau
then told the crowd he was happy to be playing Jazz Fest, but
that he likes "the intimacy of the club, where I can walk around
and hug you and kiss you and tell you 'I love you.'' Strangely,
he then promised to do just that at a performance that night at
the Funky Butt -- which was news to the club itself, which had
Astral Project scheduled that night. Jarreau never showed.
How
About a Hail Mary?
New Orleans' pro sports teams -- and the Big Quarterback in
the Sky -- got some spiritual shout-outs in the Gospel Tent. On
Friday of the first weekend, Pastor Woodrow Hayden of the Shiloh
Baptist Church Mass Choir, sporting a New Orleans Hornets T-shirt,
asked the crowd to "support my New Orleans Hornets tonight. But
first, give a big hand to God." The following weekend, director
T.C. Hawkins of the 2nd Nazarene Baptist Church Gospel Choir
asked the audience: "If you were at a Saints football game
and the Saints scored a touchdown, you would make some noise,
right? Well, Jesus scored a touchdown a long time ago!" he hollered
over the cheering crowd, before leading the choir into an exuberant
chant of "Go Jesus, go Jesus, go!"
Where's Your Daddy?
It was misleading to bill Lil' Romeo's set the first Saturday
as coming with a "very special guest" as most observers -- including
the Count -- predicted the teen rapper's mega-star father, Master
P., would surely make an appearance. It didn't happen. Even without
Dad, Lil' Romeo delivered a danceable, family-friendly set, concluding
with a skilled retooling of Rob Base's mid-80s smash "It Takes
Two."
Best Opening Question and Response for an Allison Miner Music
Heritage Stage interview
Steve Armbruster asked Jo Cool Davis, "How long have you been
'Cool'"? Davis responded, "All my life."
Panic Has a Ball
Legitimate grumblings against Jazz Fest's typical granting
of Georgia rockers Widespread Panic two full time slots notwithstanding,
the band delivered at the Fair Grounds by stretching out in one
marathon, high-energy and uptempo set. The harder rock edge in
its sound was a new twist, as guitarist George McConnell delivered
strong licks on classic and new material from the CD Ball,
restoring the band to a crunchy and booming sound missing in McConnell's
first months as replacement for deceased founding guitarist Michael
Houser.
Best Pele Imitation
Colombian superstar Carlos Vives and his band played one of
the more energetic sets at the Congo Square stage. During one
accordion solo, Vives head-butted a soccer ball seven times before
hoisting it into the crowd and returning to the mic for the chorus.
Best Trend We Hope Will Be Shamelessly Emulated Throughout
The Fairgrounds
After all those harangues last year about the oppressive heat
in the Blues Tent, Jazz Fest organizers installed two rows of
mist-spraying pipes suspended from the ceiling above the back
and left sides of the tent. The contraptions helped, and may we
be the first to point out that there's never too much of a good
thing.
Best Replacement for Dear Abby
Irma Thomas used time between songs for a mid-life crisis
tirade. Her advice to men: "When you get out of that little sports
car and your knees make noises you never heard before, then it's
time to go back to the lady you been with all along."
Pops Would Be Proud
Despite a train-wreck of an extended heavy metal-esque guitar
solo in the middle of the Staples Singers' soul anthem "Respect
Yourself," Mavis Staples upheld her family's legacy with funky
versions of "If You're Ready" and "Let's Do It Again," not to
mention a sweet run through The Band's "The Weight," and the Carter
Family classic "Can the Circle Be Unbroken."
Most Generous Offer
Several times throughout Amammereso Agfogamma of Ghana's set,
the group told the Popeyes Blues Tent audience that it would give
away its collection of drums to anyone who came backstage after
the set. "We don't want to sell them, we want to give them away,"
the group promised, sparking a mild stampede to the stage.
Most Contemporary Folk
In the Folk Barn, a planned demonstration of T-shirt making
by the husband-and-wife team of Dwayne and Danyell Smith, owners
of Impressive Designs T-shirts and Sno-Balls in Broadmoor, was
derailed. The couple's craft became notorious when an alleged
conspirator in the John McDonogh shooting wore a shirt memorializing
the youth he was targeting. A demonstration and explanation of
the memorial shirts will have to wait until next year, because
Dwayne Smith was severely injured in a car wreck the week before
their appearance. The Count wishes the Smiths well and Dwayne
a speedy and full recovery, and we'll see them next year.
Best Way To Get Up Close And Personal With Your Fanbase
Angelique Kidjo invited a diverse group of about 20 audience
members onstage during her live-wire Congo Square performance
the second Friday, all the while telling the rest of the audience
how great it is to be up there. "Y'all don't know what you're
missing!" The chosen audience members ended their impromptu appearance
with a mass group hug around Kidjo before rejoining their less
fortunate counterparts on the grass.
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| The
Count to Quint Davis: Bring Back the Chouval Bwa!
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Photo by Scott Saltzman |
Most
Minimalist Puppet Show
Julia Yerkov rarely performs these days, but she entranced
children in the Kids' Tent with her nuanced, less-is-more approach
to puppetry. No Punch, no Judy: just gently moving, finely detailed
figures speaking directly to fascinated children.
How To Be Hot and Cool at the Same Time
Theresa Andersson gave the expression "painted-on clothes"
new meaning during her Louisiana Heritage Stage set the first
Saturday. Andersson wore a blue bikini top, psychedelic body-paint
"pants" (covering a bikini bottom) and a wicked smile as she and
her band delivered the goods from her latest CD, No Regrets.
The following Thursday, however, she sported a much more conservative
pair of shorts as she sang backup for Papa Grows Funk.
Best Rock Star Confession
During an interview at the Miner Music Heritage Stage, Soul
Asylum front man and adopted New Orleanian Dave Pirner admitted
that he'd spent most of his days in the pop spotlight as a "deer
caught in headlights," before moving to New Orleans to "get schooled."
Best Display of Modesty by a Blow-up Doll
For several years, the Acura Stage has been home to a tall
pole bearing a blonde blow-up doll in the buff, cheekily bobbing
and waving to the crowd below. She was back again this year --
but after just a few hours in flagrante delecto, appeared on top
of the pole for the remainder of the festival wearing a white
T-shirt that said "I USED TO BE NAKED." The pole's owners explained
that security guards made them take her down the first weekend,
saying she wasn't conducive to the Fest's family environment.
It Ain't Over 'til Aaron Neville Sings
Why, oh why, does Aaron Neville insist on wedding his angelic
pipes to canned music? At the Gospel Tent, he once again performed
with tapes, to the dismay of many. But at the end of the second
Sunday, the crowd at the Acura Stage shared a bittersweet moment
as Aaron Neville's lovely solo on "Amazing Grace" -- nothing canned
here -- wafted through the early evening air, bidding farewell
to Jazz Fest for another year.
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New Trials
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Wedding Choices
Eat, Drink and Be Married
Blake Pontchartrain
New Orleans Know-It-All
Shoptalk
Family Dining
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Feature Archives
Other Stories by Count Basin, Shala Carlson, Cristina Diettinger, Frank Etheridge, Eileen Loh Harrist, Raoul Hernandez, Scott Jordan, David Kunian, Sara Roahen, David Lee Simmons and Michael Tisserand:
Hard Lessons 05 06 03
Me and You and a Dog Named Lenny Bruce 05 06 03
Butt Out! 05 06 03
Count Basin, Shala Carlson, Cristina Diettinger, Frank Etheridge, Eileen Loh Harrist, Raoul Hernandez, Scott Jordan, David Kunian, Sara Roahen, David Lee Simmons and Michael Tisserand Archives
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