 Parade at Jazzfest |
It all started as a decision not to spend my vacation
in Benidorm again. So where would I go? Then some friends of mine in the
great bluesband , KnockOut Greg&Blue Weather told me their plan to go
to New Orleans and that was it. And it really was a grat trip for a bluesfan
like me. Exept for the Jazzfestival that had 10 stages with bands playing
from morning to night I counted 72 bars that had live music every night.The
classiest one was the House of Blues were we saw Johnny Adams do a great
show. His old hit, "Release me" made noone sorry they came, with
a stunning, still intact falsetto voice.Marva Wright was a new voice to
me but she caused some tears to roll down my cheeks.I also saw her in the
gospeltent at Jazz Fest (5000 people) with a huge choir.As this was the
week of the Jazz Fest there was music everywhere. At Tower Records we caught
Irma Thomas and Tracy Nelson in the act. They were comped by the Ann Wibble
lookalike Marcia Ball, who proved to be a good New Orleansstyle pianoplayer
with vocals close to Bonnie Riatt.A new face to me was Raymond Myles who
performed with with his huge choir, all dressed like supermodels and hairstyles
higher than most Redwood trees. Raymond himself had a Donny Hathaway quality
to his voice and thou he was up in a higher register most of the time he
had some preety impressive sensurround lows. |
 Johhny Adams. |
Rockin´Jake, who was our guide for the week had arranged
something called "Harmonica Breakdown" at Margueritas where 10
harmonica players performed with their own bands, and the headline for the
night was Kokomo Arnold.He did a pretty lame show thou. Lazy Lester got
on the stage too, not to sober and without a harmonica.At "Tipitinas"
there was an annual "Pianonight" with 10 N.O. pianoplayers in
honor of Professor Longhair.
So what about the food then.Well, a paradise for me, MR Junkfood.At
the Jazzfest they served alligator (too exotic for me, I still remembered
the ones we saw on a trip to the swamps),Jambalaya of course and my favourite,
the crawfish bread.Bread filled with cheese and crawfish. For me this was
the best vacation I ever had, combinig sun,heat and blues and some Buds.This
year I had to stay home, but in the next one I´ll sure be there again.
Go to the Chicago
page for more pics and reports.
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Spicy meals.
Irma Thomas.
Marcia Ball.
Me & KnockOut.
Raymond Myles.