New Orleans Jazz

[Brian L]

I've been working at home today, but have done so half-heartedly because I keep looking at the TV coverage of the Katrina disaster and thinking about all those people that have lost their homes, livelihoods, and loved ones.

I've also been thinking about a professional conference at which I'm supposed to present in New Orleans in November. I was really looking forward to it -- beignets at the Cafe du Monde, jazz at Snug Harbor, red beans and rice, all those amazing restaurants. Wow. I've only known New Orleans as a tourist, but what a rich, fascinating place. I've always wanted to dig deeper.

Somewhere along the line, I started internally singing to myself the song "Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans." Over and over. So I got out some Louis Armstrong records and played it. Then I played a version by Wynton Marsalis. That led me to Marsalis' version of "New Orleans," which reminded me of an album I own by Leroy Jones, a New Orleans trumpeter I saw once.

Somewhere along the line I quit working altogether, and I've had a mini-music fest: Los Hombres Calientes, Jelly Roll Morton, Dr. John, Duke's New Orleans Suite, Cubanismo's Mardi Gras Mambo...

It's been sort of therapeutic.

Have any of the rest of you been listening to music from New Orleans the last couple of days? Which recordings or artists have especially moved you?

[BFrank]

Maybe it's time to order that Kid Ory Mosaic set before it goes OOP.

[Mark of Cenla]

I have been buying lots of CDs from New Orleans musicians. Lately, I have listened to these:

Johnny Vidacovich (master drummer) Mystery Street The more I listen to it, the more I like it.

Steve Masakowski Trio Live at Snug Habor This is a very good guitar trio album.

Astral Project Big Shot This is my favorite jazz group. This CD is in many ways their response to the terrible events of 9/11.

I also made four anthology CDs with music from New Orleans that include the following artists: Astral Project, James Rivers, Ricky Sebastian, Woodenhead, the Joe Krown Organ Combo, Clarence Johnson III, Peter Martin, Johnny Vidacovich, and Steve Masakowski. I have been listening to these too. Peace.