The Louisiana State Museum in partnership with the Ponderosa Stomp presents “Cocktails and Conversations with the Unsung Heroes of Rock ‘n’ Roll” on the second Friday of each month. The inaugural event tonight features an interview with legendary arranger and composer Harold Battiste by WWOZ DJ and documentarian (and Gambit contributor) David Kunian. Battiste founded the record label A.F.O. (All For One), and he arranged Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me,” Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe,” Joe Jones’ “You Talk Too Much,” and Lee Dorsey’s “Ya Ya.” He also produced Dr. John’s early albums (Gris Gris, Babylon and Gumbo). And he was instrumental in the Jazz Studies program at UNO. Admission to the event (5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.) is free, and the Ponderosa Stomp curated “Secret History of Rock ‘n’ Roll” is open. There is a cash bar.

If you’re planning on hitting Frenchmen Street (and surrounding venues) this weekend for the inaugural foburg Music Festival, the fest has supplied these handy daily schedules and a map. Today’s schedule is below. Hit the jump for the rest of the weekend’s lineup (and map).

To the NOIRC’s credit, they wrangled a pretty impressive lineup for a freshman festival — in New Orleans, the week before Austin’s South By Southwest, no less. Among national artists at the fest, highlights include Yardwork and Hope for a Golden Summer (Saturday at d.b.a.), Signals and The Show is the Rainbow (Sunday at Blue Nile), and JEFF the Brotherhood (Sunday at Maison).

As for locals? There are tons, and all worth checking out. Keep an extra eye on Jean-Eric, the Bellys, Caddywhompus, Sun Hotel, Giant Cloud and Givers.

Visit foburg’s Web site for ticket information ($25 for a weekend pass to all shows) and more.

(Click for a larger version.)

Read the rest of this entry »

You know a phenomenon has gone mainstream when it’s written up in Vanity Fair, the coffee-table bible of trends and tastes from high to low. And so it goes with “sissy rap,” which was the subject of an award-winning Gambit cover story by Alison Fensterstock in 2008 — and is now immortalized in VF under the headline “New Orleans Sissy Bounce: Rap Goes Drag.” The article, by Brett Berk, begins:

You do not need to spend much time in New Orleans to realize that it occupies a unique position within the pantheon of American cities. As different from similar-sized towns like Pittsburgh as a coyote is from a mound of cottage cheese, the Big Easy is wholly it’s own scrappy, disheveled self (and I mean that as a compliment).

Berk goes on to profile the biggest New Orleans sissy rappers, including Katey Red (who tells him “It’s not sissy bounce. It’s Bounce music. It’s just sissies doing it”), Sissy Nobby, Big Freedia and Vockah Redu.

Whatever you (or Katey) want to call it, this seems to be the season of the sissy. Vockah is also on the cover of this month’s Antigravity magazine, and a clutch of New Orleans rappers (sissy and otherwise) will be appearing at the New Orleans Bounce Showcase at South by Southwest Mar. 20. Then, on April 22, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art will present Where They At: New Orleans Bounce and Hip-Hop in Words and Pictures, an exhibit curated by Fensterstock and Aubrey Edwards, which will go on for most of the summer and have a satellite exhibition at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

In the meantime, don’t miss the Vanity Fair story, which reveals something truly interesting: Katey Red is starting her own marching band, which we hope is rehearsed and ready for next Mardi Gras.

Among the performers headed to Austin’s South By Southwest conference is a contingent of New Orleans bounce rappers. Former Gambit columnist Alison Fensterstock organized a benefit show at the Saint (961 St. Mary St.) tonight (10 p.m. Wednesday) to support the group of artists. The show features DJ Rusty Lazer and raffle prizes, including a limited-edition Defend New Orleans T-shirt signed by Katey Red, DJ Jubilee, 10th Ward Buck, Wild Wayne and others. There are rare cassettes for sale and a DVD with rare bounce songs, mostly ripped from Fensterstock’s collection of vinyl.

The Austin bounce showcase will feature Partners-N-Crime, DJ Jubilee, Katey Red, Big Freedia, Vockah Redu, Magnolia Shorty and Ms Tee. Anyone unable to attend the show tonight may be interested in the Kickstarter page for the entourage, which features further information and prizes for different levels of support. Fensterstock and photographer Aubrey Edwards also are working on a documentary project about New Orleans bouncers called “Where They At” which will be on display at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

VIP LADIES & KIDS SOCIAL AID & PLEASURE CLUB 7TH ANNUAL PARADE SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2010 – 12:00 P.M.

Start: Dorothy’s Lounge, 1528 S. Liberty. Proceed out S. Liberty to Felicity St. Turn left on Felicity St. Out Felicity St. to Simon Bolivar Blvd. Turn right on Simon Bolivar Blvd. Out Simon Bolivar to Jackson Ave. Turn left on Jackson. Proceed out Jackson Ave. to Baronne St. Turn right on Baronne St. Continue out Baronne to Second St. Right turn on Second St. Out Second St. to Dryades St.

Stop: Sportsman Corner, 2433 Dryades St. Out Dryades St. to Danneel St. Turn left on Danneel St. Out Danneel St. to Washington Ave. Turn right on Washington Ave. Out Washington Ave. to S. Saratoga.

Stop: Purple Rain. Continue out Washington Ave. to Loyola. Turn left on Loyola to Foucher St. Left turn on Foucher St. Out Foucher St. to S. Saratoga.

Stop: The Other Place. Turn left on S. Saratoga. Out S. Saratoga to Louisiana Ave. Turn left on Louisiana Ave. Continue out Louisiana Ave. to Feret St. Make a left turn on Feret St. Continue out Feret St. to General Taylor St. Turn right on Gen. Taylor. Continue out Gen Taylor to Magnolia St.

Stop: Silky’s Lounge. Continue out Gen. Taylor to S. Claiborne Ave. Turn right on S. Claiborne Ave. Continue out S. Claiborne Ave. to Washington Ave. Make a left turn onto Washington Ave. Continue out Washington Ave. to S. Rocheblave.

Stop: Tapps II/Foxx Lounge. Continue out Washington Ave.

Disband: Stanley U, 4300 Washington Ave.

ahhh… Bounce. That soul-stirring street poetry set to triggaman beats that speak candidly to real life situations such as “It must be the pu*#&y cause it aint your face”. Right? Like how often have you seen a rough-on-the-eyes woman walking arm in arm with a fine ass brother and thought ‘wtf is going on with that??’ And then there’s my personal favorite, the Rampart Street Boys anthem coined by Sissy Bounce pioneer Katie Red, “I’m a punk under pressure. When you’re finished leave the money on the dresser.” Katie deserves her own postal stamp with the words ‘REAL TALK’ underneath it for that one. And her colleague Sissy Nobby’s bounce supplement, the how-to P-Pop video ‘Spinning Top’, an absolute must have for every girlfriend looking to give her ‘wifey-for-life’ act that little something special.

Well if da truth!, meth-amped beats and core-building exercises like the ones shown above get you all loose and open then you’re in for a treat because the good folks at P-Pop Central have organized New Orleans First Annual Bounce Festival which takes place tomorrow from Noon to 9pm. 800 Jackson Avenue at Annunciation. Tickets $7 in advance, $10 at the gate.

To see the line-up, go here or contact Lucky at (504) 913-5153 for more info.

Sometimes you come across situations* that are so vile you almost don’t want to feed their energy by paying attention to them. But the March 2010 cover of Offbeat Magazine makes a reference too appalling to ignore.

There’s no excuse for the editors of a music magazine to be ignorant of the lyrics to Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.”

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black body swinging in the Southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Contact Offbeat Magazine at offbeat@offbeat.com or 944-4300. Let the editors know their publication’s allusion to hate crime is shameful and disgusting.

*Thanks to writer Jamey Hatley for bringing this to my attention.

A recent move by Republic programming director Nick Thomas to ban attire inspired by MTV’s “Jersey Shore” is gaining traction among blogs. FAIL Blog declared the rule, posted outside the club, a “Sign Win,” and other blogs such as Racked and New York Magazine’s Vulture have blogged about it. The Huffington Post stole posted this interview with Thomas from NewOrleans.com.

While waiting behind a velvet rope in anticipation of 90s kitsch and special couches (V.I.P. sections), you may have noticed the sign: “If it’s on Jersey Shore, it’s not coming through the door.” For those unsure about what “Jersey Shore” attire encompasses, the sign singles out designers Affliction, Ed Hardy and Christian Audigier. The sign, however, fails to mention if boob slings are permitted.

There are two reactions to the club’s new dress code:

1. Guidos and guidettes (as the “Jersey Shore” cast members lovingly refer to themselves): who needs `em! I am an affluent white person, and therefore find the mere sight of tattoo jeans offensive (the majority of bloggers have embraced this reaction).

2. Seriously? Not that I am in any way advocating the kind of wardrobe the Republic seeks to ban, but how can Republic deny anyone the right to spend $9 on a Jack and Coke based on the dumb trends they follow? It’s essentially one silly, consumer-based subculture — Urban Outfitters-clad PYTs — seeking to exclude another. And while a wardrobe of True Religion jeans and a metallic, skin-tight graphic tee may be considered offensive for its crimes against fashion and society, it is certainly “appropriate” attire and nothing that any club has any real reason banning.

In the NewOrleans.com interview, writer Karen Dalton Beninato asks Thomas if, hypothetically, “Jersey Shore” cast member Snooki (of getting-punched-in-the-face fame) wanted to see the upcoming Spoon show, would the Almighty Fashion High Priests abide?:

Absolutely [not] … if Snooki is wearing anything that Snooki wears, the same Jersey Shore-esque clothing she is known for and [is] rocking a pouf. If Snooki has a life changing event and starts dressing like a normal human being, by all means — come and see Spoon.

First, what if Snooki sincerely wants to fist-pump her way through the crowds to hear Britt Daniel sing “I Summon You”? What now, Nick Thomas? And second, since when is Republic an authority on how “normal human beings” dress? Not all people would agree that wearing, say, a see-through lace body suit (slightly NSFW), outfits made entirely of lamé or ironic eyeglasses is how a “normal human being” dresses.

This was probably inevitable, since Republic has expressly stated its mission to hand-pick its ideal crowds since its inception. From the Lifestyle Revolution Group Web site:

Republic is a hub of creativity and entertainment for the progressive group of people living in and visiting New Orleans intent on revolutionizing the city’s professional and artistic landscapes, providing first-class social experiences and constantly evolving entertainment through music, fashion, philanthropy, film and the arts. Republic caters to a diverse, interesting and eclectic clientele, and its guests’ experiences are paramount to everything created there.

Diversity, however, is limited to the extent to which you are not a “guido.”

… and it’s called “Say Uncle” — an image of the inimitable Uncle Lionel Batiste of the Tremé Brass Band, painted by Terrance Osborne. Osborne did the 2007 poster of Rebirth Brass Band’s Philip Frazier, and this one is done in the same vibrant style.

Here’s the link to Osborne’s gallery, and the link to pre-order a poster. Prices range from $69 (unsigned) to $329 (double-signed).

Thoughts, Gambiteers?

The past few weeks have been chaos for Roots of Music. The program moved down the street from its comfortable space at the Cabildo to a one-room auditorium at the U.S. Mint, and instructors had to get more than 100 students ready for six parades. Add the usual headaches — arranging transportation, feeding 100-plus mouths, tutoring — and a grim reality: If program directors can’t scrape together funding within the next few weeks, March looks bleak. In this week’s cover story, I followed Roots of Music as its 2010 class prepared for its Mardi Gras debut, and hopefully not its last.

The free program for at-risk students ages 9 to 14 helps low-income families get their children on the right track. Derrick Tabb (Rebirth Brass Band drummer and CNN Hero) and Allison Reinhardt founded Roots of Music in 2007, and it includes (among other things) free transportation from school (and back home), meals, tutoring (required) and a world-class music education from Tabb and New Orleans musicians like Edward Lee from Soul Rebels Brass Band, as well as Allen Dejan Jr., Shoan Ruffin and Lawrence Rawlins. Oh, and Trombone Shorty and Phil Frazier serve on the board.

Gambit photographer Cheryl Gerber documented the band’s three-step parade prep: rehearsal, dress, and the finale — marching and playing in Carnival 2010. (Hit the jump for the photos.)

Read the rest of this entry »