Monday June 3rd at cafe Istanbul

Monday nights show at cafe Istanbul with James Singleton(bass), Tim Green(sax), and Mike Dillon(drums, vibes) was a vast pleasure. It was perhaps the fourth time playing on this configuration and each has been successful and completely different. One of the great factors was the quiet listening of the audience- so quiet that the miraculous happened- I was able to take an extended guitar solo on a flat body telecaster without amplification.
What a crowd! What a club!

Pt. 2 of audio interview with NOLA pianist, Tom McDermott posted!

The second part of an audio interview with New Orleans pianist, Tom Mcdermott is now up on the interviews page.

If you are interested in exciting New Orleans piano styles you should take a listen.  Tom has interesting ways to engage with traditional forms and personalized composition style within those forms.

In part 2, Tom discusses the following:-

 Coming to New Orleans for James Booker; the different rhythms in traditional jazz- tresillo, cinquillo; working with Lil Queenie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band; starting the New Orleans Night Crawlers; what's changed in New Orleans music over the years; loss of older players and lack of replacement; John Cleary; Dave McKenna, Dick Hymen; attempting music journalism; playing with Trolsen, Matt Perrine, Evan Christopher.

Remember- the interviews are available in the itunes store as a free podcast!

Part 1 of audio interview with Tom Mcdermott...

The first part of an audio interview with New Orleans pianist, Tom Mcdermott is now up on the interviews page.

If you are interested in exciting New Orleans piano styles you should take a listen.  Tom has interesting ways to engage with traditional forms and personalized composition style within those forms.

Take a listen!

Upcoming interview with New Orleans pianist, Tom McDermott

Tom McDermott talked in an interview the other day about his influences and current passions.  They are interesting- Brazilian Choro, French Musette, Stride, Ragtime are just some of the sounds playing a large part in how he composes and plays piano. 

Check it out on the music interviews page...

Last few shows in New Orleans

joe cabral
doug garrisonmarcello bennetti
jimbo walsh

Coming into my last three scheduled shows before heading out for quite a while.  It would be great to see you out there.  We guarantee the music whimsy, fun, and for those of you still hung up on the myth of respectability, standards!

Tonight (July 30)- at Bacchanal (8-10:30pm) with Marcello Bennetti-drums and Jimbo Walsh-bass.

Thursday August 2nd- at The Circle Bar (10-30pm) with The Jackals

Monday August 6th- at Bacchanal (8pm) with Doug Garrison-drums

Interview with guitarist, singer, and composer, Tim Robertson

Tim is an interesting figure in the New Orleans music vista.  He plays Bourbon St.  He is a survivor of that commercial zone and knows how to do it (or has the personality for it) in a way that doesn't limit him and has driven him plain crazy.  Many have been driven in such a direction.

Many people ask questions about validities and viabilities involved in music on Bourbon St.  Tim, from first hand experience over lot of years, engages these questions:-

What is Bourbon St.?  How does that music zone operate differently and similarly to other parts of town?  What are it's musical features and modes of development?  Is there anything really good out there? 

There is much more, however, to Tim and to this interview.  Tim is an avid experimental/modern/"classical" composer and has moved himself through in-depth, mentored, study in that direction too.  For those who may wonder what the relevance of Bourbon St. and "classical" music is to New Orleans music and whether he can really talk about it, there is more. He also plays guitar with Neslort (if you don't know then be sure to go), Amanda Shaw, and two very interesting comico-satirical-serious groups that started quite a while ago and feature a very biting and immediate viewpoint voiced by Robertson: Dirty Mouth and Hot Karl.

Enjoy the interview- there is a lot here...

Also available as a free podcast through the itunes store.

The interview was conducted, 5/1/12, at the orange couch in New Orleans.

Jonathan Freilich Trio

Looking forward to this lineup tomorrow (saturday) at Three Muses on Frenchmen St.

Doug Belote-drums

James Singleton- Bass

Jonathan Freilich- Guitar

6-9pm

Naked On The Floor rides again at Snug Harbor this Sunday

...and with the old majestic lineup (we have been playing since 1995) but with the addition of one very esteemed guest, Mr. Johnny Vidacovich.

so, Naked On The Floor will be...

Jonathan Freilich- guitar

James Singleton- bass

Johnny Vidacovich- Drums

Tim Green- saxophone

Rick Trolsen- Trombone

 

All the music is original, and some very recently composed and, most of all, it will be exciting.

There are two shows at Snug Harbor, 8 & 10.

Part 2 of Interview with saxophonist, Dan Oestreicher

Here is Part 2 of a very coherent interview with one of the hardest working horn players currently in New Orleans (or mostly out of it right now since he has been with the meteorically rising, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue.)

Dan Oestreicher first hit the radar for this writer when he presented himself at a Naked Orchestra show at the Mermaid lounge and made clear that he should be playing with the group.  He did that for the rest of that evening and for a long time afterward.  

He played with many of the most forward thinking New Orleans musicians and frequently he is there right when they are looking the most forward.  This includes the The Other Planets, The Magnetic Ear, 3 now 4, James Singleton, Irvin Mayfield's New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Roger Lewis's Baritone quintet (where Dan is playing Bass sax instead of his more heard, Bari sax,) The Naked Orchestra, The Jonathan Freilich group, his own group- The Diesel Combustion Orchestra, and more.  He is seen playing some tuba and really tends to go very deep when he is exploring anything, but especially music.  He also knows a good deal about saxophone lore and trade as well as the other end of the spectrum, analog synthesis.

He is in Trombone Shorty's band, touring constantly, and because of this he is in a unique position to discuss the meaning of New Orleans music (if there is really such a thing at all) and improvisation as it stands in the world outside of New Orleans. His perspectives are well informed and if nothing at all show a blazing mind for inquiry and a fearless and healthy statement of opinion.  He could go anywhere from here.  If you were into horse racing you might see him listed in the racing form as one to watch.

The interviews are still available as a podcast on itunes or from the interviews page here...

Big and interesting show lined up for Cafe Istanbul, New Orleans

This Sunday at 8pm, there will be a very interesting lineup for improvisational delight at Cafe Istanbul in the Healing Center in New Orleans.  The show is scheduled for 8 pm.

I foresee a sonic physick for renewed vigor brewing!

 

Jeff Albert-Trombone

Jesse Morrow-Bass

Jonathan Freilich- Guitar

Doug Garrison- drums

Presented by Benjamin Lyons and Valid.  

Great lineup for tomorrow's show at the Bacchanal

Playing at Bacchanal tomorrow (Monday) night at 7:30 pm. Stellar lineup, why would you miss it??

James Singleton- bass

Rick Trolsen- Trombone (pictured)

Doug Garrison- drums

Jonathan Freilich- guitar

Part 1 of new audio interview with saxophonist Dan Oestreicher

The interviews are back!

This interview was recorded during jazzfest (5/2/12) and Dan, riding high on the Trombone Shorty wave, ponders, philosophizes, and argues about music and what he is doing with it.  

This has much of interest about New Orleans music and the burdens and freedoms of its positive and negative associations.  There is also a good deal of general chatter about the art form in general and some intriguing particulars.

If you are interested in the music around New Orleans, you'll want to take a listen.

The interview is here...

Playing with cellist, Helen Gillet at Bacchanal Monday June 18

This Monday for my weekly Bacchanal show I will be playing with cellist, Helen Gillet.  Just the two of us.  Expect French music, improvisations, Rock 'n' roll flares, Baroque hauntings, jazz flecks, and Rococo rescue.  Also, there will be the great food and wine that Bacchanal offers.  The whole thing kicks off at 7:30pm.

New Recording by Carl LeBlanc

My old guitar teacher, friend, and brilliant New Orleans musician, Carl Leblanc has just released his brand new recording- Those Who Have Ears.  It's available at CD Baby amongst other services and... help out an artist and pick up a copy.

I wrote a string quartet arrangement for one of the pieces on the record and am honored to find out that he wanted to use it on its own for the finale of the record.  It's called Hesed if you pick up a copy.

Carl is a great guitarist and all around musician who always comes out with a landscape of musical statements on record that really shows all he can breathe life into for a listener.  He has played on some key New Orleans recordings and has played in many of the greatest groups associated with the city including the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Allen Toussaint- (actually the list is so extensive- I'll let you music fans seek out the rest of the bio information).  He was also guitarist for the Sun Ra Arkestra for about 9 years and luckily my generous guitar teacher for a long time. 

This one is worth checking out and many great musicians were involved...

Audio interview with Other Planets leader, Anthony Cuccia

Anthony Cuccia- Percussionist, keyboardist, composer, idea man for The Other Planets. Anthony uses music both for social consciousness and for exploration of its own various technologies.  He is always striving for a new way to assemble his ideas.

Both parts of the interview have been posted and are also available as a podcast from the itunes store.

The interview

Jay Mazza and The Vinyl District article on the leaving-town-epic-jam

This was a nice piece in that it feels really good because more than anything I have wished to be a contributor to this city that has my heart, New Orleans.  No doubt, it is a drop in a vast ocean but it feels good that my efforts have been recognized.  I hope to come back and be able to give more.  More on that later...

Meantime...The Vinyl District

Interview with Tim Green

Tim Green is one of the most interesting saxophonists that you can hear in New Orleans.  Occasionally he travels, but most of his career has been within the city.  Over the years he has played with many of the greats that people associate most with the city- Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Irma Thomas, Cyrille Neville, Mem Shannon, Herlin Riley and many legendary others. In fact, he is one of the greats, but he plays a unique role by very particular design and musical conviction. 

His affection goes out most to original, creative, music projects.  He is interested in so much music and, has brought himself to a place where he can insert very creative ideas in almost any context without breaking the balance or excitement of a piece of music or its setting.  He was a large figure in many explorational bands from, Gulfstream and the Stick Band in the 80's, to Michael Ray, Naked On The Floor, and James Singleton, Dennis Gonzalez, and others like  Fred Wesley in the 90's.  In fact, he was a huge supporter of my own musical developments and projects and I think there are many things in life on which we see eye to eye and this really is something, speaking as a grateful collaborator, that Tim is able to show just by playing- support!

Tim has a very deep linguistic or conversationalist playing style that really has its best place on stages for live audiences.  Where the musical "moment" happens is where he strives to be and his best work is there.  For that reason, you won't find records under his name.  One day perhaps someone will be brave enough to release some of the extensive collection of recordings he keeps of his involvements in truly epic improvisational moments.

Tim's genius and where it resides really emerge in this relaxed, and probably pretty rare, interview. 

Interview with Hart Mcnee- Flautist/Saxophonist/Artist

  Henry Griffin conducted this very moving and honest interview with the incredibly vibrant musician, Hart Mcnee.  It was done shortly before his passing.  Hart gave a lot (he let us know when there was nothing left) and a lot of it is here, beautifully condensed.  This is probably as real as you can get.

Thanks to Henry Griffin and Kate Mcnee for allowing this to go up.  

Complete interview with Jeff Albert, Trombonist and curator of the Open Ears Series.

Jeff Albert is more than just a trombonist.  In starting the Open Ears music series he provided a new local forum for improvisational music, as well as for other forms of music that do not have any easy time getting on the stages of New Orleans venues.  Many groups and associations of musicians have found each other, temporarily or over the long term, from playing in the series and this has changed the face of the creative music scene in New Orleans. 

How did he do it?  What has he done?  Why has he dunnit? What might he do? Listen to him remove some veils.

Parts 1-5 of an audio interview with Jeff Albert are up now here...

All interviews are also available as a podcast through itunes here...

or by clicking on the RSS link further down on this page (right side.)

Rex Gregory interview pt.2 is up.

Part 2 of the interview with reedman, Rex Gregory is up.  He's got some things on his mind.  Check it out here...

Podcast also available here...