"Gulf Aid," A Benefit Concert for NOLA, Announced

Gah it's been a stupid crazy busy around here this week with the day job having all sorts of deadlines so we apologize for the radio silence. Thanks for sticking with us, all three of you (that includes you Mom, hi!) Anyway on to it...

Times are not good here. The city is crumbling into ashes. It has been buried under a lava flood of taxes and frauds and maladministrations so that it has become only a study for archaeologists. Its condition is so bad that when I write about it, as I intend to do soon, nobody will believe I am telling the truth. But it is better to live here in sackcloth and ashes than to own the whole state of Ohio.-(19th cent writer Lafcadio Hearn about NOLA, roughly 1879, when thousands died from yellow fever)

We love us some New Orleans around here so the whole crazy oil rig explosion madness down there is heart-breaking. Just when they're starting to really get it back together after Katrina, to then get hit with this...I heard recently from people down there who said the smell of oil is just permeating everything and everywhere throughout the city. What's next, a deluge of locusts?

The great radio station down there, WWOZ, announced they're holding a benefit concert at Mardi Gras World's River City Plaza in New Orleans this Sunday (5/16), from noon-10pm, "to raise funds for efforts to stop the oil from destroying our wetlands, as well as to provide financial aid to fishermen and their families."

If you like NOLA-style music, it's quite a lineup. Thus far, they have:
Mos Def, John Legend, Lenny Kravitz, Allen Toussaint, Ani DiFranco, The Voice of the Wetlands Allstars (featuring Tab Benoit, Dr. John, Cyril Neville, George Porter Jr., Waylon Thibodeaux, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Johnny Sansone, and Johnny Vidacovich), Beausoleil, Steve Riley and The Mamou Playboys with Jon Cleary, Marcia Ball, Zachary Richard, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Irvin Mayfield's Playhouse Revue, Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers, Jeremy Davenport, Rebirth Brass Band, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Shamarr Allen, and MyNameIsJohnMichael, with more to be announced.

Tickets are $50 and available here. Funds will be distributed to organizations to focus on two key elements of recovery: the wetlands/coastal environmental issues and the well-being of fishermen and the regional seafood industry.

If you're not in the area, WWOZ will be broadcasting live from the concert (listen here). Be sure to send in a few pennies too, which you can do online or by mail (Gulf Relief Foundation, P.O. Box 6917, Metairie, LA 70009).

Give a Listen: Trouble in Mind-Richie Havens/Preservation Hall Jazz Band/Buy Preservation: An Album To Benefit Preservation Hall & The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program

Drive By Truckers Join Booker T and Bettye Lavette for PBS' Artists Den

The music that was written here, the blues music that was written here, has been a huge influence on the way I relate to musical structure. The marching bands with the tuba, and the horns, and the clarinet, were probably the most profound influence, that established a set a chord changes. It established a template for writing blues, and blues bars...I can't imagine anywhere else in the world that would have happened because of the convergence of cultures here. There's no place in the world like New Orleans. -Booker T

As I mentioned yesterday, it's continually fascinating to me how the musical fingers that originated within the city limits of New Orleans are so long that they've wound up into so many other musical styles and genres. Be it rock, indie, soul, hell even techno, any style can trace itself back to the template Booker T speaks of it seems-it's truly one of our American treasures.

The PBS show Artists Den filmed an episode last April, bringing Booker T and Bettye Lavette back together with the Drive-By Truckers at the Patrick F. Taylor Library in the University of New Orleans' Ogden Museum of Southern Art. It might seem a bit strange, the combination, until you learn that the Truckers were handpicked by Booker for his backing band on his recent Grammy-winning record, Potato Hole, after seeing them at SXSW a couple years ago. As for Lavette, she had them backing her on her new record Scene of the Crime. (Fun fact: Patterson Hood's dad, with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, was the band used for Lavette's first full-length record back in 1972).

In addition to the performance, each artist said a few words about New Orleans and its impact on their music, as well as music overall. Patterson Hood even went as far to say, "Any musician who isn't inspired by New Orleans' history, heritage, music...or just walking down the street and breathing the wet air is not to be trusted."

It doesn't just stop at musicians, Patterson. Some naysayers believe/believed New Orleans should not be helped by taxpayers elsewhere to rebuild. I dunno, it seems giving away taxpayer money to help guarantee the survival of this American treasure is far, far more likely to pay real dividends to the American taxpayer than any ‘bonus’ given out on Wall St. this year, you know? All you have to do is put the needle down on most any record from most any genre and you'll see why .

Preservation Hall Benefit Album Released Today

Day 2-Voodoo Experience Festival, New Orleans, LA (10-31-09)-2511, originally uploaded by BetweenLoveandLike.

New Orleans has been having one ginormous party with Mardi Gras this past week, made even crazier I hear with the Saints winning the Superbowl. Fat Tuesday is always the pinnacle of this throwdown.

I was slated to ride a float this past Saturday with the Krewe of Tucks but due to scheduling conflicts, I had to bow out (but next year baby, let me tell you what! I'll be there with bells on), so, admittedly, I was feeling a tad blue. But thankfully, those blues are no more since I discovered the release of Preservation: An album benefitting Preservation Hall and the Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program" which came out today (which is absolutely appropriate as today is Fat Tuesday).

Over the last year, more than 20 American vocalists traveled to Preservation Hall in New Orleans to collaborate with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on classic New Orleans repertoire. With artists like Tom Waits, Jason Isbell, Steve Earle, and Corey Chisel this is an incredible collection of songs that will have you struggling to stay in your chair (unless your boss is ok with your dancing at work that is). Tom Waits' boozy-swing rendition of "Tootie Ma is a Big Fine Thing" is so good it's rumored to be the song for all the big Fat Tuesday parties this year (be sure to listen for Waits' scatting in the beginning!). And Jason Isbell paired with heavy piano so owns the cover of "Nobody Knows You," you'd think he lived and wrote the song itself.

"Our community is deeply rooted in a tradition of using music to rejoice, heal and overcome adversity. We play music at our funerals to uplift our spirits during our deepest and darkest emotional moments," says producer Ben Jaffe, PHJB Creative Director and son of Preservation Hall founders Allan and Sandra Jaffe. "My goal on this project was to create new works steeped in the New Orleans Tradition with artists from diverse musical genres and backgrounds who all share a mutual admiration and deep appreciation for our cultural heritage."

Indeed. New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz but what's fascinating is how that sound, that spirit, that inspiration carried forth and found its way elsewhere, into all sorts of musical styles beyond the borders of jazz and Louisiana. "Preservation Benefit" is a wonderful snapshot of the sound and feel of New Orleans music and New Orleans itself. And it serves as another reminder of the amazing and unique things that New Orleans gives back to the world, things that you'll find no place else.

All proceeds go to benefit the Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program. Listening options include standard cd, deluxe cd, and vinyl. The deluxe cd includes six additional tracks.

-Purchase Record
-Give a Listen: Tootie Ma is a Big Fine Thing-PHJB and Tom Waits from Preservation: An album benefitting Preservation Hall and the Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program
-Additional tracks streaming here

Preservation Track List
1. Shake It And Break It (with Andrew Bird)
2. Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea (with Paolo Nutini)
3. Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing (with Tom Waits)
4. Louisiana Fairytale (with Yim Yames)
5. After You ve Gone (with Del McCoury)
6. Freight Train (with Ani DiFranco)
7. Blue Skies (with Pete Seeger & Tao Rodriguez-Seeger)
8. Nobody Knows You (with Jason Isbell)
9. Old Rugged Cross (with Brandi Carlile)
10. Trouble In Mind (with Richie Havens)
11. Basin Street Blues (with Merle Haggard)
12. There Is A Light (with The Blind Boys of Alabama and Clint Maedgen)
13. Winin Boy (with Dr. John)
14. Rocking Chair (with Louis Armstrong)
15. Baby Won t You Please Come Home (with Amy LaVere)
16. Taint Nobody's Business (with Steve Earle)
17. Some Cold Rainy Day (with Cory Chisel)
18. I Ain't Got Nobody (with Buddy Miller)
19. La Vie En Rose (with Angelique Kidjo & Terence Blanchard)

Extra deluxe cd tracks
20. C est Si Bon (with Anita Briem)
21. Pencil Full of Lead (with Paolo Nutini)
22. St. James Infirmary (with Yim Yames)
23. Corinne Died On The Battlefield (with Tom Waits)
24. Careless Love (with Del McCoury)
25. Sailin Up Sailin Down (with Pete Seeger & Tao Rodriguez-Seeger
26. We Shall Overcome (with Pete Seeger & Tao Rodriguez-Seeger)

Off to New Orleans for the 2009 Voodoo Experience Festival!

Things will be quiet here at BL&L for the next couple of days as we're leaving today for New Orleans to cover the 2009 Voodoo Experience Festival. This will mark my first time going to NOLA so I'm over the moon excited. I'm also shooting the Fest-which will make me the only sober person there (heh). Given the vast amount of great acts performing (Flaming Lips, Silversun Pickups, Drive-By Truckers, Mates of State, The Pogues, The Meat Puppets, tons of local acts), plus the amazing scenery that is just NOLA itself, I may come back with a sprained right index finger from all the shutter-clicking, but it's so going to be worth it. If only for the photos of KISS on Halloween!

Some tickets are still available (here). And if you go, come help us break the Guinness World Record for "The Largest Gathering of Zombies!"




Lineup includes:
KISS / EMINEM / JANE'S ADDICTION/ WIDESPREAD PANIC / LENNY KRAVITZ/ THE FLAMING LIPS / JUSTICE (DJ SET) / GOGOL BORDELLO / WOLFMOTHER/ THE BLACK KEYS / THE POGUES / WEEN / SILVERSUN PICKUPS/ JANELLE MONAE / THE COOL KIDS / MEAT PUPPETS / MUTEMATH / Q-TIP / FISCHERSPOONER / BRAND NEW / D12 / AMERICAN BANG / GENERATIONALS / EARL GREYHOUND / SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS / BLACK LIPS / DOWN / MATES OF STATE / ALL TIME LOW / ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND / the knux / george clinton and parliament funkadelic / jj grey & mofro / Alejandro Escovedo / sarah quintana / shooter jennings / drive-by truckers / eric church / ledisi / irvin mayfield / New Orleans bingo! show / rebirth brass band / leroy jones / trombone shorty and orleans ave / Big Sam's Funky Nation / Benjy Davis Project / Papa Grows Funk / marchfourth marching band / dj soul sister / rotary downs / andrew duhon and the lonesome crows / amanda shaw / cyril neville's blues revue with tab benoit, big chief monk boudreaux and johnny sansone / beausoleil / leo jackson and the melody clouds / john mooney and bluesiana / quintron and missy pussycat / fleur de tease / suplecs / little freddie king / preservation hall-stars with special guests / the happy talk band / lil brian & the Zydeco Travelers / why are we building such a big ship? / ratty scurvics / mynameisjohnmichael / loose marbles / luke winslow-king / dan dyer / Sam & Ruby / walter "wolfman" washington and the roadmaster with dirty horns / new orleans klezmer all-stars / glasgow / mas mamones / zydepunks / the white bitch / Kristin diable / New orleans jazz vipers / the vettes / lucy's walk / erick baker / tbc brass band / bones / mc trachiotomy / from legends to nancy / brother taisuke mass choir / r. scully rough 7 / katey red & dj papa, big freddia, sissy nobby / davis rogan / and more

A little history on the Fest:

The Voodoo Music Festival was first held on 30 October 1999 at Tad Gormley Stadium in City Park. Planned and executed by Steve Rehage, CEO of Rehage Entertainment, the festival consisted of three stages and many local and national acts.

The Voodoo Festival started with very humble beginnings in 1999 as a one day music festival in Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans with an attendance of about 8,000 people, the headlining artist was Wyclef Jean and The Fugees. The following year expanded to 2 days and drew attention with a performance by Eminem, whose fame had exploded just before the festival, this brought Voodoo to the attention of music fans from around the world. In 2006, Voodoo separated the show into 3 distinct areas (Le Ritual, Le Flambeau and Le Carnival) on six stages. Each area was designed to showcase uniquely different sides of the personality of the festival and New Orleans. “Le Flambeau” features music and sounds consistent with the hometown style of The Big Easy. “Le Ritual” features more mainstream music we’re all familiar with, and finally “Le Carnival” features indie bands, burlesque, and circus acts. In 2007, The festival expanded to 3 days and broke all previous attendance records with an estimate 100,000+ fans.