An anniversary party with some serious funk, a birthday bash for a master who has been dead for nearly three decades, a jazz singer sings Christmas songs free, a winter wonderland for funk, and odd fellows sometimes make for a great show. Where you’ll be.
The Howlin’ Wolf is celebrating 24 years of live music in New Orleans. On Friday night, they are having an anniversary blowout with two killer bands—the Rebirth Brass Band and the Joe Krown Organ Combo featuring Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Russell Batiste.
Uptown, at the Maple Leaf Bar an eclectic list of musicians will be celebrating the life and birthday of James Booker. This show brightens the spotlight that has been shining on the late, great, eye-patch-wearing pianist since he died alone in a hallway at Charity Hospital in 1983. Two pianists that have always sang his song, Tom McDermott and Josh Paxton, are on the bill.
Though neither of them had a chance to hear Booker while he was alive, the two other musicians listed, Johnny Vidacovich and Jack Cruz, played with him and knew him well. Cruz and Booker were actually roommates for a period. Other special guests are expected.
Saturday afternoon, one of the greatest singers New Orleans has ever produced will perform a free Christmas concert at the St. Augustine Catholic Church in the Tremé at 4 PM. Germaine Bazzle spent the better part of her life as a music teacher. Some would argue that her performing career suffered as a result. But now she is retired and plays out much more often. If you have never heard her sing, you own it to yourself. I consider her to be the female Johnny Adams.
Flow Tribe continues to demonstrate their dominance over the latest generation of funk bands. They are back home after a tour and are playing at Tipitina’s Saturday night. The event is being billed as “Flow Tribe’s Winter Wonderfunk.” A new and up-and-coming band, the Scorseses, opens.
Also, Saturday night, an odd pairing graces the stage of Mid City Lanes Rock ‘N’ Bowl. Corey Henry wears lots of musical hats in this musical town. His latest project, Corey Henry’s Tremé Funktet, shares the stage with Debauche, the self-described “Russian Mafia” band. This should be an interesting night.
See you there!
