| After a crazy first weekend you’d think things would settle down, but Nola always has other plans for you… it’s the sweltering, sticky summer heat, unlike anything I have experienced before, it’s like northern QLD, but different, it’s not as scorchingly hot, but is more humid all the time. There is a dank, oppressive, moist heat that soaks into your bones, and hugs you sweetly until all of your clothes are used up. Even in the neighbourhoods, there is a lost island, semi-rainforest feel to it, moss grows, creepers climb, frogs hop and little lizards run across your path. |  |
 | The wider city is a mix of rundown-ness, streets falling apart, old trees slowly disrupting sidewalks, water not draining away, the occassional smell of organic-ness, of nature finding its way in a lost chaos of a preoccupied urban survival and re-building. In amongst this the things that Nola is famous for continue unabated, and who am I to miss it. From my Sunday foray to Frenchmen St, Vic @ Adolfo’s had told me about the D-Mac Blues jam, so on a wet Monday night I hop an Uber down to D-Macs Bar & Grill where Danny Alexander runs the blues jam. |
| Doesn’t take long before I strike up a chat with a few people, watch a few fantastic players and the next thing you know I’m on the stage with Danny! Great jam, mellower song to start and then a walky, jumpy number. I think I do OK, but strangely I was a bit nervous even after a few beers, after all this is my first jam in the USA. The standard of musicians even at a monday night blues jam is pretty incredible. I get talk to Crystal, who seems to be a blues-head thru and thru and enjoying the music every week. “If I need to call in with a hangover, that’s what I do! who’d miss this…” she says. I like to see this type of attitude, really passionate people, about things they love. I meet “Profit” a black drummer, and he’s into funky stuff too. |  |
 | He encourages Danny to get “The Wolfman” up, Walter Wolfman Washington, with a name like that, he’s everything you’d expect from a bluesman from the south. Cranks out a few numbers, pointy guitar solos, and moves the band around directing them and calling the shots. Other great players get up and do songs, there is no board, but the night is pretty equally shared, and various musos get up do a few songs, members of the band change over at various stages and it’s all pretty organic and relaxed. There was also no songs that disappointed, the level of players and depth of history is clear with each player, not always perfect, but the heart is in it. Sometimes a looseness but never any fear of where they are all headed. |
| I buy Profit a beer, like most everyone in the bar, he’s friendly. Once you’re identified as a muso, I think you are marked with that unseen empathy of the choices you have made. We chat outside at the end of the night, with another drummer and a few other musos heading on. I get a few nods from a few players, and a chat with the house bass player. He loves my bass, asks me about it, and says I should come next week. (I am going again tomorrow). Profit says that George Porter is playing over at the Maple Leaf Bar on Oak St, so we talk the other drummer into driving over there even though he has to work tomorrow, I offer to buy him a cokecola (that’s all he drinks). Younger men pull up out front in low riders almost after the jam finishes, music blaring, and Profit warns that we should head on... |  |
We travel for about 10mins in an ol’ chevvy van, now this is a musos vehicle, so big inside and feels like an old tank filled with years of tour smells, not bad, but just that experience of the road in it. We arrive at the Maple Leaf Bar on Oak st, which is great for me ‘cause I can walk home from here. George Porter Jnr is a name I vaguely know, but turns out he played with The Meters, and Art Neville in the 60s and 70s. He still plays with The Funky Meters to this day. Just bass, keys and drums on their monday night residency, like a lot of things I have heard, there is a looseness to the storyline of the songs, but the playing is tight. The younger drummer (who is a friend of Profits) is tight as (see the video) and again there is a depth of playing that make this funky fusion amazing to watch on a MONDAY!
 | I say hello after, I head out back with a few and Profit, and meet Mike from Chicago, he’s a music producer. We chat about musical differences and Australia, and he also loves my story about bagging potatoes $4/week to earn my first bass guitar, over 6months. We exchange numbers and beers, and he hooks me up with a few places and things I should do in Chicago. After another couple of great days, I wander home at 3am AGAIN! |
| Bleary eyed, I think I need to take it easy, as I have now been out 3 nights straight to musical things 'til way after midnight. I head to my local cafe Zotz (which has now become a fav) recommended by my host Taylor he politely mentions “it’s just like my lounge room where I can hang out, it’s relaxed”. It is relaxed, bit of grungy vibe like something in Newtown about 10years ago, or His Boy Elroy when it first opened. Run by punks, play old school punk and sonic noise music all day, mismatched furniture, artily stuccoed walls with subversive art, music posters and serve coffees the size of your worst hangover’s nightmare. |  |
But apparently Nola didn’t get the memo, and on this rainy tues after I return to Snake & Jake’s to say hello, Keeler my late night bar-mistress says there is another amazing gig at the Maple Leaf Bar tonight, which Fritz the doorman backs up. I hang out for a few more Schiltz at $2 a pop it’s dangerous, and eventually head over to The Rebirth Brass Band @ Maple Leaf. These guys ARE an institution in New Orleans, when people think of Treme, and second line brass, Rebirth has been going in various incarnations since1984, won a grammy in 2012 for best roots band, have been tuesday residents at the Maple Leaf for decades. During his speech commemorating the 10th year since Hurricane Katrina, President Barack Obama jokingly mentioned that maybe he'll "finally hear Rebirth at Maple Leaf on Tuesday night" after he is out of office. The band is the first one I have had to pay for, $20, not cheap, but the room is packed, there is some tourism film crew filming interviews outside, I check it out, crazy great vibes, and heaps of fun… but it does seem that the band has worn on in its residency. The accuracy has definitely gone out the window and it’s just one big party.
 | I meet some more great crazy folks from Wisconsin, Nate and Taylor, and we have some great chats about the state of things and music all whilst under the watchful gaze of the tourism cameras… you’re allowed to drink in the street! (a change from the restrictive NSW laws) almost every venue has people spilling out onto the street, and places like the Maple even have a leaning area for your drink, people smoke, chat, you can even order a traveller drink in a plastic cup and wander off down the street, home… CRAZY! (now this is culture shock). After the gig, I show Nate and Taylor back to Snake & Jakes as it’s close by, ok, Nola you win 4 nights to waay after midnight… surely I will slow up tomorrow... |
| Wed, head out determined to tick a few other things off my list. In all my chatting to people I’ve been putting together a locals list of places and things. Thankfully after 3 days on the streets of Nola I have a list that is now not growing but people are saying, “Yep, that’s a great list man”, I do the touristy thing and visit the water end of the French Quarter, get a Muffuletta at Central Grocery, walk past Cafe De Monde (full of tourists) a few other places that have live jazz bands in the day, walk down to the mighty Mississippi River and see it for the first time. Walk back through the French Markets area, which is like Victoria Markets in Melbourne or Paddys in Sydney |  |
 | I plan to get to a Swing Dance class @ The Spotted Cat Food & Liquor in Lower Marigny on St Claude St. Walk back through a few areas and end up at the place, but I’m now starting to realise that in Aug everyone goes somewhere else for holidays, there is no-one else there except the teachers… so I sit and have a drink and chat with Sam the bartender. She let’s me know that there is music here later, I intend on going to another swing thing back in the French Quarter, but end up chatting til the music starts a 6pm, cool little trio, Stacy Kelly & Steve Detroy with an upright bass player. They play cool old school jazz, I have a few beers, then graduate to cheap, well made Margaritas, cucumber, lemon, lime, jalepeno, spicy salt rim (which Sam assures me is standard rock salt, but it tastes spicier than ours) delicious! I buy a CD from the band on the way out. |
| One of the other things I have noticed around here that’s different is that there are lots of artist creative spaces, whether its an empty block lit up, or a warehousey building with many artists/artisans/creators with grouped little stalls all in a arty space selling their wares. Almost always with the artist sitting there ready to chat with you. I head back into Frenchmen’s after missing my other swing thing, but check a few venues and see some great trad ol' 40s jazz at The Spotted Cat Music venue. I wander a few other places, but finally find a busker Amanda, who is playing accordion and singing with a beautiful lilt to her voice. |  |
| It’s slightly country, slightly alternate, and she plays trumpet at the same time for solos! She also wears tap shoes and lays down a rhythm if its applicable to the song. I drop in some cash on the way back, and chat, she just about to head up to Three Muses cafe to meet a few friends, and asks me if I want to come. We meet Corey her upright bass player friend, and Chester. I help Corey get her bass amp to her pickup truck and we cram in, head over to St Roch Tavern for some pool playing with their other mates, including Vanessa who is the singer for Gal Holiday & The Honky Tonk Revue. The Tav is a grungey muso bar playing loud rock n roll and late night hobos shuffle in and out. Corey gives me a lift back into the CBD and I catch the Streetcar back home 3am. 5 nights is a row, I promise to be good tomorrow... |  |
 | I get a Po’Boy at Adams St Grocery for $6, delicious and the biggest can of soda pop I have ever seen! (I have to have one, 680ml), and have another coffee at Zotz late in the day and meet Charlie puttin up a poster for his band, chat about music and plan to go to Deacon John & The Ivories on Sat. Charlie has been bass player for the band for like 40years! it’s one of those things that hits me a bit, as I wish one of my bands could have held together that long. Have a afternoon kip, it’s catchin up with me. |
| I wake up in the night, its late, but I am wide awake so I decide to head out to Snake & Jakes to just hang… I am starting to become known at least, Fritz the doorman heartily greets me, bar knows what I drink, and end up in convos, stand out front drink in the gutter, Keeler is just off, so invites me for a swim at the pool… after midnight. Turns out there is a Melrose Place kind of apartment block with a pool, we rock up, Keeler knows the code of the gate, and there are a few people sitting around the pool, Bryan, Ryan and Jesus, nothing like a midnight swim in the sweltering heat, its still warm even late at night Keeler and Jesus have a huge debate about christ and the book of James, it’s a hilariously random night. Head back to Snake n Jakes and get a traveller, chat with Keeler all night. |  Charlie “Deacon John & The Ivories" @ Zotz |
Sat wake up late, do we see a pattern forming here! Organise some stuff with accomodation, and start working on transport things for buying a van/car. Sort and load some video for another project, and also this weeks pictures and videos. Get lazy just go to Subway for afternoon lunch, and find they have “Bananna Pickles”… must have. Random guy comes in and out of Subway, he’s pretty happy, but just uses the toilet, but says hello as he leaves, I say hello.
 | Catch the streetcar down to Uptown/Touro, to Tipatina’s which is a great 2 story barn style music venue with a mezzanine level. The Deacon certainly puts on a show, and it’s a show in every sense of the word, they play just over 2 hours straight, and then come back for another set after midnight. Such a themed but varied performance, trad jazz, blues, swampy slidey blues, ballads, big band, funk. I seemed to see also a pattern forming with the bands here, culturally so unlike Australian acts, they often are not the tightest, but there is a depth to the players that can cope with anything. They are not so concerned with the songs, as much as being able to entertain the crowd, connect with them, and mush the music around to suit whatever they need, rather than being dominated by the song structure or “correctness”. |
At first I have seen this as a loose, contrary thing, but now the more I have seen music here, it is confirming more of the things that I believe about live music. That becoming concerned about the notes and playing everything like it’s “supposed" to, is never going to be the answer to playing better live. These musos are just telling their own thing with all their choices.
| Walk back up to Magazine St, some people put it on my list, wander the street. Late night Muma’s on the corner, and lots of little boutique arty shops and some food shops, all closed now, I’ll have to come back in the day. Catch the streetcar back to South Carrollton Ave, get off at the Chevron Petrol station for some late night snacks for home, walk out and friendly dude (Subway) says hello again. We walk up the street, he asks me for some money, as he wants to walk way up the end to Burger King, he says its not for drugs, he just needs food. I tell him I don’t just give people money, but offer him my food bag, and say pick out anything you want man. He does, looks a little dissappointed that I don’t hand over any cash, but appreciates the snack. It’s late, I’m proud of myself though, as I get home by 1.30am. What a week, Sunday, going to Profit’s band tonight, and then its back to the D-Mac Blues Jam tomorrow… looks like New Orleans has made me her little bitch… not one night off… ha ha |  |
RSS Feed
