Art and Photography Blog

Photo Highlights of 2014 Satchmo Fest

This summer I got to take in my first Satchmo Fest.  It was a rewarding experience with great live music and useful seminars. I took in some of both.  On Friday I was painting in Pirate’s Alley (see Painting in Pirate’s Alley #2 - Summer 2014) but managed to get away to see John Boutte do a fine set. John even played the trumpet. It is good for John that he has such a great voice.

    

On Saturday I went to several of the sessions starting with Gerald French and the Tuxedo Band followed by Kid Merv.

    

Next was Evan Christopher with Don Vappie and Kevin Lewis.

      

Walking to the event on Sunday I was escorted by a second line going down Esplanade. Nice start to the day.

    

The first group was Calvin Johnson. I saw him at Jazz fest where did excellent modern jazz. This time he delivered a strong trad jazz set with Kevin Lewis in respect to the event.  He was followed by the Ella & Louis Tribute Band. Playing many numbers from a great CD, Ella & Louis, that I listen to frequently.

    

Then Kermit closed the fest for me. He had some talented guests including the trombone player shown with him. She is making the rounds of many NOLA bands these days. I will be sure to be at the Satchmo every year going forward.

    

As I walked away from the event the sky was turning red providng a nice end to a good day.

  

Photos of Thursday Night Music in New Orleans

Thursday is always a great music night in New Orleans. Before we get to the music here is a little foodl at Katie’s. This award winning Mid-City place has been on our do-list for a while and did not disappoint. We had some NOLA classics: gumbo and chargrilled oysters, backed by a spinach salad and fried onion rings.

    

For this Thursday we choose three wonderful acts from the broad WWOZ menu.  First, we saw Colin Lake at Armstrong Park. I have been waiting to see him for some time as he frequently plays around town and here is Colin on YouTube. It was a last minute schedule change and I was pleased with the choice. Colin played some intense blues, including “I’ll Fly Away” and “Let’s Go Get Stoned.” I hope to see Trumpet Black and Nigel Hall soon. It was looking like rain so we headed over to Maison and missed Nigel Hill. Colin replaced Trumpet Black. There are so many great musicians here that there is always more to see.

    

Ducking out of the brief shower we saw the Shotgun Jazz Band at Maison led by Marla Dixon on vocals and trumpet with some excellent guests on trombone and clarinet. I had seen the band before at a Buffa’s Saturday brunch and bought two of her CDs that I listen to often. She provides earthy vocals to some trad jazz classics as well as newer numbers. Here is the Shotgun Jazz Band playing at Satchmo Fest. 

    

Then we saw my favorite NOLA blues guy, Ed Wills and his band, Blues4Sale at Vaso. He was bathed in the blue lights that Vaso employs as you can see below. This set was especially strong and included some songs I have not heard him perform before. Here are three of them on YouTube: Ed Wills at Vaso: Blue on Blues. We often go to his Wednesday 8PM session at BMC. Here are more YouTube videos Ed Wills BMC sets. I highly recommend taking in Ed at either place or wherever plays. I noticed he was at Chris Owens place this past weekend. He also has an excellent CD with his original songs, including my favorite post-Katrina song, “I’m Coming Home.”

  

As they say, only in New Orleans can you find this range of music, especially for free or with no cover, as was the case in each of the above. It is nice to be home. My good friend Paul Tamburello was visiting from Boston and joined us for the evening. Paul writes a well written travel blog, PT at Large. He has been covering New Orleans food (Lunch At Coops and The Clover Grill) and music (both past - Donna's Bar and Grill and present - Grandpa Elliot Small) as well as Lafayette and the surrounding area (Fred's Lounge: A Mamou Mardi Gras Tradition and Bonsoir Catin Rocks 'n Rages at Artmosphere).

Photos of New Orleans Halloween

New Orleans celebrates everything in a big way but especially Halloween or anything else with costumes. Below are scenes from the French Quarter, the Carrolton Riverbend area, and along St. Charles Avenue. Some neigboghoods such as ours publish lists of homes were trick or treat kids are welcomed. The last six are from a house on St. Charles Avenue at one house that has many skeltons in pun themes. People come from all over th ecity to collect treats there.

When I was a child growing up in New Orleans I always looked forward to going out in my neighborhood for treats.  This year I painted in Priate's Alley and the costumes increased as the day when on. Then we celebrated my arrival in New Orleans as a full time resident on Halloween 2012. Here is a post that described my trio down here - Driving Throuhg Hurricane Sandy to New Orleans. 

    

    

          





 

Painting in Pirate's Alley: 2014 Summer Season

 described springtime painting in Pirate’s Alley in my last post. The summer season has it’s own character. First, there is the heat. Now the shade and breezes in Pirate’s Alley are welcomed. Some people still tackle the sun on Royal Street in hopes of higher sales, but I go for the shade. There seems to be plenty of foot traffic in the alley. Here is my summer set up at the beginning of the alley at Royal and further down towards Jackson Square.

    

Next, there is the rain. While there are rainy days in the spring, they are fewer and tend to last most of the day so you don’t even try to set up. The summer brings frequent, sudden, and heavy down pours that usually only last a few minutes. These almost daily occurrences need to be accommodated if you are to maintain a presence in the alley. My solution is the blue tarp made famous as roofing material after Katrina. Through much practice, I got it down so I can cover my paintings in a few minutes. The rain drill often gets several exercises on any day I am in the alley. 

    

The summer tourists are different: more kids and fewer art buyers. While the spring has many events to attract people to New Orleans and the French Quarter, the summer has its share. For example, there is Satchmo Fest and Red Dress Run. I left painting in the alley to go over to Satchmo Fest for an hour at a time to hear a some favorites such as John Boutte and Kermit. The visitors during Satchmo time were good and purchased some of my work. Red Dress Run is more like Red Dress Stroll. The Quarter is full of men and women wearing skimpy red dresses with drinks in hand. The heavily muscular went topless. No one seems to actually run, even those wearing official entry numbers. This turns into Red Dress Crawl or worse. They are not an art buying crowd and got tiresome after a while.

    

This year there was a convergence of Red Dress Run, Naughty in New Orleans (the swinger’s convention), and Dirty Linen Night in one weekend. The latter is an event on Royal Street organized in response to White Linen Night by the high-end galleries on Julia Street. That evening red dresses gave way to gallery goers and some art was sold. Several expensive paintings changed hands next to me and I made a gallery connection for the fall. As night came on you could see the shadow of a Mary statue with raised hands reflected on the back of St. Louis Cathedral. Below is an example of the hundreds of similar pictures taken by people clustered with cameras at the entrance to the alley. This scene happens every night and is called the touchdown Mary.

  

I am looking forward to the fall season on Pirate’s Alley and will bring you the results in a few months. Meanwhile, I hope to see you in the Quarter.

 

 

Painting in Pirate's Alley: 2014 Spring Season

This spring I began painting in Pirate’s Alley and offering my paintings for sale.  You need a license from the city, obtained in February. There is a long tradition of painters in Pirate’s Alley from the 1920s, if not before. John Sheldon’s Dixie Bohemia documents the artists and writers in the French Quarter in the 1920s. There is an article on Sheldon’s work in Summer 2013 issue of Louisiana Cultural Vistas. Their living spaces centered at Jackson Square and Pirate’s Alley. William Faulkner came to the alley in 1925. Renting space at 625 Orleans Alley (the official name of the alley at the time), Faulkner wrote his first novel, Soldier’s Pay, there, a few feet from where we paint. The building now houses a good book store and I am frequently having to tell tourists how to find it.

As a child in the 1950s I remember coming down with my mother to see the artists lining Pirate’s Alley. Sheldon’s book also documents the evolution of the area from immigrant neighborhood to artist colony to expensive tourist area. Even though today’s Quarter primarily caters to the tourist economy, I still feel a connection to the past. Some days this takes more effort than others. Below you can see my paintings set up for sale on two different days on Royal Street. Your spot varies with how early you arrive and how many others before you decided it might be a good day.  

  

Your license reads that it allows you to paint on the street, but you can also exhibit your work for sale. Many of the earlier artists were portrait painters who did street commissions but not all, as the Louisiana Cultural Vistas article indicates. Today some artists only sit and sell, while others work on their paintings. I tend to paint most of the time, while still trying to figure out better ways to promote my paintings. I would get bored just sitting, hoping to sell a work. Most artists are very cooperative, exchanging sales ideas and generally helping each other. I did a video of some of us with permission and posted it on YouTube (see Pirate's Alley Artists on Royal Street).

You can set up to paint on Royal Street on the fence behind the St. Louis Cathedral or around the corner in Pirate’s Alley. In the cooler days of the spring it is best to be on sunny Royal Street because of greater foot traffic. Getting a spot is on a first come basis, so this usually requires getting up with the sun. I try to get there at daybreak. Then I wait for the sidewalk cleaners to finish their daily ritual of power spraying the leftover trash from last night before setting up. We always thank them for their efforts. Sleep in and you end up in Pirate’s Alley, colder, shaded and windy as shown below.

  

In summer the cooler qualities of Pirate’s Alley are desired since the afternoon sun makes Royal Street an oven on hot days as it comes around the rooftops. Each season has its entertainers on Royal Street. The spring brings Mardi Gras parades (see my 1 minute YouTube video: Royal Street Mardi Gras Parade 2014), Second Lines (see my 6 minute YouTube video: Royal Street Second Lines 2014) and other celebrations such as St. Patrick’s Day bar hoppers accompanied by trucks with loud speakers blaring 70s rock (see my 2 minute YouTube video: Royal Street Saint Patrick's Day Parade 2014) and antique auto parades: (see my 2 minute YouTube video: Royal Street Antique Auto Parade 2014). There are also street performers, escape artists, and many others parading to be seen. The entertainment continues all day and forms a backdrop to my painting.

      

During all seasons a great trad jazz band led by Doreen Ketchins sets up around noon only a block away in front of Rouses’s, in good hearing distance. The live music is great to paint by. Brass band music filters over from Jackson Square if you are on that end of the alley. Occasionally, a well-trained opera singer starts up in the late afternoon on Royal.

  

I began painting on old moving box but graduated to a more professional folding table with a larger surface.

    

On cold days the early morning chill can be addressed by a hot coffee and roll from Royal Blend. Lunch has known to be gumbo from the Gumbo Shop around the corner. There is a Rouse’s for snacks and a guy comes around every day selling bananas, two for a dollar. I am a regular customer. Accessible bathrooms are a trade secret. Come down to the street and I can share this insider’s knowledge.

     

The summer season takes a different turn as described in my next post.

 

Photos of Some Great New Orleans Meals 2014 - 2

We have been enjoying some wonderful meals in New Orleans this year. Here are the top twelve in order of our participation. This post has the second six and the last one has the first six.

Bourcherie - Poached Oyster & Caramelized Ramp Stew with Andouille Sausage & a Wild Rice Potato Croquette, Italian Bread Soup, Crispy Skin Duck Confit with Baby Root Vegetable Salad & Truffle Dressing, Anancini with pork capraccio, Krispy Kreme Bread pudding with Stein’s Cane Syrup Ice Cream. It is located at 8115 Jeannette St, 504) 862-5514.

          

La Macarena - Tamalitos de cerdo especiales (2) - Hand-pulled shredded pork stuffed mini tamales; Shrimp & Loroco Cheese Pupusas; Ceviche de camarones pequeño Small shrimp ceviche; Rellenitos de yuca especiales (2) Shrimp, mushroom & cheese stuffed yucca dumplings; Homemade Spanish Flan. It is located at 8120 Hampson St. (504) 862-5252.

    
   

Ye Olde College Inn - College Inn BBQ Shrimp Tail On Gulf Shrimp, Signature Bbq Sauce, Toasted Leidenheimer French Bread; Oysters Bleu Flash-fried Oysters, Shredded Iceberg, Purple Onion, Bleu Cheese Oil; Braised Lamb Shank Stone Ground Gouda Grits, Whole Grain Mustard Lamb Reduction; Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. It is located at 3000 S Carrollton Ave, (504) 866-3683

      

Revolution - Fire Roasted Oysters; Linguine and Manila Clams - Garlic, Scallions, Thyme, Chile Oil; Triptych of Quail - Southern-fried, Boudin-stuffed, Absinthe-glazed; Fries, Two Sauces; Café Brûlot Beignets - Spice Orange. It is located at 777 Bienville St, (504) 553-2277

            

Tableau - Broiled bacon-wrapped Gulf oysters sprinkled with Panko bread crumbs skewered on rosemary sprigs with a roasted garlic beurre blanc; Bourgogne snails baked with lemon parsley butter, roasted garlic and topped with puff pastry; Chappapeela Farms duck and local andouille gumbo served with popcorn rice; Sliced tomato, iceberg lettuce, shaved red onion and apple-wood smoked bacon served with a creamy Creole dressing; Fingerling potatoes fried crispy and tossed with caramelized onion, garlic, and parsley. It is located at 616 St. Peters St., 504.934.3463

          

Buffa’s – Two brunches - Eggs Benedict; Shrimp Chowder  - then - Two eggs over easy. biscuit, praline ham; redfish, rice and vegetables. It is located at 1001 Esplanade Ave, (504) 949-0038

        

Photos of Some Great New Orleans Meals 2014 - 1

We have been enjoying some wonderful meals in New Orleans this year. Here are the top twelve in order of our participation. This post has the first six and the next one has the second six. Several won awards from New Orleans Magazine - Dominique's on Magazine and Ba Chi Canteen.

High Hat – Cecil’s salad, oyster and fennel soup, seared Gulf fish with shrimp and potato hash. It is located at 4500 Freret St, (504) 754-1336

  

Dominique's on Magazine - Louisiana Oysters
 cauliflower crème fraiche, scotch bonnet roasted tomato, house-made potato chips; cauliflower soup with duck; Maple Leaf Duck Leg Confit with citrus fleur de sel, frisee, local spinach, pear, apple cider & baudoin cane syrup vinaigrette; Morgan Ranch Braised Wagyu Beef Short Rib 
local root vegetable puree, red wine jus; Almond Nouga  tine
crème praline, house-made pecan vanilla ice cream; chocolate lava cake. It is located at 4213 Magazine St, (504) 891-9282

           

Chiba – crawfish fried rice; steamed buns: grouper, oyster, short ribs; shrimp[ tempura, eel and avocado roll, bananas foster egg roll, It is located at 8312 Oak St, (504) 826-9119

      

Ba Chi Canteen, spring egg rolls, fries with kim chi, steamed buns: spicy catfish, coconut curry shrimp, vermillicelli with car grilled pork and shrimp. It is located at 7900 Maple St, (504) 373-5628

    

  

Dante’s Kitchen: Duck Ham & Candied Pumpkin Salad with mixed greens, goat gouda, spicy pecans, citrus chili vinaingrette; Steamed Mussels with sweet potato broth, coconut, tomatoes, fennel, tarragon, Ras el hanout; Thit Kho Lettuce Wraps with braised pork belly, Bibb lettuce, housemade XO sauce, pickled carrots, cilantro; Whole Roasted Fish Myanmar Style with ginger, lemongrass, sugarcane broth, shiso-cilantro salad; Dark Chocolate Torte with cayenne chocolate sauce, dulce de leche abuelita ice cream. It is located at 736 Dante St, (504) 861-3121

        

Jacque Imo’s – eggplant with oyster stuffing and mushroom cream sauce, spinach salad with fried oyster, garlic snails with pasta, panned rabbit with shrimp tasso pasta, crème bruele. It is located at 8324 Oak St, (504) 861-0886

            

Photos of New Orleans Music 2014 - 2

We continue to enjoy the variety of music that our city offers. Here are just a few of the 46 acts we have caught so far in 2014 in order of appearance. They illustrate just some of the variety of great music in this city. The fist five were featured in the last post and now the second five are covered here. 

We went to the Maple Leaf for the second annual Bone Festival on 2/23. There was a crawfish boil in the street and a number of great acts: Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes (see below), Chris Mule, New Orleans Juice, George Porter with Papa Mali, Joe Krown and others.

    

We went to the St. Charles Ave. Baptist Church on 3/2 for their 20^th annual jazz service with Dr. Michael White. I attended this church as a child and was baptized here.

Later on 3/2 we went to Cotton Fest celebrating the 87^th birthday of Lawrence Cotton. Many neighborhood musicians and others performed on his front porch on Bellecastle Street. Performers included Deacon John, James Andrews, and Carey Brown, along with Lawrence himself. Lawrence and Carey had played with Dr. Michael White that morning.  Later that night we went to the Unified Mardi Gras Indian practcie at Handa Wanda's. 

    

  

On 3/3 we went to the Zulu Lundi Gras celebration and saw Micheal Baptiste, the XY2 Band and the all female brass band, the Pinettes. Three of the band are shown below.

  

 On 3/9 we returned to the jazz brunch at Buffa’s to see Some Like It Hot, a solid trad jazz band. 

Photos of New Orleans Music 2014 - 1

We continue to enjoy the variety of music that our city offers. Here are just a few of the 46 acts we have caught so far in 2014 in order of appearance. They illustrate just some of the variety of great music in this city. The fist five are featured in this post and then the next one covers the second five. You can follow the links to learn more about some New Orleans muscians and venues. 

Jon Cleary played his usual great Tuesday solo act at Chicki Wah Wah on ¼ doing old school R&B and NOLA standards, as well as his own music.

    

The NOLA Loves Philippines Benefit was held at RocknBowl on 2/9.  James Andrews played with the Crescent City Allstars (see below). I had recently seen James at his aunt’s place in Treme, the Ooh Poo Pah Doo Bar on 1/23.  Also appearing on 2/9 were the Bone Tone Brass Band, Bucktown AllStars, and the John Gros Band.

  

We saw Aurora Nealand and Tom McDermott do their Thursday gig at Buffa’s on 2/13. We have caught them numerous times. You can see my painting shanging on the side wall. 

  

We returned to Buffa’s on 2/15 for their Saturday jazz brunch with the Shotgun Jazz Band. It was a slimed down version of the band with three players.

  

We went to Ogden After Hours on 2/20 to see the 101 Drummers with Big Chief Juan Pardo of the Golden Commanches with Lionel Batiste Jr., Ajay Mallory, Boubacaar Cisokoo, and Chris Jones on drums and bongos. T This is just one of  the many Ogden shows we have attended. You can see Juan’s son joining the group below.

  

 

Photos of World's Largest Reading Lession

On Wednesday of last week we participated in an interesting event. The New Orleans Public Library is starting a literacy campaign, Turn the Page, to make New Orleans the most literate city in the world by 2018. To bring attention to the effort, they organized the world’s largest reading lesson with about 500 kids at the main library. The previous record was 80. My friend and I served as recorders of attendance, along with about ten others, using the Guinness Book of records forms and we also held up a copy of the book being read and turned the pages for the group of kids we were assigned.

  

On of my favorite actors, Wendell Pierce, is co-chair of the literacy campaign and he read from a children’s story about New Orleans music. A band of New Orleans music greats (Ellis Marsalis, David Glenn Andrews, Irvin Mayfield, Shannon Powell, and others) played along with him. A number of speakers, including the mayor, first spoke on the value of literacy. All the kids got an autographed copy of the book. The author and illustrator were there and did a lesson on the book. After the lessons some of the musicians did a second line through the crowd of kids.

  

The kids got also second line handkerchiefs with the literacy campaign signage on it.  Wendell Pierce has become very active in a number of New Orleans efforts including new housing in his old neighborhood.