#dirty dozen brass band

[jazzdailyblog]

Universal Groove: Awen Robbe's Musical Journey from Tradition to Modernity

Introduction: In 2024, the music world witnessed the release of an album titled “Universal Groove.” This work, born from a serendipitous encounter at the Jazz en Ville festival in Vannes, France, in 2022, brought together a constellation of talented musicians from diverse backgrounds, led by 16-year-old Breton trumpeter Awen Robbe. The album’s creation is a testament to the enduring power of…

[rastronomicals]

3:30 PM EDT July 11, 2024:

Dirty Dozen Brass Band - "Old School" From the album Buck Jump (May 25, 1999)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

[cbjustmusic]

Video for Aaron Neville and Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s "Stomping Ground" which won the GRAMMY Award for Best American Roots Performance. ___________________ Stomping Ground Songwriters: Dave Gutter, Eric Krasno and Aaron Neville

I was born in the southern land That's where I became a man My roots was down in New Orleans The birth of jazz and voodoo queens From the heart of Louisiana Marie Laveaux, and Mojo Hannah Grew up on the music of the streets Second line bands and the Indian beats

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

‘Fesser Longhair, Fats Domino From Smiley Lewis, to the Great Satchmo From the Wild Tchoupatoulas, to the Creole Wild West Neither tribe didn't take no mess From way up town in the Thirteenth ward The Crescent City was my back yard With Mac Rebennack and Scarface John Hung in the Dew Drop all night long

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground Back on my stompin’ ground

Way down yonder in New Orleans The land of them creole queens I sure love this southern town It got me through a lot of ups and downs Times were bad and times were good

I owe it all to my neighborhood From the Ninth ward, to way uptown Every block was my stompin’ grounds

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

Mole Face and Melvin, Billy Beat the World Trecherous Slim, Secondline Black Big Chief Jolly, Ratty Chin Brother Jake, Apache Red

Stackalee, James Booker Marvin and Johnny, Art the Mighty Row Hornman, Jabby Izzy Koo

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

Calliope Project, Magnolia St. Thomas, Pilot Land, St. Bernard Melpomine – Yeah Sometimes them streets was mean, can ya dig? But that was my stompin’ ground, where y’at, Jack?

[krispyweiss]

Widespread Panic’s “The Earth Will Swallow You” to Make Streaming Debut

- Film available on Nugs.net from Jan. 21

The 2002 Widespread Panic documentary, “The Earth Will Swallow You,” is set to make its streaming debut.

The film will premiere at 8 p.m. Eastern, Jan. 21 on Nugs.net.

Billed as a “behind-the-scenes look at Widespread Panic’s 2000 summer tour,” the doc features interviews with band members - including the departed Michael Houser and Todd Nance - and friends and associates such as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Taj Mahal, Vic Chesnutt, Merl Saunders, Jorma Kaukonen, Col. Bruce Hampton (Ret.) and others.

Live performances at Red Rocks and the Warfield are also part of the package.

Each $9.99 purchase comes with 48-hour, on-demand playback.

1/19/23

[tomcherryoldtimeradioshow]

Be sure to tune into IPR for Larry Beck and BlueNotes: Classic Jazz on Indiana Public Radio , Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 8pm! Larry will focus on the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans! Expect to hear from Louis Armstrong, Dr. John, Pete Fountain, Harry Connick, Jr., Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and many more! That’s August 31st at 8:00 pm! Streaming options can be found on www.indianapublicradio.org or listen on 89.5 FM, 90.9 FM, 91.1 FM and 92.1 FM

[mixergiltron]

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

It's that time of year again. Time to listen to cool jazz,throw beads to wild women,and drink powerful cocktails. Mardi Gras has nothing to do with Tiki,but both feature cocktails made with rum,so that's good enough for me.

Mix #138 The Hurricane

2oz aged Jamaican dark rum 1/2oz Demerara rum 1/2oz overproof Jamaican rum 2oz fassionola red 1/4oz grenadine 1oz lemon juice 1oz orange juice

Shake with ice and pour into hurricane glass.

The Hurricane is the classic drink that is associated with both Mardi Gras and New Orleans. Its creation is attributed to Pat O'Brien's,a famous bar in the French Quarter. There are several versions of the story,but basically they had a whole lot of cheap rum they wanted to get rid of,so they created a drink to do just that. The classic Hurricane features anywhere from two to four ounces of rum,citrus juice,and either fassionola or grenadine(or both) to give it a sweet taste and its signature red color. It's infamous for both its potency and hangovers. This version is from mixologist Brian Maxwell. As with most Hurricane recipes,I know there's rum in this,but I just can't taste it. It's very sweet with a touch of citrus on the end,and packs a punch. This drink will use up both your rum and inhibitions. Exactly what a Hurricane is supposed to do.

Mix #139 When the Levee Breaks

1.5oz Barbarcourt 8yr rum 1.5oz multi island white rum blend 1/2oz overproof Jamaican rum 1.5 oz fassionola red 3/4oz falernum 1oz lemon juice 1oz orange juice 4 dashes bitters

Shake with ice and pour into hurricane glass. Float 1/2oz of Fernet Branca on top.

This is a Brian Maxwell creation,his riff on the traditional Hurricane. Call it a grown ups' Hurricane. It's not as sweet and you can actually taste the rum and some spice. It'll smash you up just as bad as the classic Hurricane,but you'll feel classier drinking it. I left out the Fernet because it doesn't agree with me,but this was definitely an upgrade over the classic tourist drink.

Mix #140 Tangipahoa Planter's Punch

2oz aged Virgin Islands rum 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz orange juice 3/4oz pineapple juice 1/2oz grenadine

Shake with ice and pour into zombie glass.

This is a classic drink from the '30's,modernized by Brian Maxwell to sweeten it up a bit. A very nice drink with a nice sweet/tart balance.

The original Tangipahoa Planter's Punch came from a recipe published in the 1937 book,Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix'Em. I was actually able to track down a pdf of this volume on the web,and in there found a drink named for a pirate which crosses over into Tiki territory. Here's my modernized version:

Mix #141 Jean Laffite Cocktail

1.5oz dark rum 1/4oz orange curacao 1/4oz Demerara syrup 2 dashes absinthe 1 egg yolk*

Shake well with plenty of ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

*I used egg substitute.

Jean Lafitte was an infamous pirate who operated out of New Orleans. In his honor I used Smith & Cross,a proper pirate rum. It's similar to a traditional sailor grog,with the other ingredients serving to take the edge off the rum. A bit harsh for my taste,but give it a try if you like your drinks to be liquor forward. By the way,the cocktail actually has the correct spelling of his name,the one F two T version is the misspelling that was used in English language documents at the time,and is used for places that are named after him. Another fun fact,the original recipe called for "absinthe substitute". This was because at the time absinthe was illegal. Fortunately it's available now,since it features in many Tiki drinks.

So put on some Dirty Dozen Brass Band,catch some beads,and let the good times roll!

[jpbjazz]

LÉGENDES DU JAZZ

DOREEN KETCHENS, LA REINE DE LA CLARINETTE

‘’It’s a passion. Even if you’re successful, it’s not easy. You have to practice and be ready to perform at the drop of a hat. Listen to other people, find what stimulates you. Listen, listen, listen! There are so many good clarinetists out there, and they want the jobs too. Even if you get told no, keep pursuing your dreams. You need to find your voice so that your personality can come out in your playing. You don’t want to sound like you’re playing an etude book. This is for all types of music – even classical. You want to move the audience, you want to touch them.’’

- Doreen Ketchens

Née le 3 octobre 1966 à La Nouvelle-Orléans, Doreen J. Ketchens avait commencé à étudier la clarinette durant ses études à la Joseph Craig Elementary School. Ketchens était entrée dans la musique un peu par hasard, en répondant à un appel de candidatures pour venir jouer avec le groupe de l’école. Elle expliquait:

‘’I started playing clarinet in the fifth grade. It wasn’t like a dream, I was really trying to get out of a history test! We had a pop quiz one day. It was a brutal test, each student was asked questions – you were either right or wrong, pass or fail. When the first question came to me, I got it wrong. So, I looked out of the window, like I did most days, and I prayed, saying, “God, if you can get me out of this test, I’ll do anything!” Almost simultaneously, the principal spoke over the loudspeaker, and she said, “Anyone interested in joining the band, report immediately to the bandroom.” I was “saved by the bell”!’’

Même si elle n’était pas issue d’une famille musicale, le père de Ketchens aimait énormément la musique. Ketchens précisait: ‘’None of my family members were musicians, but my dad was a member of a social aid and pleasure club, and he used to Second Line all the time. He played the stereo constantly, so I’m sure that’s where my musical influence came from.’’

Ketchens avait aussi vu plusieurs musiciens de La Nouvelle-Orléans durant son enfance. Elle avait précisé: ‘’Roger Lewis, with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, lived five doors away from me, and they used to practice at his apartment, so I heard them a lot! They would practice marching, and pass right in front of my house. At that time, there were four funeral homes within three blocks of our home, so Second Lines would pass constantly, passing my house and my school several times every week.’’

Lorsqu’on lui avait demandé de se choisir un instrument à l’école, Ketchens avait d’abord opté pour la flûte. Les autres jeunes filles ayant fait main basse sur toutes les flûtes disponibles, Ketchens s’était finalement rabattue sur clarinette. Ketchens poursuivait: ‘’Back then, girls played certain instruments and boys played certain instruments. I sat on the side where the girls had congregated, and I saw a poster of a flute. I thought to myself, “Man, that instrument is pretty, I want to play that!” By the time it got to me, the flutes had been all accounted for, so I chose the next instrument on the poster. I didn’t even know what it was called, it just looked pretty, so I chose the clarinet!’’

Après avoir constaté le talent de Ketchens pour la musique, le directeur du groupe de l’école avait invité Ketchens à pratiquer durant de nombreuses heures. Ketchens ne s’était d’ailleurs pas fait tirer l’oreille puisqu’à l’époque,  elle avait l’oeil sur un jeune garçon qu’elle avait tenté d’impressionner par ce moyen. C’est finalement en pratiquant que le talent de Ketchens avait commencé à émerger.

Après avoir joué avec le groupe du John F. Kennedy High School à La Nouvelle-Orléans, Ketchens avait été admise au NOCCA (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts), le conservatoire de La Nouvelle-Orléans, où elle avait obtenu une formation plutôt classique. L’audition de Ketchens était dirigée par le légendaire clarinettiste Alvin Batiste, qui était éventuellement devenu son mentor. Ketchens expliquait:

‘’I used to call Alvin Batiste “Uncle Al,” because I went to NOCCA (the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts) with his niece Rachel. I remember we were auditioning for the Louisiana Music Educators Association honor band, and I was feeling low because I didn’t think I did very well on the audition. I was walking around, feeling sorry for myself, and I heard a clarinet being played in a room. I looked in, and there was Mr. Batiste. He caught my eye and said, “Come in!” We started talking about Rachel, music, and my audition earlier that day. He told me, “You know, you probably didn’t do as badly in that audition as you think you did. You must have confidence when you are playing music!” Mr. Batiste was a rocket scientist. I don’t care what you were talking about, he was a genius. He had ways of communicating which flew over your head, but you might actually catch a few stars, you know? So, he said, “You must think positively. How are you thinking?” I told him I was positive. He said, “There you go, you got it!” And, that was that. I won first chair in that audition! So, he was “Uncle Al” after that. I considered him my guardian angel, and it set the course for me to think positively for the rest of my life!’’

Au NOCCA, Ketchens avait aussi étudié avec le clarinettiste Stanley Weinstein. Décrivant sa collaboration avec Weinstein, Ketchens avait commenté:

‘’He was my clarinet teacher, principal clarinetist with the New Orleans Symphony. Still to this day, nobody plays like Stanley. He had this sound! People tell me all the time, “Oh, your sound is so beautiful,” but I’m really still chasing the Stanley sound! He was a perfectionist. If I knew then what I know now, I’d be a much better clarinetist and musician than I am today. I would have known what to concentrate on. You know, God protects little children and damn fools, and I did alright, I just didn’t do as much as I could have. I’m not a child anymore, but I’m going to be okay!’’

Ketchens avait également étudié avec le vénérable Ellis Marsalis, le père de Wynton et Branford. Elle poursuivait:

‘’Ellis Marsalis was my ear training teacher at NOCCA where I was strictly a classical player. He used to call me Ms. Joseph, my maiden name. I wasn’t interested in jazz at all. You know, the jazz clarinetists that I had heard, like George Lewis and others, I appreciated their tones and I respected them, but that was not my concept of tone at all. Their styles at the time were against what I was studying, trying to get a perfect classical clarinet tone. Now, in my class with Mr. Marsalis was another musician, Harry Connick, Jr. The only relief I got in that class was when Mr. Marsalis stopped trashing me in class to start trashing Harry! Mr. Marsalis had a way of looking straight through you when you didn’t do what you were supposed to. If I had been raised by Mr. Marsalis, I would be the greatest clarinetist in the whole world, I’d know everything there is to know about music, and everything, because he had this way of pushing you and making you feel like dirt if you didn’t live up to his standards.’’

Ketchens avait également eu recours à Marsalis dans le cadre d’une de ses premières sessions d’enregistrement. Elle précisait:

‘’I was very intimidated at that recording session. At that time, I wasn’t really educated in improvisation, just playing by ear. I’d find a recording of the song we were supposed to play, and just play along, figuring out the tune, and what to play to sound good. I remember “Honey Child.” It’s a pretty simple song, but, for some reason, I just couldn’t figure it out. I approached Mr. Marsalis, and said, “You know, I need some help. I can’t figure out this tune. He’s a rocket scientist too. He gave me some advice which I didn’t really understand, then he said “retrogression.” I still didn’t understand him, but he said it again, then showed me on the piano. And, it was like a key opening a door, which made me able to play the song!’’

Après avoir décroché son diplôme, Ketchens avait poursuivi sa formation au Delgado Community College, où elle avait étudié sous la direction de George Jensen, un trompettiste du New Orleans Philharmonic. Malheureusement, Jensen avait été victime d’une attaque et avait dû abandonner la musique. Décrivant sa collaboration avec Jensen, Ketchens avait ajouté: ‘’He was a very gifted educator. He could communicate even what he couldn’t demonstrate any longer.’’

Par la suite, Ketchens avait poursuivi ses études à la Loyola University of New Orleans et à la Southern University de La Nouvelle-Orléans. Ketchens avait également obtenu des bourses pour aller jouer avec le New York Philharmonic et étudier à la Hartt School de l’Université de Hartford, au Connecticut, où elle avait étudié sous la direction de Hank Lawson. Principal clarinettiste du Hartford Symphony, Lawson était atteint de la maladie de Lou Gehrig (sclérose latérale amyotrophique ou SLA), et avait dû mettre fin à sa carrière prématurément.  Ketchens avait adoré travaillé avec Lawson. Elle avait déclaré: ‘’He was a wonderful teacher and could explain what you had to do in a way which was so clear. I learned a lot from him! In the meantime, my husband’s father passed away, then shortly after, my father passed away, so we moved back to New Orleans.’’ C’est d’ailleurs grâce à Lawson que Ketchens avait pu faire un stage avec le Hartford Symphony.

C’est en poursuivant sa formation comme chef d’orchestre à l’Université Loyola que Ketchens avait rencontré son futur époux, l’arrangeur et sousaphoniste (le sousaphone est une sorte de tuba) Lawrence Ketchens. C’est sous l’influence de Lawrence que Ketchens, qui avait été formée comme musicienne classique, avait commencé à se tourner vers le jazz. Comme Ketchens l’avait expliqué avec son sens de l’humour caractéristique: ‘’I started playing jazz because I fell in love with a tuba player! Lawrence, my husband, had a jazz band, and all of the sudden, jazz wasn’t so bad. I started to listen to jazz so I could learn the tunes and fit in with his band.’’

Ketchens avait été particulièrement influencée par Louis Armstrong, mais aussi par des clarinettistes comme Edmund Hall, Buster Bailey, Barney Bigard et Jerry Fuller. Elle précisait:

‘’I started listening to Louis Armstrong. He is my biggest influence. Some people call me Mrs. Satchmo, I guess because that concept is in my head. I’ll hear something he plays, which I’ve heard thousands of times, and I’ll think, “What? How did he do that?” Then, I listened to the clarinetists who played with him: Edmund Hall, Buster Bailey, Barney Bigard. Those cats were awesome too! Edmund Hall had this thing he could do, where it sounds like he was playing two tones at the same time. People today might hum while they play to achieve something similar, but I don’t think that was what he was doing. Buster Bailey had a similar background to me, starting out with classical music, then learning jazz. Early on, I emulated Jerry Fuller, clarinetist with the Dukes of Dixieland. I would steal so many of his solos just so I could keep up with my husband’s band. Eventually, I realized what he was doing, and it translated into me being able to improvise. I’d start out transcribing solos, then playing by ear, copying what those clarinetists were doing. I don’t remember those solos now, but I’m sure that I still play snippets of them that creep into my improvisations.’’

Même si Ketchens n’avait jamais rêvé de devenir musicienne professionnelle, elle l’évait devenue par la force des choses. Elle poursuivait:

‘’It’s a passion. Even if you’re successful, it’s not easy. You have to practice and be ready to perform at the drop of a hat. Listen to other people, find what stimulates you. Listen, listen, listen! There are so many good clarinetists out there, and they want the jobs too. Even if you get told no, keep pursuing your dreams. You need to find your voice so that your personality can come out in your playing. You don’t want to sound like you’re playing an etude book. This is for all types of music – even classical. You want to move the audience, you want to touch them.’’

DÉBUTS DE CARRIÈRE

Ketchens avait livré sa première performance dans le domaine du jazz dans le cadre de la convention nationale républicaine en 1987. Ketchens se produisait dans les rues avec son époux lorsqu’elle avait commencé à réaliser qu’elle pourrait gagner sa vie comme musicienne de rue. Le couple avait présenté sa première performance dans les rues de La Nouvelle-Orléans la même année. Par la suite, Ketchens avait joué à Jackson Square avec son propre groupe, les Jackson Square All-Stars. Éventuellement rebaptisé Doreen's Jazz New Orleans, le groupe avait d’abord dû faire face au traditionnalisme des propriétaires de clubs peu enclins à engager un orchestre dirigè par une femme (on n’en sort pas !), avant de finir par trouver sa niche en se produisant dans les rues et dans les festivals de jazz. L’intersection des rues Royal et St. Peter où Ketchens avait amorcé sa carrière est aujourd’hui connue sous le nom de “Doreen’s Corner.’’ Décrivant ses débuts dans le quartier français de La Nouvelle-Orléans, Ketcheens avait précisé: ‘’It’s been 30-35 years, 4 days a week. Early on, 12 hours a day. We’d start at 9 in the morning and play until 9 or sometimes even until 11 at night! As we got older, we realized how to make more money in less time, so now, we play for about 5 hours a day. When it’s really busy, sometimes we’ll still play for 8 hours. It’s crazy, but it’s what you do!’’

Même si le fait de jouer dans les rues et dans les festivals n’était pas toujours très lucratif, Ketchens avait pu augmenter ses sources de revenus en vendant sa musique et ses vidéos sur internet, ce qui lui avait permis de faire connaître le jazz traditionnel à travers le monde, que ce soit en Afrique, en Asie, au Canada, en Europe, en Amérique du Sud ou en Russie. Ketchens s’était aussi produite dans des émissions commanditées par Jazz at Lincoln Center ainsi que par le Département d’État. La fille de Ketchens, Dorian Ketchens-Dixon, avait neuf ans lorsque sa mère l’avait invitée à monter sur scène pour une interpréter une chanson dans le cadre du New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. La fille de Ketchens est aujourd’hui devenue une des batteuses régulières du groupe. Commentant l’arrivée de sa fille avec le groupe, Ketchens avait ajouté: ‘’Dorian, my daughter has been playing with us since she was 4. She is our main drummer. That’s a godsend!’’

ÉVOLUTION RÉCENTE

Ketchens continue toujours de se produire dans les festivals de jazz de La Nouvelle-Orléans et dans d’autres festivals à travers le monde. Elle effectue également des prestations dans les expositions agricoles et dans le cadre de différents événements internationaux. En plus de s’être produite un peu partout sur la planète, Ketchens avait également joué devant quatre présidents américains: Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan et Jimmy Carter.

En 2006, Ketchens avait participé à un échange culturel avec l’Afrique du Sud dans le cadre d’un événement organisé par la Field Band Foundation. L’échange, qui était commandité par le service éducatif et culturel du Département d’État et par Jazz at Lincoln Center, avait permis à Ketchens de se produire dans les principales villes d’Afrique du Sud comme Johannesburg, Durban et Cape Town.

En janvier 2020, Ketchens enregistrait une bande sonore de film avec le saxophoniste Branford Marsalis lorsque son ancien mentor Ellis Marsalis était passé en studio. Deux mois plus tard, Ketchens devait se produire avec le Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, mais le concert avait été remis à plus tard en raison de la pandémie de la Covid-19. À l’époque, Ketchens était un peu nerveuse, car elle n’avait pas l’habitude de jouer avec des orchestres symphoniques. Ketchens avait donc fait appel à Ellis pour qu’il lui donne des conseils. Elle expliquait:

‘’I needed some rehearsals, I thought! I had rarely played with a symphony, and it had been a long time since I had played with him. So, I went to his house for the rehearsal. We were going to play Duke Ellington’s “Caravan.” “Caravan” has two bridges, and he played one, while I played the other. Of course, he knew all of that, but he said to me, “I kind of remember your bridge, but show me what you’re doing.” I said, “You want me to teach you something?” So, I showed him, and he nailed it, of course. He was just being kind to me, I think, and showing that sometimes the teacher can become the student. He was a special man and musician! Then he said, “But, you still have to practice!” I was really looking forward to that performance.’’

Très proche d’Ellis Marsalis, Ketchens avait été très attristée lorsque celui-ci était décédé de la pandémie le 1er avril suivant.

Le 12 mai 2023, Ketchens avait réalisé un vieux rêve lorsqu’elle s’était produite au John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts de Washington, D.C. Ketchens était accompagnée sur scène par Stephen Walker au trombone, par Dave Hammer à la guitare, par Herman LeBeaux Jr. et par son époux Lawrence au sousaphone. À la fin du concert, Ketchens avait fait l’objet d’une ovation debout et était retournée sur scène pour un rappel.

Le projet remontait à décembre 2022. À l’époque, le journaliste Ted Koppel s’était rendu à La Nouvelle-Orléans afin d’interviewer Ketchens et le contrebassiste et tubiste Ben Jaffe pour l’émission CBS Sunday Morning. Dans le cadre de l’entrevue qui avait principalement pour but de décrire les contraintes auxquelles étaient soumises les musiciens pendant la pandémie de la Covid-19, Koppel avait demandé à Ketchens dans quelle grande salle elle avait toujours rêvé de jouer. Le choix de Ketchens s’était fixé sur le Kennedy Center de Washington, D.C. 

Après avoir regardé l’entrevue, le directeur de la programmation jazz de Kennedy Center, Kevin Struthers, s’était assuré que le rêve de Ketchens ne demeurerait pas lettre morte et l’avait transformé en réalité. Durant la pandémie, comme la plupart de musiciens de jazz, Ketchens avait fait preuve d’une grande débrouillardise et avait trouvé des facons indédites de pratiquer son métier, que ce soit en donnant des cours de clarinette sur YouTube ou en donnant des concerts sur Facebook à partir de la salle à manger de sa résidence. Ketchens avait ajouté: ‘’Most mornings, I get up in the morning, play some etudes, then we record some tunes. We haven’t played on the street since March, but we have been playing. It’s nothing like before the pandemic, but we are surviving.’’

Artiste très populaire, Ketchens avait fait des apparitions dans plusieurs documentaires portant sur la culture et la musique de La Nouvelle-Orléans. Ketchens avait également fait l’objet de plusieurs profils à WWOZ, la station de jazz de La Nouvelle-Orléans, ainsi que dans des émissions audio et vidéo (dont Treme, sur le réseau HBO). Ketchens avait aussi été en vedette dans des douzaines de reportages publiés par des journaux et des magazines à travers le monde. Très sociable, Ketchens invitait souvent de jeunes musiciens (et même des aînés !) à venir la rejoindre sur scène. Elle expliquait:

‘’People would come to sit in, and they could play circles around me. We’re very approachable, and give everyone an opportunity to play. It’s their privilege to lose. Someone will come up and say, “Can I sit in?” And, we’ll say, “Sure, you can play one or two songs.” Sometimes we have to say, “Thank you, thank you,” just to get them to not play any more. Sometimes people surprise you! We’ve had 80-year-olds sound like they are 17, and we’ve had 17-year-olds sound like they’re 80! As long as people don’t overstay their welcome. Sometimes having someone sit in is a pleasure, and other times, you’re looking at your watch, waiting for them to leave!’’

Ketchens se produisant le plus souvent en plein air, elle avait dû souvent remplacer ses instruments. Elle précisait: ‘’I recently got a Shine clarinet, a composite instrument from Korea. It plays really well, and I don’t have to worry about the heat or cold. Before that, I played Buffet and Selmer, but I played them so much that they fell apart. I have a gold-plated Selmer that I had pinned so many times my repairman said, “Doreen, you need to retire this instrument.” So, I did. The weather really does wreak havoc on instruments. I was destroying these beautiful instruments in the weather, so I’m glad I found this composite clarinet.’’

Surnommée alternativement “Lady Louis’’ (en raison de son habileté à jouer des notes hautes et puissantes), “the Female Louis Armstrong” et de ''Reine de la clarinette’’, Doreen Ketchens est une des dernières ambassadrices du jazz de La Nouvelle-Orléans à être toujours active de nos jours. Le site Nola.com avait d’ailleurs qualifié Ketchens en 2012 d’ambassadrice culturelle de La Nouvelle-Orléans. Au cours de sa carrière, Doreen Ketchens s’est produite avec de grands noms du jazz et de la musique poupulaire comme comme Ellis Marsalis, Jon Faddis, Trombone Shorty, Al Hirt, Dorothy Donegan, les Black Crows et Jennifer Warnes. Elle a également fait la première partie d’artistes renommés comme Macy Gray et Dr. John.

©-2024, tous droits réservés, Les Productions de l’Imaginaire historique

[fearnoarts]

Dirty Dozen Brass Band

[burlveneer-music]

My WVUD playlist and stream, 2/25/2023

Delfeayo Marsalis & Uptown Jazz Orchestra - Carnival Time Stooges Brass Band - Good Livin' Rebirth Brass Band - (I Feel Like) Bustin Loose (Live) Preservation Hall Jazz Band - La Malanga Dixie Cups - Iko Iko / Brother John / Saints Go Marching In The Dirty Dozen Brass Band & Robert Randolph - Cissy Strut Phillybloco - All On a Mardi Gras Day Angel Bat Dawid - RECORDARE-Recall the Joy Art Ensemble of Chicago - I Greet You With Open Arms Griots Wa Umoja - Trip To Africa Young Fathers - Ululation Lijadu Sisters - Bayi L'ense 3rd Generation Band - Obiye Saa Wui Verckys et l´Orchestre Vévé - Bassala Hot Witch - Waile Experience Unlimited - Free Yourself Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra - Wonk Cymande - Dove Lakecia Benjamin - Phoenix (feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow)

(listen on Mixcloud)

[randomvarious]

Today’s compilation:

Louisiana Scrapbook 1987 Blues / R&B / Jazz / Brass Band

Well, the Rykodisc label really did try with this one. We've got a good mix of genres here from both established entities as well as up-and-comers to present a 1980s snapshot of one of the most musically unique and diverse places in all of America: the great state of Louisiana. Louisiana's a place that seemingly likes to put its own spin on any genre that it can get its hands on; New Orleans jazz is different from regular jazz, New Orleans R&B is different from regular R&B, etc., etc. And sure, every locality tends to develop its own sound when they build their own genre-specific scene, but Louisianan ones are often deserving of their own distinct category, because a lot of times what they pump out is not just a mere slight regional difference; it can tend to be damn near evolutionary. Go listen to people like Professor Longhair, Dr. John, and Allen Toussaint if you need some convincing.

So, on this release you can find a blend of Louisianan styles, from blues, to R&B, to jazz, to brass band, and even a little zydeco too. A lot of it doesn't sound like music that could come from any other place in the world, but a lot of it also unfortunately happens to be cursed by the dreaded and soullessly sanitized 80s studio sound�� that hasn't aged well at all. It's a sound that you know when you hear it; one that somehow manages to suck almost all of the life out of almost all of the instruments that it captures; the warmth of the 70s completely dissipated in its midst. Of course, not every 80s song suffers from this malady, but there are a whole lot that do, and that rings true for most of the songs on this CD.

But when you're not in that stuffy studio, that's when it's good. And such is the case for the pair of live performances from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band that were recorded in Montreux, Switzerland. The DDBB ends up providing an excellent jazz-blues opener, and then for the album's penultimate track, a lighthearted medley that alternates between The Flintstones theme, "The Star Spangled Banner," and that military bugle wake-up song, "Reveille." Go ahead and make that silly thing a fixture of your 4th of July playlists, because as much as I find most "patriotic" music to be mindlessly eyeroll-inducing, that one's really just plain fun.

And don't sleep on Jo-El Sonnier's "Louisiana Blues" either. It's recorded in studio, but dude's got a good voice and he plays both accordion and harmonica on it. Plus, there's a nice soft touch of steel guitar on there as well.

Really love what so much of the 80s had to offer, but we also need to have a conversation about all the songs that it managed to mar. Not even the uniqueness of Louisiana could really overcome it 😔.

Highlights:

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - "Mardi Gras In New Orleans" Jo-El Sonnier - "Louisiana Blues" The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - "The Flintstones Meets the President (Meets The Dirty Dozen)"

[howlingmoonradio]

December 7th Playlist

Just like our pup Dutch we are on watch for all the holiday festivities, including Hanukkah which begins this evening! Music wise we look backward and forward on this week’s episode, with some crate digging on Side A and some brand new sounds from our friends at Bedrock Records on Side B! Hope it all brings some holiday cheer to your ears!

Side A

Howling at the Moon-Hank Williams

Drivers Seat-Sniff and the Tears

Do U Like It?-Kinky

Growls Garden-Clark

Dilly Dally-Brooklyn Funk Essentials

What’s Happening Brother-Betty Lavette and Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Come On in My Kitchen-Cassandra Wilson

Side B

Mind-Carerra & Tavares

Forbidden City-Davi

DIRIDIM-David Morales

Bleu Cobalt-Digweed etc.

Lectrobee-Bushwacka

I Miss You-Of Norway

[rastronomicals]

9:26 PM EST February 14, 2024:

Dirty Dozen Brass Band - "Old School" From the album Buck Jump (May 25, 1999)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

[ticketstubs-and-pits]

Rebirth Brass Band

@ Maple Leaf Bar

this was a helluva good show, absolutely recommend them, idk if they're still doing regular maple leaf shows or not.

apparently in the planning emails i confused them with the dirty dozen, i would like to apologize to any and all new orleanians (?)

[petnews2day]

Grammy Awards 2023: Doja Cat is a style chameleon in black latex gown

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/KUuOH

Grammy Awards 2023: Doja Cat is a style chameleon in black latex gown

Best American Roots Performance Aaron Neville & The Dirty Dozen Brass Band – Stompin’ Ground – WINNER Aoife O’Donovan & Allison Russell – Prodigal Daughter Bill Anderson Featuring Dolly Parton – Someday It’ll All Make Sense (Bluegrass Version) Fantastic Negrito – Oh Betty Madison Cunningham – Life According to Raechel   Best Americana Performance Asleep […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/KUuOH #CatsNews #Dailymail, #DojaCat, #GrammyAwards, #Tvshowbiz

[generalb]

Tired of music villains listening to being always sad or evil sounding. I’m Starting my own villain playlists with songs that I would listen to whilst committing such acts of villainy. I’ll call this first one,

“music id listen to when starting or finishing a villainous act”

And of course, when the cops come: