Nature gave the 2010 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival torrents of rain and fields of mud on Friday's opening day, but that made it easier for the undaunted faithful to dig deeply into the roots of American popular music.
More than 60 acts representing the best of the region's and the nation's jazz, blues, country, Cajun, gospel, rock, brass band and zydeco traditions held their own against the natural thunder on a dozen stages as the 41st Fest began a seven day run.
The biggest outdoor stages were somewhat light on mega-watt stars -- Lionel Richie, the Black Crowes, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and Dr. John & the Lower 911 were the big guns. But that factor, and the weather sent the manageable- sized crowd to huddle in the vast covered theme tents where regional roots acts held forth. Among the highlights:
Stormy sensations
Louisiana bayou-born bluesman Kenny Neal wailed of “blues falling down like rain," matching the message to the moment in the blues tent. Dressed in a cool white shirt and Panama hat, he spewed searing and fluid electric guitar runs and sassy harmonica riffs as his band filled in with workmanlike support honed in roadhouses. Neal, who has won a number of awards from blues societies recently, is keeping alive a swampy-sounding tradition handed down by his late father Raful and mentors Slim Harpo and Buddy Guy.
Remembering Papa Prima
Lena Prima, daughter of New Orleans-born big-band leader Louis Prima, celebrated the centennial of her father's birth with a hits-heavy tribute show in one of the jazz tents. As she jumped, jived and wailed through an hour of post-war tunes, the improvised dance floor at the side of the stage hosted a non-stop progression of swing dancers of all ages.
The elder Prima was chosen as the subject of the annual JazzFest poster, painted this year by Tony Bennett. He'll be honored again on April 30 with a tribute show by son Louis Jr., who like Lena resides in Las Vegas.
Mother Mahalia
In the gospel tent, veteran New Orleans soul queen Irma Thomas and guest gospel star Jacquelyn Mayfield presented the latest in what has become an annual must-see show honoring the enduring spirituals and hymns of New Orleans native Mahalia Jackson. In the opener, Mayfield showed a stately side of Jackson on How I Got Over and God is Just One Prayer Away. Then Thomas took the stage and offered a majestic, powerful and profoundly moving approach, swaying, clenching her fists and obviously projecting to a higher authority. Toward the end of How Great Thou Art, a thunderclap outside the tent brought a few laughs, but Thomas' ending won a standing ovation. Everyone stayed on their feet for Jackson's most popular song, He's Got the Whole World in His Hands.
Daddy Dopsie
The irresistibly danceable blues-zydeco fusion music pioneered by the late accordionist Alton Rubin Sr. (aka Rockin' Dopsie) continues to evolve in the nimble fingers of a second generation. Son Dwayne and his Zydeco Hellraisers performed next to a gold-framed portrait of his father and expanded upon the elder's bluesy style by mixing his zydeco with hints of reggae, Cajun rock and sax-driven R&B. Hanging above the stage was a portrait of a more subtle influence, local soul/blues/gospel queen Marva Wright, who died in March at 62.
On Saturday, son Rockin' Dopsie Jr. (David Rubin) is scheduled to display his zydeco chops, which incorporate more rock, funk and frat-party shadings.
More than 60 acts representing the best of the region's and the nation's jazz, blues, country, Cajun, gospel, rock, brass band and zydeco traditions held their own against the natural thunder on a dozen stages as the 41st Fest began a seven day run.
The biggest outdoor stages were somewhat light on mega-watt stars -- Lionel Richie, the Black Crowes, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and Dr. John & the Lower 911 were the big guns. But that factor, and the weather sent the manageable- sized crowd to huddle in the vast covered theme tents where regional roots acts held forth. Among the highlights:
Stormy sensations
Louisiana bayou-born bluesman Kenny Neal wailed of “blues falling down like rain," matching the message to the moment in the blues tent. Dressed in a cool white shirt and Panama hat, he spewed searing and fluid electric guitar runs and sassy harmonica riffs as his band filled in with workmanlike support honed in roadhouses. Neal, who has won a number of awards from blues societies recently, is keeping alive a swampy-sounding tradition handed down by his late father Raful and mentors Slim Harpo and Buddy Guy.
Remembering Papa Prima
Lena Prima, daughter of New Orleans-born big-band leader Louis Prima, celebrated the centennial of her father's birth with a hits-heavy tribute show in one of the jazz tents. As she jumped, jived and wailed through an hour of post-war tunes, the improvised dance floor at the side of the stage hosted a non-stop progression of swing dancers of all ages.
The elder Prima was chosen as the subject of the annual JazzFest poster, painted this year by Tony Bennett. He'll be honored again on April 30 with a tribute show by son Louis Jr., who like Lena resides in Las Vegas.
Mother Mahalia
In the gospel tent, veteran New Orleans soul queen Irma Thomas and guest gospel star Jacquelyn Mayfield presented the latest in what has become an annual must-see show honoring the enduring spirituals and hymns of New Orleans native Mahalia Jackson. In the opener, Mayfield showed a stately side of Jackson on How I Got Over and God is Just One Prayer Away. Then Thomas took the stage and offered a majestic, powerful and profoundly moving approach, swaying, clenching her fists and obviously projecting to a higher authority. Toward the end of How Great Thou Art, a thunderclap outside the tent brought a few laughs, but Thomas' ending won a standing ovation. Everyone stayed on their feet for Jackson's most popular song, He's Got the Whole World in His Hands.
Daddy Dopsie
The irresistibly danceable blues-zydeco fusion music pioneered by the late accordionist Alton Rubin Sr. (aka Rockin' Dopsie) continues to evolve in the nimble fingers of a second generation. Son Dwayne and his Zydeco Hellraisers performed next to a gold-framed portrait of his father and expanded upon the elder's bluesy style by mixing his zydeco with hints of reggae, Cajun rock and sax-driven R&B. Hanging above the stage was a portrait of a more subtle influence, local soul/blues/gospel queen Marva Wright, who died in March at 62.
On Saturday, son Rockin' Dopsie Jr. (David Rubin) is scheduled to display his zydeco chops, which incorporate more rock, funk and frat-party shadings.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
