Wednesday, May 2 rests comfortably between the two weekends of JazzFest in new Orleans, and many Fest-goers stay late or come early to experience Ponderosa Stomp.
This year's Stomp promises to bend ears with the inclusion of many legends of blues, r&b, soul, garage rock, New Orleans music, traditional country, rockabilly and swamp pop. Among the featured artists are garage rock legend Roky Erickson, rockabilly wild man Dale Hawkins, R&B soprano Little Jimmy Scott, master arranger Wardell Quezergue, Texas Tornado Augie Meyers, Texas shouter Roy Head, keyboardist extraordinaire Willie Tee, Mississippi Hill Country bluesman Kenny Brown, chitlin' circuit kingpin Bobby Rush, and “Mr. Big Stuff" soul songstress Jean Knight, among dozens of others.
“The Ponderosa Stomp is rock n roll in the truest sense. Nowhere else will you see such a historied but eclectic bunch of musicians on the same bill. Only in the universe of the Ponderosa Stomp do Dave Bartholomew, Roky Erickson, Little Jimmy Scott and Dale Hawkins exist together. Many of these artists do not tour and the Stomp is the only place to see them." says Dr. Ike. Ike is executive director of the Mystic Knights of the Mau-Mau, the 501c3 nonprofit organization which produces Ponderosa Stomp along with selected New Orleans roots shows throughout the year, plus a “mini-Stomp" at SXSW in Austin. Since the organization's 2000 inception, the Knights have considered it their mission to rediscover and celebrate America's overlooked musical pioneers and re-educate the community about their impact on music.
CNN has declared the Ponderosa Stomp “history in the making," while The New York Times music critic Jon Pareles calls it a “dream" event that “plunges into the obscure byways of rock'n'roll past." Of the 2005 festival, Gambit magazine joined MSNBC, the Associated Press, Mojo, the No Depression, Harp, Paste, Christian Science Monitor, High Times, Blues Revue, Living Blues, The Chicago Sun-Times, and more, with praise, writing, “For roots aficionados, the Stomp was nirvana; you almost had to pinch yourself to make sure it wasn't a dream."
Following is an hour-by-hour schedule for Ponderosa Stomp 2007:
Main Stage
5:30-5:45 Lil Buck & the Top Cats With Stanley Buckwheat Dural
5:45-6:30 Dennis Coffey backed by Lil Buck & the Top Cats
6:30-7:15 Lazy Lester backed by Lil Buck & the Top Cats
7:15-8:00 Barbara Lynn backed by Lil Buck & the Top Cats
8:00-8:30 Roy Head backed by Lil Buck & the Top Cats
8:45-9:15 Little Jimmy Scott backed by Lil Buck & the Top Cats
9:30-11:00 Wardell Quezergue & His New Orleans Rhythm and Blues Revue with Dave Bartholomew, Tony Owens and Jean Knight
11:15-11:45 Dan Penn and Bobby Emmons
12:00-1:00 Roky Erickson & the Explosives
1:15-2:00 Augie Meyers
2:10-2:30 Guitar Lightnin'
TBS - David Batiste, Ernie Vincent
Parish Stage
5:30-6:00 Ralph Soul Jackson
6:00-6:30 Eddie Kirkland
6:45-7:15 Jay Chevalier with Grace Broussard with the Haunted Hearts
7:30-8:00 Henry Gray
8:15-9:00 Dan Penn and Bobby Emmons
9:15-10:00 Kenny Brown and Bobby Rush
10:15-10:45 Little Freddie King
11:00-11:30 Dale Hawkins backed by Deke Dickerson & the Eccfonics
11:30-12:00 Joe Clay backed by Deke Dickerson & the Eccofonics
12:00-12:30 Matt Lucas backed by Deke Dickerson & the Eccofonics
12:45-1:30 Willie Tee
1:30-2:00 Rockie Charles
2:00-2:30 Al Johnson
Patio Stage
8:00-830 Skip Easterling
8:30-9:00 Jay Chevalier
9:00- 9:30 Eddie Kirkland
930-10:00 Henry Gray
10:00-10:30 Al Johnson
10:30-11:00 Kenny Brown and Bobby Rush
11:00-11:30 Rockie Charles
11:30-12:15 Lazy Lester
12:15-12:45 Little Freddie King
For more information contact conqueroo.
