Jazz Articles about Kermit Ruffins

Kermit Ruffins: Swingin' and Smilin'

by Tod Smith
June 30, 2009

There's a rebirth occurring in New Orleans music, and trumpeter/vocalist Kermit Ruffins finds himself front and center. While the post-Katrina recovery has meant many things for the Crescent City, in a number of ways it's been musicians who have taken the lead in bringing the city back to its traditions. Prior to the storm, many musicians and fans of the traditional New Orleans sound spoke despairingly about the musical future for the city that many considered to be the place ...

Kermit Ruffins: Live at Vaughan's

by Henry Smith
July 22, 2007

Trumpeter/vocalist Kermit Ruffins sure knows how to throw a party, and frankly, he should. As the founder of two great New Orleans jazz bands, the Rebirth Brass Band and the Barbeque Swingers, Ruffins has become somewhat of a New Orleans musical diplomat, embracing a vigorous touring schedule that has brought him further from home than many of the city's mainstays.

Live at Vaughan's is a different story though, as Ruffins brings his Barbeque Swingers back home for a Thursday night ...

Kermit Ruffins Spreads the Word

by Franz A. Matzner
July 23, 2005

Demonstrating his flexibility as a performer, New Orleans trumpeter and vocalist Kermit Ruffins brought his Barbecue Swingers to the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage for a free concert last week and found himself greeted by the distinctive blend of audience members one can only find at the Kennedy Center's Millennium stage. Featuring free concerts daily, the Millennium Stage draws a diverse mix of tour groups, aficionados, students, families, retirees, opera fans arriving early, and sundry other individuals from ...

Kermit Ruffins: One Night in New Orleans

by Franz A. Matzner
February 3, 2005

With the temperature plunging and the streets decked out in ice and snow, there were few better ways to warm up last weekend than heading to Blues Alley for some good, old-fashioned New Orleans jazz performed by revivalist Kermit Ruffins and his Barbecue Swingers. Hailing from the city of swing itself, Ruffins has dedicated his life to celebrating the music, food, and dance of his home town, and to Ruffins that means swingin' jazz Louis Armstrong style. ...

Kermit Ruffins: Kermit Ruffins

by Jim Santella
January 26, 2005

Featuring six tracks from Kermit Ruffins' out-of-print Justice releases, this compilation comes just in time for Mardi Gras. It's a celebration of trad jazz and everything else that has made New Orleans so special. All that's missing is the crawdads and gumbo. That, we'll have to find on our own.

Ruffins turned forty last year. His youthful voice and expressive trumpet remind you that the Crescent City isn't a place for stressing out. Forget the urban crawl and ...

Kermit Ruffins: 1533 St. Phillip Street

by AAJ Staff
January 22, 2003

Especially in these times of national anxiety and its stronger foil, patriotic pride, it is both comforting and encouraging to be able to hear the sound of great, upbeat All-American music such as this latest release from Kermit Ruffins. Named for the ReBirth Brass Band founder’s new jazz club in the heart of New Orleans, Ruffins’ album tips a wide-brimmed hat to a number of the Crescent City’s older favorite sons, both native and adopted.

Combining the gruff ...

Kermit Ruffins: Big Easy

by AAJ Staff
January 17, 2003

New Orleans is one of the greatest cultural conglomerations on the face of the earth. From the remains of past conquerors like Spain and France, to leftovers from the thousands of international expatriates who gather for the Crescent City’s festivals and endless parties, it remains a gumbo within the American melting pot.

On his latest CD, Nawlins horn man Kermit Ruffins dips in a big ladle and comes up with a tasty menu of multi-ethnic flavors that range from his ...