Jazz Fest Highlights: Theresa Andersson

This show was pretty much the same as the one I saw last month at French Quarter Fest, but she's worked out the bugs in getting set up for her one woman band at the start of the show. Still it was a good show last month and it was just as good this month. She starts off with a very good version of "Mary, Don't You Weep." I would place this version alongside Springsteen's recent version with the Seeger Sessions. For the first few songs she does she performs as a one woman band, playing all the instruments and using her laptop to loop her voice she can harmonize with herself. Her new album coming out this summer was recorded like this, she played all the instruments on it and she's trying to recreate this on stage. After a few songs she brings out the rest of the band. One big difference from her French Quarter show is that band is not dressed as mimes, I'm not sure what that was about. But as always Theresa puts on a great show.

Jazz Fest Highlights: Susan Cowsill

I've lost count of the amount of times I've seen Susan Cowsill perform. She's one of those singers that I'll listen to anytime. For this Jazz Fest she was the opening act for the Fest, starting off at the main stage, the Acura Stage. For my money she should have been one of the closing acts. This woman is one of the most talented singers and songwriters in the entire industry. She's been performing since she was a child with her family the Cowsills and than later with the group Continental Drifters, a group which was filled with talent and she was one of the highlights. She introduced a few new songs in her set which is good news. Hopefully this means a new album is on the way.

Jazz Fest Highlights: Carolina Chocolate Drops

My plan for this Jazz Fest was to see the lesser known acts, to sidestep the main stages as much as possible and catch the acts that don't get the headlines. I wanted to check out a lot of names that I was not familiar with. One such act was the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Weirdly I had just received my subscription copy to No Depression a few days before Jazz Fest and within the pages of this final issue of one of the best music magazines ever published was an article about the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

I knew something special was coming when Quint Davis showed up to introduce the band. Mr. Davis is one of the founders and leaders of Jazz Fest. He introduces acts like Robert Plant and Allison Krauss. Not acts in the Blues Tent.

Carolina Chocolate Drops are a threesome of young African-Americans, two men and one woman that play traditional roots music. They use banjo, guitar, fiddle, even a jug bottle to blow into. This was the surprise find of the Fest for me. I was blown away by this group. They created quite an impression on the audience too. I cannot stress how good this group is.

Jazz Fest Highlights: Grampa Elliot

I had no idea who this man was. All I knew was that he was following Coco Robicheaux in the Blues Tent. I actually missed the very beginning of his set, I went to the Live Recording Tent to see what they had for the day so far. When I got back Grampa Elliot was already playing. He was sitting on the stage in front of a microphone. Stoney B was playing piano. Grampa Elliot was an elderly African-American dressed in overalls and with a big white bushy beard. He sang and played the harmonica. Hearing "Hotel California" from this man was certainly a surprise, but what was a better surprise was that he took the song and made it his own. After doing some research later I've found out that Grampa Elliot is a street singer from New Orleans. He has no record contract, he has no My Space page...in other words he does what musicians are supposed to do, sing. His final song was "America the Beautiful" with a reading of the preamble from the Declaration of Independence in the middle of the song. Listening to that song was one of the highlights of the entire Jazz Fest for me.

Scenes From Jazz Fest: Brett Dennen

Scenes From Jazz Fest: Bluerunners

Scenes From Jazz Fest: Grampa Elliot

Scenes From Jazz Fest: Coco Robicheaux w/Irene Sage

Interview: Coco Robicheaux

This Simply Six Interview is part of our Jazz Fest coverage. We talk with legendary New Orleans' singer Coco Robicheaux. Coco is an accomplished bluesman. The pictures preceding this interview were from this year's Jazz Fest.

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?
IT WAS MAYBE 1959, AND I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY THROUGH MEMPHIS DURING A CIVIL RIGHTS RIOT. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND OTHERS WERE SPEAKING, TRYING TO KEEP THE PEACE. WE WERE HELD UP IN TRAFFIC, AND A STATE POLICE TROOPER ON A HORSE LEANED OVER AND SAID, "IF YOU WANT TO WAIT A MINUTE, ELVIS PRESLEY IS COMING THROUGH IN THAT RED TRUCK." ELVIS WAS STANDING ON THE SIDEBOARD, AND HE SMILED AND REACHED DOWN TO SHAKE MY HAND. IT WAS LIKE THE IMAGE IN SISTINE CHAPEL, WHEN GOD IS REACHING DOWN TO ADAM. IT SEEMED LIKE HIS TOOTH WENT "BLING", IT GLIMMERED. I LET MY HAND GET ALL GRUBBY, I WOULDN'T WASH IT FOR A WHILE.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?
ANY LIVE MUSIC.I LIKE ALL MUSIC IF IT IS PLAYED WITH PASSION.

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?
SEEMS TO ME, EVERY TIME WE PLAY IT GETS BETTER AND BETTER, IT'S CONSTANTLY EVOLVING.

4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?
THERE ARE PARTS OF THE BRAIN SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO HARMONY AND RHYTHM, SO THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT WE NEED IT. MUSIC CREATES THE WORLD. IT'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE TO FOCUS ON. I KNOW IT CHANGED MY WORLD.

5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?
IT IS MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE NOW TO EVERYONE, AND IT IS SO MUCH EASIER. THANK GOD FOR MY HELPERS THAT UNDERSTAND THE TECHNOLOGY. I CAN CONNECT WITH PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH MY WEBSITE, SPIRITLAND. COM. EVEN THOUGH SOME OF MY FAVORITE SONGS ARE 50 OR 60 YEARS OLD, THEY SOUND AS BRILLIANT TODAY AS THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THEM.

6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?
WESTERN BOOTS, YOU KNOW, MANLY FOOTWEAR.

"Work of the Devil"

Scenes From Jazz Fest: Red Hawk Hunters Mardi Gras Indians

Scenes From Jazz Fest: Mem Shannon

Scenes From Jazz Fest: Boo Hanks, Macavine Hayes & Eddie Kirkland

Scenes From Jazz Fest: Susan Cowsill