Photo by Dino Perrucci
For some reason, I wasn’t as excited about jazzfest as in years past. Usually I’m checking “the grids” in January. But this year it snuck up on me. But all it takes is 5 minutes after touching down that you remember that Jazz Fest NEVER disappoints. It’s happiest place on earth.
Only at Jazz Fest do you sit down at Cochon for a cocktail and appetizer and end up sharing your table with one of the guys from Jeff Coffin’s Mutet. Only at Jazz Fest do you see a trombone solo in a jazz big band, a 90’s rock band, a hip hop band, a funk band and a brass band. Only at Jazz Fest does an entire bar start spontaneously singing along to The Band at 7:30 in the morning.
First a delicious dinner at A Mano (if you aren’t eating well at the fairgrounds and in town, you are missing 50% of the experience), then the Warren Haynes Band. When Warren flexes his rolodex, you are in for world class musicianship. The two set show showcased most of his new album, a few Mule covers (“Soulshine”, “Doves Cry”/“Beautifully Broke”) along with covers including “Use Me”, “On Your Way Down,” “John The Revelator,” and “Smokestack Lighting.” The show featured a litany of guests such as Trombone Shorty, Brian Stoltz, Wolfman Washington, Dirty Dozen and Preservation Hall Bands, George Porter and many more.
Though it lagged a little in the second set, the show delivered twofold: presenting Warren’s new soul material and showcasing the roots of New Orleans music through the guests and covers. Not to be outdone by the guests, Ruthie Foster, Nigel Hall and Ron Holloway were excellent throughout. It didn’t have the power of Mule or the Allmans, but it was a spotlight on the softer, soulful side which makes Warren’s sound such a unique blend.
Late night, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at Tip’s had the “show of the night” feel. Fess was wearing a poncho and the stage was decorated with red, green and white balloons and other festive Cinco de Mayo adornment. Denson charged through a marathon set of KDTU originals along with a selection of covers that included the Cold War Kids “Hang Me Out To Dry” and Wall of Voodoo’s “Mexican Radio”. A cavalcade of guests included 3 drummers, 5 keyboard players and a 10 person horn section, in addition to Eric McFadden on guitar, Nigel Hall, Taylor Hicks on harmonica, Tony Hall on bass, Mike Dillon, Terrence Higgins, Ivan Neville, Marco Benevento, Sam Kinninger, Rashawn Ross and many more. At one point Soulive’s Eric Krasno was on stage either dancing or drumming…it was that kind of night.
Beneigts and (decaff) Cafe Au Lait at Cafe Dumonde…cliche? Yes. Delicious as the sun pokes up? Hell yes.
