My trip to New Orleans

[Ed S]

Just got back from my first visit to New Orleans. I traveled there with my wife Kelly for a 4 night mini vacation. I had planned on going there 2 years ago for the Jazz Festival, but about 2 months before my departure, I tore my knee up in a skiing mishap that required a lot of rehab - thus cancelling the trip. This time around, we went because the bartender at a local restaurant (where I got married btw) mentioned the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival. Sounded like a good enough reason for a trip so we booked it.

I have to say I loved New Orleans. Stayed in the French Quarter at a very nice hotel - Hotel Maison Dupuy - and pretty much spent most of my time in the quarter. We arrived in New Orleans last Friday having gotten up at 3:30 AM to make a 6 AM flight and arriving in New Orleans at 10AM. We checked into the hotel and then went walking Bourbon St. On a Friday afternoon, it was quite tame and we ended up seeing 3 pretty good bands - the "day bands" as they called themselves. The bars were pretty empty - 20-30 patron each - so the experience was pretty decent. The first band was a blues-rock trio that was really very good. They did cover tunes but did them well. Also saw a R&B/Soul group at Club 541 (or 451?) for those who have been there. These guys were terrific. Again, cover tunes - but extremely well done. It was there version of Let's Stay Together that lured me in, but they did not disappoint afterwards. We ended up staying there about an hour. Another place had another bluesy cover band and again - very enjoyable. We also stumbled upon some place called the Cafe Beignet with its outdoor Musical Legends Park( statues of famous New Orleans Jazz guys). Saw a group that feature a vocalist who sounded - for better or worse - like the second coming of Kurt Elling. In this case - it was for the better as the set they played was very very good. We grabbed something to eat and before you know it - it was 9PM. With the time change and the fact that we had gotten up at 3:30 AM - we were beat.

On Saturday, we ventured over to Frenchmen St. to check out the scene there. It was excellent. In the 3-4 block Frenchmen St district we walked into a half dozen bars and heard great music in every venue - Spotted Cat, Blue Nile, Vaso, DBA , Snug Harbor, and a couple of others. Blues, Jazz, Rock, Soul, R&B, and combinations thereof. I have to say it was really good stuff in every venue. At my insistence, though - a little after midnight - we left because I wanted to check out the Bourbon St scene. Mistake. The same bars at which we enjoyed music on Friday were packed with partiers listening to what I thought were lousy bands - way inferior to the "day bands" I had heard on Friday. There was one place that actually featured some very good jazz however - I think it was Maison Bourbon. The band - trumpet, piano, sax, bass, drums - was very good.... played standards. Well worth the one drink minimum. Overall though, I guess I have to say that at 56, I'm way too old for the Bourbon St scene. Someone I know characterized Bourbon St as people of all ages pretending they're on spring break. They nailed it. I regret not staying on Frenchmen St longer.

Sunday, we headed over to the Blues and BBQ Festival for the last night of that event. We heard 3 bands - Beverly Guitar Watkins, The Lee Boys, and Mighty Sam McClain. All were very good. While the music was very good, I have to say I was underwhelmed by the whole Blue and BBQ Festival aspect. I expected to see a lot of local/regional restaurants setting up shop and offering servings of their offerings a la "taste of (insert your city here)". In actuality, there were a few stands selling a very limited selection of BBQ items presented in a fast food sort of way - which ended up not being very appealing. It was also kind of small - which can be good or bad depending on your viewpoint. It was less than I expected from a "festival" standpoint - but the music was very good. We then wandered around the French Quarter looking for something to eat and ended up at a place called Landry's where a solo guitarist was playing jazz standards .........magnificently and masterfully. This guy was terrific. I wish I knew his name to give some credit but it was really enjoyable.

Monday - our last night in New Orleans - we went to a restaurant called Mulate's to hear some Cajun music as played by a group called La Touche - drums, bass, accordion and violin. They were very good and the venue was as well. There was a substantial dance floor and there were a lot of people dancing - seemed like locals. Very spirited and the band got a great reception - I guess they play there 3-4 times per week. Had a great time there and it seemed very authentic.

I focused on the Music but we also did a cemetery tour, a plantation tour, walked Royal St, Jackson Sq, and Decatur St, walked along the river, went on one of those horse and buggy tourist rides, and went to the WW2 museum which was, in a word - powerful.

Overall - a great time!

Edited October 29, 2013 by Ed Swinnich

[Dan Gould]

:tup

[Chuck Nessa]

Your impressions pretty reflect mine. Glad you enjoyed it.