Kermit Ruffins Happy Talk Coming October 26, 2010

Kermit Ruffins’ new record, Happy Talk, is coming October 26th, 2010. His rhythm section includes Herlin Riley (drums), David Pulphus (bass), and Matt Lemmler (piano/arrangements). Twelve more musicians grace many of the tracks including Dr. Michael White, Corey Henry and Mark Mullins. Produced by Grammy winner Tracey Freeman (Harry Connick, Jr).

As Davis McAlary says in HBO’s Treme, “America [and the rest of the world] needs it some Kermit”.

Theresa Andersson on MTV’s Real World: New Orleans

Tonight, the house mates on MTV’s Real World: New Orleans go see Theresa Andersson at Le Petit Theatre and Sahar goes to Theresa’s home to get some one on one singing instruction. For behind the scenes looks click HERE and HERE.

Theresa’s latest CD is Hummingbird, Go! She also recently released a DVD, Live at Le Petit, that was taped the night the house mates came to the show. You can buy both HERE. With the purchase of both, you will also receive our FREE sampler of music from all of our artists.

Fan Theresa Andersson on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theresaandersson

Some of the “Sidemen” on our recordings

Here are just a few of the sidemen who have recorded on our artists’ recordings…
Pianists:

Ellis Marsalis, Allen Toussaint, Gordon Parks, Victor Atkins, Emile Vinette, David Torkanowsky, Matt Lemmler, Steve Pistorius, Richard Knox, Jonathan Lefcowsky, Ronald Markham

Horns:
Wynton Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Donald Harrison, Tuba Fats, Trombone Shorty, Corey Henry, Evan Christopher, Rebirth Brass Band, Bonerama, John Ellis, Phil Frasier, Aaron Fletcher, Craig Klein, Duke Heitger, Robert Harrison, Eric Traub, Mark Mullins, Clarence Johnson III, Michael Ray, Ronell Johnson, Jamil Shariff

Drummers & Percussionists:
Horacio Hernandez, Herlin Riley, Shannon Powell, Raymond Weber, Ricky Sebastian, Jeffrey “Jellybean” Alexander, Derrick Freeman, Cyril Neville, Keith Frasier, Pedro Martinez
Guitars & Bass:
Bonnie Raitt, George Porter, Jr., Carlos Henriquez, Derwin “Big D” Perkins, Cornell Williams, Vasti Jackson, June Yamagichi, Neal Caine, Edwin Livingston, David Pulphus, Kevin Morris, Carl Leblanc
Vocals:
John Boutte, Isaac Delgado, Phillip Manuel, Pedro Martinez

NEA Jazz Masters: The Marsalis Family

Congratulations to the Marsalis Family for just being named NEA Jazz Masters by the National Council on the Arts which oversees the National Endowment for the Arts.

Connections to the family go back to 1979 when I was in the Ben Franklin High School band and became friends with Wynton, and then a year later when I was in the band for a couple years with Delfeayo (who used to let me listen to some of Wynton’s first recordings at their house before they came out and when Jason was about 3 years old). Wynton has recorded on a couple of our tracks with Irvin Mayfield. Delfeayo has produced a few records for us. Jason was signed to BSR and released 2 CDs as a leader plus a couple of CDs as a co-leader of Los Hombres Calientes. Branford has been a friend and has sat in on many gigs with Irvin, Los Hombres and Kermit Ruffins. And their patriarch, Ellis, has recorded several tracks with Irvin Mayfield, plus performed on Kermit Ruffins first CD (on Justice Records), and most recently recorded the CD Love Songs, Ballads and Standards for us with Irvin Mayfield.
Another interesting connection was in about 1989 when I was at lunch with Wynton Marsalis and an aspiring young trumpeter who was in high school visiting Wynton in New York for a few days. That trumpeter was Jeremy Davenport, who decided to move to New Orleans and study with Ellis Marsalis at UNO in the Jazz Studies program. Jeremy went on to several years in Harry Connick Jr. band, then his own band, and in 2009 was our most recent signing, releasing We’ll Dance ‘Til Dawn.
For more info: http://www.nea.gov/news/news10/New-NEA-Lifetime-Honorees.html
UPDATE: Watch the NEA Awards Ceremony and concert from JALC Tuesday, January 11th, 2011 at 7:30 ET (6:30 CT). More information HERE.

A Letter From The Smartest Father I’ve Had: My Dad. Happy Father’s Day.

As a former staff drilling engineer in the offshore west division for Shell Oil Company and subsequently as the staff advisor to Shell’s Deep Drilling Research group, my experience says the BP disaster was predictable and preventable and resulted from lack of training, improper procedures, and faulty equipment. The explosion, fire, and subsequent deaths of 11 employees was the result of negligence and malfeasance.

As recently as last week, the president of BP suggested that the chance for failure was one in a million. In BP’s case, it was one in one. The fact that he does not recognize the mistakes they made is of great concern. The “well kick” probably occurred five to six hours before explosive expansion of the gas and liquids occurred. Annular flow rate indicators should have shown evidence of this and periodic visual observation should have confirmed it. Once expansion occurred in the riser, events were inevitable.
Subsequent “well kill” operations are preceding far too slowly. The lack of information regarding time to drill the original wells and or any evidence from well logging while drilling, makes evaluation of BP’s drilling performance difficult. One relief well, fast as possible for a “proximity kill” followed by a second well to intercept the blow out well may have been a better plan.
The president’s emphasis on stopping well drilling operations in the gulf makes matters worse and is unnecessary. Only BP should be subjected to a moratorium. Operators only need to know perpetrators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law with special attention paid to improper practices or inadequate safety procedures.
Rather than emphasize high cost alternatives, such as solar, wind, and biofuels, financial subsidies should be made available to accelerate development of our natural gas resources. With more than 200 years of natural gas reserves now selling at historically low prices relative to oil, gas is a natural.
In the meantime we should assemble a panel of drilling experts to provide effective oversight of BP’s operations. Shell, Exxon, Chevron, Noble, Schlumberger, Halliburton and NOV, each have Engineers and operating personnel far more experienced than any the government or BP may provide.
I am very concerned that the news media and constant government reports are confusing cause and effect and unnecessarily delaying the resumption of safe deep water drilling practices.

Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp

The 2010 Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp will be held July 6th through July 23rd. This year (the camp’s 16th) the camp will be housed at Loyola University in New Orleans.


The annual benefit concert will be held Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 at Republic.


More than ever, the camp needs your help. Donate today at www.LouisArmstrongJazzCamp.com.


Please encourage your friends to join the camp’s FACEBOOK GROUP.