OffBEAT Best of the Beat Awards

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OffBEAT Best of the Beat Awards are coming up next week.
It’s always fun. Hope you are there! Our nominees include…
Artist of the Year: Rebirth Brass Band
Album of the Year: Rebirth of New Orleans by Rebirth Brass Band
Song of the Year: “I’m Gonna Hoodoo to Get Your Love” by Dr. Michael White (from Adventures in New Orleans Jazz, Part 1)
Best Brass Band: Rebirth Brass Band
Best Brass Band Album: Rebirth of New Orleans by Rebirth Brass Band
Best Traditional Jazz Artist: Dr. Michael White
Best Traditional Jazz Album: Adventures in New Orleans Jazz, Pt 1 by Dr. Michael White
Best Contemporary Jazz Artist: Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra
Best Contemporary Jazz Album: A Love Letter to New Orleans by Irvin Mayfield
Best Piano/Keyboardist: Jon Cleary
Best Trumpeter: Irvin Mayfield & Kermit Ruffins
Best Clarinetist: Dr.Michael White
Best Tuba/Sousaphonist: Phil Frazier (Rebirth Brass Band)
Best Other Instrument: Jason Marsalis (percussion)

2012 GRAMMY Nominee: Rebirth of New Orleans!

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Rebirth Brass Band’s Rebirth of New Orleans CD on Basin Street Records is a nominee for the 2012 GRAMMYs in the Best Regional Roots Music Album category. Produced by Tracey Freeman (who also produced a Harry Connick, Jr nominated CD.) This album was engineered by Chris Finney at the Music Shed in New Orleans and was mastered by Vlado Meller.  The Grammys will be televised on CBS on February 12, 2012.

Nola.com story on Louisiana nominees .  Nola.com story on Rebirth Brass Band.

GRAMMY NOMINATION CELEBRATION!!!

COME OUT ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20th to the MAPLE LEAF BAR. Showtime 10:30

 

Grammy Eligible Entries

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THE FOLLOWING ARE GRAMMY ELIGIBLE (click on the album to listen)

Kermit Ruffins’ Jazz vocal album Happy Talk. 
Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz album A Love Letter to New Orleans.
Rebirth Brass Band’s Roots album Rebirth of New Orleans. 
Dr. Michael White’s Jazz album Adventures in New Orleans Jazz, Pt 1.
Thank you for your consideration.

Downbeat Magazine Critics’ Poll

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Excited to find out that Basin Street Records made the Downbeat Magazine Critics’ Poll for Best Record Label (Aug 2011).  Also named on the poll, Dr. Michael White for clarinet, and Jason Marsalis for vibes.

Can’t Wait for Treme Season 3

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Just finished watching TREME season 2 finale on HBO for the 3rd time.  It’s amazing TV. Thank you to HBO, David Simon, Eric Overmyer, Nina Noble, Blake Leyh and all the rest of their amazing writers and crew.

The lagniappe for us are the numerous references to our artists and music.  Here are just a few things you may have seen or heard just in the season 2 finale related to our label (there were performances this season by Jon Cleary, Kermit Ruffins, Henry Butler and Rebirth Brass Band, and additional music licensed from Dr.Michael White.)

  • Cornell Williams (of Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen) continues to shine as an actor
  • Wendell Pierce (who narrated Irvin Mayfield’s Strange Fruit CD and attended Ben Franklin High School with BSR president Mark Samuels) who deserves an Emmy
  • References by Trombone Shorty (who has performed on several of our CDs) to the fact that he’s leaving for Japan to take a gig with Henry Butler (who has recorded 3 CDs with us)
  • Performances by Rebirth Brass Band (who just released their latest CD with us) at the Maple Leaf Bar
  • A poster of Kermit Ruffins’ Swing This! in the WWOZ studio
  • A poster of Basin Street Records artists in LaDonna’s bar
  • A performance at Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (Irvin has released 11 projects with us)
  • Jazzfest performance by Donald Harrison (who performed on Irvin Mayfield’s first CD extensively, and a few other BSR projects)
  • The Jazzfest performance by Donald Harrison included Mike Clark on drums (Mike is a c0-leader of the Headhunters, who released Evolution Revolution on our label)
  • Near the end DJ Davis announces that a song playing was by Kidd Jordan. He serves as the artistic director of Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp that starts for its 17 year on July 5, 2011.  Please make a donation TODAY to the camp at http://www.LouisArmstrongJazzCamp.com/donation and help the next generation get the education (musically and otherwise) that they deserve.

Can’t wait for season 3!  In the meantime, I’ll probably watch seasons 1 and 2 a few more times.


A Night In Treme

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Rebirth Brass Band, Kermit Ruffins, Dr.Michael White and more hit the San Francisco Jazz Festival (June 10th) and the Playboy Jazz Festival (June 11th).  The Rebirth Brass Band’s new CD, Rebirth of New Orleans just hit #12 on Billboard Jazz Chart (printing 6/18) and is #1 for the 6th week on the CMJ Jazz radio chart.  Kermit’s Happy Talk CD was as high as #5 on the Billboard chart, and Dr. Michael White’s Adventures in New Orleans Jazz, Part 1 will be released nationally on June 21, 2011. Click HERE a complete list of tourdates.