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
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
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.
Only Label With 3 Entries on Billboard Jazz Chart the Past Two Weeks!
What label is the only label on the BILLBOARD JAZZ CHART with 3 entries on both the charts printing 5/21/11 and 5/28/11? It’s the same label that was the only label (the other being Blue Note) that had 2 entries on the chart printing 5/14/11. Namely, Basin Street Records!!!
#9 Rebirth Brass Band, Rebirth of New Orleans
#14 Irvin Mayfield, A Love Letter to New Orleans
#18 Kermit Ruffins, Happy Talk
Plus, the HBO Treme soundtrack is #5 and both Kermit and Rebirth appear on that record.
Own them?
UPDATE:
NolaDefender.com writes about Basin Street Records Billboard chart success http://noladefender.com/content/chart-and-soul
OffBeat.com writes about Basin Street Records Billboard chart success http://offbeat.com/2011/05/25/rebirth-brass-band-kermit-ruffins-and-irvin-mayfield-in-billboards-top-ten/
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
The lineup for the 2011 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, otherwise known as Jazz Fest, has been announced. Jazzfest will return to the New Orleans Fairgrounds on April 29th through May 8th, 2011.
Our artists will perform as follows:
Friday, April 29th: Jon Cleary | Los Hombres Calientes: Irvin Mayfield & Bill Summers | Haitian–New Orleans Connection featuring Emeline Michel, Dr. Jean Montes, and Dr. Michael White
Saturday, April 30th: Jeremy Davenport
Friday, May 6th: Kermit Ruffins
Saturday, May 7th: Dr. Michael White
Sunday, May 8th: Rebirth Brass Band | Henry Butler | Irvin Mayfield
Buy their music today to get you in the mood. See you there!
Click HERE for our artists complete schedule during Jazz Fest.
Gambit 2011 Big Easy Entertainment Awards
Kermit Ruffins presided as the Honorary Music Awards chairman at the 2011 Gambit Big Easy Entertainment Awards held at Harrah’s Casino on April 25, 2011. In addition, he won the award for Best Traditional Jazz. Theresa Andersson was nominated for Best Female Performer.