NEA Jazz Masters: The Marsalis Family

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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.

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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

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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.

FREE Music for Mom

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A FREE Mother’s Day present for your mom. When she signs up for our enews she will receive a link by email to 8 great songs from Kermit Ruffins, Henry Butler, Jon Cleary, Dr. Michael White, Irvin Mayfield, Rebirth Brass Band and Los Hombres Calientes. Yes, they are Mardi Gras ish songs, but good year round!

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Basin Street Records Jazz Fest Guide 2010

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Over 40 appearances in 10 days:

4/22 Jeremy Davenport at Ritz-Carlton’s Davenport Lounge 5:30p
4/22 Jon Cleary at Jazz & Heritage Foundation Gala 7p
4/22 Kermit Ruffins at Vaughan’s Lounge 9p
4/23 Jon Cleary at Jazz Fest (Gentilly Stage) 1:55p
4/23 Jeremy Davenport at Ritz-Carlton’s Davenport Lounge 9p
4/23 Kermit Ruffins at Rock and Bowl midnight (also Eric Lindell & Anders Osborne beginning at 8:30p)
4/23 Jon Cleary at House of Blues 9p
4/24 Jon Cleary at Jazz Fest (Blues Tent w/ Davell Crawford) 2:35p
4/24 Bill Summers & Jazsalsa at Jazz Fest (Jazz Tent) 2:55p
4/24 Dr. Michael White at Jazz Fest (Economy Hall) 4:30p
4/24 Dr. Michael White CD Signing in Jazz Fest Retail Tent 6:10p
4/24 Irvin Mayfield at Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse 8p
4/24 Theresa Andersson at Le Petit Theatre 9p
4/24 Jeremy Davenport at Ritz-Carlton’s Davenport Lounge 9p
4/25 Jeremy Davenport at Jazz Fest (Jazz Tent) 12:55p
4/25 Theresa Andersson at Jazz Fest (Sheraton Stage) 1:40p
4/25 Jeremy Davenport CD Signing at Jazz Fest Retail Tent 2:15p
4/25 Theresa Andersson CD Signing at Jazz Fest Retail Tent 3p
4/25 Irvin Mayfield at Jazz Fest (Jazz Tent) 3:55p
4/25 Jon Cleary at Tipitina’s Uptown 10p
4/27 Bill Summers & Jazalsa at Bill’s House Party 7p
4/27 Kermit Ruffins at Bullet’s 10p (later than usual start)
4/28 Kermit Ruffins at Louisiana Music Factory noon
4/28 Jeremy Davenport at Louisiana Music Factory 1p
4/28 Bill Summers & Jazalsa at Bill’s House Party 7p
4/28 Irvin Mayfield at Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse 8p
4/28 Kermit Ruffins Treme House Party w/ Dr. Michael White and Henry Butler at House of Blues 9p
4/28 Jon Cleary at Carousel Bar in Monteleone Hotel 8p
4/29 Jeremy Davenport at Ritz-Carlton’s Davenport Lounge 5:30p
4/29 Jon Cleary at DBA 8p
4/29 Theresa Andersson at Louisiana Music Factory 9p
4/29 Kermit Ruffins at Vaughan’s Lounge 9p
4/30 Kermit Ruffins at Jazz Fest (Congo Square) 2:35p
4/30 Kermit Ruffins CD Signing at Jazz Fest Retail Tent 4p
4/30 Henry Butler w/ N.O.Social Club at Jazz Fest (Blues Tent) 4:15p
4/30 Jeremy Davenport at Ritz-Carlton’s Davenport Lounge 9p
4/30 Jon Cleary at DBA midnight
5/1 Henry Butler at Jazz Fest (Gentilly Stage) 12:55p
5/1 Jon Cleary at Mahalia Jackson Theatre 7p
5/1 Henry Butler at Snug Harbor 8p & 10p
5/1 Kermit Ruffins at Rock and Bowl 8:30p
5/1 Jeremy Davenport at Ritz-Carlton’s Davenport Lounge 9p
5/1 Theresa Andersson at Tipitina’s French Quarter 10p
5/1 Jon Cleary at Maple Leaf Bar 11p
Theresa Andersson has a brand new DVD, Live at Le Petit, available at fine retailers and www.BasinStreetRecords.com.
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Watch and listen for Kermit Ruffins and some of our other artists on HBO’s TREME