The clubs are bustling this week and a festival celebrates a jazz banjoist’s legacy.
DANNY BARKER BANJO & GUITAR FESTIVAL
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MUSEUM
The annual celebration of jazz guitarist, banjoist and raconteur Danny Barker includes a 10th anniversary celebration Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the New Orleans Museum of Art. It features clarinetist Dr. Michael White and saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr. performing the music of Sidney Bechet and George Lewis, plus guitarist Corey Harris and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. From Friday to Sunday, music plays all day on two stages (plus an interview stage) at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint. Scheduled performers include Kermit Ruffins, Charmaine Neville and Gregg Stafford on Friday; John Boutte, Davell Crawford, Wendell Brunious and Chris Thomas King on Saturday; and Leroy Jones, Stephanie Jordan and the Dixie Cups on Sunday. Go to www.dannybarkerfestival.com for schedule and ticket details.
The original Dixie Cups included sisters Rosa Lee Hawkins, top left, and Barbara Ann Hawkins, top right, plus their cousin Joan Marie Johnson, foreground.
DIXIE CUPS
THURSDAY, LOYOLA’S NUNEMAKER AUDITORIUM
The New Orleans vocal trio the Dixie Cups released their smash “Chapel of Love” in 1964. In honor of the song’s 60th anniversary, the Dixie Cups are featured on the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s poster. Additionally, Loyola University’s School of Music and Theatre Professions is hosting an evening devoted to the Dixie Cups on Thursday in Nunemaker Auditorium starting at 7:30 p.m. Following a performance by Loyola vocal trio Final Take, news anchor Arthel Neville will host a Q&A session with Barbara Ann Hawkins, the surviving original Dixie Cup. The current Dixie Cups — Hawkins, Neville’s aunt Athelgra Neville and Naydja CoJoe — will then perform for approximately 45 minutes. Admission is free.
MORE NOTEWORTHY SHOWS
THURSDAY
Saxophonist Clarence Johnson III leads his quartet at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro ($25).
Drake and J. Cole are back at the Smoothie King Center for the second consecutive night as part of the “It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As the What?” At press time, tickets were still available at face value starting at $66 plus fees.
Tongue-in-cheek honky-tonk singer Dale Hollow stops at Chickie Wah Wah for a show with Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Revue ($15 advance, $20 door).
Rusty Metoyer & the Zydeco Krush are featured for the weekly Zydeco Night at Rock ‘N’ Bowl ($15).
People Museum is Claire Givens, Aaron Boudreaux, Charles Lumar II and Jeremy Phipps
FRIDAY
Blues-based guitarist Corey Harris returns to New Orleans for sets at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Snug Harbor ($35).
Absorb the atmospheric compositions of People Museum at Chickie Wah Wah. Tasche de la Rocha opens the show at 9 p.m. ($20 advance, $25 door).
Avant-Cajun fiddler Louis Michot does double duty at the Maple Leaf Bar on Friday. At 8 p.m., he anchors Les Freres Michot ($15 advance, $20 door). Then at 10 p.m., he plugs in with the band he’s best known for, the Lost Bayou Ramblers ($30 advance, $35 door).
Singer Margie Perez is featured for the Friday night installment of “Chanteuse: Celebrating New Orleans Women in Music,” a concert series presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center (1225 N. Rampart St.). Doors open at 7 p.m.; the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Attention Mario Kart fans: a live band will play music from the popular video game while attendees compete at Zony Mash Beer Project. DJ TE.KUN will also help keep the music going. Gamers will play in assigned groups of four on the main stage screen. Players will be chosen by lottery; buy one of the first 50 pre-sale tickets and you’re guaranteed at least one game. Doors open at 6 p.m.; races start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door.
Costumed cover band Bag of Donuts hits Rock ‘N’ Bowl ($15).
Ed Volker sings with the reunited Radiators on the Samsung Galaxy Stage at the New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival on May 4, 2014.
SATURDAY
Radiators keyboardist and singer Ed Volker makes a rare onstage appearance with his Trio Mollusc project — it includes Rads guitarist Camile Baudoin, bassist Rene Coman and saxophonist Joe Cabral of the Iguanas and percussionist Michael Skinkus — at Chickie Wah Wah ($25 advance, $30 door).
The Tanglers celebrate a new CD at the Maple Leaf Bar at 8 p.m. ($15 advance, $20 door). At 11 p.m., the Soul Brass Band takes over at the Leaf ($15 advance, $20 door).
Jazz pianist Lynn Arriale holds court at Snug Harbor ($30).
Comedian Katt Williams headlines a sold-out UNO Lakefront Arena as part of “The Dark Matter Tour.”
SUNDAY
The Chloe hotel, 4125 St. Charles Ave., relaunches its late-afternoon Songwriters Series with performances by Megan Diana and Kristin Diable. Seating on the front lawn, on a first-come, first-serve basis, opens at 4:30 p.m.; the show starts at 5 p.m.
Jazz vocalist Sasha Masakowski stages a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Snug Harbor ($25).
Cajun bandleader and accordionist Bruce Daigrepont hosts one of his monthly early-evening fais do-do dance parties at Tipitina’s starting at 5:15 p.m. Admission is $12.
Katt Williams returns to the UNO Lakefront Arena for the second consecutive night. At press time, only a handful of tickets remained, starting at $75 plus fees.
MONDAY
A contingent of Oh Boy Records artists en route to Willie Nelson’s annual Luck Reunion in Texas stops off at Chickie Wah Wah as part of the “Send My Mouth Way Down South” tour. Artists scheduled to appear include Tre Burt, Arlo McKinley and Swamp Dogg ($25 advance, $30 door).
Honduran-born, New Orleans-based jazz pianist Oscar Rossignoli plays selections from his “Inertia” solo album at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($20).
TUESDAY
Unconventional country band Nick Shoulders & the Okay Crawdad headlines Tipitina’s ($20).
Cuban-born, New Orleans-based percussionist Alexey Marti & Afrogumbo jam at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Snug Harbor ($25).
STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER Tuesday April 24, 2007 2007 Jazz and Heritage Festival profile of musician Leigh Harris, a.k.a. Little Queenie. Lil Queenie
WEDNESDAY
Keyboardist Jon Cleary plays a solo show at 8 p.m. at Chickie Wah Wah ($20 advance, $27 door).
Trombonist Terrance Taplin leads the Uptown Jazz Orchestra at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($35).
The Brass-A-Holics and Flagboy Giz are featured for this week’s edition of the free YLC Wednesday at the Square concert series downtown in Lafayette Square. The show starts at 5 p.m. and wraps by 8 p.m. Admission is free, but no outside food or drink is allowed; vendors will be selling both on-site.
Leigh “Little Queenie” Harris was one of New Orleans’ most distinctive and colorful vocalists with her hybrid rock/soul/funk band the Percolators and various solo projects. Cancer claimed her in 2019, but her legacy lives on. A panel discussion — featuring host Gwen Thompkins and panelists Nina Bozak, Missy Bowen and Debbie Davis — and concert titled “The Life and Artistry of Leigh ‘Little Queenie’ Harris” is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the George & Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center.
