Tag: Ween

Jazz Fest 2012: Galactic members spread across the city for various side projects

One of the great things about New Orleans during Jazz Festival is that different musicians that rarely play together form special super groups. Today I’d like to feature 3 such super groups, all of which feature members of New Orleans’ own Galactic.

First up is Good Enough For Good Times, which features Jeff Raines on guitar and Robert Mercurio on bass, both members of Galactic. In addition, an up and coming drummer that you want to know about, Simon Lott. And rounding out this Meters-esque quartet is Chris Spies on organ. On this night they were joined by guest saxophonist Lucas Ellman (the younger brother of Galactic’s own Ben Ellman). Check ’em out:

Good Enough For Good Times
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison
Hey! Last Minute (Meters cover):

Good Enough For Good Times
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison
unknown tune #1:

Good Enough For Good Times with Lucas Ellman
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison
Jack Rabbit (Greyboy Allstars cover):

Good Enough For Good Times with Lucas Ellman
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison
Play It Back (Dr. Lonnnie Smith cover):

Good Enough For Good Times with Lucas Ellman
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison
Play It Back (Dr. Lonnnie Smith cover) (continued):

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Next up is Garage A Trois, which, as many of you already know, consider New Orleans their homebase. Their early show at One Eyed Jack’s on Friday of the second weekend has become a tradition for many. This year it was hosted by our friends at Live Music Blog NOLA.

Below you will find a few videos I was able to capture. Although I will admit that the songs I happened to shoot are rather tame compared to some of the other stuff they got into this night (including a punk-rock version of Ween‘s “It’s Gonna Be A Long Night” and an extended “iPhone/Android rap”, both led by Mike Dillon, and both of which I captured with my eyes but not my camera.)

Garage A Trois
May 4, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
Electric Door Bell Machine:

Garage A Trois
May 4, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
Dugout:

Garage A Trois
May 4, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
Assault On Precinct 13:

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The last super group I want to feature is Dragon Smoke. It consists of Ivan Neville, Stanton Moore, Robert Mercurio and Eric Lindell. This group, put together by Boom Boom Room Presents, began as a Tuesday night tradition in 2003 at the Dragon’s Den, moving to the Blue Nile in 2006 and to One Eyed Jack’s in 2009. Every Tuesday between 1st and 2nd weekend of Jazz Fest you can find these four musicians catering to the locals and any other hardcore fester’s that make it down for the full 10 days of debauchery.

These videos of Dragon Smoke were shot by the incomparable Marc Millman. Check out his photos from this show and more more of his Dragon Smoke videos.

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
Jet Airliner (Steve Miller Band cover):

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
Valerie (The Zutons / Amy Winehouse cover) – Be Thankful For What You Got (William DeVaughn cover):

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
Padlock:

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
If Love Can’t Find A Way:

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
Grandma’s Hands (Bill Withers cover):

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
Hercules (Aaron Neville cover):

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
Country Livin’:

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s
Lullaby for Mercy Ann:

Primus – Louisville, Kentucky – videos + exclusive radio audio

Primus 10/10/11 Louisville, KY @ 91.9 WFPK
Interview – Lee Van Cleef – Interview – Tragedy’s a’ Comin’

Primus ripped through Louisville, Kentucky, last Monday with their original lineup of Les Claypool, Larry LaLonde and Jay Lane. I’ve seen them over the years with each of their three drummers (Tim “Herb” Alexander” and Brian “Brain” Mantia) and I can honestly say that Jay Lane is my favorite. After all, he was the one that helped develop the original Primus sound in the late-1980’s and he did co-write most of the songs on Frizzle Fry & Sailing The Seas of Cheese. To me, his playing is groovier and tighter than the other drummers. Also, to his credit, his return to the band rekindled the Primus spark and inspired Claypool to write and record a new album, so you can’t fault him for that.

Early in the afternoon of October 10, 2011, Primus entered the studio at our favorite independent radio station, 91.9 WFPK Radio Louisville. Here I bring you the exclusive recording of their interview and performance. You can stream it at the top of this page, or press the down arrow on the soundcloud bar to download the 83mb lossless FLAC file (Sidenote: Although it was recorded from the webstream, which was most likely a lossy MP3-quality stream, I chose not to downgrade the quality further by compressing it to MP3 again. And that’s why you get a FLAC file and not an MP3. But really is that extra 60mb really gonna tip the scales and fill your hard drive to the bursting point?).

Here I also present the videos I shot from the front row. The audio has been upgraded with my friend’s recording with schoeps microphones, which is available to download over at etree. The video starts out with Extinction Burst (one of my favorite tracks off the new album), and then there is nearly 5 minutes of Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers, including most of Claypool’s bass solo jam middle part. It ends abruptly about 1.5 minutes before the end of the song due to “security.”

Medeski Martin & Wood’s End of the World Party at New Orleans Jazz Fest 2004

Still on the Medeski Martin & Wood tip. If you’ve ever seen this Russian polka trio perform live then you’ve probably already been hooked, not only by their musical virtuosity but by their incessant grooves.




Today I present a full 2 hour video of MMW throwing it down at a 2004 late night show during New Orleans Jazz Fest. At the time, the band was fresh off of a west coast run of nine shows at small venues in which every show was complete improvisation. [I highly highly recommend dug’s five disc compilation: April Grooves 2004.]

After a few nights off MMW hit NOLA like a storm, busting out mainly new tunes from their End Of The World Party (Just In Case) album that they would release later that year. The first half of the show features the Sex Mob horns, Steven Bernstein on trumpet & Briggan Kraus on saxophone, and there is also a spacey improv section with Grant Calvin Weston on percussion and Briggan Kraus blowing some weird sounds on the sax. The encore also features the Sex Mob horns on one of John Medeski‘s classic tunes, Wiggly’s Way.

The full video is on youtube in 2 parts and the DVD version is available to download here.

Part 1/2:
Anonymous Skulls > Improv > Mami Gato > Down On Me
Sasa > Improv > Creole Love Call (w/ Snake Anthony bassline)

Part 2/2:
Drum Solo > Curtis > Bass Solo > Queen Bee
New Planet > Improv (w/ G. Calvin Weston & Briggan Kraus)
End Of The World Party
Encore: Whiney Bitches > Wiggly’s Way

Interesting tidbit: at the same time this show was occurring, David Bowie (with The Polyphonic Spree as his opening act) was playing literally across Canal Street at the Saenger Theater. It was a tough choice, but with two of my absolute favorite bands playing together, I just couldn’t miss this MMW / Ween co-headliner.

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