REFLECTIONS AND MUSINGS OF A JAZZ FEST PHOTOGRAPHER – 2017 EDITION

Heading home from Jazz Fest 48 it seemed I'd passed through a lifetime's worth of sounds, tastes and bonding since arriving in New Orleans a few weeks back. Friendships deepened, the palette was bathed in constant indulgence, the liver took…

Cameron Graves, Planetary Prince Album Release, The Troubadour

March 16, 2017 The “world famous” Troubadour is not the first venue that comes to mind for boundary morphing contemporary piano driven ensemble jazz. But then, the L.A. based collective known as the West Coast Get Down, has yet to do…

West Coast Get Down, El Rey Theatre

January 28, 2017 The West Coast Get Down is better known as the L.A. collective of talent including saxophonist Kamasi Washington. Washington has commanded a lot of attention the past few years, and for good reason. That audacious 3-disc…

Anders Osborne, The Troubadour

November 11, 2016 A bill of New Orleans’ Anders Osborne with Texas drenched songwriter James McMurtry at the Troubadour was just the salve for this soul after a tumultuous and historic week. Both delivered on a night of well spun tales…

George Porter, Jr. & Friends, The Mint

October 21, 2016 Any chance to hear Meters bassist George Porter, Jr. in the southland is a treat, and he brought a little Maple Leaf with him for a generous two-setter at The Mint billed as a celebration of Porter, Jr. with special guests.…

KAABOO 2016

September  16-18, 2016 KAABOO is an art and food festival with a serious music problem - a weekend away with a killer soundtrack. With a year to percolate since last year’s inaugural, KAABOO again flashed musical diversity, tasty cuisine,…

Newport Jazz Festival 2016

July 29-31, 2016 Newport Jazz. Coltrane's last performance. History that reaches back to 1954. And, yes, the oldest annual jazz festival in North America is still under the stewardship of founder George Wein for one last year. Newport, along…

Reflections and Musings of a Jazz Fest Photographer – 2016 Edition

  Yeah, it’s been a year of musical losses. But, Prince, the day before Jazz Fest 47 got underway? WTF? From the glyph etched in the blue above the Fair Grounds the first weekend, to the Treme second line the Monday following, to My…

Lucinda Williams, Royce Hall

March 4, 2016 It seems many established acts are getting more artistically liberated in the deep end of their careers, or is that just me? Whether it’s an unusual union (David Crosby and Snarky Puppy come to mind in the moment), reaching…

The Infamous Stringdusters and Della Mae, The Troubadour

February 25, 2016 Some serious stringing occurred at The Troubadour last week courtesy of another nice Bluegrass Situation Presents double bill of the globe trotting Della Mae first on before the Infamous Stringdusters. The women of Della…