Happy Hanukkah!

Celebrating the Birthday of James Booker

Singer and New Orleans rhythym and blues keyboardist James Carroll Booker, III, was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1939. His unique style combined rhythm and blues with jazz standards. Booker was the son and grandson of Baptist ministers, both of whom played the piano. He attended the Xavier Academy Preparatory School, becoming highly skilled in classical music, and also combining elements of stride, blues, gospel and Latin piano styles in his performances. Booker made his recording debut in 1954 with "Doin' the Hambone" and "Thinkin' 'Bout My Baby", produced by New Orleans legend Dave Bartholomew. In 1960, Booker's "Gonzo", reached number 43 on the Billboard chart and number 3 on the R&B record chart, followed by some moderate success. Unfortunately, he began abusing drugs, serving a brief sentence in Angola Prison for drug possession in 1970. 

In 1974, Booker played organ in Dr. John's Bonnaroo Revue touring band, and during this period, he appeared on albums by Ringo Starr, John Mayall, The Doobie Brothers, Labelle and Maria Muldaur. His 1975 performance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival earned him a recording contract that produced the album, Junco Partner. Booker recorded a number of albums while touring Europe in 1977, and from 1978 to 1982, he was the house pianist at the Maple Leaf Bar in uptown New Orleans. Booker's last commercial recording, Classified, made in 1982, was completed in four hours. Sadly, Booker's mental and physical condition had deteriorated. Tragically, Booker died on November 8, 1983, while seated in a wheelchair in the emergency room at New Orleans' Charity Hospital, waiting to receive medical attention.

New Orleans legend Dr. John described Booker as "the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced." While Booker left us far too soon, we can celebrate his immeasurable contribution to music on his birthday.

Photo by: Lionel decoster - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15835160

Celebrating the Birthday of Art Neville

Three-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and keyboardist Lanon “Art” Neville was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1937. He was a founding member of The Meters, The Funky Meters, and part of one of New Orleans’ storied musical families, the Neville Brothers. He was best known for New Orleans funk, soul, and rhythm and blues, and was a staple in the New Orleans music scene for five decades. He performed on many recordings by noteworthy artists from New Orleans and elsewhere, including Paul McCartney, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, Labelle, Robert Palmer and Lee Dorsey. Neville’s musical style helped set the tone of New Orleans funk, influencing upcoming musical styles such as hip-hop as well as jam bands including Galactic, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Phish. Sadly, Art passed away on July 22, 2019, at the age of 81, but his music lives on. Today let’s remember Art and celebrate his legacy. 

Photo by: https://www.flickr.com/photos/robbiesaurus/

Celebrating the Birthday of Big Chief Tootie Montana

Big Chief Allison "Tootie" Montana was born in New Orleans on December 16, 1922, and was a New Orleans cultural icon who acted as the Mardi Gras Indian "Chief of Chiefs" for over 50 years. Tootie is revered in the Mardi Gras Indian culture as the Big Chief who is responsible for making the the culture of the Mardi Gras Indians about pageantry rather than violence.

In 1982 Tootie is quoted to have said that "Now, people run to the Mardi Gras Indians; back in the day, people would run from them". Montana is a recipient of a 1987 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. Tootie continued to mask as Chief until 1998, when his son Darryl took over as Chief of The Yellow Pocahontas Tribe. At the age of 78, Tootie was the oldest continuously masking Mardi Gras Indian. In 1995 he stated, "I am the oldest, I am the best, and I am the prettiest". 

On June 27, 2005, Tootie was making a speech at the New Orleans City Council Chamber against the NOPD abuse of the Mardi Gras Indians, when he suffered from a heart attack that took his life. At his funeral, different tribes from across the city gathered to sing, dance and honor Tootie, the Big Creole Chief, the Chief of Chiefs. Today we commemorate the birthday of the Chief of Chiefs and his invaluable contributions to New Orleans culture.

Luna Fête - 12/15 - 18/2022

LUNA (Light Up NOLA Arts) Fête is a visionary initiative by the Arts Council New Orleans. We utilize local iconic architecture and contemporary light, sound installation, motion graphics, and video-mapping practices to create a series of artistic large-scale outdoor light installations across the city each December. By stimulating connectivity across sectors, we shine a light on New Orleans and demonstrate how Art Transforms Communities. This festival is a cultural exchange that fosters both international economic stimulus and increased awareness of and opportunities for the local arts community. LUNA Fête illuminates the intersection of art, architecture, technology, film, community engagement, and tourism. The project creates the next generation of family-friendly outdoor spectacle that is consistent with the New Orleans community and street-based celebration. It inspires awe and connects people to a new era of contemporary art.

Happy Birthday, Monk Boudreaux!

Monk Boudreaux, born Joseph Pierre Boudreaux in New Orleans on December 7, 1941, is the Big Chief of the Golden Eagles, a Mardi Gras Indian tribe. He is widely known for his long-time collaboration with Big Chief Bo Dollis in The Wild Magnolias, which he joined in the late 1960s. Dollis and Boudreaux were close friends since their childhood. In 1970, Boudreaux appeared with the Wild Magnolias at the very first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In that same year, the group released the single "Handa Wanda", the first studio recorded music by the Mardi Gras Indians. In 1974, he appeared with the Wild Magnolias on their debut album, which featured supporting musicians Snooks Eaglin and Willie Tee. Boudreaux is exclusively featured on Golden Eagles' 1998 live album Lightning and Thunder. In 2001, after 30 years with the Wild Magnolias, Boudreaux left the group. Since then, he has performed and recorded with artists such as Anders Osborne, Galactic and Papa Mali in addition to the Golden Eagles.

Boudreaux participated in the recording and tour of the Voice of the Wetlands All-stars, a band that also featured Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, and Dr. John among others. He is also featured on one track in Sing Me Back Home, the New Orleans Social Club's album released in 2006. In addition, he performs in New Orleans with John Lisi & Delta Funk, with whom he has also recorded. In 2010, Boudreaux appeared in the feature-length documentary Bury the Hatchet, which provides an intimate look at the Mardi Gras Indian tradition, following Boudreaux and several other Mardi Gras Indian Chiefs in the year before Hurricane Katrina, through the storm and the years after. In 2016, Boudreaux received a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship. Today we celebrate the birthday of this unique New Orleanian! Happy Birthday Big Chief!

Photo: Masahiro Sumori