Celebrating the Birthday of Buddy Bolden

Cornetist Charles Joseph “Buddy” Bolden was born in New Orleans on September 6, 1877, was one of the founding fathers of jazz. Many jazz musicians, including Jelly Roll Morton and the great trumpeter Louis Armstrong, acclaimed him as one of the most powerful musicians ever to play jazz. Little is known about the details of Bolden’s career, but it is documented that by about 1895 he was leading a band. Acknowledged as the cornet king of New Orleans, Bolden often worked with six or seven different bands simultaneously. In 1906 his emotional stability began to crumble, and the following year he was committed to the East Louisiana State Hospital, where he died on November 4, 1931. Today we remember, celebrate and appreciate Buddy Bolden’s musical legacy!

Happy Birthday, Davell Crawford!

Pianist, vocalist, composer and arranger Davell Crawford was born in New Orleans on September 3, 1975, began playing piano when he was seven and first toured Europe in his early teens. Crawford brings a synthesis of styles (jazz, funk, R&B, and gospel) to his piano playing, singing and songwriting. Fats Domino, Sarah Vaughan, Patsy Cline and Liberace are among his many influences, and he believes in the art of entertainment, occasionally leaving his piano to talk and joke with his audience. Acclaimed as the “Piano Prince of New Orleans,” Crawford brings equal exuberance to both modern and classic jazz, rhythm and blues, funk, blues, gospel, soul, pop, American folk and touches of country-western.

However, Gospel is at the heart of everything that Crawford does. As a child, Crawford attended both Baptist and the Catholic churches and watched the pipe organist so attentively that when he first sat in front of the impressive instrument he already knew the function of the stops and pedals. The organ at his church was the first he ever played and throughout his life he’s continued to man the organ in both church and club settings. At just 10 years old, he took on the position of accompanist to the St. Peter Claver Catholic Church choir, and by the time he was 11, he became the youth choir director, pianist and organist to the sanctuary and men’s choruses at the St. Joseph Baptist Church. Since then Crawford has traveled the world conducting choral workshops and making appearances in gospel music. He has also hosted award winning gospel ensembles and formed The Davell Crawford Singers, who continue to perform and can be heard on his CD, My Gift To You. That being said, Crawford is also fully versed in the traditional jazz songbook of New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. Crawford plays and sings the music of his passion—the music of his life. He has soaked up the surrounding rhythms and harmonies of New Orleans that were his deep musical roots and nurtured his natural talent. In the inimitable New Orleans tradition, Crawford is a passionate performer who has a flair for the art of entertainment, engaging the audience with his winning personality and sense of humor. Happy Birthday, Davell!

Photo: Facebook

Happy Birthday, Branford Marsalis!

Branford Marsalis was born on August 26, 1960, in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, to one of the premier musical families in the world. Branford is an saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque. He is the son of Dolores, a jazz singer and substitute teacher, and Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr., an acclaimed pianist and music professor. His brothers Jason Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Delfeayo Marsalis are also world famous jazz musicians.

Photo by: darlene susco - https://www.flickr.com/people/63102512@N06

Happy Birthday, Leo Nocentelli!

Singer songwriter and guitarist Leo Nocentelli was born in New Orleans on June 15, 1946. Best known as a founding member and lead guitarist of The Meters, he wrote the original versions of several funk classics such as "Cissy Strut" and "Hey Pocky A-Way". He has recorded with a variety of notable artists such as Dr. John, Robert Palmer and Etta James. In 2018, Nocentelli received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as a member of The Meters. In a life filled with music and achievement, we are fortunate to celebrate this day with Leo. Happy Birthday!

Photo by: Francisco Daum

Happy Birthday, June Yamagishi!

New Orleans-based Guitarist June Yamagishi was born on June 6, 1953, in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. He is the guitarist for bands Papa Grows Funk and the Wild Magnolias. He has been a major force in the Japanese blues and jazz scene since the early 1970s. In 1995, Yamagishi left his well-established career behind in Japan to live in New Orleans where he still lives today. Since he found his home in the Crescent City, he has played with musicians including Earl King, Henry Butler, Davell Crawford, Marva Wright, George Porter, Jr., among many others in addition to the two groups he is a member of. Today we wish June a very happy birthday!

Photo: Masahiro Sumori

Happy Birthday, Aurora Nealand!

Bandleader, composer, saxophonist, clarinetist, accordionist, and vocalist Aurora Nealand was born on May 28, in California. The following biography is from http://www.auroranealand.com.

An established bandleader, composer, performer and improviser, Aurora Nealand has become a prominent force in the New Orleans music scene since she first arrived in 2004. Combining the “formal education” – a music composition degree from Oberlin Conservatory and training at the Jacques Lecoq School of  Physical Theatre in Paris –  with the “informal”  experience of playing music in the streets and clubs of New Orleans and throughout the northern Hemisphere, Nealand has emerged as an innovative, sensitive and daring music creator and performer.

She is most recognized for her performance on saxophones, clarinet and vocals and has been at the forefront of the revival of New Orleans Traditional Jazz amongst the younger generation of the city’s musicians. After playing and learning as a sideman in established New Orleans Bands for several years, (Panorama Jazz Band, VaVaVoom, The New Orleans Moonshiners), in 2010 she formed her own Traditional Jazz band “The Royal Roses”. The Royal Roses released it’s first album, “A Tribute to Sydney Bechet: Live at Preservation Hall” to national acclaim and Nealand was voted as one of Downbeat Magazines top ten rising stars for soprano saxophone in 2010.

Nealand grew up in a musical family in California listening to Preservation Hall Jazz Band recordings side by side with Stravinsky, Joan Baez and the Pixies. Later, during her time at Oberlin College/Conservatory she was exposed and fell in love with the recordings of Mingus, the soundscapes of Mort Subotnik and the performances of Laurie Anderson. With a strong interest in interdisciplinary work and sound for theatre and installation, she moved to Paris to study at the Ecole du Theatre Physical Jacques Lecoq. Upon returning to the states, she bicycled cross-country collecting audio interviews and stories in rural America to be used in a series of compositions about true “American Dreams”. This bicycle trip landed her in New Orleans, which has acted as her home base since 2005. In New Orleans she began playing traditional jazz, jazz manouche of Django Reinhardt, as well as Balkan/Klezmer music. She quickly became involved in the local improvisation scene as well, making frequent appearances at the Open Ears series playing her own compositions with various ensembles and artists.

In addition to leading the Royal Roses, Nealand is also the leader/frontman ofNew Orleans premier rockabilly band “Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers”, and as performs frequently with her solo project, “The Monocle”. She also is a member of Panorama Jazz Band and Why Are We Building Such A Big Ship.  In 2010 and 2011 she appeared frequently as herself  in the HBO TV series, “Treme”.

Nealand has performed extensively in New Orleans at clubs, in the Jazz and Heritage Fest, FrenchQuarter Fest and Satchmo Fest. She has also performed frequently in New York City at Lincoln Center Summer Festival in NYC, the BlueNote, Knitting Factory, Barbes and has premiered original works at Symphony Space and Alice Tully Hall.  Internationally she has appeared at the Istanbul Jazz Festival, London Swing Festival, Barcelona Swing Out, and has toured several times around Irealand, Sweden, Germany , France and the Balkans.

Today we wish this uniquely talented artist a very happy birthday!

Photo: http://www.auroranealand.com