#magnolia jazz band

[carame1bunny]

‎ ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

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The beginning of something, yay! I really hope you like it and I’ll try to write as fast as I can. I want the chapters to be way longer, so I’m going to try working on it! Enjoy! xx Bunny

warning: none, maybe Alastor being a cocky bitch:)

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Alastor didn’t even know how he ended up here. Sitting in his car and driving to the loveliest jazz bar in New Orleans, The Red Magnolia, his favorite. Rosie, an old and dear friend of his, has recommended him to a manager, even though he didn't ask for it. He wasn’t interested in making any deals, but went to the “meeting” for her sake.

He knew he had a way with people, so he could have easily succeeded in business, however, his heart was always set on radio. Even when he was a little kid, putting on a show for his mother and pretending to be a radio host, his microphone consisted of a stick and a rock stuck to it with a few layers of cheap tape. Well, he was a real one now— the best one in all of Louisiana at that. Yet, it was sometimes good to make some investments and add to his wealth. After all, money opened doors charisma alone could not.

The humid air carried the familiar scent of lingering perfumes and magnolias, it was spring after all. There was no spring in New Orleans without magnolias. The distant hum of the city was mingling with the sound of his engine.

He snapped out of his thoughts when his eyes began recognizing the area around the bar. The streetlights cast long shadows, and the chatter of late-night revelers grew louder. It was busier than usual, which made him frown. He hoped that it wouldn’t get too popular, he didn’t need people recognizing him left and right whenever he came here. It was lovely to speak to his listeners and hear them praise his hard work, but not when he came here to have one or two glasses of rye and look for his next victim. That, he preferred to do in peace.

He parked his car and made his way in through the back room. The young woman cleaning in the back immediately perked up and went to stand in front of him.

“W-welcome, Mr.Leblanc!” She stood rigidly, clutching her cleaning cloth like a lifeline. He towered over the girl, who was obviously very flustered by it. He smiled smugly, pleased when he was able to make the ladies blush and stammer. And he loved when men were nervous around him, afraid of his words that could shatter their fragile little egos.

“Mr.Devereux is waiting for you in his office.” She fidgeted with the hem of her uniform. “Shall I lead you the way?” She looked up at him. She was pouting her lips, trying to make them look plushier, and tried to open her eyes up wider. It was pathetic.

“Thank you, buttercup.” He flashed a grin, and stepped aside to go up the stairs. The somewhat little bar had a decoration that was just perfectly his taste— dark red, black and gold. The warm, flickering glow of candlelight danced against the rich walls, giving the place an intimate, almost theatrical ambiance. The jazz band’s music filtered through the floor, it made him smile. Jazz had always brought him comfort, and it was his Mama’s favorite. He paused for a moment on the landing, letting the smooth rhythm of the music fill his senses. The black door of Mr.Devereux’s office taunted him, he reminded himself that he won’t let Rosie talk him into any more crap.

After a quick composing of himself, he knocked and stepped in slowly. Mr.Devereux was a short little man well into his forties; his head was balding and his body rounding. He kinda reminded Alastor of a garden gnome. He stood up fastly, nearly stumbling over his own feet, at least he wouldn’t have a big fall.

“Mr.LeBla—”

“Just Alastor.”

“Alastor, in that case… Just call me Rob, I’m very pleased that you were able to make it!” He shook his hand with the little man and smiled tightly when he felt the man’s sweaty palm. It made sense, he was awfully nervous, and could barely look Alastor in the eye. He recognized this kind of nervousness in men. Sweaty palms, red faces and the constant furrow of their brows, it was the matter of money. “Brandy?” Rob offered, his own glass already filled to the rim. He mumbled a ‘sure’, and sat down on the chair that sat before Rob’s desk. Once delivered, he sipped at his brandy and hummed at the burn in his throat.

Once he fell back in his seat, Rob spoke. “I was glad when Rosie told me your name, after I burdened her with my troubles.” He chuckled, his chubby fingers massaging his most likely aching temples. “Look, I’m going to cut to the chase, because it’s awfully urgent.” Great, Alastor thought, let’s get this over with.

“There’s this lady…Y/N Valmont. We have gotten her half a year ago. Her face is real pretty, voice like a siren. However, we cannot afford to keep her. Even though people adore her, the bars pay way less for her time.” He swallowed his brandy in one go and continued as soon as the liquor went down. “Mostly because she's a woman, and because she’s unmarried, they expect her to… how can I say this nicely? Do you understand?

Alastor was at a loss, he had no idea what this had to do with him and why “No, Mr.Devereux, I don’t know what you mean. Care to explain?” He had an idea what the proposition was, but he wanted to hear it from Rob’s mouth.

“They expect her to whore herself out, kiss the ass of the male audience. And obviously, she refuses to, stubborn little lady she is, but she can be real sweet when she wants to b—“ Al silenced him by putting a hand up. The other man immediately retorted back into his chair and straightened his back.

Now he spoke what he had on my mind the whole time since he stepped in the Red Magnolia. “What does this have to do with me? I am nothing, but a radio host.” Being humble was always a safe way to go in his opinion.

“Alastor, you have power, you are heard by all of New Orleans. And I have heard that take part in investments from time to time, she could be your greatest investment.” He was stumbling over his words, a new layer of sweat formed on his reddish face.

“If she says she doesn’t want to be courted around, then what would change if I “bought” her from you?” Alastor crossed his legs and leaned back in his seat. There was a somewhat awkward silence in the office, the only thing that was heard was the jazz sneaking up and through the floorboards. He could also nearly hear the gears turning in the other man’s head, he was really thinking hard about how to say his next few words.

“Well, people will eventually know that you’re her sponsor and gossip will come around. They will assume you’re courting her and that’s it. No one will expect her to whore herself around. All you have to do is sponsor her, pay for her numbers, her dresses and everything that helps her doll up. I would say… 80 percent, and we will pay the rest. We will manage her, and you just pay.”

He was confused, and just a tad angry. “Then what?” He raised an eyebrow. His lips were stuck in a grin.

“Then, once people accept that she does fool around with a man, especially New Orleans’ beloved radio host, they pay her and us properly, at least we hope so.”

They talked about details, and he thought… Fuck it. It wasn’t a lot of money, at least to him. Even if the plan failed, he would get the money back from the Red Magnolia, and it would bring him more attention.

“So, when can we expect you to decide?”

Alastor chuckled and offered his hand. “I’m in.” He never did anything like this, never acted so spontaneous, he always thought things like this through. But, a good deal is a good deal.

They shook hands, and while Mr.Devereux was working out the paperwork, Alastor decided to head down to the bar. The bar had three floors, the ground floor, where the stage was, around it the dancefloor along with tables with their seats, and of course the counter in the corner. The second and third floor were only balconies, the second had even more tables and sofas, it was more of a section where the guests could talk. The third was only used for the offices, no guests were allowed up there, there was barely any lighting even, only some oil lamps on the walls. The band was playing a soft tune, and people were dancing. His eyes got stuck on a couple. A girl with reddish hair and adorable freckles was resting her arms on the shoulders of, most-likely, her lover, a man with black curly hair. He recognized the lady, she sometimes played the piano right here in this very bar, her long and toned fingers telling the truth of her life’s passion. Even in the dim lighting, he could see the way they were looking into one another’s eyes, their sparkling gazes and soft grins told him everything he had to know. His eyes suddenly picked up a glint on the girl’s finger, a diamond ring. Now that he was looking at the young woman, he could see it. The very bottom of her abdomen was rounding up, her hips softer than usual and a light glow adorning her face.

In moments like this he wished he lived a normal life, a life where he could have fallen in love with a girl, marry her and eventually have a little one of his own. Maybe that way… he could have made his Ma prouder of him. However, he quickly snapped out of it. He didn’t care about all that, no woman could compete with the love he had for radio and the thrill of taking a human life. He wasn’t meant to settle down, or have a child, no.

He looked at everyone’s faces, but no one could see him, he couldn’t blame them, even he himself was struggling to see up there. However, as his eyes roamed around, they caught another pair. He felt his chest tighten for a second, his gaze caught another. Sleek updo and a pink dress. A young woman, who was sipping her cocktail and ignoring the seemingly cocky guy talking to her. She had the sweetest face he ever saw, shy smile and big doe eyes.

Suddenly, Mr.Devereux came up beside him, putting the papers in front of him. He was forced to rip his eyes away from her, so he could read through the contract. It took him quite some minutes to finish reading, he could feel her eyes still lingering on him. While he didn’t date, he enjoyed being around the ladies, they were either his dearest friends or his toys. Maybe this new little skylark could be useful to entertain him, until he gets bored, of course. Once finished, he saw how everything was written as they agreed on.

“So, are you satisfied?” Mr.Devereux asked, motioning to the contract. Alastor got his pen out of his breast pocket and just before making it official, he flashed his eyes again to the girl, who was just zoning out while wrapping her lips around a cigarette. Yes, a new toy is just what he needs. He spoke once he signed every paper.

“You’re damn right I am, Robert.”

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taglist: @jyoongim @lovingyeet @adamwarlockislife-blog @that-dumb-bitch @midorichoco @alastorswifeee @sugurubabe @captainfia @alastorssimp @iheartalastor @speedycoffeedelight @1o-o1 @kimmis-stuff @qu1cks1lversb1tch @chibistar45 @the-maladaptive-daydreamers @redfoxwritesstuff @fries11 @certifiedcrybabyyy @sirens-and-moonflowers @rapturenyx @visara-valentina

[cera-writes]

an idea: slow dancing w remy! (x reader ofc)

ma belle evangeline from princess and the frog came on my spotify shuffle earlier, and all i can think about is dancing with him with the song in the background 😭

love your fics btw!!🫶🫶

A/N: This idea makes me really, really soft 🥹 That's also one of my favorite Disney movies <3 Pairing: Remy LeBeau x gn!Reader Tags: slow dancing, Disney music, fluff, close proximity

Ma Belle Evangeline

The air was thick with the scent of magnolias and the distant hum of conversation as you found yourself standing at the edge of a bustling New Orleans courtyard. The night was alive with the sounds of jazz, and above, the Spanish moss swayed gently in the warm breeze. Your eyes caught sight of Remy LeBeau, Gambit, across the space, his gaze equally drawn to you. The band began to play "Ma Belle Evangeline," a song that always made you think of him, naturally.

Without a word, Remy approached, his eyes never leaving yours. He extended a hand, his touch electric as it met your skin. "Shall we dance, mon cher?" he murmured, his voice low and inviting.

You nodded, unable to speak, and let him lead you onto the makeshift dance floor. The world around you faded into the background as the music enveloped you both. Remy pulled you close, his hand firm on your waist, guiding you effortlessly through the steps. You could feel the rhythm of his heart against your chest, matching the beat of the song.

As the chorus swelled, Remy leaned closer, his breath warm against your ear. "Tout le jour, je pense à toi," he whispered, his French accent thick and enticing. His words, a soft confession of thoughts throughout the day, sent shivers down your spine.

You looked up at him, your own feelings mirrored in his eyes. "And what do you think about, Remy?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

He smiled, a hint of mischief lighting up his face. "I think about how I wanna dance witchu under de stars every night," he replied, his voice smooth as silk.

The song continued, each note a testament to the growing connection between you. Remy's hand slid gently up your back, sending sparks of desire through you. You closed your eyes for a moment, lost in the sensation of his body pressed against yours, the world reduced to just the two of you and the music.

When you opened your eyes again, Remy was watching you, his expression tender. "You look beautiful tonight, mon cœur ," he said, his gaze sincere.

You blushed, ducking your head slightly. "Thank you," you murmured, your heart pounding in your chest.

The song reached its crescendo, the notes soaring into the night sky. Remy spun you lightly, then drew you back against him, his arms encircling you tightly. You felt safe, cherished, in his embrace.

As the final strains of the song faded away, Remy bowed low over your hand, pressing a gentle kiss to your knuckles. "Until next time, ma belle," he whispered, his voice filled with promise.

You stood there, your hand still tingling from his touch, as he straightened and gave you one last, lingering look before turning to rejoin the crowd. The night seemed to hold its breath, waiting, as you stood there, lost in the afterglow of the dance and the secrets shared beneath the Spanish moss.

[thirtysomethingloser92]

Hi hi I was just wondering if ur taking requests could u do a 97!Remy LeBeau x fem!mutant!reader headcanon list of going on a date in New Orleans 👉🏼👈🏼

I don't think I've ever done a headcannon list before so I'LL TRY.

Remy, ever the charmer, surprises you with an invitation in true Cajun fashion—leaving a handwritten note with a single red rose at your doorstep. The note simply reads, "Dinner à New Orleans, chérie? Pack y'self a lil' dress, we gon' have some fun."

Remy picks you up in a sleek black convertible, the engine purring as music plays softly in the background. He's dressed in a tailored dark suit with a hint of his usual flair—a red silk shirt peeking through. He gives you a once-over, eyes sparkling as he says, "Mon dieu, chérie, y'lookin' like a dream come true."

He takes you on a leisurely walk through the French Quarter before dinner, guiding you by the hand through cobblestone streets. Remy points out little historical tidbits and shares colorful local legends, his arm occasionally brushing yours. He loves showing off his city, and his accent grows thicker the more excited and animated he gets. His pride in his roots is infectious, and you can’t help but feel enamored by his passion.

Remy makes sure you stop for a moment to enjoy the vibrant street performers—a lively jazz band plays under the glow of old-fashioned street lamps. Without warning, he spins you into a playful dance right there on the sidewalk, leading you in a few smooth, flirty moves. He chuckles when you stumble slightly, pulling you closer and whispering, "Just follow m'lead, chère."

He takes you to a hidden gem restaurant known only to locals—tucked away, intimate, and filled with the aromas of Cajun spices. You’re seated in a cozy corner, candles flickering softly on the table. Remy orders in flawless French, his eyes never leaving yours. The conversation flows effortlessly between playful banter and deeper confessions, with Remy listening intently whenever you speak.

Remy insists on ordering a variety of dishes for you to try—gumbo, crawfish étouffée, jambalaya—each one more delicious than the last. He teases you about the spices, but when you handle the heat with ease, he raises an impressed eyebrow. "Didn’t think y’could keep up wit’ a Cajun’s palate, chère. Guess y'full of surprises, huh?"

At one point, Remy uses his powers in a subtle yet impressive display. With a flick of his wrist, he charges a small card, letting it glow softly in the dim light before tossing it away, harmlessly discharging the energy. It’s his way of showing off, but also a reminder that beneath the charm and the smiles, he’s got an edge that’s both thrilling and dangerous.

After dinner, Remy whisks you away to a riverboat cruise along the Mississippi. The boat is old-fashioned, with a big paddlewheel and a lively jazz band playing on the deck. He takes you out onto the balcony where the city lights glitter on the water. As you lean on the railing, he wraps his coat around your shoulders and stands close behind, his breath warm against your ear as he murmurs about the sights.

Near the end of the night, Remy takes you to a little antique shop that’s open late. He insists on buying you a small keepsake—a delicate locket with a tiny flower engraved on it. He fastens it around your neck, his fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary as he gazes into your eyes. "Now y’got a piece of New Orleans wit’ ya, wherever y’go."

He walks you back to your door, the night air still warm and filled with the faint scent of magnolias. Remy leans against the doorframe, smirking as if he’s in no rush to leave. When the moment finally feels right, he steps closer, tilting your chin up gently. His kiss is soft and slow at first, filled with unspoken promises of more nights like this. As you part, he whispers, "Bonne nuit, ma belle. This ain’t gon’ be our last rendezvous."

[superfallingstars]

for the playlist prompts how about songs you think remus would play in his classroom during his time as a dada professor? he feels like the type of teacher who would let soft music play while the students did their work or as he graded papers imo

send me playlist prompts!

Ha this one is fun! I like the idea of Lupin playing music during class - he’s already the “cool” professor, so this seems like a no-brainer! It was hard not to be influenced by the PoA movie, what with its lovely little Boggart montage set to jazz music, but I decided to roll with it and make Professor Lupin’s curiously curated lo-fi beats to relax and study to. My jazz knowledge is pretty limited (compared to my knowledge of, say, shitty 90s alternative rock bands), and I also felt like this playlist should be mostly instrumental, so I initially felt a little constrained with these selections. I ended up choosing a few lyrically topical songs, while the rest are just my personal instrumental jazz faves that I thought were fitting. Overall I’m quite pleased with how this came out – so I hope you enjoy!

Track list:

Sun Ra - I Could Have Danced All Night: I adore this entire album, it’s just so beautiful and wistful. I also find that I’m quite productive while listening to it, so I feel like it would work in a classroom setting…

Chet Baker - But Not For Me - Vocal Version: This is suuuuch a perfect Remus song to me omg. Everyone is in love except for ME and it’ll never happen for me (because I’m fundamentally unlovable because I’m a werewolf!!!)

Shira Small - Lights Gleam Lonely: Jazzy 70s pop. I love this song, I think it's sooo Lupin, and Icouldn’t resist putting it on here (also if you've seen the other playlist asks you know how obsessed I am with this album)

Dorothy Ashby - By The Time I Get to Phoenix: gorgeous 70s jazz harp (yes, harp!)

Ella Fitzgerald - No Moon At All: when I was making this playlist I was searching for jazz songs about the moon, only to find this one about how romantic it is when there is no moon, which is honestly a thousand times better than anything I could have imagined. 10/10 Remus moment

Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane - Ruby, My Dear: Gorgeous relaxing piano/saxophone song. I only know this song because Dave Malloy plays it in Ghost Quartet and if that sentence means anything to you then PLEASE TALK TO ME

Sun Ra - You Never Told Me That You Cared: from that same album as other Sun Ra one (I seriously can’t recommend it enough!). It's so crazy to feel heartbroken from an instrumental song like. This is literally just Notes and now I’m gonna start crying

Stanton Moore - Magnolia Triangle: another of my personal jazz instrumental faves. I’m just so impressed that something in 5/4 can sound this smooth and catchy

John Coltrane - My Favorite Things: this song is one of MY favorite things. The first time I heard it was because one of my teachers played it during a work period, so... rather fitting, right? Also it's SO long sorry about that

Miles Davis Quartet - That Old Devil Moon: there are plenty of vocal versions of this song, but I wasn't really feeling them... Sorry Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis is my best friend now

Thank you for the ask, this one was really fun! I hope you enjoy the playlist!

[endlesssummerexchange]

there's some sweetness goin' 'round

By: boasamishipper | @boasamishipper

For: enthyrea | @enthyrea

Pairing: Javy "Coyote" Machado/Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Rating: T

Word count: 2,512

Summary: Even with the humidity, it’s hard not to be enraptured by summer in New Orleans. Maybe it’s the fact that the grass is so green and the trees are so lush, they seem plucked right out of a fairy tale. Maybe it’s the smell of magnolia and jasmine and camellias dogging his every step. Maybe it’s the music—the brass bands, the jazz piano, the sweet waltzes, the zydeco, all mixing into a cacophony that gets his blood pumping and feet tapping. Almost certainly it’s the way Coyote Machado comes alive here, his eyes bright and smile brighter than Hangman has ever known, even right after stepping out of a cockpit.

COLLECTION

[twoblackcats-com-blog]

just a little while to stay here by Dave Binyon Via Flickr: Music: Please Right Click and select "Open link in new tab" www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcxAk5gB0Oo Just a Little While to Stay Here - Magnolia Jazz Band · Aline White

[whatilistenedtoatwork]

From December 9th to December 12h, 2024

09-12-2024

EMINEM “Recovery”; GURU “Jazzamatazz, Vol. 1”; SINEAD O'CONNOR “Universal Mother”; IRON MAIDEN “Piece Of Mind”; KATE RUSBY “While Mortals Sleep”; ALICE COOPER “Muscle Of Love”; VARIOUS ARTISTS “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”; COURTNEY PINE “Modern Day Jazz Stories”; STEREOLAB “Emperor Tomato Ketchup”

10-12-2024

MADDY PRIOR & THE CARNIVAL BAND “Gold, Frankincense, & Myrrh”; TRICKY “Maxinquaye”; MADDY PRIOR & THE CARNIVAL BAND “Carols & Capers”; THE WILD MAGNOLIAS “The Wild Magnolias”; VARIOUS ARTISTS “Harry Smith Anthology Of American Folk Music, Volume One: The Ballads”; LEE PERRY “Arkology - Reel One: Dub Organisers”; SERGE GAINSBOURG “Love On The Beat”

11-12-2024

OYSTERBAND “Ride”; GANG STARR “The Ownerz”; PRINCE “Musicology”; WINGS “Band On The Run”; AC/DC “AC/DC Live”; SMUDGE “This Smudge Is True: The Best Of Smudge, 1991-1998”; BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN “Lucky Town”; PATRICK STREET “No. 2 Patrick Street”; THE CHIEFTAINS “The Bells Of Dublin”; MOUNTAIN GOATS “In League With Dragons”; MOTORHEAD “1916”; THE BOO RADLEYS “Giant Steps”

12-12-2024

THE POGUES “If I Should Fall From Grace With God”; SLEAFORD MODS “Wank”; SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES “Juju”; MADDY PRIOR & THE CARNIVAL BAND “A Tapestry Of Carols”; HONEY CONE “Soulful Tapestry”; THE SPECIALS “The Specials”; JULIAN COPE “Saint Julian”; THE BYRDS “Mr. Tambourine Man”; KENDRICK LAMAR “To Pimp A Butterfly”; ALT-J “An Awesome Wave”; PHISH “Round Room”; MASSIVE ATTACK “Blue Lines”; BARRY WHITE “Can't Get Enough”; POP WILL EAT ITSELF “Box Frenzy”; THE KINKS “Kinda Kinks”; LADY GAGA “Artpop”

[operahouses]

Under  the  sultry  New  Orleans  sky,  in  the  year  1912,  the  air  thrums  with  the  infectious  pulse  of  live  jazz.  The  party  spills  out  onto  a  cobblestone  street  lined  with  gas  lamps  casting  a  warm,  flickering  glow.  A  brass  band,  its  members  dressed  in  crisp,  white  jackets  and  black  bow  ties,  commands  a  stage  set  up  against  the  backdrop  of  a  grand,  ivy-clad  building.  The  trumpet's  bold  notes  interlace  with  the  smooth,  soulful  strains  of  the  clarinet,  its  melody  dancing  through  the  balmy  evening  air.

Guests,  adorned  in  their  finest  summer  attire,  mingle  with  animated  chatter.  Gentlemen  sport  linen  suits  and  Panama  hats,  while  ladies  glide  in  flowing,  floral-patterned  gowns  with  wide-brimmed  hats  adorned  with  feathers  and  ribbons.  The  scent  of  magnolia  blossoms  mingles  with  the  aroma  of  cigars  and  the  occasional  waft  of  bourbon  and  copper.

Servers  in  uniforms  move  gracefully  among  the  crowd,  offering  glasses  of  chilled  champagne  and  tall,  frosty  mint  juleps,  their  silver  trays  glinting  under  lamplight.  Laughter  and  lively  conversation  create  an  ambience  of  joyful  noise,  punctuated  by  the  occasional  clink  of  glasses  and  the  rhythmic  shuffle  of  dancers'  feet  on  the  cobblestones.  Louis,  joined  by  his  companion,  Lestat,  sits  at  a  prime  front-row  table,  its  centerpiece  a  small  vase  holding  a  single,  elegant  rose.

In  one  hand,  Louis  entertains  a  flute  of  champagne,  the  bubbles  rising  in  a  constant,  delicate  stream,  sparkling  with  every  motion.  His  other  hand  rests  casually  on  the  table,  fingers  drumming  lightly  to  the  infectious  rhythm  of  the  jazz  band.  As  the  rhythms  pulse  through  the  air,  Louis  leans  toward  Lestat  with  a  shy  smile.

His  voice,  tinged  with  his  sweet  Creole  drawl,  murmurs,  "Y'know,  Les,  this  night's  been  good  as  gold  so  far...  Can't  help  but  think  it's  'cause  you're  here  with  me."  Thrumming  fingers  pause  only  to  inch  toward  Lestat's  splayed  hand.  A  discreet  brush  of  their  fingertips,  a  quiet,  private  display  meant  only  for  them.

@indiscrminately   ⟢ 

[carmenvicinanza]

Aimee Mann

Aimee Mann, cantautrice e polistrumentista, nota per le sue composizioni delicate e malinconiche, è tra le musiciste di punta della scena nordamericana.

È salita agli onori internazionali nel 1999, quando nove sue canzoni sono entrate a far parte della colonna sonora del famoso film Magnolia, Orso d’Oro al Festival di Berlino. Uno di questi brani, la stupenda ballata Save Me, diventata una hit internazionale, le ha portato la nomination per l’Oscar e il Grammy Award.

Nata a Richmond, Virginia, l’8 settembre 1960, ha studiato al Berklee College of Music di Boston e molto presto ha iniziato a suonare.

Dopo una breve esperienza con la sua prima band punk-rock Young Snakes, nel 1983 ha fondato il gruppo new wave ‘Til Tuesday con cui ha pubblicato Voices Carry, Welcome Home e Everything’s Different Now.

Nel 1990 ha iniziato la carriera da solista che, dopo alcuni album di successo, ha toccato il vertice, alla fine del decennio, con la colonna sonora del cult movie Magnolia.

Per non piegarsi più ai diktat delle major, ha fondato la sua etichetta, SuperEgo Records, con la quale ha iniziato a produrre la sua musica in libertà editando, diversi album che spaziano tra diversi generi.

Con Mental Illness del 2017 si è aggiudicata il Grammy Award, l’ultima fatica, in ordine cronologico, è Queens of the Summer Hotel del 2021 che è stato la colonna sonora della trasposizione teatrale del film Ragazze interrotte.

Performer di classe, capace di mettere sul palco grande grinta e infinita dolcezza, si districa con maestria tra folk, pop, jazz, musica elettronica, ballads e altro ancora.

Il suo stile dolente e introspettivo, la raffinatezza e profondità della scrittura, la capacità interpretativa la rendono una delle migliori cantautrici contemporanee.

[oskarlevant]

Voices From The Garage: The Zonks At The Dairy Queen

Blast from the past May 22, 2011 at 11:02 p.m. | Updated July 7, 2015 at 5:37 p.m.

by Eric Nicholson

On a Saturday night during the summer of 1967, five teenagers scaled the Dairy Queen in Hope, Ark.

As people began to gather below, the sound of drums and an electric guitar cut through the air, and the Zonks began to play.

"We just said, 'Let's play on top of that sucker. Let's play on the roof.' And we did," said lead guitarist Buzz Andrews. "Did it before U2 and the Beatles."

The Dairy Queen was on U.S. Highway 67, the town's main thoroughfare. As word spread and curious passersby stopped to watch, the crowd overflowed the parking lot and began to spill into the street.

"We didn't really know how much of a following we had until that," said drummer Gary Thrasher. "It was kind of our own little Woodstock."

Arkansas State Police soon arrived. The band, and most of the audience, assumed they would disperse the crowd and shut down the performance. Instead, they began diverting traffic down other roads.

The Zonks weren't the first band to play atop Dairy Queen-that honor belonged to Rick Durham and the Dynamics-but that show "wasn't much," Thrasher said.

"It was a big deal for Hope, Ark.," Andrews said about The Zonks.

Satisfaction

According to Andrews, the Zonks were formed about 1965 as the Offbeats, a name they kept until a band member pointed out that they were on beat and shouldn't advertise otherwise.

They settled on The Zonks, which, all agreed, was "very original, very cool," Andrews said.

The band shifted over time, growing from a trio to a quintet, and adding new members as others lost interest or moved away. For a brief period before its dissolution, the band added a horn section.

The longest incarnation was the group that played atop Dairy Queen.

Alongside Andrews and Thrasher were bassist Alan Phillips-whose elder brother Ronnie was the band's manager and promoter; keyboardist Mike Westbrook; and vocalist Mike Tolleson, a charismatic Florida transplant with strong stage presence, on vocals.

The Zonks wasn't quite what Thrasher had in mind when he moved to Hope from Prescott. He had hoped to form a jazz trio, but it was the time of the British Invasion, and rock 'n' roll was in the air.

The band practiced at first in Alan Phillips' bedroom, until they played the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" within earshot of his mother.

"She's Church of Christ," Andrews said. "We were no longer allowed in her home."

They moved to Andrews' garage to get out of reach of prying ears. They rechristened it the Zonk Room.

The Zonks made something of a name for themselves in southwestern Arkansas during the late 1960s. They began playing carports and pool parties in Hope. Eventually, there were regular gigs at Hope Youth Center alongside bands with names like the Uniques, Mouse in the Traps, the Morticians and Squirrel Fever.

"It seems like we won second place in the poultry festival battle of the bands," Andrews said. "That sort of launched our musical careers."

When friends and siblings went off to college, The Zonks started to get gigs at parties at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia and Southern State (now Southern Arkansas) University in Magnolia.

They played at the grand opening of the Dairy Queen on East Street in Texarkana, Ark., and at an Arkansas High School homecoming. But the rooftop concert was the highlight.

The quintet reveled in their relative fame. Andrews, who was also starting quarterback and Mr. Hope High School, remembers the band being greeted by shouts of recognition as members walked through downtown Hope.

But fame was not quite enough to hold the band together. The Zonks, though they mostly wound up in Arkadelphia for college, dissolved after high school. They played at a couple of Hope High School reunions, but otherwise have pursued their own paths.

"I guess we weren't really dedicated to the band, because we didn't drop out of school and become rock stars," Andrews said.

Renaissance

The rooftop show at Dairy Queen would have marked the peak of The Zonks' fame had someone in the company's corporate office not happened upon a promotional photo for the show.

In the photo, the five band members are posed casually with their instruments on a vintage white truck covered with the DQ logo and parked in front of the restaurant. They look confidently at the camera.

Something about the photo seems to capture the spirit of the era, said Dairy Queen spokesman Dean Peters.

The company obtained the rights for the photo and used it in promotional materials for its 50th anniversary in 1990. More recently, it began hanging the photo in Dairy Queen restaurants across the country.

"Nostalgia plays an awful large part of who Dairy Queen was and is," Peters said. "We thought our customers would enjoy it."

Unbeknownst to band members, the photo, 40 years after it was taken, was sparking a renewed interest in The Zonks.

"I got an email from my brother saying, 'Hey, I saw The Zonks on TV last night,'" Thrasher said, referring to the photo's appearance on a Food Network program.

The reappearance of the photo and the interest it generated was news to Thrasher, as it was to Andrews.

"We had let it go," Andrews said. "We had moved on."

Andrews, a high school track coach and blues guitarist in Dallas, now receives regular emails from curious Dairy Queen patrons who see the photo, Google Zonks and find Andrews' Facebook page.

"I now have two sets of followers. I have my Zonks followers, and I have my blues followers," he said.

The photo even inspired a self-published novel, available on Amazon, about a fictional Zonks reunion.

A real-life reunion, however, is unlikely. Alan Phillips died several years ago. Though Andrews is returning to his hometown to headline this weekend's balloon festival, the rest of the band are firmly entrenched in their own lives, he said.

Hope no longer boasts a Dairy Queen, but the flat-roofed building on which The Zonks played 44 years ago still stands on Highway 67, just in case they change their minds on the reunion.

[jpbjazz]

LÉGENDES DU JAZZ

FREDDIE KEPPARD ET LES DÉBUTS DU JAZZ DE LA NOUVELLE-ORLÉANS

‘’Freddie had a lot of ideas and a big tone too. When he hit a note you knew it was a hit. I mean he had a beautiful tone and he played with so much feeling too. Yes, he had everything: he was ready in every respect. Keppard could play any kind of song good. Technique, attack, tone, and ideas were all there.’’

- Mutt Carey

Né le 27 février 1890 à La Nouvelle-Orléans, Freddie Keppard était le fils de Louis Keppard Sr., un cuisinier, et d’Emily Peterson. Keppard avait aussi un frère de deux ans plus âgé prénommé Louis, qui était également devenu musicien professionnel. La première chanson que Keppard avait appris à jouer avec son frère était la pièce "Just Because She Made Dem Goo-Goo Eyes", une chanson écrite par Hughie Cannon qui avait été rendue célèbre par le chanteur de cabaret John Queen.

Freddie avait grandi sur la rue Villere à La Nouvelle-Orléans dans un milieu dominé par la musique. Freddie avait d’abord étudié le violon avec sa mère, puis avec Adolphe Alexander. Son frère Louis avait appris la guitare. Durant leur enfance, Freddie et son frère Louis avaient caché leur âge aux policiers en portant de longs pantalons, ce qui leur avait permis de se rendre sur Basin Street où ils avaient travaillé comme cireurs de chaussures tour en recueillant les conseils de leurs musiciens favoris.

Comme plusieurs musiciens de La Nouvelle-Orléans, Freddie n’avait jamais reçu de formation musicale formelle. Freddie, qui ne lisait pas la musique, jouait essentiellement par oreille et se servait de son imagination pour improviser. Après avoir appris le violon, Freddie avait étudié la mandoline et l’accordéon avant de passer au cornet. À l’âge de dix ans, Freddie maîtrisait tellement la mandoline qu’il avait joué en duo avec son frère dans les environs de sa résidence.

Freddie avait commencé à jouer du cornet à l’âge de seize ans. À l’époque, il était courant pour les musiciens à cordes (Freddie jouait principalement du violon et son frère Louis de la guitare, du piano et du tuba) de jouer des cuivres afin de se tailler plus facilement un poste dans les ensembles de cors et clairons et de pouvoir jouer dans les parades. La mère des frères Keppard n’aurait pas été vraiment enchantée à l’idée de voir ses fils jouer dans les défilés, mais elle aurait changé de position après les avoir vus dans leurs uniformes, ce qui l’aurait rendue très fière selon Louis.

DÉBUTS DE CARRIÈRE

En vieillissant, les frères Keppard avaient commencé à diriger leurs propres groupes et à s’intégrer à la scène du jazz de La Nouvelle-Orléans. C’est vers 1905 que Freddie Keppard, à l’âge de seulement seize ans, aurait fondé l’Olympia Orchestra. Le groupe comprenait notamment Alphonse Picou à la clarinette. Comme tout groupe créole, l’Olympia Orchestra interprétait un répertoire varié, ce qui lui avait permis d’obtenir des contrats dans des fêtes et des salles de danse. Quant à Louis, il avait dirigé le Magnolia Orchestra, un groupe qui était devenu l’orchestre régulier des clubs Huntz's and Nagel's. Le Magnolia Orchestra comprenait Joe Oliver au cornet, qui prendrait plus tard le titre de roi du jazz de La Nouvelle-Orléans après avoir vaincu Freddie dans le cadre d’une compétition amicale.

Après avoir dirigé l’Olympia Orchestra, Freddie s’était joint au Eagle Band de Frankie Dusen, où il avait assuré la relève du légendaire Buddy Bolden de 1907 à 1911. Après que Bolden se soit définitivement retiré de la scène à la fin de 1906 pour des raisons de santé, Keppard, qui était alors le meilleur joueur de cornet de la ville, avait commencé à être surnommé  "King Keppard", non seulement en raison de ses propres mérites, mais parce qu’il avait continué de jouer dans le style de Bolden, même si ce dernier n’avait jamais vraiment enregistré. Plusieurs témoins de l’époque avaient d’ailleurs reconnu que le style de Keppard se situait dans la continuité du jeu très énergique de Bolden, tout en étant plus proche du ragtime que celui des musiciens de La Nouvelle-Orléans qui avaient suivi. Au cours de cette période, Keppard s’était produit dans des clubs comme le Pete Lala’s, Groshell’s, George Fewclothes et le Hanan’s.

À un certain moment entre la fin de 1911 et le début de 1912, le contrebassiste Bill Johnson, qui faisait carrière à Los Angeles, en Californie, depuis 1909, avait pris l’initiative d’organiser un "Original Creole Ragtime Band" afin de répandre le style de La Nouvelle-Orléans à travers tout le pays. Johnson avait également invité les musiciens de sa Nouvelle-Orléans natale à participer au projet. Après que Keppard ait accepté de jouer du cornet avec le groupe, Johnson avait recruté d’autres musiciens comme Eddie Vinson au trombone, George Baquet à la clarinette, Norwood Williams à la guitare, Jimmy Palao au violon et Dink Johnson à la batterie. Le groupe s’était produit sous le nom d’"Original Creole Orchestra" et avait fait une tournée sur le circuit de Vaudeville de l’Orpheum Theatre avant de faire son arrivée à San Francisco  en 1913. Au cours des années suivantes, le groupe s’était également produit à Chicago et à New York.

Lors d’une performance au  Winter Garden en 1915, le groupe avait présenté un spectacle sous le nom de "That Creole Band." À cette époque, Keppard était également devenu le premier musicien et cornettiste à jouer la musique de La Nouvelle-Orléans en dehors de la Louisiane. En 1914, le groupe de Keppard s’était produit pour la première fois à l’extérieur des États-Unis dans le cadre d’une performance au Pantages Playhouse Theatre de Winnipeg, au Canada. C’était également la première fois que des musiciens de jazz se produisaient sur la scène internationale. En réalité, le terme de jazz n’était pas encore utilisé à l’époque. Le groupe de Keppard s’était d’ailleurs d’abord fait connaître en jouant du ragtime.

Keppard, qui avait autographié une de ses photographies en se qualifiant lui-même de ‘’cornettiste étoile’’ du "Creole Ragtime Band", se considérait probablement comme la plus grande vedette du Original Creole Orchestra. Même s’il était le plus jeune membre du groupe, Keppard était sans doute le musicien le plus connu de la formation et celui qui avait été mentionné le plus souvent dans les premiers ouvrages qu’on avait publiés plus tard sur l’histoire du jazz, probablement parce qu’il avait été un des seuls membres du groupe dont les enregistrements avaient survécu jusqu’à nos jours. En raison de la popularité de Keppard, plusieurs avaient conclu que c’était lui à tort qui dirigeait le groupe, même s’il n’existait aucune preuve qu’il ait joué un rôle important dans l’organisation de la formation (planification des tournées, choix du répertoire, signature des contrats, etc.). En fait, il est fort probable que Bill Johnson ait été le véritable leader du groupe.

De 1915 à 1917, le Original Creole Orchestra (qui était parfois appelé le Original Creole Band), s’était surtout produit dans des salles comme le Loew's Orpheum, le Lexington Opera House et le Columbia Theater. Le groupe avait aussi fait un retour au Winter Garden. Dans leurs compte rendus, les journalistes de New York faisaient souvent fait référence au choix hétéroclite des pièces faisant partie du répertoire du groupe ainsi qu’à l’effet ‘’comique’’ du jeu du clarinettiste. Il faut dire que le public américain de l’époque n’était pas encore très familier avec la musique de La Nouvelle-Orléans. Durant le séjour du groupe sur la Côte est, d’autres musiciens s’étaient joints à la formation, dont Bab Frank au piccolo et Big Eye Louis Nelson (De Lisle) à la clarinette.

Après avoir fait la tournée des salles de Vaudeville, le Original Creole Orchestra avait donné aux autres régions des États-Unis un avant-goût de ce qui allait devenir le jazz. Après avoir remporté un grand succès à New York en 1915, le groupe avait été contacté par la Victor Talking Machine Company, la plus importance compagnie de disques de l’époque, qui lui avait proposé de réaliser ses premiers enregistrements.

C’était sans doute la première fois de l’histoire qu’une compagnie de disques offrait la possibilité à un groupe d’enregistrer des pièces de jazz. Une anecdote souvent citée raconte que Keppard ne désirait pas enregistrer parce que s’il le faisait, les autres groupes auraient pu voler son matériel. Une autre histoire bien connue rapportait que Keppard avait tellement peur d’être copié qu’il jouait parfois avec un mouchoir par-dessus sa main pour ne pas dévoiler la façon dont il plaçait ses doigts sur son instrument. En réalité, l’habitude de Keppard de cacher ses doigts durant ses performances était probablement un truc publicitaire destiné à divertir les spectateurs. Après tout, un véritable musicien faisait du plagiat par oreille et non par la vue...

RCA Victor avait finalement offert 25$ à Keppard pour enregistrer, ce qui représentait le montant de base pour un artiste ‘’non connu’’ à l’époque, même si cette somme était de beaucoup inférieure à ce qu’il gagnait sur le circuit de Vaudeville. Peu satisfait de l’offre, Keppard aurait répliqué: ‘’Twenty-Five dollars? I drink that much gin in a day!" D’après d’autres membres du groupe, le représentant de RCA Victor avait demandé au groupe de faire d’abord un enregistrement ‘’test’’ sans être payé. Le groupe avait rejeté l’offre, car il croyait qu’il s’agissait d’une manoeuvre pour l’obliger à enregistrer gratuitement. Une autre rumeur passablement populaire qui avait circulé dans le milieu du jazz à l’époque avait prétendu que Keppard avait refusé d’enregistrer parce qu’il avait peur d’être floué par la compagnie de disques. Keppard aurait même exigé de recevoir le même salaire que l’artiste le mieux payé de RCA Victor, Enrico Caruso ! C’est d’ailleurs en grande partie à cause de Keppard que Sidney Bechet avait refusé l’offre de la même compagnie d’enregistrer ses premiers disques lorsqu’il était membre de l’Original Creole Orchestra. En d’autres termes, Bechet avait refusé d’enregistrer avec RCA parce que celle-ci était un symbole de musique commerciale. Toujours selon Bechet, si Keppard avait accepté d’enregistrer avec la compagnie, la musique de l’Original Creole Band aurait rapidement cessé d’être synonyme de plaisir et serait devenue une simple commodité.

Le groupe avait continué de remporter du succès en tournée jusqu’à ce qu’il soit temporairement démantelé en 1918 avant d’être reformé peu après sous la direction de Keppard. Le groupe avait notamment été engagé comme groupe-résident au Logan Square Theatre avant de faire à nouveau le circuit des théâtres de Vaudeville.

Selon le chef d’orchestre Dave Peyton, qui dirigeait le Grand Theater Orchestra en 1915, le Original Creole Band était tellement populaire au moment de son arrivée à Chicago qu’il avait été contacté par pratiquement toutes les agences de gérance de la ville. Quelques années après la dissolution du groupe, Peyton avait ajouté que lorsque la formation était arrivée à Broadway, ‘’they were a great sensation and would be on the road today were it not for dissatisfaction among themselves and the loss of several of their members by death."

Vers 1917, Keppard s’était installé à Chicago et était demeuré dans la ville des vents jusqu’à sa mort, à l’exception d’un bref séjour sur la Côte est avec le groupe de Tim Brymn au début des années 1920. Mais Keppard était arrivé à Chicago à un bien mauvais moment car à l’époque, King Oliver était devenu le ‘’roi du cornet’’ et avait laissé toute composition dans l’ombre. La popularité d’Oliver n’avait cependant pas empêché Keppard de décrocher des contrats réguliers avec de nombreux chefs d’orchestre. Keppard avait même obtenu une résidence au Entertainers’ Cafe, avant de partir en tournée avec les Tan Town Topics. Par la suite, Keppard était retourné jouer au Entertainers’ Cafe avant de se produire au club De Lure.

À un certain moment, Keppard avait dirigé son propre groupe avec Jimmie Noone à la clarinette et Paul Barbarin à la batterie. Vers 1920, Keppard aurait même brièvement joué avec Oliver au Royal Gardens, avant de collaborer avec Jimmie Noone au Lorraine Club et d’accompagner le groupe de Mae Brady au Dreamland.

À Chicago, Keppard avait travaillé tant comme soliste que comme accompagnateur avec des groupes aussi respectés que ceux de Jimmie Noone, Johnny Dodds, Erskine Tate, Doc Cook, Mae Brady, Charles Elgar, Don Pasqual, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Ollie Powers et John Wycliffe.

Keppard avait également été un des premiers musiciens à introduire le jazz sur la Côte ouest. Keppard avait joué durant deux ans avec le groupe de Cook à partir de l’automne 1922. Parallèlement à sa collaboration avec Cook, Keppard avait aussi fait un bref séjour dans le groupe de Tate en 1923 et collaboré avec le groupe d’Ollie Powers. À partir de 1924, Keppard avait également travaillé sur une base régulière avec le Stables de Bert Kelly.

Don Pasqual, qui avait joué des instruments à anches dans le groupe de Cook durant un certain temps, avait souligné ainsi la contribution de Keppard avec la formation: ‘’Keppard really gave the band a lift and then we really went to town. Later, Andrew Hilaire and Johnny St. Cyr joined the band. Doc Cook seldom wrote out any special parts for Freddie Keppard but would just give him his head and while we were playing the arrangements Keppard would do anything he wanted.’’

Devenu un des musiciens de tournée les plus actifs du début des années 1920, Keppard avait des partisans tant à Los Angeles qu’à New York, La Nouvelle-Orléans et Chicago. Même s’il se s’était jamais produit en Europe, Keppard était également très populaire outre-mer.

Durant son séjour à Chicago, Keppard avait également contribué à créer une certaine demande pour la musique de nombreux groupes de La Nouvelle-Orléans, ce qui avait préparé le terrain à l’arrivée de nombreux musiciens de Louisiane dans les États du nord. Dans le cadre de ses nombreux voyages, Keppard avait d’ailleurs écrit sur une base régulière à plusieurs musiciens de La Nouvelle-Orléans et les avaient invités à tenter leur chance dans le nord.

Qu’elles aient été les réticences de Keppard d’enregistrer pour les disques RCA Victor, on a retrouvé dans les archives de la compagnie un enregistrement non numéroté du "Creole Jass Band". Datée du 2 décembre 1918, soit près de deux ans après la première performance de Keppard à New York, la session avait donné lieu à l’enregistrement de la pièce  "Tack 'em Down". Il est fort probable que la pièce avait été enregistrée par Keppard et le Original Creole Band. 

Les premiers enregistrements du jazz de la Nouvelle-Orléans et de Dixieland ont été réalisés dans les années 1920, près de deux décennies après que ce genre musical ait fait son apparition. En réalité, à l’époque où des musiciens de couleur comme Keppard avaient commencé à enregistrer, l’Original Dixieland Jazz Band, un groupe entièrement composé de musiciens blancs, avait déjà enregistré les premiers disques de jazz et avait commencé à dominer le marché avec son grand succès "Livery Stable Blues." En réalité, la version de la pièce "Livery Stable Blues" était inspirée d’une chanson que Keppard avait l’habitude de jouer sur scène. Selon les contemporains de Keppard, les effets de ‘’basse-cour’’ de la version de l’Original Dixieland Jazz Band étaient une véritable farce. Selon le trompettiste de La Nouvelle-Orléans Mutt Carey, lorsque Keppard se sentait bien, "he'd get devilish sometimes and he'd neigh on the trumpet like a horse" afin d’ajouter un peu d’humour à son jeu.

Les musiciens de l’époque de Keppard qui avaient travaillé avec ou l’avaient entendu jouer avaient souvent louangé ses habiletés techniques et sa créativité. Carey, même s’il respectait énormément King Oliver, avait d’ailleurs qualifié Keppard de meilleur cornettiste du jazz avant Louis Armstrong. Quant à Jelly Roll Morton, il avait dit de Keppard qu’il avait ‘’the best ear, the best tone, and the most marvelous execution I ever heard." Saluant la polyvalence et la virtuosité de Keppard, Buster Bailey, un clarinettiste qui avait joué à la fois avec Oliver et Armstrong, avait mentionné qu’il pouvait jouer ‘’as soft and as loud, as sweet and as rough, as you would want." 

Mais les groupes de Keppart n’avaient jamais été reconnus pour leur stabilité. De la fin de 1925 jusqu’au début de 1926, Keppard s’était de nouveau produit avec le groupe de Cook. Après avoir dirigé son propre groupe, Keppard avait retrouvé le groupe de Bert Kelly avant de réintégrer le groupe de Cook avec qui il avait travaillé du printemps 1927 jusqu’en septembre de la même année. Après avoir joué avec Erskine Tate au début de 1928, Keppard avait dirigé son propre groupe au Dreamland, avant de se joindre au groupe de Don Pasquall à la fin de la même année. Après être parti en tournée avec son propre groupe, Keppard s’était produit avec Charlie Elgar au Savoy Ballroom.

Même si après le démantèlement du Original Creole Orchestra en 1918, Keppard avait fait ses propres enregistrements à Chicago de 1923 à 1927, il est très difficile d’identifier les sessions auxquelles il avait participé de façon certaine. Parmi les enregistrements qui sont attribués à Keppard de façon irréfutable, on remarquait trois pièces qu’il avait enregistrées sous son propre nom avec un groupe appelé les Freddie Keppard's Jazz Cardinals. Keppard avait aussi enregistré deux pièces avec le Vendome Orchestra d’Erskine Tate ainsi qu’une douzaine de pièces avec le Doc Cook Orchestra dans lesquels il avait joué comme second cornet. Sur la pièce "Stockyard Strut", Keppard avait improvisé sur les accords du standard "Tiger Rag". Il est également possible que que Keppard ait participé à d’autres enregistrements, même si plusieurs d’entre eux lui ont parfois été attribués de façon douteuse. Souvent imité tant à La Nouvelle-Orléans qu’à Chicago, Keppard avait même inspiré des contemporains aussi reconnus que Louis Panico et Frank Guarente. Parmi les autres enregistrements auxquels Keppard avait participé, on remarquait "Salty Dog", "Adam's Apple", "Stomp Time Blues" et "Messing Around."

Malheureusement, lorsque Keppard s’était finalement décidé à enregistrer sous son propre nom, il avait déjà commencé à décliner selon plusieurs témoins de l’époque. D’autres contemporains avaient précisé que les enregistrements de l’époque n’avaient pu lui rendre justice. Même s’il n’était plus au sommet de sa forme, ces enregistrements avaient permis de démontrer que Keppard était toujours un musicien redoutablement efficace ainsi qu’un remarquable improvisateur. Caractérisé par un style plus doux que celui d’Oliver qui était très marqué par le blues, le jeu de Keppard était même considéré comme étant de qualité supérieure par des musiciens comme Jelly Roll Morton, Lil Hardin Armstrong et Wellman Braud. Le style vigoureux et dynamique de Keppard était bien représenté par la pièce ‘’Stock Yard Strut” qu’il avait enregistrée en 1926.

DERNIÈRES ANNÉES

Les musiciens plus âgés qui avaient entendu Buddy Bolden jouer avaient souvent déclaré que le jeu de Keppard ressemblait plus à celui de Bolden que tous les musiciens qui avaient enregistré après lui. Mais selon certains historiens, si Keppard était devenu célèbre par sa similarité avec le jeu de Bolden, c’est aussi ce qui avait causé sa perte. En réalité, Keppard n’avait jamais vraiment développé son propre son et avait toujours alterné entre le son de Bolden, de King Oliver et de Louis Armstrong. Même s’il était extrêmement talentueux, Keppard n’avait pas été unique pour autant. D’autres historiens du jazz comme Lawrence Gushee avaient précisé que Keppard avait une façon unique de jouer du cornet, mais qu’il n’avait pu rivaliser avec l’influence de Louis Armstrong. Gushee avait ajouté que le jeu de Keppard se distinguait de celui d’Armstrong par l’utilisation d’un vibrato plus rapide, ‘’more like an ornament, that could be used anyplace in a phrase." Même si Keppard et Armstrong avaient fini par se rencontrer, leur rencontre s’était terminée en eau-de-boudin après que Keppard ait abandonné Armstrong sur la scène pour aller discuter avec des spectateurs, parmi lesquels on remarquait une blonde particulièrement attirante !

Même s’il avait souffert d’alcoolisme et de tuberculose à la fin de sa vie, Keppard avait continué de se produire sur scène. Même si Keppard avait continué de se produire à Chicago au début des années 1930, la qualité de son jeu s’était grandement détériorée. En 1932, Keppard avait aussi eu de plus en plus difficultés à décrocher des contrats, probablement en raison de sa mauvaise santé. Selon son dossier médical, Keppard avait même dû cesser complètement de travailler en décembre 1932.

Freddie Keppard est mort dans l’oubli au Cook County Hospital de Chicago le 21 décembre 1933, à la suite d’un long combat contre la tuberculose. Il avait seulement quarante-trois ans. Le trompettiste Bob Shoffner se rappelait qu’en 1931, le groupe de Louis Armstrong se préparait à quitter Chicago pour partir en tournée lorsque les musiciens étaient descendus de l’autobus pour saluer Keppard devant sa résidence. Le frère de Keppard, Louis, lui a survécu de plusieurs années et est mort à La Nouvelle-Orléans le 18 février 1986.

Décrivant Keppard comme un musicien très naturel et très créatif, le trompettiste Mutt Carey avait commenté:

‘’Freddie had a lot of ideas and a big tone too. When he hit a note you knew it was a hit. I mean he had a beautiful tone and he played with so much feeling too. Yes, he had everything: he was ready in every respect. Keppard could play any kind of song good. Technique, attack, tone, and ideas were all there. He didn't have very much formal musical education but he sure was a natural musician. All you had to do was play a number for him once and he had it… he was a natural! When Freddie got to playing… he was no freak man like Joe Oliver. Freddie was a trumpet player anyway you'd grab him. He could play sweet and then he could play hot. He'd play sweet sometimes and then turn around and knock the socks off you with something hot.’’

Considérant Keppard comme un musicien sous-estimé, la chanteuse de blues Alberta Hunter avait précisé: "You know, he doesn't get the credit he should get." 

Les commentaires de l’époque sur le style de jeu de Keppard étaient cependant souvent contradictoires. Si certains l’avaient qualifié de "freak player" en raison de son utilisation de la sourdine et d’autres techniques de jeu, d’autres, comme le clarinettiste Willie Humphrey, le considéraient comme un bien meilleur cornettiste qu’Oliver. Humphrey avait déclaré: ‘’Freddie had such beautiful tone. Such beautiful tone. Good ideas. Freddie played all over his horn. He had a different style altogether from Joe Oliver. Oliver was much rougher, you understand. Freddie was nice and light. Clear. You could be sitting right under him, and it would sound just as nice. But you could hear him two, three blocks away.’’

Même si des sommités du jazz comme Jelly Roll Morton n’avaient pas tari d’éloges sur le style de Keppard, d’autres comme Louis Armstrong avaient décrit son jeu comme ‘’fancy’’ (fantaisiste), dans le sens le plus négatif du terme.

©-2024, tous droits réservés, Les Productions de l’Imaginaire historique

SOURCES:

‘’Freddie Keppard.’’ All About Jazz, 2024.

‘’Freddie Keppard.’’ Wikipedia, 2024.

‘’Freddie ‘’King’’ Keppard (1889-1933).’’ The Syncopated Times, 2024.

‘’Keppard, Freddie.’’ Encyclopedia.com, 2019.

VEITENHANS, Coley. ‘’Freddie Keppard (1890-1933.’’ Blackpast.org., 18 décembre 2009.

[misskittyhart]

“Oh I was a jazz singer and burlesque dancer in New Orleans in the roaring 20s. They used to call me the sweetheart of the Crescent City! At least the Silver Magnolia did on all the posters.” She said with a soft laugh

“I still perform, but I’m over at the Black Dahlia. I also do numerous types of dance as well as play piano~ been doing it over a hundred years. I also do some acting as well! I used to play femme fatales on radio shows. I’ve been longing to get back into acting, like the women from the 1930s silver screen stars.” She leaned into the bar with a bright smile.

“Sadly my time was cut short at age 30 in 1934~ so I never got to try to get into film” she said with a small shrug. She listened to him intently “I prefer the more artistic ones you put on. They’ve very well done. I understand how it goes, people want that instant gratification” she sighed.

“How do I like to dance? Well I am very skilled in tap, swing, and big band dancing. However I also have adapted to the more modern dirty dancing~ grinding and all that. I have killer thighs from tap, so…I can drop it very low.” She said with a playful grin.

“Im all about talking shit~ but there is a time and a place.” She hummed.

She let out a soft laugh covering her mouth. “Ah yes…at least with film you can reshoot. Hm when something goes haywire live on stage we have to stop or just play it off. Luckily it’s usually sound issues, or…a cheeky sinner who thinks they’re going to touch me.” Not that they got off Scott free for that. No normally she’d stab them then and there, or they’d lose a few fingers. Her tail flicked playfully.

“My stage manager gets so very…frustrated with how I handle things when that happens. Such a mess~ I think it’s why the curtains were changed to red these days.” She pondered.

“Yes. Im not ashamed to admit I enjoy your works.” She said looking up at him, which was her pretty much craning her neck as he was double her height. “I was a burlesque dancer and jazz singer in the 1920s, so…I dealt with sultry, and sexy things. I suppose my drive was higher than most people back then would have expected.”

She took the shot knocking it back. Enjoying the smoothness of it. Now that was good whiskey. She tapped the bar and got a glass two fingers, neat. “That…is the good stuff.” She smiled lightly

[labellenouvelle]

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FATHERS II

Offered here is a real gem of New Orleans and Jazz history. An original Ticket for a Mardi Gras dance given by the Orleans Stock Club for March 19th, 1918.

There are so many historical details coming together in this card. I’ll try to highlight a few .

The date, St. Joseph Night, March 19th , 1918.  / A few months before the end of the WWI . St Joseph’s Night in New Orleans has a special meaning  , a night where the Wild Indians of Mardi Gras celebrate out in the streets. not sure how old this ceremony is but that this dance card date is for the same night looks like no coincidence to me . If you want to learn more about the Wild Indians and St Joseph” nigh I recommend this article .

The Venue,   ECONOMY HALL ,  a dance hall where trombonist Kid Ory’s Creole band cultivated jazz improvisation as far back as 1910. Economy Hall was not only a legendary laboratory for jazz improvisation, as was typical of the many social aid and pleasure clubs at that time. It also provided a variety of social services, including brass band funerals and dances, to the New Orleans black community.   A new book (  Fatima Shaik’s Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood )  sheds light on the less know side of the Hall , a remarkable history that preceded jazz by almost a century. The radical politics and philanthropic efforts of the society that built Economy Hall touched most corners of New Orleans and some parts of the globe.   From a modest house purchased secretly by the members of the Société d’Economie et d’Assistance Mutuelle in 1836 to the famous Economy Hall that stood until 1965, a diverse cross-section of people came to Ursuline Street to socialize, debate, advocate, dance, memorialize the dead, and bring back some of their dearly departed in seances. Communal, political, and soulful—in sum, Economy Hall was New Orleans under a roof.  The fifteen free men of color who began the organization and the others who joined during the society’s early years reads like a roster of well-established Creoles of the 19th century: Pierre Crocker, builder and lover of Marie Laveau; Etienne Cordeviolle and François Lacroix, international tailors whose designs and real estate holdings made them wealthy; Pierre Casanave, a well-known mortician; Charles Martinez, musician, grocer, and later notary; and  Ludger Boguille, a teacher beginning in the 1840s and important secretary of the organization.  

The Band, The Magnolia Orchestra , no other than Louis Keppard’s band. Now if you are something of a Jazz aficionado or nerd , you might have heard the name. Louis Keppard was not only Freddie Keppard’s (successor of Buddy Bolden as “ King” )  older brother but an accomplished Jazz Guitarist and band leader . He  led the Magnolia Orchestra, which became the regular band at Huntz's and Nagel's cabaret on Iberville in the District. The Magnolia Orchestra included Joe Oliver on cornet, who would later succeed Keppard's title as "King" by winning a "cutting contest" against him.  

Louis Keppard,  Afro-French Creole guitarist, alto horn player, and sousaphonist Louis Keppard (1889-1986) was the older brother of cornetist Freddie Keppard. He took guitar lessons from Bud Scott and Willie Santiago. Before 1915 he was the leader of the Magnolia Band, which often worked at Economy Hall in Tremé, but also played with Oscar Celestin and Manuel Perez, as well as performing with the Olympia Band led by his brother. After a brief sojourn playing vaudeville theaters in Chicago in 1917, he returned to New Orleans, playing alto horn with brass bands. In the 1940s Keppard worked as a solo guitarist and with Wooden Joe Nicholas in dance bands and in the 1950s and 60s played sousaphone with the E. Gibson Brass Band and others.

Joe “King” Oliver ,  Mentor to no other than  Louis Armstrong and pioneer of what would become known as the Harmon trumpet mute, Joe “King” Oliver was a key figure in the first period of jazz history.  His most significant ensemble, King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, was a live sensation and also the first black New Orleans ensemble to gain recognition in the record industry.

A one in a lifetime chance to own a significant piece of American Jazz and Nerw Orleans history.

Item No. E4984-66. 

Dimensions: 2.5″ x 4″

Contact us for more information 

504.581.3733 / t

info@labellenouvelle.com / e

[nonesuchrecords]

Happy Mardi Gras! Celebrate with the newly expanded edition of the 2005 benefit album Our New Orleans. The album includes five previously unreleased tracks plus the original performances by Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Irma Thomas, Wild Magnolias, Buckwheat Zydeco, Randy Newman, and others. Our New Orleans has thus far raised $1.5 million for New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity.

[kulturegroupie]

Jimmy Page and Robert Plant at a party at Cosimo Matassa's Jazz City recording studio, May 14, 1973.

Before they left New Orleans, Atlantic Records boss Ahmet Ertegun threw a party for the band at Cosimo Matassa's Jazz City. Soul food comprised the menu that night and all of New Orleans' best R&B and rock legends would perform: Willie Tee, Art Neville and the Meters, Ernie K-Doe, the Wild Magnolias, Snooks Eaglin and the Olympia Brass Band. Rauls helped coordinate that party and remembers the event like it was yesterday.

"They didn't need some ritzy ballroom", he says. "Just going to a funky, soulful recording studio in a beat down part of New Orleans and to meet the guys they grew up listening to–they were in seventh heaven. Willie Tee was still alive, Ernie K-Doe was there, Professor Longhair–all these guys were former Atlantic artists that Ertegun had a relationship with. To bring them out at Cosimo's party, it gave the band a woody."

Davis writes of the party in Hammer of the Gods, "John Paul Jones played organ while a stripper bumped and grinded on the tabletop. Jimmy and Robert watched in awe as the elder statesman of rock and roll strutted their stuff."

[cbjustmusic]

Video for Aaron Neville and Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s "Stomping Ground" which won the GRAMMY Award for Best American Roots Performance. ___________________ Stomping Ground Songwriters: Dave Gutter, Eric Krasno and Aaron Neville

I was born in the southern land That's where I became a man My roots was down in New Orleans The birth of jazz and voodoo queens From the heart of Louisiana Marie Laveaux, and Mojo Hannah Grew up on the music of the streets Second line bands and the Indian beats

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

‘Fesser Longhair, Fats Domino From Smiley Lewis, to the Great Satchmo From the Wild Tchoupatoulas, to the Creole Wild West Neither tribe didn't take no mess From way up town in the Thirteenth ward The Crescent City was my back yard With Mac Rebennack and Scarface John Hung in the Dew Drop all night long

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground Back on my stompin’ ground

Way down yonder in New Orleans The land of them creole queens I sure love this southern town It got me through a lot of ups and downs Times were bad and times were good

I owe it all to my neighborhood From the Ninth ward, to way uptown Every block was my stompin’ grounds

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

Mole Face and Melvin, Billy Beat the World Trecherous Slim, Secondline Black Big Chief Jolly, Ratty Chin Brother Jake, Apache Red

Stackalee, James Booker Marvin and Johnny, Art the Mighty Row Hornman, Jabby Izzy Koo

That's where it's going down Back on my stompin' ground

Calliope Project, Magnolia St. Thomas, Pilot Land, St. Bernard Melpomine – Yeah Sometimes them streets was mean, can ya dig? But that was my stompin’ ground, where y’at, Jack?