the first kind of music

New Orleans Music Safari, March 2026,  Post #1 - March 2-6, 2026, featuring Aurora Nealand, Doctor Sick, Charlie Halloran, Sunpie Barnes, and other great musicians.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/810722202303528960/new-orleans-music-safari-2026-1

New Orleans Music Safari, March 2026,  Post #2 - The Loyola Concert, a great concert led by Charlie Halloran, with a whole bunch of old timers who bear the culture of New Orleans music.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/810734407168163841/new-orleans-2-the-loyola-concert

New Orleans Music Safari, March 6 & 7, 2026,  Post #3, with The Shotgun Band, Tuba Skinny at Vaughan's Lounge, and Tyler Thomson's band.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/810818982220349440/new-orleans-3-march-6-7-2026

New Orleans Music Safari, March 2026,  Post #4, The Jazz Cruise on the Mississippi, with the Duke Heitger, Steve Pastorius, Matt Perrine trio.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/810884520628912128/new-orleans-4-the-jazz-cruise

New Orleans Music Safari, March 8-11, 2026,  Post #5, with Trombone Charlotte, Leslie Martin, Aurora and the Royal Roses, and The Sweet Hearts of New Orleans, among others.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/810996312103354368/new-orleans-5-march-8-11

New Orleans Music Safari, March 12-14, 2026,  Post #6, with JJ and the AOKs, Tom Mcdermott and Aurora Nealand, my first time hearing Seva Venet, the Shake 'em Up Jazz Band, and another gig with Seva Venet, featuring Dr. Michael White, and several of the musicians from the Loyola concert.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/811173042933858304/new-orleans-6-march-12-14

New Orleans Music Safari, March 14, 2026,  Post #7, with four gigs in one day, to wit, Marty Peters and the Party Meters, Nickel-a-Dance featuring Mark Braud and many of the Loyola musicians, another gig with Sunpie Barnes, and, finally, a great set by Charlie Halloran and the Tropicales.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/811259002874986496/new-orleans-7-march-14

New Orleans Music Safari, March 16-19, 2026,  Post #8, with Jenavieve and the Winding Boys, Aurora and the Royal Roses, Lilli Lewis at the Ellis Marsalis Music Center, Chris Vincent and Stud Ford, and Robin Rapuzzi's big band celebrating the Feast of San Giuseppe, and a dog who howled along.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/811552208641458176/new-orleans-8-march-16-19

New Orleans Music Safari, March 20-21, 2026,  Post #9, Allons a Lafayette, where the Sterling Grove Festival featured Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, and Honest to Bob, with David Greely, Paul Anastasio and Chas Justus.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/811710867873939456/new-orleans-9-allons-a-lafayette

New Orleans Music Safari, March 22-23, 2026,  Post #10, in which Tom Mcdermott hosts the absolutely impressive piano monster Kyle Roussel, and we get another set by Jenavieve and the Winding Boys with Trombone Charlotte, another set by Aurora and the Roses, and a couple tunes by Tiff "Teddy" Lamson.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/811893659727478784/new-orleans-10-march-22

New Orleans Music Safari, March 24, 2026,  The Danny Barker Festival Patrons Party, Post #11, with Dr. Michael White on clarinet, Freddie Lorenzo on the bone, and a major assemblage of culture bearers, celebrating the cultural contributions of Danny Barker, and his wife Blue Lu.

https://thefirstkind.blog/post/812075003758690304/new-orleans-11-the-danny-barker-patrons-party

New Orleans Music Safari, March 25-26, 2026,  Post #12, The last days of this particular safari, featuring another great band led by Seva Venet, and a gig at the Degas House, with pianist Jérémie Henan and Herlin Riley on drums.

On Wednesday, March 25, Seva Venet fielded yet another great band for the afternoon gig at Snug Harbor. Band members were Larry Sieberth (piano), Roger Lewis (bass sax), Jamil Sharif (trumpet), Nobu Ozaki (bass), Seva (banjo and guitar), and behind Seva, that's Herman LeBeaux on drums.

We sat behind a portrait artist . . .

The next morning, I found the whole set on YouTube!

On our last full day in New Orleans I dropped by the early set by JJ and the OKs to say goodbye to my friend Matt Bell. That's JJ - John Joyce -on bass, Matt Bell on Banjo, Stephen Tenney on trombone. Not sure who the sax player is.

We also took in a great show at Degas House by young jazz pianist Jérémie Henan, with Mark Brooks on bass and the amazing Herlin Riley on drums. The jazz style was more bebop than "New Orleans," but very nicely executed. The fellow on Soprano Sax sat in for a great rendition of "Si tu vois ma mère."

Mark Brooks also had an excellent singing voice.

L to R the band is Mari Watanabe on keys, Mitchell Player on bass, Seva Venet on 6-string banjo, Jason Marsalis on drums, Detroit Brooks on guitar, Freddie Lorenzo on trombone, Gregg Stafford on trumpet, and Doctor Michael White on clarinet.

Thanks to a previous gig by Seva (on banjo above), I got the Danny Barker story. Danny (1909-1994) was a dedicated, charismatic, teacher, band leader, musician. Seva came to town five years after Danny died, but he met so many musicians who'd changed their lives from meeting Danny, that he spent the rest of his life living up to the Danny Barker legacy.

One of the women at our table was even more enthusiastic. She said that Danny Barker helped so many young people by getting them into music that, "he changed this town in a big way." Given the musical talent that calls New Orleans home, that's saying something. The Danny Barker Festival, most of which we're gonna hafta miss, is an extended low-key multi-day affair. The Patron's Party was just 50 or 60 people, most of whom have forgotten more about jazz than I'll ever know.

Nancy Ochsenschlager is one of the heroes of New Orleans jazz. She's been involved since the earliest days of Jazz Fest, serving as producer, director, and in many other roles. She also helped legendary Jazz Fest producer George Wein with the Newport Folk Festival and Jazz Festival. She knew, and knows, everybody. We were fortunate to sit next to her at a gig a week ago. I'm honored to be able to sit at her feet and learn.

Doctor Michael White is another hero of New Orleans Jazz.

Here's Detroit Brooks. Watching him reminded me of the one time I saw Stephane Grapelli. Like Grapelli, who was well into his 80s when I saw him, Detroit had a limited range of motion. You could barely see his fingers move, yet his guitar made beautiful music.

Another shot of Seva Venet, a humble servant of the music.

Trombone player Freddie Lorenzo was another of the grand old New Orleans jazz men. He sang a funny, gravelly-voiced sendup of Louis Armstrong's "Hello Dolly."

Gregg Stafford, on trumpet, also sang a sweet one. One of the folks at our table said he was one of the original Barker Boys.

Here's Detroit Brooks singing one.

Cynthia Sayer, from NYC, a frequent performer at Mona's, was guest of honor at the festival. With all the talent around here, that is quite an honor. I'll have to get her to tell me about her Danny Barker connection.

New Orleans piano player Tom McDermott hosts great concerts in his house, aka The Silky Satin Lounge. On Sunday, Tom hosted Kyle Roussel.

Kyle is an absolute master of the piano. The stuff he played was beautiful, intricate, complex, deep. It painted a total environment. He was standing on a pyramid of many shoulders, those of Louis Gottschalk and Professor Longhair and Jelly Roll and Doctor John and Henry Butler and others. I kept thinking that if he had brought his musical intelligence and skill to a more European classical idiom, instead of the nichey, less-accepted New Orleans style, he'd be an international star.

It's amazing that a great New Orleans jazz band is playing for tips at 2PM. They were Jenavieve and the Winding Boys. Jenavieve on vocals and trumpet. Jonathan Greene on clarinet. Trombone Charlotte on, well, uh . . . Mike Voleker on washboard, somebody hidden on banjo, and Alvin "Dizzy" Rucker (behind Jenavieve) on upright bass.

Charlotte plays a low note.

I just love the Monday sets by Aurora Nealand and The Royal Roses. They take a jazz classic, like, maybe "Make me a Pallet," or "Long Lonesome Road," and develop it as if it were classical music. And have fun doing it. L to R that's David Boswell on trumpet, Tanner Guss on drums, Pete Olycinw on bass, Matt Bell on guitars and Aurora singing.

Aurora and Matt in close harmony.

Aurora invited Tiff "Teddy" Lamson to step up and sing a couple. Great stuff! She sang, "I Must be in a Good Place Now." It was the second time I've heard this song ever. The other time was a week ago when Charlie Halloran sang it.

There's always a festival. This weekend, it's the second annual Sterling Grove Festival in Lafayette!

The very first set was Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, with David Greely on fiddle, Steve Riley on Cajun accordion, Sam Broussard on guitar and Burke Riley on drums. I missed the bass player's name.

This set was pure joy. Worth the whole trip. I couldn't stop smiling. It was 400-year old music, and completely modern. I live for this stuff.

David Greely and Steve Riley on twin fiddles. Wow.

The late set was by Jourdan Thibodeaux et les Rôdailleurs. That's Drake Leblanc on the rub board and Jourdan on fiddle. The music was well-played but way too loud. We left after a couple of songs.

A rôdailleur is a hobo, a wanderer, as in Moon River's, "Two drifters off to see the world . . ."

Oh Saturday the weather was perfect, and the audience was friendly and low key. That's Chubby Carrier and his zydeco band on stage. Our new friend Carol, in the blue dress, a Lafayette native, was enjoying the dancing. But the music was still way louder than it needed to be.

David Greely was warming up on the Givens House stage.

This was "Honest to Bob," the band I most wanted to see. Paul Anastasio on fiddle, David Greely on fiddle and Chas Justus on guitar. They mostly play the music of Bob Wills, from the neighboring state of Texas. It was an acoustic set, but the PA system was turned up to drown out the other bands that were way too loud.

Week 3 in New Orleans began with Jenavieve and the Winding Boys again, featuring Trombone Charlotte again. Great stuff! Again. The line between joy and compulsion is a bit thin. The music was just as great, to be sure.

Aurora and the Royal Roses held their usual 5PM Monday session at The Maison. They're standing on the shoulders of the New Orleans jazz greats, and other jazz greats from other branches of the tree.

A cold front had come through the night before and it was ef-ef-effin freezing in there. The Maison, which depends on walk in traffic, kept both doors open. I stayed til the end, because I loved the music.

On Tuesday, I saw Lilli Lewis at the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. It was part of a concert series entitles "Booker and Beyond." I was expecting hot piano playing. Instead I got a deeply impassioned glimpse into a determined soul. She sang about grief and pain and courage and recovery. She said that she was focused on the smaller work, the everyday stuff, that lays the foundation for the bigger, society-changing work. I took a sticker home that says, "Practice Radical Decency."

The Ellis Marsalis Center is a brand new state-of-the-art performance space. The 250 seat room was designed for music. I'm amazed that there's not a great show there every night.

On Wednesday, we caught one set by Chris Vincent and Stud Ford at Bratz Y'All. Chris is a power guitarist with home grown talent.

Then we walked over to Vaughan's Lounge to catch Robin Rapuzzi's Glo Worm Band on Italian Night. Usually it's a trio or a quartet, but this night celebrated the Feast of San Giuseppe, Saint Joseph, the father of Jesus. Donations this night were not for the band, but for the altar, a room full of neighborhood artifacts, pictures of beloved souls who've gone by, etc.

The band was quite good, very well rehearsed, with two accordions, two mandolin-banjos, and even a cello. On the left, that's Robin, and then Todd, the guy who usually plays tuba in Tuba Skinny. I don't know the other musicians, though some look familiar.

Vaughan's Lounge is a totally informal neighborhood bar. People bring their pets. This dog felt an affinity for the music. Apologies to the followers of David Grisman, but THIS is the real stuff.

On Thursday, it was Aurora and Tom's regular gig at Buffa's.

On Sunday, March 14, 2026, I actually got to four of the sixteen gigs I wanted to go to. So many choices.

Marty Peters and the Party Meters played an early show at Fritzells, one of the few genuine jazz bars remaining in the French Quarter. That's Jeff Kreis, Marty's regular trumpet player. Leslie Martin played piano. Unknown on bass.

Marty is an enthusiastic band leader and singer, and a monster reeds player.

I had to catch Nickel-a-Dance at the Snug happy hour. This was another amazing assemblage of the grand old men of New Orleans music. The front line is Mark Braud (trumpet), Wendell Brunious (trumpet), Kevin Lewis (trumpet), Roderick Paulin (sax), Bruce Brackman (clarinet), Freddie Lonzo (trombone), and Craig Klein (trombone). In back, it's Kirk Joseph (tuba), and two percussionists whose names I didn't catch.

I've seen many of these guys before. Some have played in the Preservation Hall traveling band. The Tuba Player led the Dirty Dozen brass band. It was quite special.

Then I pedaled out to Bratz Y'all in the Bywater to hear Sunpie Barnes sing songs in Louisiana Français. The weather was perfect, mid-70s with low humidity. Families were relaxing, and children were playing in the outdoor venue.

Sunpie's accordion seemed to be an extension of his fingers, and his songs seemed to come effortlessly from deep within. That's Dean Zucchero on bass. After this gig, I had to go take a nap.

But there was one more gig, Charlie Halloran and the Tropicales. The band is dedicated to the proposition that New Orleans is the northern-most port in the tropics. And to the proposition that Caribbean music has been a big influence on New Orleans music.

That's Nahum Zdybel on guitar, Pete Olynciw on bass, Cesar Bacaro on congas, Charlie on trombone. Tomas Majcherski on piccolo (and saxes), and Jafet Perez on drums.

On Thursday, at noon, I found JJ and the A-OKs alive and well at Bamboula's. John Joyce on bass, Matt Bell on banjo, James Evans on clarinet and Zach Lange on trumpet. On this trip to New Orleans, I've learned that a "bamboula" can be a certain kind of drum, a certain rhythm, a dance, or a cultural connection.

Did I say that New Orleans bloody marys are over the top? The waitress said, "Better take a picture of this."

Aurora Nealand and Tom McDermott have a regular Thursday gig at Buffas when both of them are in town. Tom's a powerhouse player.

This gig gives Aurora room to sing.

On Friday, I went to the Jazz National Park to see Seva Venet. He was full of stories of the old days. I had barely heard of the legendary 6-string banjo player and band leader Danny Barker before this. Seva filled us in. Seva arrived in New Orleans five years after Danny Barker had passed, but the city was full of musicians who'd been mentored by Danny. Seva got the bug. Hey! There's a Danny Barker Festival here in a few days, and I'm going!

I tried to slip to the side of the room to get another angle on Seva with tuba player Julius McKee. Seva didn't let me off the hook. He turned and mugged.

Here's the Shake 'em Up Jazz Band. It's been several years since I've seen this group, an all-women's group playing amazing jazz! In the back that's Defne "Dizzy" Incirlioglu on washboard and Julie Schexnayder on bass. The front line is Haruka Kikuchi on trombone, Marla Dixon on trumpet, Aurora Nealand on clarinet (subbing for Chloe Feoranzo) and Molly Reeves on guitar. Every one of them a monster.

But then I had to go across the street to see Dr. Michael White's band at Snug Harbor. I told Seva Venet I would. That's Seva on 6-string banjo, Steve Pastorius on piano, Dr. Michael White on clarinet, and James Stafford on trumpet. Behind him, Kerry Lewis (Senior!) on bass - his two kids, Kerry Jr. and Kayla have played in my house concert series! Not shown, Dwayne Paulin on trombone and James Alsanders on drums.

I was hoping that Trombone Charlotte would be in New Orleans while I was there. She was! Here she is with the Fritzells All Stars on Sunday, March 8. I believe that's Mike Fulton on trumpet and Leslie Martin on piano.

Here's Trombone Charlotte putting her heart into Avalon. Excellent.

On Sunday March 8, there was a south Asian festival called Holi Fest. It's like Ash Wednesday, except that instead of a black smudge on your forehead, you douse yourself - and each other - with multi-colored corn starch. The streets were full of multicolored participants - clearly you didn't need to be of south Asian heritage to participate. I was happy to be an onlooker, and once or twice I narrowly escaped becoming a participant.

On Monday, Leslie Martin, from the little bayou town of Chauvin LA, showed his stuff at the Jazz National Park. Fine stuff, indeed.

Monday night, it was Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, from 5PM til 8:30. THE BEST. This band has been playing together a long time. With Aurora's creative out-of-the-box musical thinking, they've expanded the ideas of New Orleans jazz without losing them. Sometimes I was hanging on by my fingernails. Other times I was along for the ride, with the musical wind in my face. It was joyous, exciting and exploratory. The other musicians are David Boswell trumpet, Tanner Guss on drums, Pete Olynciw on bass and Matt Bell on guitar and steel guitar.

Tuesday marked a whole week since I saw The Sweet Hearts of New Orleans at The Spotted Cat. They were just as great this week as I had remembered them. David Boswell played trumpet, Russell Welch was on guitar, Becky Lynn Blanca played the banjo-uke and belted out the vocals. Behind Becky, it’s Jason Jurzak on tuba with percussionist is Mike Voleker.

One more of Becky and Jason.

I got a ticket for the Sunday morning jazz cruise on The City of New Orleans. I had inside info that the great Duke Heitger would be on trumpet, with Steve Pastorius on piano and tuba virtuoso Matt Perrine.

The cruise went further down river than I thought a two hour cruise would permit.

I chatted with this lovely couple from the Pacific Northwest.

Frenchman Street wakes up early. Here's a young Nola Trad band, the Rugcutters. All four of them were good musicians. Apparently several of them have been around since 2018. Compared to the old guys who've been playing for decades, these guys seemed a bit less seasoned. I wonder how long it takes to actually become an old timer.

No New Orleans trip is complete without seeing Marla Dixon. Her band is The Shotgun Band. The clarinet player, a guest, was very good. That's Julie Schexnayder on bass, John Rodli on guitar and (stay tuned) on trombone.

Tuba Skinny at Vaughan's Lounge in the Bywater was The Best. Just perfect! Vaughan's is a decidedly neighborhood bar, as close to the natural habitat of Tuba Skinny as one can get. The back line has Todd on Tuba, (a crazy painting of a head that one might mistake for a musician), Greg on Guitar and vocals, and Max Bien Kahn on banjo. The front row has Craig on clarinet, Shaye on trumpet, Barnabus on trombone, and Robin on percussion.

Tyler Thomson's band at the Spotted Cat - the 2-til-6 gig on March 7 - was just as fine a band concert as one could hope to find in New Orleans! The back line was the same as the Loyola gig - Ellis Dyson on banjo, Tyler on bass, and James Alsanders on drums. That's Steve Pastorius playing piano as if his hands knew what to do all by themselves. That's Marty Peters playing monster clarinet, and James Evans on trombone. I'll need to get the trumpet player's name.

In a break I told Marty - who also leads Marty Peters and the Party Meters - how impressed I was with the level of playing, and he said, "With these guys I only need to do my job."

Charlie Halloran told me he had a pretty good trad band lined up for Thursday, March 5 at Loyola. Oooooh.

There are fun gigs, there are great gigs, there are breath-takingly amazing gigs. This one was triple-distilled, barrel-strength New Orleans Jazz. It built on every one of the great masters who've gone before. When they brought it home, they really brought it.

The lineup was Shaye Cohn (of Tuba Skinny) on piano, Ellis Dyson on tenor guitar, Dr. Michael White on clarinet, Tyler Thomson on bass, Mark Braud on trumpet, Charlie Halloran on trombone, and James Alsanders on drums. Each a master.

I don't pretend to be a music historian, especially not in New Orleans, but from the tween-songs banter, seems that Dr. Michael White and James Alsanders go back to the old days. The others clearly knew whose shoulders they were standing on.

When you're hot and you know it, it's written all over your face!

March 2-6, 2026: My month in New Orleans started strong when I met my friend, guitarist Nahum Zdybel, on Frenchman Street, just a couple of minutes after I arrived.

Nahum was waiting to play a Spotted Cat gig with Aurora Nealand. It was a most excellent way to begin my New Orleans safari. The trumpet player and the bassist were most excellent. Aurora was over the top as usual. Stay tuned for the trumpet player and bassist names.

March 3, another super-special gig at the Spotted Cat. The band bills itself as The Sweetie Pies of New Orleans. Left to right, it's Charlie Halloran on trombone, David Boswell trumpet, Russell Welch guitar, Becky Lynn Blanca banjo-uke. Behind Becky, it's Jason Jurzak on tuba. The percussionist is Mike Voleker, hidden behind Mr. Boswell.

On March 4 I ran into Russell Welch at The Friendly Bar in The Bywater. He introduced me to Leo Forde (above, guitar) and Nobu Ozaki (bass). They were headed up to Degas Cafe for their regular Wednesday Manouche-style gig. I rode my bicycle up to the Degas Cafe and got hella lost, arriving hot and sweaty for the last two songs of the set. The clarinetist was excellent - will get his name - watch this space.

Then I cycled back into the French Quarter to catch Dr. Sick on his birthday. This image is based on an Instagram image of unknown provenance. It's accurate. The guy's a demon.

On March 5, Aurora played at the regular, weekday afternoon Jazz National Park concert series with Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes. Sunpie is a southern Louisiana original. He played that accordion like it was his right hand. Aurora was great, as usual, but Sunpie was the show. Three jazz rangers held down the piano, bass and drum kit. The Jazz National Park is among the best uses of our tax dollars. I'm so glad it's going on despite the current political climate.

Another shot of Aurora . . .

I'm always looking around at these gigs to see who's really into it and who's just being a tourist. I met my friend Allen (white beard) several years ago at Chickie Wah Wah. We've been music buddies ever since, hitting gigs in NYC and NOLA. I met my new friends Karla (left) and Jose (right) at the first Aurora gig at the Cat on March 2. They became instant Aurora fans. They totally got what makes New Orleans great. Unfortunately, this was their last full day in NOLA.

At the Sunpie-Aurora gig, Sunpie told the audience about his Big Break - a Nabisco commercial for Apple Cinnamon Shreddies that was directed by George Lucas at the same time he was making the original Star Wars. Jose found it on line. Here it is:

I brought Lia's guitar and Elisa's cavaquinho home to Brazil.

The 1924 Mason and Hamlin piano that spent some months in my basement in Woods Hole was in daily use in Porto Feliz. It (still) sounded great.

I met Raphael Sampaio, a friend of the family, and a monster trumpet player. Not bad on guitar either. The Meyer Ferreira house was full of music.

The day after I arrived was Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras. We went to a small, quiet, down-home parade in the nearby city of Tiete.

It was loud enough for me.

Elisa had been planning what to wear for Carnival for a while.

Carnival in Tiete was a mix between a parade and just plain old dancin' in the streets.

On Thursday, I had the privilege of being the live audience for the Trio Meyer Ferreira (formerly Choro das 3) World Wide Live Stream, every Thursday at 9 PM São Paolo time.

On Friday, we went into town for a Baile Tropical extravaganza at Casa Francisca, with a ten-piece orchestra featuring Raphael Sampaio on trumpet.

He sure could play!

One of the joys of coming to Brazil is getting to listen to a real roda de choro. Roda means circle or wheel. It's a jam session. An amazingly sophisticated jam session. Some of the people here include Arnoldinho on guitar (on the left), Stanley Carvalho (talking to Corina), Raphael on trumpet, Oksana and Ricardo (guests from Curitiba) looking on, Elisa (mandolin), Tia Luisa (behind Elisa), Lia (guitar), Bruno (trombone), Victor (cavaquinho), and Clodoaldo (pandeiro, back to the camera). In my experience, rodas are played in a nondescript space - here a condo multi-purpose room - with lots of food, beer, and usually more musicians than onlookers.

When the greatest players of chorinho get together in a roda, it's all about the joy of playing - alegria! Here Arnoldinho takes special joy in Marco Bertaglia's 7-string playing.

This particular roda de choro was in honor of Elisa's 33rd birthday.

I'm so honored, and blessed, I guess, to be able to hang out with some of the world's greatest musicians.

Like I said . . .

I delayed my trip home by one day because of the epic snow storm pounding southern New England. This allowed me to spend yet another afternoon with the Hamilton de Holanda trio. Here's Hamilton and Marcos in Big Rabello's amazing studio in São Paolo. I've been in the recording studio with Hamilton for several projects - for example, Bossa Negra, Collab with piano genius Gonzalo Rubalcaba. I was also in the audience for Hamilton's Live in NYC album. On this visit, they were working on a tune by Hamilton and his son Gabriel.

I had to leave Woods Hole early Sunday morning to get to Town Hall in NYC for a 2PM concert by the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, featuring Douglas Lora (left) as its newest member! Band Leader, William Kanengiser is on the right. They played Douglas Lora's “Maracasalsa,” a piece by Villa Lobos, a couple other Brazilian pieces, and a very familiar - and exceptionally well-done - Bach piece.

Sunday night at The Ear featured Evan Christopher on clarinet, Josh Dunn on guitar, Jon Erik Kellso on trumpet (as per usual) and Neal Caine on bass.

On Monday 2/2, the Harry Allen Quartet - with Rossano Sportiello on piano, Neal Miner on bass and Aaron Kimmel on drums - played a tribute to Stan Getz on his 99th birthday at Dizzy's.

The full moon rose over the piano.

Tuesday. Monas. Full stop, as they say these days. Andrew Millar on drums, Conal Fowkes on piano, Kerry Lewis Jr. on bass, Dennis Lichtman on clarinet, and Ben Polcer on trumpet and vocals.

Evan Christopher sat in on clarinet, and Rafael Castillo-Halvorssen brought his trumpet. There's my friend Diana too!

Kayla Lewis, Rafael, and Riley Baker sang some three-part harmony.

On Wednesday (Feb 4), Hamilton, his son Gabriel and I went to Dizzy's to hear this great Monk homage. L to R, the band was DeWitt Flemming, Jr. MC and tap dancing, Helen Sung on piano, Danny Lipsitz on sax, Alphonso Horne on trumpet, Brandi Disterheft on bass, Mariel Bildstein on trombone, Justin Poindester on guitar and Norman Edwards on drums.

The Hamilton de Holanda Trio's month-long US tour began at Nublu in NYC on January 8 - see previous post - and blew through Woods Hole in a haze of lobsters and beer on its way to Denver, the West Coast and Arizona. Then from balmy Phoenix to frozen Traverse City, at the very northernmost point of mainland Michigan. On a frigid, freezing, -21C January 23.

Coming from Brazil, they didn't have any of those snowy, wintery experiences. In fact, they were (justifiably!) afraid to drive in snow. They didn't understand snow-covered roads, or cold weather driving. So I volunteered to meet them and drive if the weather was bad.

We watched the weather forecast. About 5 days before their Traverse City gig, a big storm materialized over Texas, and marched up the eastern third of the USA.

So I flew to meet the trio in Michigan.

My flight out of Boston had some great views.

We flew over Detroit at altitude. Pardon me while I play with this shot.

Another Detroit:

And so I met the trio, plus Frango the sound guy, and Marcos the manager, to drive the band from Traverse City to Ann Arbor.

Here's the Trio sound checking at The Alluvion in Traverse City.

Here's Salalão Soares.

Traverse City was delightful. The hotel was newly remodeled, the restaurant next to it only had one flaw - way too much food at righteous prices.

Jeff Haas was the maestro of the Alluvion. He was warm, generous, open, knowledgeable, and just crazy about music. An inspired host who made the players and the audience better.

Hamilton and Salamão have refined the new work, "Eterno Momento Agora," based on the Japanese phrase, "Mono no aware." I tried to capture the spirit in this photo.

After the Alluvion show, this young mandolin player had a great moment with Hamilton. Hamilton asked her to play. She struggled through Blackberry Blossom in a way that showed her dedication. Hamilton responded to her effort and desire with an open heart, big ears, and thoughtful words.

We started the four hour drive to Ann Arbor in -9 F weather. The last two hours of the drive to Ann Arbor were a bit challenging due to the snow. At least half a dozen cars had gone off the road.

The sound check at The Blue Llama was perfunctory and businesslike.

I sat on the Big Rabello side of the band for that show.

We met at quarter to six the next morning to go to the Detroit Airport for the band's flight to Minneapolis. Yup, that Minneapolis, in the throes of an ICE thug invasion. Just two days after Alex Pretti's execution. We were worried, but Marcos said, "Hey, we're Brazilian. We see stuff like that every day."

While the Trio went on to Minneapolis, I opted out of storm-addled air travel to spend a day in a Detroit airport hotel. Marcos sent me a link to the live stream - see screen shot above. That's Hamilton , Salamão and Big.

Big's drums were way down on the audio of the livestream (compared to live), which let me hear Salamão's key work more clearly. The complementarity of Hamilton and Salamão's playing was much more obvious to me. Great stuff.

Week six, Day 1: Tuesday at Mona's. The house band was Brennen Ernst on piano, Barry Stephenson on bass, Danny Tobias on trumpet, photo shows guest (name?) on trombone and suspenders, Sam Ch-ch-chess on trombone, bartender extrordinaire Aiden Grant on bar, and, (see next pic) Ahmad Johnson.

There's Ahmad on drums and Brennen Ernst on piano.

This is Zoe, the demure, petite, diminutive second bartender at Mona's, wearing her most modest outfit.

The comments on the live stream must've been good. Clearly the entertainment of a YouTube live stream goes both ways.

Week 6, Day 2:

Hamilton de Holanda arrived for a month of US touring with his trio. Hotel check-in was at 4PM, and the other band members were on different flights, so he hung in my Brooklyn sublet for a few hours.

When the band assembled, we walked around the World Trade Center area. I'd been avoiding it ever since you-know-when. I found it quite emotional. I could see that the Brazilians didn't have the same response. They weren't there then. Salamão Soares on the left, Big Rabello in the middle.

Week 6, Day 2, continued: Dennis Lichtman got a western swing band, a partial re-creation of Brain Cloud, together at Sunny's Bar, way down in Red Hook, Brooklyn. That's Raphael McGregor on lap steel, Jared Engel on bass, Dennis on violin, and Grant Gordy on jazzy hollow-body archtop guitar.

Week 6, Day 3: The Hamilton de Holanda Trio's first gig was an APAP showcase at Nublu, on Avenue C. Here's the sound check. On stage was Hamilton on 10-string mandolin, Salamão Soares on keys, and Big Rabello on batteria.

Frango, Hamilton's golden-eared sound guy, perfects the audio mix.

The Nublu gig itself was kind of a zoo. Very loud, a packed-in standing crowd, and I was behind the band. Still, they sounded awesome.

Week 6, Day 4: The Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme CT. As soon as we arrived, Hamilton sat down at the piano to noodle out a new tune.

The Side Door gig went very nicely. The room was full, but not sold out. The club is just the kind of place I'd want to run if I were 25 years younger.

Week 6, Day 5: The Trio went to Boston to play at The Regatta Bar. I went home to Woods Hole . . . and then the Safari continued . . .

Week 6, Day 6: The Trio arrived in Woods Hole, having picked up 15 lobsters along the way. L to R, that's the tour manager Marcos Portinari, keys player Salamão Soares, sound-man Frango, Big Rabello and Hamilton.

Week 6, Day 7: Hamilton and Salamão wrote a beautiful song in my living room. Hamilton named it "Eterno Momento Agora," which translates into English as "Eternal Moment Now." The inspiration for the title came from an ancient Japanese phrase, "Mono no aware," which means approximately the same thing, but with un-translateable shades of meaning.