Thursday, May 19, 2011

Jazzfest Leg 5 @ Fairgrounds 5/7/11

... That's right!  5 sousaphones after 5 baritones earlier was a nice revival mechanism.  I couldn't stay for the whole thing due to the baking in the sun, but I thoroughly enjoyed the 1st half of Kirk Joseph's Tuba Tuba at the Jazz & Heritage Stage.  There were 4 at first and then the 5th made it from some difficult journey.  Loved it.  And, here's a more detailed review.

I didn't just move on because of the sun.  I really wanted to see Kora Konnection at the Lagniappe Stage.  That was wonderful. 

From the Kora Konnection website:
"Kora Konnection is an exotic blend of West African Mandinka music and Jazz Improvisation.   It has a unique sound that spans the cultures of two continents. The band is led by two griots (oral historians): Morikeba Kouyate, a kora (African harp) master from Senegal, and Thierno Dioubate, a balafon and djembe master from Guinea. Kora Konnection includes two of the  finest jazz musicians in the city of New Orleans, Tim Green on saxophone and Vince Mitchell on  bass. Kora Konnection ‘s architect, and heartbeat of the ensemble, is African percussionist Jeff “Papafrog” Klein .   Read more on the Band’s  Biography Page Here."

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