New Orleans: Other live music
There's far more to New Orleans than jazz alone. Though the " New Orleans sound ," an exuberant, carnival-tinged hybrid of blues, parade music and R&B, had its heyday in the early 1960s, many of its greatest stars are still going strong. Check listings papers for gigs by the Neville Brothers, Eddie Bo, and "soul queen of New Orleans" Irma Thomas.In recent years, the swing revival has taken off in a big way in New Orleans, along with Latin music and funk. Blues fans should look out for guitarists Snooks Eaglin and Walter "Wolfman" Washington, the younger, urban bluesman Kipori "Baby Wolf" Woods, and, for powerful gospel-blues, the formidable Marva Wright.
Though many people associate New Orleans with Cajun music, it's not indigenous to the city: that said, locals do love to fais-do-do (the Cajun two-step) and there are a couple of fantastic places to dance to zydeco , its bluesier black relation. The city has also taken klezmer to its heart, and in particular the local Klezmer Allstars, who bang out a frenzied blend of Yiddish folk, jazz and funk. Finally, for something unique, scour the listings for Mardi Gras Indians such as the Wild Magnolias or Golden Eagles, whose rare gigs - you're most likely to catch them around Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest - are the funkiest, most extraordinary performances you're ever likely to see.
Café Brasil 2100 Chartres St tel 504/949-0851. Minimalist, arty club at the heart of the Faubourg scene, with eclectic live music (Latin, jazz, klezmer, reggae, world), poetry readings and a small bar. The crowd often spills onto Frenchmen St, creating a bohemian street party. Cover varies.
Circle Bar 1032 St Charles Ave tel 504/588-2618. Painfully hip bar in a crumbling old house at Lee Circle. With an inspired, eclectic booking policy, it's becoming renowned for resurrecting jazz and R&B legends from ignominy, and always pulls a hard-partying crowd. Cover varies.
Dragon's Den 435 Esplanade Ave tel 504/949-1750. Opium-den style bar/club above a Thai restaurant in the Faubourg. It's tiny, packed with bright young things lolling on cushions or dancing like demons to R&B, blues, jazz and brass. There's a poetry slam on Thurs. Low or no cover.
House of Blues/The Parish 225 Decatur St tel 504/529-2583. Sleek French Quarter venue, part of the national chain. If you can stomach its un-New Orleans attitude and high prices, it's worth checking out for big names; smaller, local acts play at the intimate Parish upstairs. Cover varies.
Maple Leaf 8316 Oak St tel 504/866-9359. Friendly uptown bar with pressed-tin walls, large dance floor and a patio. It's a New Orleans favorite for really great blues, Cajun, zydeco, R&B and brass bands; Rebirth's Tues night gigs are legendary. There's chess and pool, too, and poetry on Sun afternoons. Cover varies.
Matador 504 Esplanade Ave tel 504/569-8631. The decor - pressed tin, red velvet, Spanish kitsch and a huge circular bar to drape yourself over - is pure New Orleans, as is the oddball crowd. Music varies from flamenco through Europop to trad jazz; Wed night is Soul Rebels night - unmissable. Cover varies.
Mid-City Lanes 4133 S Carrollton St tel 504/482-3133. Eccentric and very good fun bowling alley-cum-music venue in an unprepossessing Mid-City mall. Though it's especially heaving on Wed and Thurs - zydeco nights - they also book great local R&B blues and Latin music. Take a taxi. Cover varies.
Red Room 2040 St Charles Ave tel 504/528-9759. Swanky, very scarlet, cocktail bar, restaurant and music venue on the fringes of the Garden District. Featuring cool jazz, swing and Latin bands, with DJ nights at the weekend, it attracts a superhip uptown set. Cover varies.
Shim-Sham Club 615 Toulouse St tel 504/565-5400. A decadent cabaret lounge in old Bourbon Street style, Shim-Sham is a little dark and slightly daring, without ever taking itself too seriously. Among the punk'n'porno and Eighties nights, look out for the sexy ShimShamettes burlesque review, various cabaret and swing titans, and wildly popular trad jazz combos. Cover varies.
Tipitina's 501 Napoleon Ave tel 504/891-8477. Legendary uptown venue, named after a Professor Longhair song, with a consistently good funk, R&B, brass and reggae lineup. The Cajun fais-do-do (Sun 5-9pm) is fun, too, with free red beans and rice. Cover varies.
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