Dan Oestreicher interview part 3

Part 3- Changes in the current New Orleans music scene that are caused by economic changes; rehearsals instead of pick-up bands; trad and revisiting Aurora Nealand's (see her interview) discussion of gender role solidification; heated debating over the preceding issues; music becoming populist and away from the seperatism of bebop- more heated debate!; "in 2012 to be populist is to be subversive!"; the central features of the expression of the Trombone Shorty band; egalitarianism in New Orleans brass band music; what Dan is working on now; Chazfest and the continuance of post-katrina community survival mechanisms; the constant influx of creative people to the city; search and restore.

Interview with Aurora Nealand Pt.3

Aurora Nealand is all over the current New Orleans local scene.  She seemed to emerge out of nowhere.   Some of her appeal is  that she has a humble nature, coupled with a fiery attack when she plays, and a real fearlessness about sitting in and getting involved.  She plays solo performances with a gas mask and an accordion. You'll see her playing soprano sax and clarinet exchanges with herself at Pres. Hall with The Royal Roses (see earlier post on front page.) You'll see her playing duos with pianist/composer Tom Mcdermott.  These are just a few of the interesting things she gets up to.  I have seen her under deeper cover than that, and been amazed at how easily she blends in or stands out.  She reveals a lot here about where she is coming from and where she wants to go.  She also talks a lot about the various communities and social scenes that currently surround some parts of the local scene.

Part 3- What interests her about the groups she is currently working with, Michael Watson, challenges of getting bookings, chazfest and Rory Danger & The Danger Dangers, playing with Spencer Bohren, the hype man, the invention of the Rory Danger persona, Rockabilly and its image, more on sexual role restriction.

Aurora Nealand pt.3

Alex Mcmurray Interview pt.4

Alex remembers what he can about previous years of the Chazfestival; bending self-imposed rules, the non-musical elements of the festival and those pressures, funniest chazfest story.

Alex Mcmurray interview pt.4

Alex Mcmurray Interview pt.3

Alex talks about criteria for selecting bands for the chazfestival.

Alex Mcmurray pt.3

Alex Mcmurray Interview pt.2

 Alex talks about Chazfestival in contrast to the New Orleans Jazz and heritage Festival, the strains of putting on a festival, general attitudes toward organizing, and the future of the Chazfestival.

Alex Mcmurray pt.2

Alex Mcmurray Interview pt.1

Interview clips of Alex Mcmurray just prior to the Chazfestival (2009).

4 part interview.

1. Here Alex talks about the origins of chazfest, the tin men and their involvement, musical experience, and the ideas behind Chazfestival.

Alex Mcmurray Interview pt.1

Interview with Brian Coogan pt.3

Keyboardist, Brian Coogan, took some time for an interview on the day of the Chazfestival.  The interview is in 3 parts.

1. Here he talks about sitting in with Aurora and Walt at Chazfestival, songwriting and   its relation or distinctness from jazz, being an audience at Chazfestival, and comparisons with the Jazz and Heritage Festival.
2. Here Coogan talks about Chazfestival in relation to artistic freedom, comparisons between New Orleans and New York, musician identity, relationship of songwriting to his viewpoints, funky dance music, his new band- The Brian Coogan Band.
3. This section deals with dance music, Brian's background, the music he came up listening to, carting around Hammond organs and their role in New Orleans music, the ironies of nostalgia and musical  anachronisms in New Orleans music, modernity in music

Brian Coogan pt.3

Interview with Brian Coogan pt.2

Keyboardist, Brian Coogan, took some time for an interview on the day of the Chazfestival.  The interview is in 3 parts.

1. Here he talks about sitting in with Aurora and Walt at Chazfestival, songwriting and   its relation or distinctness from jazz, being an audience at Chazfestival, and comparisons with the Jazz and Heritage Festival.
2. Here Coogan talks about Chazfestival in relation to artistic freedom, comparisons between New Orleans and New York, musician identity, relationship of songwriting to his viewpoints, funky dance music, his new band- The Brian Coogan Band.
3. This section deals with dance music, Brian's background, the music he came up listening to, carting around Hammond organs and their role in New Orleans music, the ironies of nostalgia and musical  anachronisms in New Orleans music, modernity in music

Brian Coogan pt.2

Phil Degruy interview pt.5

Phil is one of the most fascinating and innovative instrumentalists from New Orleans.  His creativity is not bound by the guitar- he also modifies, or maybe corrects, a lot of what falls in front of him and on him.  He even invented and plays a kind of guitar- the guitarp.  In this interview, he talks about style in his playing, his guitar influences, alternate lyrics, new orleans guitar scene history, and converses and hypothesizes about the problems of music business and herd mentality.

Phil Degruy pt.5

Phil Degruy interview pt.4

Phil is one of the most fascinating and innovative instrumentalists from New Orleans.  His creativity is not bound by the guitar- he also modifies, or maybe corrects, a lot of what falls in front of him and on him.  He even invented and plays a kind of guitar- the guitarp.  In this interview, he talks about style in his playing, his guitar influences, alternate lyrics, new orleans guitar scene history, and converses and hypothesizes about the problems of music business and herd mentality.

Phil Degruy Pt.4

Phil Degruy interview pt.3

Phil is one of the most fascinating and innovative instrumentalists from New Orleans.  His creativity is not bound by the guitar- he also modifies, or maybe corrects, a lot of what falls in front of him and on him.  He even invented and plays a kind of guitar- the guitarp.  In this interview, he talks about style in his playing, his guitar influences, alternate lyrics, new orleans guitar scene history, and converses and hypothesizes about the problems of music business and herd mentality.

Phil Degruy Pt.3

Phil Degruy interview pt.2

Phil is one of the most fascinating and innovative instrumentalists from New Orleans.  His creativity is not bound by the guitar- he also modifies, or maybe corrects, a lot of what falls in front of him and on him.  He even invented and plays a kind of guitar- the guitarp.  In this interview, he talks about style in his playing, his guitar influences, alternate lyrics, new orleans guitar scene history, and converses and hypothesizes about the problems of music business and herd mentality.

Phil Degruy Pt.2

Phil Degruy interview pt. 1

Phil is one of the most fascinating and innovative instrumentalists from New Orleans.  His creativity is not bound by the guitar- he also modifies, or maybe corrects, a lot of what falls in front of him and on him.  He even invented and plays a kind of guitar- the guitarp.  In this interview, he talks about style in his playing, his guitar influences, alternate lyrics, new orleans guitar scene history, and converses and hypothesizes about the problems of music business and herd mentality.

Phil Degruy interview pt.1

Part 3 of interview with cellist, Helen Gillet

This is an interview in 3 parts from April 2009. Helen Gillet talks about her band Wazozo, Belgian songs, oom-pah, chazfest, and nostalgia. 

Pt.3 of interview with cellist, Helen Gillet

Part 2 of Interview with cellist, Helen Gillet

This is an interview in 3 parts from April 2009. Helen Gillet talks about her band Wazozo, Belgian songs, oom-pah, chazfest, and nostalgia.

(N.B. there is a cutoff in the audio after about a minute and for a short time.  I apologize, that gap is unrecoverable. This recording was early in the series and there were some glitches.  nonetheless, I feel that the other info is interesting enough to warrant leaving this up.)

Pt.2 of interview with cellist, Helen Gillet

Helen Gillet Part 1.

This is an interview in 3 parts from April 2009. Helen Gillet talks about her band Wazozo, Belgian songs, oom-pah, chazfest, and nostalgia. 

Pt.1 of Interview with cellist Hellen Gillet