Deezle - Hip Hop and Beyond Darius Harrison has been producing hip hop, jazz, R&B, pop and anything else you can think of for quite some time now. In 2005 he worked on the Carter II with Lil' Wayne, launching him into hip hop stardom. Deezle, as he is now known, still lives and works in New Orleans although he spends a lot of time working in New York.
KOD: This has been a good year for you right?
D: Yeah man, I have been blessed. There's been so much good stuff going on.
KOD: How many Grammy nominations is it so far?
D: I am up for three...It is a great feeling.
KOD: How did you get into music and producing?
D: Well, I started playing saxophone at the age of nine, and I kept with it...I eventually went to St. Aug and was the Drum Major for the marching band, which is where I got the name for my record company, Drum Major Music. Then I went to UNO, and studied jazz and classical music.
KOD: So you have had a very diverse education in music.
D: Yes, and that has helped me all across the board, It is one reason that I can score a movie or do anything else I want to do in music. (More)
CD Reviews
Christian Serpas and Ghost Town: Hoot and Holler Every now and then an album comes along that is decidedly country and decidedly likeable, making me reconsider my anti-country music stance. Christian Serpas & Ghost Town's live album, Hoot and Holler, is one of those albums. Johnny Cash's biggest fans recorded their set at a New Orleans institution, top notch music club Carrollton Station. (More)
Jimmy Carpenter: Toiling in Obscurity Tenor
Saxophonist Jimmy Carpenter has created a CD of great music that
showcases the many styles he enjoys playing, and also, surprisingly
enough to those that have never heard him sing, his fantastic voice.
Jimmy sings on most of the tracks, and it truly is a treat to hear him.
His saxophone playing is, as always, right on the money but it is his
singing that really stands out here. (More)
Featured Artist/Band
Leo Nocentelli Known throughout the music industry as the "funkiest, fast-fingered" guitarist there is, a musician who can control your mind, body and soul with his experience, superior talent, musical mastery and inimitable style, he is LEO NOCENTELLI. Leo is the lead guitarist, composer, innovator and the musical originator of the syncopated funk-style that won international acclaim for him and the band known as the "Pioneers of Funk", The Meters, the Grammy's 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners.
In the two decades plus, Leo's sound and styles, ranging from Funk, Blues, Jazz, Hip-hop, Rap to Rock, have added to the creation of his own unique brand of blazing musicianship. He has accompanied and collaborated with artists as varied as his style.(More)
Show Reviews
George Porter's 61st B-Day Bash 12.26.08 @ The Howlin' Wolf For fans of George Porter's Runnin' Pardners, a band that very rarely plays anymore, George's annual birthday bash is a real treat. The band was in rare form on Saturday night, with Russell Batiste Jr. playing like a percussive genius, and trumpeter Tracey Griffin ... (More)
The Radiators 12.13.08 @ The Maple Leaf The
two night stand this weekend at the Maple Leaf Bar by the Radiators was
met with the usual enthusiasm by their fans and even more enthusiasm by
the band. Dave Malone and company were brilliant on Saturday night as
this writer watched from the crowd, precariously perched on a wobbly
bench on the side of the dance floor. (More)
Featured Live Music Club
The Dragon's Den - 435 Esplanade A venue that has the feel of an old Bangkok opium den, this two story music club has over the last twenty years become ground zero for the avant-garde and DJ scene in New Orleans.
There are two music rooms in the building, with the downstairs room mainly featuring DJ's and hip hop acts, and the upstairs room showcasing jazz, funk, and other acts, all usually with an experimental flavor.
The feel of the club is friendly and very hip, with lots of tattoos and dreadlocks. Individual expression is valued highly here. The late night scene can be the most happening in town, so showing up at midnight or 1AM can be a great idea on the right night. Covers tend to be very low, and drink prices are also cheap. (More)
