LOUISIANA RED HOT RECORDS

Posts in the GENRE category

NEW ORLEANS JUICE

Dave JordanBIO

Since exploding onto the New Orleans scene in 1998, Juice has made a name for themselves as one of the premier national touring acts from New Orleans legendary funk scene. Through nearly constant touring and good, old fashioned word of mouth, Juice has built a solid national fan base, and received strong critical acclaim for their creative, original mix of New Orleans style funk, blues, second line, rock and rhythm and blues. Besides maintaining their presence on the New Orleans club scene, they have averaged a jaw dropping 160 shows a year since 1999. They have performed at some of the premier festivals, theaters and clubs in the country with highlight performances at the 2000 & 2001 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival- widely considered the premier music festival in the U.S.

Founded by bassist/vocalist Dave Jordan in 1996 at L.S.U., Juice quickly claimed the mantle of the then burgeoning jam band scene in Baton Rouge. Already a mainstay on the local music scene (Jordan’s previous band had performed with the likes of Widespread Panic, Aquarium Rescue Unit, George Porter, the Samples and more),Juice shifted their immediate focus to the Southeastern college circuit. After a year and a half of local touring, Jordan took the band back to his hometown of New Orleans, where Dave’s longtime collaborator, harmonica/vocalist Jamie Galloway, had already relocated.

Upon arrival in New Orleans in April ‘98, Juice quickly made a splash by landing a weekly gig at world famous Tipitina’s for a two-month stretch that summer. By September, they were recording their debut CD, Fortified, which was independently released in March 1999. Keeping in their live philosophy of musical spontaneity, the recording quickly became a “Who’s Who” of the thriving, young New Orleans funk scene. Various members of local stalwarts All That, Mulebone and Iris May Tango, among others, madeFortified– 9 tracks and 55 minutes of Juice’s unique blend of swampy funk, jazz and rock- one of the most unique releases of the year.

In August of ’99, drummer Aron Lambert joined the band after returning home from 4 years in the Nashville music scene, and immediately the sound of the band shifted from a jam oriented, college-party band to the more sophisticated, syncopated sounds of New Orleans that have since become Juice’s trademark. It also marked the beginning of the whirlwind tour schedule that continues today.

By early 2000, Juice was gaining a stellar reputation for their amazing musical diversity, as well as their 3+ hour marathon shows. In true New Orleans tradition, their penchant for late night jamming (sometimes until the sun came up), earned them a loyal following in the jam band scene and in February 2000, An Honest Tune Magazine– the Southern Journal of Jam- joined forces to throw a series of Widespread Panic after parties. In April 2000, New Orleans-based Louisiana Red Hot Records re-released Fortified just in time for their inaugural performance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

By the time 2000 was nearing an end, the national buzz on the band was growing. With tours up the East Coast and multiple tours out West under their belt, Juice were being compared to many of their musical influences, including legendary bands like the Meters and Little Feat- both of whom they had by now performed with. Once again, in true New Orleans tradition their shows attracted acclaimed musicians both locally and nationally. Always willing to take musical chances, they have joined or been joined onstage for impromptu jams by past and present members of the Funky Meters, Widespread Panic, ReBirth and Dirty Dozen Brass Bands, String Cheese Incident, Sly & the Family Stone, Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, Galactic, Ozomatli, North Mississippi All Stars, Soulive, Papa Grows Funk and many more.

PRESS

“…next kings of New Orleans style funk.” – LSU’s Daily Reveille

“… jazz, funk, rhythm and blues…taking these roots genres in exciting new directions.” – Billboard Magazine

“Juice delivers the goods… the funk grooves deep and the jams stretch long, often crossing several musical boundaries within one song.” – New Orleans’ Where Ya’at Magazine

“…If Fortified is an indication of where Juice is headed, we’ve got much more to look forward to.” – An Honest Tune Magazine

“Impressive and terrifically snug debut CD.” – Baton Rouge’s Gambit Magazine

“They have garnered much attention as the band to jam with…no frills, no fancy effects. Just the real, raw deal.” – Telluride Weekly

“Adding further variety, Juice is also capable of turning itself into a virtual Little Feat clone, spewing spicy blues as fiery guitar leads clamor for space amidst the drum heavy mix and harmonica melts around the song’s edges.” – The Music Box

“All Lit Up” is like having a utility player in your album collection. It’s all there. There’s harmonica-driven blues numbers, funk forways into the elastic universe of jazz, and catchy rock-n-roll tunes that harken back to the purity of the 50’s when Lee Dorsey and Fats Domino ruled the New Orleans roost.” – Smokey Mountain News

“Like a lot of funk acts, and like almost all jambands, Juice’s studio work is merely a calling card for what they do live, but even as they steer into a more main stream dircetion on this, their second CD, they don’t leave their chops or encyclopedic musical knowledge behind… It’s al ljust a blueprint, mind you, but, it’d be a wonderful world indeed if all houses were built this solidly, or rocked this hard.” – Offbeat Magazine

www.davejordanmusic.com

RODERICK PAULIN

Roderick PaulinBIO

Native New Orleanian Roderick Paulin is blazing his own trail keeping the rich New Orleans music tradition alive in non-traditional ways. Roderick is known as being the lynchpin of The Rebirth Brass Band where he composed and arranged anthems that went outside of the ‘normal’ brass band sound with intricate harmonies, rhythms, and mainstream music concepts which attracted younger audiences. That new interest in the music was needed because at that time a lot of the older traditional players weren’t able to accommodate the physical demands of walking the long routes of second-line parades and a shift in music was happening with the younger cats. The social-aid and pleasure clubs themselves that employed the bands, reaped the benefits from this shift in the music because they were now bombarded with new members wanting to parade to this ‘new’ style of music that Rebirth was playing and Roderick was behind the scenes composing and arranging the new modal type of brass band music.

PRESS

“…Paulin possesses a chameleonlike command of his tenor, living up to his legacy as the son of New Orleans trumpeter “Doc” Paulin.”  – Patricia Myers, JazzTimes.com

 

KEVIN SEKHANI

Kevin-Solo-Promo-2013BIO

As a 20 year veteran of the Austin music scene, Kevin Sekhani has done it all. From blazing rock-n-roll to Holy Ghost Honkytonk, Sekhani never fails to entertain crowds with heartfelt enthusiasm and poignant lyrics.

Spending time in Austin working with Michael Ramos (John Mellencamp, Patty Griffin), Andrew Duplantis (Son Volt), and Austin Chronicle’s three-time String Player of the Year winner Warren Hood. In 2010, Sekhani moved back to his home town of Lafayette, Louisiana to front The Mercy Brothers, a Gospel group walking the fine line of sinners and saints.

Since the prodigal son’s return home, he has won over the hearts of Jazz Fest and Festival International audiences, landed a top 5 spot on the Americana charts in Europe with The Mercy Brothers debut release, toured Sweden, and signed his Gospel group to Louisiana Red Hot Records.

Honed from years of collaborations and jam sessions with the legendary wordsmith Bill Carter, who wrote hits for Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Counting Crows, Waylon Jennings and others, Sekhani’s voracious songwriting extends beyond Gospel into secular territory with his new solo album Day Ain’t Done. Adam Sheets of No Depression praises Sekhani’s work on the album deeming it “one of the best debut albums I have heard in years.”

Day Ain’t Done is layered with Americana staple instrumentation, taking the earthy tones of violin, mandolin, accordion and acoustic guitars to give the feel of a back porch jam on a Louisiana Saturday night. The album’s track “Oilfield Tan” has found its way into regular rotation on local Louisiana and Texas radio stations, resonating amongst an area all too familiar with the demanding industry of oilfield work.

Kevin Sekhani celebrates his Louisiana roots by signing with Louisiana Red Hot Records to help bring Day Ain’t Done to the worldwide stage. With stops at 2014’s South by Southwest music festival, Sekhani has already began to garner excitement for his solo career. Still, whether you catch Kevin Sekhani at a large festival or on a small front porch, you are guaranteed to enjoy one hell of a show.

PRESS

“Sekhani’s alternative country gumbo of guitar, Dobro, fiddle, mandolin and more can hang with the best of them.” – Herman Fuselier, Music Writer

“Hailing from Lafayette, LA but cutting his teeth in the Austin music scene, Kevin Sekhani fuses the styles of country, rock and roll, and back-porch jamming to form a vivacious sound.” – The Independent Weekly

“Kevin Sekhani Cajun singer songwriter and veteran Austin musician makes a rousing debut on New Orleans’ Louisiana Red Hot Records with this year’s Day Ain’t Done” – Chris Gray, Houston Press

“If you like music that gets you dancing, this is an album you should add to your collection” – Gary Schwind, AXS TV

“With a voice slightly reminiscent of a young Steve Earle and solid songwriting, Day Ain’t Done is one of the best albums I have heard in years.” – Adam Sheets, No Depression

“Kevin has always been an exceptional singer and Songwriter” – Bill Carter, Songwriter (Caught in the Crossfire, Willie the Wimp – Stevie Ray Vaughn, Why Get Up – The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Robert Palmer)

“Day Ain’t Done is a rich organic blend of alternative country styled Americana textured with fiddle, accordion and dobro that showcases Sekhani’s Louisiana roots both musically and lyrically” – Cody Daigle, The Daily Advertiser

“Day Ain’t Done is dripping with moss, delivering you right to the levee at Henderson swamp, while Ballad of a Lonely Clown and Jimmy would feel at home on the Grand Ole Opry Stage” – The Daily Advertiser

www.kevinsekhani.com

MARC STONE

marcStone_2BIO

It’s no wonder that New York City-born, New Orleans-adopted guitarist Marc Stone has become one of the most respected Blues and Roots artists in the Crescent City. Who else has spent the last 20+ years backing such an astounding litany of Louisiana Blues, R&B and Zydeco legends including Eddie Bo, Ernie K-Doe, Marva Wright, Tommy Ridgely, Marcia Ball, Henry Gray, Rockin’ Dopsie, C.J. Chenier, and Grammy winner Terrance Simien? When not gigging with his crackerjack band or touring Europe, Stone also hosts “Soul Serenade,” the fifteen year-old worldwide radio show broadcast on famous New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station WWOZ, 90.7 FM.

Stone’s impressive roots-music pedigree, red-hot slide playing and outstanding story-telling are all on fine display with his national debut Poison & Medicine. A stellar cast of New Orleans guests including percussion wizard Mike Dillon, the Bonerama Horns, the late great tenor sax master Tim Green, members of Galactic, Honey Island Swamp Band, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band spice the nine soulful/devil-inside grooves, spanning the Southern musical spectrum from gospel to R&B to haunting Delta Swamp Blues.

This release on Louisiana Red Hot places Stone among a powerhouse roster that includes the Honey Island Swamp Band, Ivan Neville and Dumpstaphunk, Glen David Andrews and the New Orleans Suspects, capping an outstanding year for the artist. With two European tours and a Fall tour of the Northeast under his belt in 2015, Stone has also performed high profile gigs at home including French Quarter Festival, Tipitina’s opening for a sold out Radiators reunion show, a featured role in the All Star New Orleans tribute to Mad Dogs and Englishmen, as well as performances with Walter “Wolfman” Washington, John Mooney, Leftover Salmon with Bill Payne and Col Bruce Hampton, and Marcia Ball.

PRESS

“Poison & Medicine possesses catchy hooks, compelling introspection and songs that are simply fun to sing along to, marking perhaps a watershed moment in the already locally adored and internationally in-demand 45-year-old Stone’s career.” – Frank Etheridge, Offbeat Magazine, New Orleans

“Marc Stone deftly mixes traditional blues, gospel, R&B and blues rock into a coherent musical continuum…Stone is an excellent guitarist, especially on lap steel…not a wasted note….” – John Swenson, OffBeat Magazine, New Orleans

“A true Blues diamond in the rough.” – Where Y’at Magazine, New Orleans

“The highlight of the concert came clearly at the end of the evening with the Marc Stone Band…incredible ease and in splendid form…” – Appenzeller Zeitung, Switzerland

“[A] great record. From start to finish it doesn’t abandon the listener for even a moment.” (five star review) – Gianluca Diana, Alias Magazine, Italy

“One guitar, one chair, this pro doesn’t need more. From the first chord the crowd was rockin’.” – Kraichgau Stimme, Germany

www.marcstonemusic.com

WARDELL & HIS SLAMMIN’ BIG BAND

WQBIO

After playing with Dave Bartholomew’s band from the late 1940s and serving as an army musician in Korea, Wardell emerged as a bandleader in his own right in the mid-1950s with his Royal Dukes of Rhythm. He also worked as an arranger with the cream of New Orleans musicians, including Professor Longhair and Fats Domino.

In 1964, he formed Nola Records, and Robert Parker’s “Barefootin’” from the label reached number 2 on the R&B chart. Other artists on the label include Eddie Bo, Willie Tee and Smokey Johnson. Later, he recorded King Floyd’s “Groove Me” and Jean Knight’s “Mr. Big Stuff”. When major labels including Stax and Atlantic initially rejected them as uncommercial, Stax eventually released “Mr Big Stuff”, and it became the biggest selling, most successful release on the Stax label (currently over 3 million copies), outselling Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and the other Stax acts. “Groove Me” was released on the Chimneyville label, a huge hit (King Floyd’s biggest), and was covered by artists as diverse as Etta James and Tom Petty. Quezergue was also the keyboardist on both hits. Quezergue arranged Dorothy Moore’s “Misty Blue”, which “crossed over” and also became the label’s (Malaco) biggest seller.

At the same time, Wardell was charting, at Berry Gordy’s request, stage arrangement for Stevie Wonder and other Motown acts.

As a result of these successes, Quezergue’s skills as an arranger, and Malaco’s studios, became in demand in the 1970s, and were used by artists as diverse as Paul Simon, Willie Nelson and B. B. King. He also worked with G.C. Cameron, former lead singer of The Spinners (“It’s A Shame”) and The Temptations, the Pointer Sisters, and many more.

Quezergue also produced and arranged the Grammy Award-winning Dr. John album Goin’ Back to New Orleans in 1992. Already an award winning classical composer and conductor, in 2000 he created an extended composition entitled “A Creole Mass”, drawing on his experiences in the Korean War.[3]

In 2005, Wardell was awarded “Best Produced CD of the Year”(by the NY Blues and Jazz society) for his first sessions with singer-songwriter Will Porter. Also a Blues Foundation nominee, the sessions featured Billy Preston, Leo Nocentelli, The Louisiana Philharmonic Strings, and Nola’s best musicians. The CD was awarded 4 stars by AMG, and received what Quezergue called “the best reviews of my career”.

In May 2009, Wardell Quezergue received an honorary doctorate from Loyola University New Orleans for his selfless dedication to enhancing the careers of others, while remaining in the background; for his dedication to teaching others, especially the young aspiring musicians of the city, leading many great New Orleans musicians to refer to him as “my teacher;” and for his contributions to the sounds of the city, particularly the driving horn sounds of the 60s and 70s, for which New Orleans music became known.

On July 19, 2009, a tribute was mounted to Wardell Quezergue at the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. By all standards, the show was a triumph, its concept begat from Dr. Ike and the Ponderosa Stomp crew. A nine-piece band was assembled and imported from New Orleans to back up singers like Dr. John, Robert Parker, Jean Knight, and The Dixie Cups, just to name a few. Veteran writer/arranger/bandleader/producer Quezergue showed everyone that he still had it, as he conducted the whole concert.

In 2011 Quezergue finished work on what he called his “two most important works”; his classical religious work “The Passion” and the sophomore recording for Will Porter. On August 25, 2011, Quezergue approved final mixes of 15 tracks of the Will Porter project, featuring duets with Dr. John, Bettye Lavette, Barbara Lewis, jazz bassist Jimmy Haslip, Leo Nocentelli (all multiple Grammy nominees/awardees,) with, once again, the best of New Orleans, including the 12 last recordings of the late drummer Bernard “Bunchy” Johnson, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Strings.

Wardell Quezergue passed away September 6th, 2011, at the age of 81, but his music and legacy will live on forever.

PRESS

“The stellar cast includes Warren Bell Sr., Roderick Paulin, Joe Saulsbury, Julius Hardy and Carl Blouin in the saxophone section; Tracy Griffin, Barney Floyd and Brian Murray among the trumpets; Craig Klein on trombone; the legendary Sam Henry on keyboards; Wardell’s son Brian Quezergue on bass; guitarists Leo Williams and Detroit Brooks; and drummers Bunchy Johnson and Leon Alexander. Quezergue’s crisp, juicy charts are well-played throughout, and the soloists make almost uniformly excellent contributions to the music.” – John Sinclair

 

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On Youtube