Musician

Professor Longhair

Born: December 19, 1918

"Fess" One of the principal pioneers of New Orleans rhythm & blues, his influence can be heard in Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint, James Booker and Dr. John, among many others. Known for his unique mix of blues, jazz, calypso, ragtime, and zydeco, "Fess" (as he was known) defined and captured the essence of New Orleans in his music. Born Henry Roeland Byrd in Bogalusa, Louisiana 1918, and raised in New Orleans, Fess started performing at an early age, often dancing down Bourbon Street for tips. In addition to piano, he learned to play guitar and drums in the early 1930s and was in and out of numerous bands. He soon found there were better ways to make money than music

Article: Take Five With...

Take Five with Saxophonist/Singer/Guitarist Vanessa Collier

by AAJ Staff
April 22, 2025

Meet Vanessa Collier Vanessa Collier's sixth album Do It My Own Way was recently released on Phenix Fire Records. Recorded on analog gear with the musicians largely in one room, Do It My Own Way is sonically inspired by the classic Memphis soul sound of Stax and Hi Records, especially that of the Staples Singers. The ...

Article: Take Five With...

Take Five with Saxophonist Noah Peterson

by AAJ Staff
January 16, 2025

Meet Noah Peterson While his troubadour days are behind him, Noah continues to have musical adventures. From his many bands and explorations of different genres of music Noah always has his fingers in something. His latest adventure includes his brand new quartet recording of all original music Coming Home To You and the rebirth of The ...

Article: Profile

Benny Jones: Jazz History & More

by Thomas Cole
July 9, 2024

I was born and raised in the 6th Ward, which is called Trem�� these days but these days I live near the Fairgrounds. My father was in the Eureka Brass Band and was very good friends with bot the Humphrey brothers--Willie and Percy. They had all played in different bands together as well as at Preservation ...

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Bah Humbug, Weather Music, Stocking Stuffer Singles

by David Brown
December 26, 2023

Personally, I do not celebrate Christmas. But for this week's show, I figured I'd get in the spirit and sprinkle a few offbeat holiday tunes into the mix. We start off with a Latin set with Pete Rugolo and His Orchestra's “Jingle Bells Mambo" followed by Herman's Heat and Puente's Beat; then a set of meteorological ...

Article: Album Review

Dr. John: The Montreux Years

by Dave Linn
June 8, 2023

New Orleans is considered the birthplace of jazz. In the late 1800s, the city was a melting pot of different cultures, including African, European, and Caribbean. This cultural diversity had a profound impact on the music of the city. The new sounds of Dixieland and ragtime became the foundation in the evolution of jazz. Artists such ...

Article: Groove Orbit

Rhythm and Roots: The Influence of Jazz on Ska and Early Reggae

by Kyle Simpler
February 9, 2023

If any country could be identified solely by its music, Jamaica would probably be a prime example. Over the years, reggae music has become one of the most identifiable art forms in Jamaica, but this was not always the case. Reggae rose to prominence in the late sixties, and much of its roots are in American ...

Album

Alligator Records: 50 Years of Genuine Houserockin�� Music

By Koko Taylor

Label: Alligator Records
Released: 2022
Track listing: DISC 1: Give Me Back My Wig (Hound Dog Taylor & The Houserockers); I'm A Woman (Koko Taylor); Have Mercy (Big Walter Horton with Carey Bell); Somebody Loan Me A Dime (Fenton Robinson); It��s My Fault, Darling (Professor Longhair); Telephone Angel (Son Seals); Lights Out (Johnny Winter); Blue Monday Hangover (Albert Collins); Little Car Blues (James Cotton); The Dream (Albert Collins, Robert Cray & Johnny Copeland); Pawnshop Bound (William Clarke); Ridin' the Blinds (Live) (Lonnie Mack); Cold Lonely Nights (Live) (Lonnie Brooks); Soul Fixin�� Man (Live) (Luther Allison); Got My Mojo Working (Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown); Sloppy Drunk (Saffire�CThe Uppity Blues Women); That Did It (Roy Buchanan); Keep On Lovin' Me, Baby (The Paladins).

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DISC 2: Love Disease (Michael Burks); I'm A Blues Man (Kenny Neal); Run Myself Out of Town (The Holmes Brothers); Jump Star (Little Charlie & The Nightcats); I'm Still Leaving You (Katie Webster); Don't Lose My Number (Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King); Corner Of The Blanket (The Kinsey Report); I Got A Rich Man's Woman (Carey Bell); Au Contraire, Mon Frere (C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band); There's A Devil On The Loose (Mavis Staples); Presumed Innocent (Michael Hill's Blues Mob); Not What You Said Last Night (Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin); Man Of Considerable Taste (Billy Boy Arnold): Ain't Seen My Baby (Cephas & Wiggins); Marfa Lights (Long John Hunter); Phone Line (Dave Hole): Josephine (Eric Lindell); I Won't Do That (Joe Louis Walker); That's What Love Will Make You Do (Janiva Magness); Going Back to Alabama (The Siegel-Schwall Band); Why Don��t You Live So God Can Use You? (Corey Harris & Henry Butler).

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DISC 3: Party Town (Marcia Ball); What You See Is What You Get (Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials); In A Roomful Of Blues (Roomful of Blues); Blue and Lonesome (Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues); Outside of This Town (Christone "Kingfish" Ingram); Clotilda's On Fire (Shemekia Copeland); The Longer That I Live (Curtis Salgado); Living In a Burning House (Selwyn Birchwood); Midnight Hour Blues (Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite); Ain't No Fun (When The Rabbit Got The Gun) (The Cash Box Kings); Make It Back To Memphis (Live) (Tommy Castro & The Painkillers); A Woman (Live) (JJ Grey & Mofro); I'm Running (Rick Estrin & The Nightcats); You Didn't Think About That (Coco Montoya); Ice Cream In Hell (Tinsley Ellis); You Won't Have A Problem When I'm Gone (Chris Cain); Too Late (Guitar Shorty); The High Cost of Low Living (The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling); The Chicago Way (Toronzo Cannon).

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Nostalgic for New Orleans: Brass Bands, Classic R&B, Trad and New Jazz

by David Brown
June 21, 2022

I'm nostalgic for New Orleans. Once my home, I just visited after 19 years. This week, R&B with Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, Lee Dorsey, Ernie K-Doe & Professor Longhair. Then trad jazz with Panorama Jazz Band, Sidney Bechet and Louis Armstrong. We'll second line with the Panorama, Treme, Dirty Dozen and Rebirth Brass Bands, and much ...

Article: Catching Up With

Alberto Pibiri: Living His Jazz Dreamlife

by Schaen Fox
March 26, 2022

Alberto Pibiri is strongly influenced by Oscar Peterson as well as earlier virtuoso pianists, but has his own style. Happily, his lifelong goal was to settle here in the United States, but his kind of talent would shine and stand out anywhere. All About Jazz: Just where in Italy are you from?