Ponderosa Stomp dates

Dates for this year's Ponderosa Stomp in New Orleans have been confirmed at last, but there is no news yet on the line up. The Stomp will take place from September 15 to 17 but the acts will not be performing at the House of Blues this year, but at the Howlin' Wolf club on South Peters Street, suggesting a smaller line up than in past years. It seems that there will be a conference on Friday the 15th with shows on Saturday September 16 and Sunday, September 17 at Howlin' Wolf, but full details are still awaited. http://www.ponderosastomp.com/

Still in New Orleans, I caught the first episode of Treme the other night on Sky Atlantic. It seems very authentic N'Awlins - so much so that sub titles are recommended for catching what the actors are saying. Episode one featured Kermit Ruffins and a guest role by Elvis Costello and a glimpse of WWOZ, the local community music station. I will try and catch other episodes over the next few weeks.

A final word for Hollywood sex symbol Jane Russell who has died aged 89. Famed almost as much for not wearing the special bra constructed for her by Howard Hughes as for her movies, Jane appeared memorably in The Outlaw and alongside Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, among many others.