JAMNOLA and Lyle Lovett

It would be remiss of me if I went to New Orleans and didn't visit Euclid Records so i had a brouse around and bought a few 45s. On the way back we came across the JAMNOLA museum which celebrates Joy, Art and Music in New Orleans.It's very colourful and hands on and includes info on Mardi Gras traditions and big busts of Dr John, Irma Thomas, Louis Armstrong and other NOLA greats. We were shown around and entertained by Rocky Tornabene, who used to be Dr John's sound man and is now a story teller at the museum.

In the evening Ron and I went to Tipitina's to see Americana legend Lyle Lovett with his Large Band. The place was packed and the support act, fellow Texan Hayes Carll, was great on songs such as 'Drunken Poet's Dream' and 'Times Like These'. Lyle's band was certainly large with 14 members, including three backing singers, and no one could accuse him of relying on youth. These were experienced musicians, including veteran bass player Leland Sklar and former leader of yhe Muscle Shoals Horns trombonist Charles Rose. Lyle has always been a little bit quirky and this was a varied and highly enjoyable set. I had never seen him live before and I was impressed. Numbers included 'Church', 'Here I Am', from his 1990 'Large Band' album, 'It's A Naked Party ', 'She's No Lady' and 'I Know You Know'. Hayes joined him on stage for Guy Clark's 'LA Freeway' and 'Pancho and Lefty'. A great way to spend the evening and it was good to get back to Tipitina's again.