"I want you to know that your band was the highlight of my New Orleans visit!!" "I usually don't listen to Jazz music and I LOVE the DUKES!", "I haven't seen my dad smile so much in years...he is so happy listening to you guys!", "I could listen to you over and over again and never get tired".  "You probably hear it all the time but you guys are great and I had a fantastic evening listening to you!"

These are recent compliments that I have experienced.  My point is not to brag about how " bad-ass"  the band is but to say how much I appreciate a compliment.  To be honest, my favourite compliment is usually from someone in the arts i.e. musician, actor, singer/dancer, composer, producer, agent, manager. Their compliment seems to be more weighted because they probably realize and  appreciate the dedication involved. This does not mean that I just appreciate a peers compliment.   I value each one and look the person in the eye and thank them.   I think this might seem weird to some but I am as sincere as they are!  When I give someone a compliment I am moved to verbalize my feelings.  It is important that they know how they made me feel!

To most folks we are just hangin' out, jazzin and jammin' and having a ball.  Although the smile on your face is enough, a true heart-felt compliment is glorious... especially when you are on vacation.  You don't gotta do nothin' when you are on vacation, so it is a weighted compliment and moves to highest category of compliments.

So...Thank you and thank you to all that compliment.  Keep it up and know that it is appreciated!

AHHH!!  Finally the nice weather is here!  This is perfect weather for a New Orleans visit!  Everyone is as happy as a freshly washed dog!  The buskers are out and revelers are tumbling into the street from club to club.  Remember that you can have a to-go cup and wander anywhere you wanna in New Orleans. This alone makes for an interesting experience!  The DUKES are performing nightly on the Steamboat Natchez and perform for French Quarter Festival, April 11, 3:45-5 and New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, April 26, 6-7PM.  Come fly down, or drive down, to New Orleans!  

The DUKES finished up a fantastic  tour of Florida last week with a quick one-nighter to University of Georgia in Athens. It was wonderful to be out on the road before starting back on the Natchez riverboat for 2014.   The first stop was a two day stint in Naples, Florida and we had the opportunity to hang out at the Naples beach. It was a beautiful day and we decided to build a sandcastle.  We all started in on a replica of the Steamboat Natchez.  We drafted, gathered, projected, and built a masterpiece. Well... picture attached.
This made me think of the things I miss about New Orleans. You know, the things that movies, books and most folks overlook. These are a few of my favourite things.
Family owned local restaurants= R&O, Zydeco, Salvos, Mandina's, Da Wabbit, Cake, Toups, The Joint, and McKenzies Chicken in a box by Dillard University, Tout Sweet, Camelia Grill, K-Pauls, Commanders Palace.
Local bars and Joints= Old Point bar, Chick-e-wa-wa, The Always Lounge, The Columns, Snake and Jakes at 1AM, Cosimos, Dinos for a martini, Pirates Alley, Hotel Weston Lobby, Napoleon House.
Walking tour = ferryboat to Algiers, Magazine Street by Breaux Mart, the Algiers Point levee, Frenchmen Street at 11PM, Audubon Park, The Healing center, kite flying on the FLY.
But...nothing beats the Jazz Sunset cruise on the Mississippi River with New Orleans music ringing, the river breeze, great friends,  a drink in hand,  and southern hospitality!

A large part of a successful performance is being prepared.  As with anything of significance, the quality of preparedness is what keeps you coming back.  I recently ate at a new jamaican restaurant for me that was highly recommended for years but never make the journey to partake.  I realized that I was close to the restaurant a few days ago and my friend had also  raved about it in the past . So, we decided to go in.  I ordered the oxtail and peas and rice.  It was amazing!!  We could taste the passion of preparedness and the quality in every single bite!  I left totally full and content.  Two days later, I was back again for the jerk chicken!  It was equally fantastic.  This is the level of preparedness and compassion that propels the DUKES.  This is why folks love New Orleans music with it's haunting melodies and intoxicating rhythms.  We are well prepared and ready to entertain you!

The DUKES have completed our new tunes for the VOODOO show and are having a blast performing them for our Natchez River Cruise guests!  The tunes are being well received!  We have also added a Dr John medley, Meters medley,  and several traditional jazz  favourites too!  The Natchez will be in dry-dock from January 20- February 16, 2014 as it does annually for repairs, upgrades, and general maintenance.  During the layup the DUKES will be travelling to Florida with a quick one-nighter at University of Georgia in Athens. Check out our itinerary on the website for ticket purchase!  The band is excited to be touring the South in February!  Special thanks to the many guests that cruised with us this last year and joined our mailing list!  

Happy Mardi Gras, y'all!

ENGAGE.

The DUKES were on break discussing why, at times, we encounter a group that is less enthusiastic than our usual audience.  Is it demographics, attention, ignorance, complacency, what is currently trending?  Usually we can “read the crowd” so it is something that can be overcome but it still makes for interesting conversation.

Although improvisational, each DUKES performance is well thought out and great effort is put into how we present a song.  It is not unlike a chef preparing a gourmet meal, a coach selecting the proper play, a conductor studying the score and its subtleties, the director or producer outlining the scene, a choreographer staging the dance.  Get the picture? 

Much effort is involved and the details do not go unnoticed.  We put each tune together with enthusiasm with hopes that the listener will be entertained and appreciative.  It is exciting when the audience engages and experiences these details.  Experiencing the performance on multiple levels and realizing the depth of preparation involved are what makes the song entertaining and interesting.  This is JAZZ.

I was thinking, “Instead of being judgmental, what situations might I disengage?”  Do I participate when asked to “raise your hands in the air and dance like you just don’t care”, or “Everybody SCREAM!”   Do I listen and appreciate the nuances of an Opera, Theatre, or Symphony performance?  Do I engage in sporting events that I normally would have little interest in? Do I try new and exotic foods?  Are there films and books that I would love if I just put forth the effort to engage?  What if I actively participated…for the moment…and tried to experience a glimpse of what makes these of interest?  So, I guess this might be my New Year’s resolution? Engage?

How much effort does it take to engage?  We should all agree that it is just a simple matter of awareness.

As the song goes, "  I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow. They'll learn much more than I'll ever know, and I think to myself...what a wonderful world.  The DUKES have two new babies.  Scott's baby, Rex, at  just a year old and Paul's baby, Sebastion following closely.  It is an exciting time hearing of the adventures of both of them.  They are lucky to have such talented and loving parents and there is constant music in their households.  In New Orleans we see music families grow and prosper and carry on the tradition.  Music is such a vital part of living and even if DUKES' offspring don't aspire to be musicians, the artistic environment that they grow up in will define them.  

Many times we have a guest say, "I am not a musician, but I love the music and can feel it!" or they speak of how music was so important in their home growing up. Music in the schools has been proven to heighten achievement in academic courses and is used to improve concentration and comprehension.  

Music can be enjoyed on many levels and the more you listen the more you appreciate it.  New Orleans musician Craig Klein recently said, "There are two types of music, good and bad, and I like them both!"