Last week, The Voice of the Wetlands Allstars, Tab Benoit, Corey Duplechin, Cyril Neville, Johnny Vidacovich, Waylon Thibodeaux, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and Johnny Sansone converged in Falls Church Va. at the State Theatre to kick off a what seems to be yearly east coast swing. The band hadn’t been together as a unit in months, Johnny Sansone and Cyril Neville(Royal Southern Brotherhood) both had come off extensive tours in Europe with their primary gigs and hadn’t been home yet, and the rest have been busy here in the states as usual. Under “normal” circumstances one would think it would take a gig or two to get everything synchronized, but there is nothing “normal” about this group. The band ripped into “Bayou Breeze” as if they had been together for years. (Kinda like that best friend you have but see every 3 years, but pick right up where you left off, regardless….) Prior to starting Johnny V was just playing some slinky slow grooves on the drums which had me mesmerized and smiling, and like a whip in sync with Tabs opening guitar licks, slammed me and the rest of the theatre straight into a 2 hr show which ranks up there with the best I’ve seen from them. From that moment on I knew myself and everyone attending the shows were in for a treat. These guys have so much fun playing together, and it’s obvious on stage as each watches the the others in amazement with smiles on their faces throughout, kinda like kids on a playground, their playground. Live music just doesn’t get much better than this for sure……and hangin out on the road with friends for a week isn’t so bad either. Here are some images from the Falls Church and FTC show’s , I’ll post the rest from Highline Ballroom, Philly Folk Fest, and Chenago Blues Fest as I have time. Enjoy the pics, and if your lookin to see them live, The Voice of the Wetlands Festival is October 12-14th in Houma La., a trip that would be well worth it….go to http://www.voiceofthewetlands.org/ for more info on the fest. More images and a musical slideshow can be seen at http://www.nativeorleanian.org/vow_allstars_ftc_theatre_8_15_12 Jerry ©2005-2012 Jerry Moran Native Orleanian LLC

Stills can be seens along with slideshows at http://www.nativeorleanian.org/complete_uncle_lionel_bastiste_tributes_and_second_lines

Over the years I have heard about and had some magical moments at the Candlelight Lounge, last nights tribute to the legacy of Uncle Lionel Batiste Sr. was one of those nights that words just can’t convey….at least right now. Immediately upon walking in the door, you were bombarded my the music of the Treme Brass Band and a wall of heat that on any other night may have turned you around, personally, I like it like that……and so did everyone else cause the place was packed all night…….along with a sea of people inn the streets……..I once talked with my friend John Mooney about what moments I try to capture thru my photography, I explained that sometimes, we as a crowd get taken away during shows and dropped back off in what seems like 10 minutes, when in reality 2 hours sometimes more went by……..John responded, “Yeah Jerry, I call that hitt’n “The Note”, we go there too……Well last night the Treme Brass Band and guests were hitting “The Note” from the time I walked in the Candlelight till I left soaking wet with a big smile on my face a little after 1:00am…….That’s never happened before, at least in my experience…..Unc was definitely in da house last night. Musical Slideshow can be seen at http://www.nativeorleanian.org/uncle_lionel_candlelight_tribute ©2005-2012 Jerry Moran Native Orleanian LLC Also I have posted a video from last night on youtube at Treme Brass Band Tribute To Uncle Lionel Batiste at the Candlelight Lounge

7-11_12 Uncle Lionel’s pre Candlelight Second Line
So yesterday around 5 I was sitting around in my studio and a tweet came across my iphone from the Treme Brass Band, “Second Line in the 6th Ward NOW!”, so I hopped in my car and zig zagged around Esplanade for a few minutes, windows down……around Treme and Esplanade started hearing those all familiar beats……I abandoned the car and took off towards the sounds, and there it was, probably just leaving Kermits Bar on St. Bernard. For the next few hrs we went into the Quarter, up and down streets, stop’s at Lafittes, Cathedral, the River and then up St. Peter St.. It was inevitable what happened next, the Second Line marched into Preservation Hall, where a show was going on with paying customers packing the place as usual. Not surprisingly PHB stepped aside and let the Second Line pay tribute to Uncle Lionel Batiste. Words can not do this justice so just enjoy the pics……Afterwards headed up Bourbon St, then back to Tuba Fats Square and the Candlelight Lounge where in an hr, The Treme Brass Band would proceed to pay tribute to Uncle Lionel well into the night, which is a whole different story, I think you have an idea though…..will get to those pics and vid soon, need to rest up a little for Unc’s daily Second Line later this afternoon…..Enjoy the pics! Musical Slideshow at http://www.nativeorleanian.org/pre_candlelight_second_line ©2005-2012 Jerry Moran Native Orleanian LLC

July 13 Second Line for Uncle Lionel
It didn’t matter whether it was raining with lightning and thunder, the people were coming out to pay their respects to Uncle Lionel Batiste with a massive spirited Second Line. I arrived in over at Tuba Fats Square around 4 walking through a steady downpour with a less than sufficient umbrella. On the way there it was obvious that something big was about to happen. On my six or seven block walk, across the street from the Quarter, behind me from Treme and St. Claude and in front of me, people dressed out in white all converging on one spot, Tuba Fats Square and the Candlelight Lounge where the Second Line would begin. With the rains comin down most people were outside and some were in the Candlelight ting “tuned up” with the Brass Band and in no real rush. Around 5:30 or so the rain had slacked and I wandered outsidewith my friend Andy Levin, he told me somethin’s goin on….I saw Benny Jones walkin up St Phillip towards N. Claiborne and asked him whats goin on, he said, “Lining up, and pointed to the parking lot behind Charbonnet Funeral Home”. I followed the brass band and realized this was how they were gonna get everyone to follow and basically go around the block to line up the Second Line……The Brass Band was in high gear at this point and I saw why when we turned the corner behind Charbonnet. There was a garage door that the initial Second Line approached and the first guy started knocking , followed by a second, and a third….this was the back door to Charbonnet Funeral home, I then realized they were knockin for Unc………..with the band playin louder and louder, they kept knockin……there was no answer, at least not of this world…..after an amount of time went by that I really couldn’t tell you how long it was, one of the Grand Marshals pointed around the building, a sign to everyone to move on and begin the Second Line celebration of Uncle Lionel Batiste’s life and legacy……Initially when this was was happening, my eyes started well up with tears as they are now while writing this…..That passed in time and the Second Line proceeded back to N. Robertson and slowly proceeded along a shortened route, ending at Sweet Lorraine’s……As you can see in the images, there were hundreds perhaps thousands of people in the Second Line and more waiting on the streets for it to pass and then join it…when we crossed Esplanade the second Line flooded both sides of St Claude all the way to Sweet Lorraine’s…..It was quite a day and beautiful in many many ways……bittersweet but beautiful….Enjoy the pics, more and a musical slideshow at http://www.nativeorleanian.org/july_13_second_line_uncle_lionel_batiste Jerry ©2005-2012 Jerry Moran Native Orleanian LLC

July 16 Second Line for Uncle Lionel Batiste
Over the past week there have been many second lines and events here and all over the world honoring Uncle Lionel Batiste and his legacy. Today was about the kids, teaching and passing on traditions, something Uncle Lionel tirelessly did on most Sunday’s in the French Quarter. Yesterday the daily Second Lines continued, this one starting at the Candlelight Lounge in Treme. Without fail, James “12” Andrews has been a fixture leader and organizer of these events, when I heard a child’s voice on WWOZ around noon yesterday announce, “James says all musicians meet at Tuba Fats Square at 5 o’clock”, I knew it was on….I talked to James for a bit about Unc and what will be goin on later this week, soon after which the band came into the Candlelight for final preparations. This day I did not take many images but just wanted to soak everything in, I immediately started to see James assuming the role (as he always has)of teacher and mentor, as I watched him throw his hands up in the air the first time the band tried to proceed out of the Candlelight, something wasn’t right that time…..after a short talk, the band started up again with James lookin on, finally a look of approval and a point towards the door…..we hit the streets with a crowd including Uncle Norman, Unc’s brother , some family and many others, first loopin behind Charbonnet to play for Unc….then to Kermit Ruffins Speakeasy and across N Claiborne into the 6th Ward. We made a few other stops along the way, the whole time with James orchestrating the band and keepin everything right. We got back to to the Candlelight where I hung around for a bit for a sausage po boy. I went to tell James goodbye asking,”You’ll be here tomorrow huh?” to which he replied, “Jerry, I Told Unc we’d be doin these Second Lines till the cat’s come home……” and I have no doubt he was serious as I left with a big smile as I am sure Uncle Lionel was smiling down on us also……. Enjoy the pics, more and a musical slideshow at http://www.nativeorleanian.org/july_16_second_line_uncle_lionel_batiste
Jerry ©2005-2012 Jerry Moran Native Orleanian LLC

july_17_second_line_uncle_lionel_batiste
Yesterday there was a significant increase in the intensity of Uncle Lionel’s daily second line…..if Monday was all about the kids, then Tuesday was about the elders. The second line started at Kermit’s Bar over on St. Bernard on this day which set the tone.. Led as usual by family and band leader James Andrews, the second line band today was populated by a number of the “heavy hitters” in the thick Brass Band community et al…Tuba Phil, Corey Henry, Kid Merv, and Calvin Johnson just to name a few……..theres not a lot to say about it as the images speak for themselves, I did take some vid which I will get to at some point. Also this will probably be the last set I will post for a few days at least as I will be intimately involved in documenting the next several days events….. Enjoy the pics, more and a musical slideshow at http://www.nativeorleanian.org/july_17_second_line_uncle_lionel_batiste Jerry icon_wink ©2005-2012 Jerry Moran Native Orleanian LLC

7-20-12 Uncle Lionel Post Mahalia Jackson Second Line
And then the rains came….again. Uncle Lionel’s Celebration of Life at Mahalia Jackson Theatre last Friday was a real thing of beauty, but the day was left incomplete due to the torrential downpours, floods, etc…..Apparently Unc wasn’t quite ready……But that didn’t stop Mayor Landrieu and a mass of people exiting the theatre into an epic deluge…Today, we will send Unc off with a Jazz Funeral procession starting at Charbonnet-Candlelight Lounge at 11am…..Enjoy the pics and see ya’ll out there….more and a musical slideshow at http://www.nativeorleanian.org/july_20_second_line_uncle_lionel_batiste ©2005-2012 Jerry Moran Native Orleanian LLC

7-23-12 Uncle Lionel Batiste’s Jazz Funeral Second Line
The rain held off, the sun shined oppressively hot, and after a little over 2 weeks of second lining almost daily to celebrate his legacy and life, we were able to give Uncle Lionel Batiste the Jazz Funeral he so deserved. Originally scheduled for post Mahalia Jackson ceremonies last Friday, the procession had to wait the weekend to send off Uncle Lionel. Personally I think he had a hand in the deluge on Friday, and Wednesday for that matter, but the buckets of heavenly water seemed to have run dry by Monday, which happened to also be my birthday. There is not a place I would have rather been on this day, perhaps a last gesture from my friend, who knows…..editing this event was almost like being there again, towards the end my eyes well up with tears as they did yesterday, even more so when we arrived at Mt. Olivet to send Unc off to fly away to the “Glory Land”. Once the ceremony was over a light mist fell from the sunny sky but there was no turning back……farewell my friend. Much love till we meet again…jerry icon_wink Perhaps tomorrow I will write something else about the day, need to step away for now….Enjoy the Pics, More can be seen at http://www.nativeorleanian.org/http://www.nativeorleanian.org/july_23_jazz_funeral_uncle_lionel_batiste
©2005-2012 Jerry Moran Native Orleanian LLC

6-29-12 Updated the music to Uncle Lionel singing “Back O’Town Blues” from the Treme Brass Band CD “Gimme My Money Back ” So when I read that Uncle Lionel would be at d.b.a. last night at the Treme Brass Band’s weekly residency, my initial reaction was it was a bad joke having seen him last week and knowing what the situation was……but after thinking about it a smile came to my face along with the thought, “If there is anyone who could pull this off, it would be Uncle Lionel” Just to verify I called him and talked with one of his daughters, and indeed it was true. I am not at my best under these circumstances, but when Uncle Lionel arrived, the Treme Brass Band was on about the third song of the first set, after which trumpet player Kenneth Terry announced Uncle Lionel was in the house and asked him “Whatya wanna hear Uncle Lionel?” to which he replied “Gimme My Money Back”…..this put a big smile on my, and eveyones faces and eased everything a bit, at least for me…. After the first set I was gonna head out but was met by one of Uncle Lionel’s daughters, I believe Erica, who I had met last week visiting up in his apt, she asked if I would take a pic of him and his daughters for which I was honored and more than happy to do, which kept me there for another hr or so.(Obviously that’s where I was supposed to be….) Last night was a beautiful tribute to the man and his legacy with friends and family by his side, a truly spiritual and rare occurrence. Much Love to Uncle Lionel!