From the Vault: Crescent City Classics

Dig into classic interviews with the artists who shape New Orleans Jazz Fest

Author

Viktor
April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025

 

FROM THE VAULT

Crescent City Classics

Last week, we saluted New Orleans heroes The Meters and The Neville Brothers. With Jazz Fest about to enter its second week, we look back on a selection of other archival interviews with some classic Crescent City acts.

Drummer Stanton Moore on reconnecting with his New Orleans roots, performing with rappers and his “sports car.” “Our new album Ya-Ka-May is a tour through New Orleans’ different music scenes as hosted by Galactic.”

“I’ve been an admirer of all things New Orleans since 1984, my freshman year at Tulane University. Sure the food and culture are astounding, but what’s left the most indelible impression on me is the music.”

Danny & The Dead, a collection of never-before-seen Grateful Dead photographs featuring the work of legendary photographer Danny Clinch.

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“I’ve come to realize the world needs more love. That’s what I try to do on the Late Show, with my own performances and when I’m making records,” Jon Batiste explains, describing his role as bandleader and musical director for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, as well as his efforts with his group Stay Human and his major-label solo debut, Hollywood Africans.

Joined by Eric Finland, Ben Marino, and the late great James Casey, this unforgettable session captures the magic of raw, soulful musicianship. Only 750 copies were pressed, and it is now available for $19.95.

“Jazz Fest is a learning ground, somewhere to grow over the years,” says Ivan Neville, now a four-decade veteran of New Orleans’ annual springtime extravaganza. “I’m always learning something different, not just from being part of it musically, but also seeing how other people coming in treasure the New Orleans thing.”

Following the passing of Sandra Jaffe, who co-founded New Orleans’ hallowed Preservation Hall, our October November 2021 issue features a cover story on the 60th anniversary of the venerable institution that Sandra created with her husband Allan.

Dumpstaphunk co-founder Ivan Neville, scion of New Orleans aristocracy, knows a few things about tradition and legacy. So when the keyboardist says that Troy Andrews—better known to the masses as Trombone Shorty—is leading the city’s music into the future and out to the rest of the world, his word is as good as gold.

David Shaw’s personal studio is tucked directly behind his New Orleans home, in a cozy, wooden building in the city’s St. Roch neighborhood. It’s a few steps from The Revivalists frontman’s main house, past a plunge pool that’s decorated with the lyrics to “Southern Nights.”