southcoastukes
Well-known member
I thought I'd share a bit about some jazz and ukulele here in New Orleans. I don't think it's that much of an exaggeration to say our little caribbean backwater has had as much influence on music as anywhere on the planet.
Not necessarily ukulele music. Wendell Hall lived right down the coast, so we do have some history, but I can't really call this an ukulele town. But it's a jazz town, and if there's jazz, ukulele has to creep in somewhere.
In our case, it's with the divine Miss Debbie Davis. She's not an "ukulele artist" - she's an all around entertainer. Vocalist primarily, but she loves to pull out the ukulele. She plays one of our first ones, by the way - a long scale concert. What else would you have down on the "south coast"?
To me she's about as fine of an ukulele rhythm player as I've ever seen. It's an underappreciated skill, but the bedrock of the ukulele's history and popularity. She's sung solo, with her immensely talented husband, Matt Perrine. She’s even performed (musically) in French Quarter Burlesque Halls.
While it may be about to change, she’s probably best known as one of the Pfister Sisters ("we're not Pfisters - we're not sisters"). This is one of the finest “jazz girl groups” in the country today, taking their inspiration from the finest of them all, New Orleans own Boswell Sisters ca: 1930s.
As long as she’s been playing around town (now don’t get me wrong – she’s not old), she’s just now releasing her first solo album. The release party is tonight – on Frenchman Street at dba. If there are any locals reading this, hotfoot it on over. I should be there myself, but then she was over here a block from my place on the north side of the lake at the Dew Drop Inn last night with the Pfisters. She called me and Boo (faithful canine companion) up to the front to thank us for making such a great ukulele! (Boo thinks his contribution - whatever that is - is critical).
Here’s her website (you can hear a lot of the new CD):
http://debbiedavismusic.com/fr_home.cfm
Here’s the local YouTube du Jour:
http://www.offbeat.com/2012/04/23/youtube-du-jour-debbie-davis/
The Threadbare Records site (a great company where fans finance recordings):
http://www.threadheadrecords.com/
and an article in the Times-Picayune:
http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2012/04/local_singer_debbie_davis_step.html
It’s not often the Ukulele gets this much exposure in a horn and piano town. I’m totally stoked!
Not necessarily ukulele music. Wendell Hall lived right down the coast, so we do have some history, but I can't really call this an ukulele town. But it's a jazz town, and if there's jazz, ukulele has to creep in somewhere.
In our case, it's with the divine Miss Debbie Davis. She's not an "ukulele artist" - she's an all around entertainer. Vocalist primarily, but she loves to pull out the ukulele. She plays one of our first ones, by the way - a long scale concert. What else would you have down on the "south coast"?
To me she's about as fine of an ukulele rhythm player as I've ever seen. It's an underappreciated skill, but the bedrock of the ukulele's history and popularity. She's sung solo, with her immensely talented husband, Matt Perrine. She’s even performed (musically) in French Quarter Burlesque Halls.
While it may be about to change, she’s probably best known as one of the Pfister Sisters ("we're not Pfisters - we're not sisters"). This is one of the finest “jazz girl groups” in the country today, taking their inspiration from the finest of them all, New Orleans own Boswell Sisters ca: 1930s.
As long as she’s been playing around town (now don’t get me wrong – she’s not old), she’s just now releasing her first solo album. The release party is tonight – on Frenchman Street at dba. If there are any locals reading this, hotfoot it on over. I should be there myself, but then she was over here a block from my place on the north side of the lake at the Dew Drop Inn last night with the Pfisters. She called me and Boo (faithful canine companion) up to the front to thank us for making such a great ukulele! (Boo thinks his contribution - whatever that is - is critical).
Here’s her website (you can hear a lot of the new CD):
http://debbiedavismusic.com/fr_home.cfm
Here’s the local YouTube du Jour:
http://www.offbeat.com/2012/04/23/youtube-du-jour-debbie-davis/
The Threadbare Records site (a great company where fans finance recordings):
http://www.threadheadrecords.com/
and an article in the Times-Picayune:
http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2012/04/local_singer_debbie_davis_step.html
It’s not often the Ukulele gets this much exposure in a horn and piano town. I’m totally stoked!
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