Mardi Gras @ Mona's 2nite - Astor 2morrow - Nuyorican Fri - Webster Hall next Wed

Greetings.

Mardi Gras is upon us.  Fat Tuesday, if you will.  A long standing tradition that is usually associated with New Orleans that was, believe it or not, started domestically in Mobile, Alabama.  I used to live in Mobile, and Mobillians always like to bring that fact up.  I also remember a thing called Joe Cain Day on the Sunday before that is celebrated there, and it's pretty wacky, involving going to the grave of Joe Cain and having a few drinks.   They know how to party.  In my hometown of Pascagoula, MS we also celebrated Mardi Gras with a fervor.  We, of course, had a city wide Mardi Gras Parade.  I was also lucky enough to live on a block with one of the few neighborhood Mardi Gras parades, called the Krewe Of Mullet.  This was before the term "mullet" had the meaning it does today, but I was at these parades in the 80's, so it could apply, methinks.  I may have even had a mullet then.   But I digress.   With the city parade, I was always playing in one of the school marching bands.  In the neighborhood parades, once I grew out of the big wheel races that is, I would often be in a little jazz combo.  The band was composed of neighborhood kids and our friends from Jr. High.  We marched and danced around the block along with the decorated "boat floats" (my term) being lead by King Mullet and Princess Pogey.  Of course there was the house on the corner that served up fresh beignets.  Good stuff.  My memories of those parades always lives with me, and it was some of the most fun I had as a kid making music.   I do like Mardi Gras.

I'll be playing tonight as an addition to Mona's Hot Four (making it the Hot Five?  Potentially sacrilegious to Satchmo?)  at Mona's for their Mardi Gras celebration.  There's gonna be food the hour before and then all bets are off when we start at 10 till the wee hours.  I warned you.

Wednesday I'll be back with Gelber and Manning at the amazing The Astor Room in Astoria!

Thursday I'll be playing latin jazz trombone with Willie Martinez and the La Familia Sextet at our monthly romp at the venerable Nuyorican Poet’s Café in Alphabet City!

Next Wednesday I'll be playing an amazing show with Lucy Woodward at The Studio At Webster Hall!

Sorry for the lack of more meat to my writing about the gigs here.. I got a little distracted by my nostalgic trip on the Krewe of Mullet.  It happens, when mullet is involved.

All the info for the above mentioned gigs, plus a look at my March schedule as it stands, is listed below.

Tue 2/21 10:00pm - 2:30am w/Mona's Hot Five @ Mona's (224 Ave B btwn 13th and 14th) Happy Mardi Gras

Wed 2/22 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)

Thu 2/23 9:30pm-12:00am w/Willie Martinez La Familia Sextet @ The Nuyorican Poet’s Café( 236 E 3rd St) $7 cover

Wed 2/29 8:00 w/Lucy Woodward @ The Studio At Webster Hall (125 E 11th St) Tickets $15

Sun 3/4 7:00pm - 9:30pm The Epistrophy Five @ Epistrophy Cafe (200 Mott St btwn Spring and Kenmare)  Reservations: 212-966-0904

Wed 3/7 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)

Thu 3/8 9pm - Midnight w/JC Hopkins Trio @ The Rum House (228 W47th St)

Sun 3/11 7:00pm - 9:30pm JWH Trio @ Epistrophy Cafe (200 Mott St btwn Spring and Kenmare)  Reservations: 212-966-0904

Wed 3/14 8:00pm - 10:00pm w/Gelber and Manning @ The Astor Room (34-12 36th St btwn 34th and 35th Aves - Astoria, Queens)

Fri 3/23 9:30pm w/Jack Grace Band @ The Maple Leaf (8316 Oak St. NEW ORLEANS, LA)

Thu 3/29 9:30pm-12:00am w/Willie Martinez La Familia Sextet @ The Nuyorican Poet’s Café( 236 E 3rd St) $7 cover