By Brian Weidy
Photo by Greg Aiello from 2008
(Edit: Brian was kind enough to offer some dispatches from New Orleans, where he's spending his holidays.)
In the historic French Quarter in New Orleans, Shannon Powell - who goes by the nickname "The King of Treme"- led his trio through an hour-and-a-half long set at Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse: a beautiful room in the heart of the French Quarter. Powell has performed with everyone from Wynton and Branford Marsalis to Harry Connick Jr. and currently holds the drummer's chair in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. He used his charisma on New Orleans standards of all varieties, from tender love ballads to the origins of NOLA funk.
To open their set, they opened with a tune by Professor Longhair, one of the originators of the New Orleans sound. As the set progressed, they peppered in love songs and even Christmas songs, improvised over a bluesy shuffle. Nodding to the originators of New Orleans music, the band played everything from Snooks Eaglin's "Irene" to the closing duo of Professor Longhair's "Go To The Mardi Gras." The latter begian with a bass-led groove that bordered on a "cowfunk," which, after a quick drum solo, went into the traditional piano opening of the song. After going through the whistling coda of the tune, the band seamlessly segued into "Let the Good Times Roll," a song made famous by Dr. John.
The band got the crowd off their collective feet multiple times throughout their hour-and-a-half set. Whether it was through slower tunes or the upbeat and funky Professor Longhair numbers, Shannon Powell and his Trio proved that there is indeed pride on Bourbon Street.