First up, Frankie Ford. We know nothing of Frankie except that he had the hit song Sea Cruise in the late 1950's. The crowd is fairly thin early in the day, so we get fairly close. After an opening number by his band, Frankie SLOWLY makes his way over to his piano. A few bad jokes about age and ex-wife. This is painful, but we hang in there for awhile. I can't take it, we're out of here. On the way over to the Acura Stage to see Marcia Ball, we sample Natchitoches meat pies, Crawfish Monica, crawfish pies, crawfish strudel, pheasant/quail/Andouille gumbo. We've seen Marcia a bunch of times, so after a few numbers we're out. Still no news from the Studs. We usually sample the Gospel Tent at some point during the Fest. It also allows us to sit for a spell. The cubes tell us we are listening to the Mount Herman Baptist Church Mass Choir. They blow us away! Stay for their entire set (by the way, as I'm typing this, Gumbo has taken his morning constitutional and it's seeping into the room; I know that's more information than you need, but I'm dying here).
Back to the Acura Stage for Bonnie Raitt. It's packed. Gumbo wants to listen way in the back. No way, Gumbo, we're going in. We push our way slowly along the path until we're within decent range. I've seen Bonnie over a dozen times, most recently about five years ago at Oakdale (or whatever they call it this week). Kind of lost my zeal for her in the early 1990's when she went pop, but still a big fan. She's looking good, sounding great. No, let me correct that, she's sounding GREAT! And kicking ass on slide. Obviously energized by Jazz Fest and being in New Orleans ("Greatest town in the world, I've had so much fun down here, I'm surprised I'm not in jail."), she's bringing out some of the old stuff along with the new. John Prine's Angel From Montgomery is magic. The original plan was to see the beginning of Bonnie's set, then go over to the Fais Do Do Stage for Patty Griffin, but I'm going nowhere. This is awesome. Gumbo wants to see Patty, so he leaves. I can still catch a good part of her set after Bonnie. Jon Cleary is wonderful on piano (he'll perform later in the weekend with the Absolute Monster Gentlemen) and Bonnie trots out a killer horn section for a few numbers and really lets them play. Great set!
Off to Fais Do Do where I run into the Studs and catch Patty Griffin. She's very good. After Patty Griffin's encore, we move over to the Blues tent for John Scofield. The ubiquitous Jon Cleary is on keys. The tent is packed, so we listen outside while catching up with Mark/Lisa from Jersey and Kenney/Mimi?? from San Diego. We're all invited down to Jersey for Mark and Lisa's annual summer bash. I sneak inside for the final number. Excellent finish to the day's music. Off to the Seahorse outside the gate to wait for Garland, who arrives in good time to take us all back.
Quick shower and down to the Quarter. The Studs are meeting up with Marshall, so we're on our own. Dinner at Desire Oyster Bar at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon, where I select the Crawfish Etouffe and Gumbo goes for the rice & beans. We top off the night by slipping into Fritzel's European Jazz Pub further up Bourbon, one of the few remaining bastions of "traditional" jazz in New Orleans' world renowned French Quarter. For over a quarter of a century its founder & owner GUNTER "DUTCH" SEUTTER has provided a friendly locale providing the very best in New Orleans JAZZ. In addition to showcasing local talent "Dutch" provides the opportunity for international bands & musicians to play in the "Birthplace of Jazz" on what is surely one of the most famous streets in the world. Artists from every continent have played at Fritzel's. Within the world of jazz there is no language barrier - people communicate through their mutual love of the music. During a group toast, Johnnyk is chastised for replacing his glass without sipping by Dani, a young lady in the front row who has her Brooklyn boyfriend of 4 hours thinking of life after jazz. The no-drink toast becomes an instant tradition.
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