May 4, 2018 - Hiss Golden Messenger, Jazz Fest - New Orleans, LA

When I pulled into my Air BnB, I noticed a band setting up and since I'm a curious cat, I asked the coolest looking dude standing outside what was going down inside. The dude gave me one of the most hilarious and excellent sales pitches about the funk I was about to experience, that I couldn't not check it out.

The next day I ran into the same cat in the Gospel Tent, and we talked about the show the night before and how much we loved this style of music. We talked about some other bands on the line-up that day, and I told him about this band called Hiss Golden Messenger that I'd started really getting into, so much so that I stopped my bike to play their song 'Heart Like a Levee' on my headphones while I rode through the bayou.

Turns out I was talking to the guitar player for this band, Phil Cook. Nice guy, his latest solo album rocks and remember that you read it here first that Hiss Golden Messenger are one of the best bands you can catch live going right now. Seriously, just look them up and give them a listen and know that their records do not do their live show justice.

I hope I can run into Phil again, buy him a beer and talk music with him.

May 4, 2018 - Billy, Jazz Fest - New Orleans, LA

I'm not entirely convinced that I didn't just meet Bill Murray who was deep into a character study. Approached in the bathroom line by this legitimately odd cat looking for a smoke and a light, he apparently was painting his boat and decided to finish early and come to the Jazz Fest. "Do I have any blue paint on my face?" - I told him he only had a little bit but it made him look distinguished and then backed away slowly. In a different situation, I would have probably stuck around longer to see where things went and how entertaining they got.

May 4, 2018 - Jason Isbell, Jazz Fest - New Orleans, LA

One of my favourite songwriters, Isbell's music has stayed with me for the past fifteen years like few others have. His most recent album, 'The Nashville Sound' was a key part of the soundtrack to last year's summer, and my wife and I consider his tune "If We Were Vampires" to be our wedding song. Sober for the past few years, it seems his work is only getting stronger and more prolific, and I can't wait to hear what new music he has coming over the horizon. The show, weather and crowd were perfect, and when he finished his encore with the above mentioned track I got misty for the second time that day. "

"Maybe time running out is a gift
I'll work hard 'til the end of my shift
And give you every second I can find
And hope it isn't me who's left behind" - Jason Isbell

May 4, 2018 - 79ers Gang Mardis Gras Indians - New Orleans, LA

It would be difficult to explain the cultural history and significance of the Mardis Gras Indians in a short paragraph, other than to say that the backstory is both incredibly interesting and a creative cultural response to some of the darkest moments in American history. The culture, immortalized in the song 'Iko Iko' was almost completely devastated by Katrina, but as I looked at the vibrant costumes, I was struck by the resiliency of the city and it's people.

"See that guy all dressed in green I-ko, I-ko, un-day
He's not a man, he's a lov-in' ma-chine jock-a mo fee na-né" - Crawford/Hawkins

May 4, 2018 - Dolly, Jazz Fest - New Orleans, LA

A retired teacher from Dallas, Texas, I had to speak to her because of the shirt she was wearing. We talked politics for a bit and she proposed marriage if I could get her into Canada where we are apparently much more sane. I assured her I was already married and not to idealize Canada too much as we're not perfect here either, but that on the balance things are pretty ok in Toronto at least. "I never thought I'd see us slide so far backwards so fast."

May 4, 2018 - Pastor Tyrone Jefferson - New Orleans, LA

Wanting to avoid the oppressive heat, and because I always find that the best stuff at music festivals go down on the side stages, I walked into the Gospel Tent, and I got touched. Maybe I didn't find god the way that I was supposed to, but the music was certainly celestial, so good that I couldn't help but cry. Until you've seen a legit, real-deal gospel show (and I've seen enough to know the difference), you've got no idea how good and powerful the music is. The talent level was sublime, and I wasn't sure I was going to leave the tent for the rest of the festival. If this guy preached in my hometown, praise Jesus I'd go to church every week.

May 4, 2018 - New Orleans Jazz Fest - New Orleans, LA

On my way into the Jazz Festival, I passed a police officer greeting concert goers with hugs and handshakes. I know it doesn't make everything right, but so long as you have hope, you've got a chance.

May 4, 2018 - Music St. and St. Claude Ave. - New Orleans, LA

For those of you who know me, you know that I like music. A lot. Seems weird that halfway through this trip, the first show I'd catch would be spent mostly sitting on the stoop of my spot in New Orleans. Vaughn's is a tiny bar, and somehow they packed one of the deadliest 8 piece funk bands I've ever heard into that space and let them blow the roof off the mother. I was pretty beat from a long day of ridin', so I took advantage of New Orleans liberal open container laws and enjoyed the show sitting on the steps of the shotgun. Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet, damn those guys can play. What a first day, and introduction to New Orleans. This photo was taken the next morning on my way to the Jazzfest, but seemed fitting for this yarn.

May 3, 2018 - Nicole, Independencest - New Orleans, LA

Outside of the vintage store, Nicole was running a food pop up and cooking up a storm. I've had tamales plenty of times, but I've never had tamales as good as the ones that she made me that night. Originally from Pennsylvania, she seemed to embody everything that I would discover and love about New Orleans. It wasn't a hustle to get rich, to get famous or become the next big food thing for her, but instead, it was about living a life that she could be passionate about. She'd recently come out of a bad relationship, and her optimism about her cooking and life, in general, was infectious. I just hope that I get to eat some of her food again.

May 3, 2018 - Nathan, Independencest - New Orleans, LA

On my way to my room in New Orleans, I passed by a vintage store that somehow seemed to beckon. The fact I was starving and there was a food pop up going on outside also certainly didn't hurt. The shop, Independencest was run by Nathan, coincidentally also my name, and as he and I got to talking it felt like I'd met a southern (and Jewish) version of myself (or vice versa), as we had eerily similar interests in music, vintage guitars, denim and design. Trying to pare down the discussion we had about American culture into anything less than a thousand word article would be difficult, and he was one of the most interesting, thoughtful and passionate folks I met on the entire trip. With that being, he made a comment about New Orleans that I felt was very prescient. "We've got to work together here, Black, White, Hispanic because we know no one else is looking out for us so we've got to do it ourselves." I liked Nathan, I hope our paths cross again.