Sunday, November 25, 2012

Kristina Morales Debuts at Fritzel's


Our favorite Jazz performers, Kristina Morales with the Bayou Shufflers debuted last night at Fritzel's European Jazz Pub,  the home of traditional New Orleans Jazz.

Kristina Morales who has a voice of an angel is actually performing in one of our favorite jazz places, you can never get a better deal than that!

Kristina Morales is not your usual Jazz singer.    She  has a pure,  clear,  trained voice with  sweet and passionate quality.    She has a wide vocal  range and is a very versatile singer.  Her voice could convey sadness, naughtiness, gaiety,  good-hearted teasing, even  fairy tale-like quality.  She  sings equally great  in English, Spanish, French and who knows what more. 

Here's Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers  with their rendition of Jezebel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TlB4IEXL2I


Cuban Love Song by Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers:
                                      

La Vie En Rose, my favorite,  by Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers:


Kristina Morales is a native of New Orleans,  who grew up in French Quarter. Her parents own the restaurant, Tio Pepe's.  She was exposed to cultural and sophisticated music at an early age.  She has classical music as her background,  from The Boston Conservatory.

"In Boston, she explored and nurtured the variety of vocal colors available to her gift and collaborated with an array of musicians from The Boston Conservatory and the Berklee School of Music in genres of jazz, r&b, pop, hip hop, world and folk. Surrounded by young, inspiring artists and musicians all over Boston, Kristina’s creativity flourished but her thirst for knowledge remained insatiable. After graduation, Kristina returned home to New Orleans in order to help with the musical and theatrical rebirth of the city." Source:http://www.neworleansfinestmusicians.com/about-us/kristina-morales-jazz-vocalist/

Her facebook page aptly describes her:
"a fluid vocal talent, shape-shifting from the calling of a brassy siren to the alluring waves a a softer songstress, an ocean of color and tone at her feet."                 

This is Kristina Morales's  site where you could sample her music.  It's a totally different experience listening to her in person, though.  She is a  compleat performer, and every gig she does with the Bayou Shufflers is a musical treat.


Last night at Fritzel's we heard again our favorite jazz music from the group - Louisiana Fairy Tale. You, Rascal You, Everybody Loves my Baby,  etc.  Sorry, can't remember many of them. 



Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers also perform at the Spotted Cat, Circle, The Columns Hotel, Vaso Lounge, Circle Bar, Yuki, etc.  This  site have more samples of  Kristina Morales's music.

Kristina also charmingly autographs her CD. Here's mine:





The venue,  Fritzel's is a heavyweight as regards  Jazz musicians,.  Several bands take turn performing in this jazz bar starting from 1 PM to 2 AM.

At Fritzel's,  people from all over the world watch and enjoy jazz musicians.  Fritzel's attracts European tourists by its name, although their numbers are equalled by the Americans tourists and local New Orleanians.  There are also regular sprinkling of  Asians and Middle Eastern music lovers.  Last night, Fritzel's was packed with such an audience.   As usual, the audience was mesmerized with the band's performance.

Enter this Fritzel's  site for a sample of their wonderful music.

Back to Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers:  They are kickstarting a debut album, The Bayou Shufflers Debut Album.  Kristina Morales encourages everyone, "The Bayou Shufflers are putting out an album but we need YOUR help to finish it! Please consider contributing to our kickstarter. For $10 you'll receive a digital copy of the album and rewards go up from there!

Thanks in advance!! xo

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/211942717/the-bayou-shufflers-debut-album"


Kristina Morales and the Bayou Shufflers are definitely going places, let's support their debut album, AND catch them in New Orleans while you can.


Sources:
www.kristinamorales.net
http://www.neworleansfinestmusicians.com/about-us/kristina-morales-jazz-vocalist/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPyuuX-Gzn0
http://www.fritzelsjazz.net/live/

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Happy Halloween From Frenchmen Street!

First of all, Happy Halloween everyone!  Let's explain Halloween a little:  According to our reliable source, the Wikipedia of course:

Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of "All Hallows' Evening"),[5] also known as All Hallows' Eve,[6] is a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows (or All Saints). According to many scholars, it was originally influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead with possible pagan roots, particularly the Celtic Samhain.[6][7][8] Others maintain that it originated independently of Samhain and has Christian roots.[9]
Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (also known as "guising"), attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

So, how's the Halloween tricking you?  As for us, we're treating ourselves to a night of fun at the Frenchmen street.

Why are we going to Frenchmen street instead of  French Quarter now?  Isn't Bourbon street the place to be in this Halloween night? 

Ummm, we're New Orleanians now, aren't we?  We being locals, we know better than to go to touristy French Quarter.  We'll hang out with our neighbors at the Frenchmen  Street.  Yes, Maria, the Frenchmen street is the place to be.  It's where the our favorite Spotted Cat is, also the Maison, Snog Harbor, Mona's Cafe and lots lots more. 

According to our favorite source, Wikepedia, Frenchmen Street was once the plantation of a wealthy Creole-born man (who made the dice game Craps popular in America).  In 1805, the nobleman Marquis Bernard De Marigny subdivided his vast plantation to create the Faubourg Marigny, the first suburb down river from the original settlement that we now call the French Quarter. As Americans settled the area upriver from the French Quarter, immigrants and free people of color populated this downriver neighborhood. ((http://www.frenchquarter.com/nightlife/FaubourgMarigny.php)

He influenced the city of New Orleans with his joie de vivre--or a keen enjoyment of living-- and extravagance. In 1806 his property was subdivided. The area of Frenchman Street in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood slowly developed into a happening block with a mix of a unique European flair and cosmopolitan feel.

Visitors to Frenchmen Street won't see Mardi Gras beads, frozen daiquiri stands or T-shirt shops; rather, the area very much caters to locals. In fact, New Orleanians who haven't set foot on Bourbon Street in years spend whole weekends romping around Frenchmen Street, bar-hopping for live music or eating out along its increasingly diverse restaurant row. ((http://www.frenchquarter.com/nightlife/FaubourgMarigny.php)

Let's go a-romping at Frenchmen Street:


Let's stop by at Maison for a unsurpassable  jazz music:


In lieu of tonight's celebration, our favorite band, Shotgun Jazz Band played Die Now, Who's Wearing My Face Now, among others.

The audience were dressed appropriately for Halloween


Marla Dixon on trumpet and vocals

Aliens,  why not dance?

Our cool bartender approves!

People watched from the glass wall outside too

How cool is this Roman soldier!

Cuteness always wins!

Unless you're hungry and craving for crab(s)

Wonder Woman hangs out with ummm...

Frankenstein and his bride were there too.

The Geisha and the Woman in Green won't miss the fun


Blood and Gore don't bore

Yellow Lady meets Silver Man

Puppet or Doll?

Frenchmen Street is fun street

Everyone enjoys, rain or shine, night and day!

Just go with the flow ...


The blue lady is not blue at all ...

Mr. Handsome is just an arm's length away.

Ummm ......  may I ask you out?

Happy Halloween everyone. In parting, gentle readers, may I offer you this song from Shotgun Jazz Band, 'till next post ...



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