The week leading up to Thanksgiving is full of music, as many musicians are in town for the holiday.
THE HEAD AND THE HEART
Saturday, Orpheum Theater
Seattle-born folk-rock band The Head And The Heart first made waves with its self-titled 2011 debut, which yielded the enduring songs “Rivers and Roads” and “Lost in My Mind.” The band’s penchant for hooks, harmonies and heartfelt lyrics also informed 2013’s “Let’s Be Still” and its popular title track. The 2016 album “Signs Of Light” contained the hit “All We Ever Knew.” The subsequent “Living Mirage” was marked by the fan favorites “Missed Connection” and “Honeybee.” The band’s most recent effort is 2022’s “Every Shade of Blue,” its fifth full-length album overall. This year’s activities included co-headlining tours with the like-minded New Orleans band the Revivalists as well as Father John Misty, plus launching the Down in the Valley festival in Napa, California. The Head And The Heart headlines the Orpheum Theater on Saturday, with Yoke Lore opening. Tickets start at $35 plus fees.
New Orleans music icon Fats Domino, in a vintage publicity photo.
A TRIBUTE TO THE INSTIGATORS OF FUNK AND ROCK ‘N’ ROLL: FATS DOMINO AND HUEY “PIANO” SMITH
Wednesday, Tipitina’s
It’s become an annual Thanksgiving Eve tradition for Tipitina’s to host an all-star tribute to an icon of New Orleans music. This year's fifth installment, “A Tribute to the Instigators of Funk and Rock ‘n’ Roll,” salutes two founding fathers of piano-driven New Orleans rhythm and blues: the late Antoine “Fats” Domino and Huey “Piano” Smith.
Huey 'Piano' Smith is shown in 1960s, when he recorded for the Los Angeles-based Imperial Records and New Orleans’ Instant label.
Like previous tributes to Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Professor Longhair and Earl King, this one is produced by Sonny Schneidau, a co-founder of Tipitina’s and its original talent buyer. And once again, bassist George Porter Jr. will serve as music director. He’ll coordinate a lineup that includes Irma Thomas, Deacon John, Jon Cleary, drummer Stanton Moore and singer Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph of Galactic, Al “Lil Fats” Jackson, saxophonist Charlie Gabriel of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, trumpeter James Andrews, Tommy McLain and C.C. Adcock and River Eckert. They’ll each showcase a song or two by Domino or Smith, backed by an all-star band of musicians and vocalists. Gwen Thompkins, host of the radio show “Music Inside Out,” will serve as emcee.
Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets, if they’re still available, are $55. A portion of proceeds benefits the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY SHOWS
Banjoist and guitarist Don Vappie fronts his Jazz Créole quartet at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Thursday. It includes Clarence Johnson III on clarinet and sax, Mike Esnault on piano and Richard Moten on bass. Tickets are $25.
Funk Monkey featuring singer Arsene Delay performs the music of Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Irma Thomas and the Meters on Thursday at Chickie Wah Wah ($20 advance, $27 at the door).
Alt-J plays a sold-out Thursday show at the Joy Theater celebrating the 10th anniversary of “An Awesome Wave.”
The “Harps on Fire” show at the outdoor Broadside on Friday includes the Johnny Sansone Band featuring guitarist John Fohl plus Jason Ricci & the Bad Kind ($20).
Blues guitarist Little Freddie King plugs in at Chickie Wah Wah on Friday ($15 advance).
Ninety-something Preservation Hall Jazz Band saxophonist Charlie Gabriel is backed by pianist Larry Sieberth, bassist Peter Harris and drummer Johnny Vidacovich at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday at Snug Harbor ($35).
John "Papa" Gros performs in the Blues Tent with the New Orleans Piano Professors during the third day of the 50th annual Jazz Fest at the Fairgrounds in New Orleans, La. Saturday, April 27, 2019.The New Orleans Piano Professors cerebrated and payed tribute to Professor Longhair, James Booker, Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint, and Dr. John.
On Saturday at Tipitina’s, the “Papa Plays the Nite Tripper” show features keyboardist John “Papa” Gros exploring the Dr. John catalog. He’ll be joined by guitarist Leo Nocentelli of the Meters, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Kiki Chapman and Yolanda Robinson of vocal group Solid Harmony, and bassist David Barard and guitarist John Fohl of Dr. John’s Lower 911. Showtime is 9 p.m. Tickets are $30.
Bluegrass-influenced jam band Greensky Bluegrass stops at the Joy Theater on Saturday (tickets start at $25).
The Lost Bayou Ramblers team up with the 79rs Gang at the outdoor Broadside on Saturday ($20-$25).
Drummer Herlin Riley powers a quartet at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday that includes bassist Roland Guerin, pianist Kyle Roussel and saxophonist Derek Douget ($35).
Chickie Wah Wah presents Vale! ULB (short for United Latin Band), which features Val Vargas and Darius “Deezle” Harrison, the St. Augustine High School alumnus who won a Grammy for his production work with Lil Wayne, on Saturday ($15 advance, $20 day of show).
The Fleur de Tease burlesque troupe performs at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday at the Toulouse Theatre ($25-$35).
The New Leviathan Oriental Fox-Trot Orchestra revives American popular music from the 1890s through the early 1930s at Snug Harbor on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($25).
'I want to meld my culture with New Orleans,' Mahmoud Chouki says. 'I don’t want to appropriate or change anything. It’s just my vision of the music I want to play here.'
Singer-songwriter Grayson Capps, now based in his native Alabama, returns to New Orleans for a 6 p.m. Sunday show at the outdoor Broadside ($15).
Keyboardist and singer Davell Crawford presides over a tribute to Dr. John at Snug Harbor on Monday at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($30).
Pioneering Americana guitarist Steve Forbert holds court at Chickie Wah Wah on Tuesday ($20 advance, $25 at the door).
Galactic drummer Stanton Moore’s jazz trio includes keyboardist David Torkanowsky and bassist James Singleton. Hear them at Snug Harbor on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($25).
Moroccan-born, New Orleans-based master guitarist Mahmoud Chouki leads his New World Ensemble at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday ($25).