The Grammy Goes to New Orleans Jazz Orchestra

Congratulations to Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra for winning the Grammy for Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album for Book One. Irvin has recorded 5 Los Hombres Calientes and 5 Irvin Mayfield CDs for our label. We released Strange Fruit by Irvin Mayfield w/ the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra which was the NOJO's first recording.

Who Dats Glory Bound: Aaron Neville & Theresa Andersson w/ other great musicians

Outside of "A Saints Christmas" by Kermit Ruffins, that helped propel the Saints to their first Superbowl, this is the best of the Saints songs. Visit www.TeamGloryBound.com for more info. We can sell you the single or help you license the song for airplay. Email us at info@BasinStreetRecords.com.

Kermit Ruffins at Vaughan's on CBS Evening News

We had a good time with the CBS Evening News and Kermit Ruffins at Vaughan's:

Carnival and Mardi Gras Music

To help you pick some Carnival (or Mardi Gras) music from our catalogue, we've compiled the following list...

CDs:
Throwback CD by Kermit Ruffins w/ the Rebirth Brass Band
Vol.5: Carnival CD by Los Hombres Calientes: Irvin Mayfield & Bill Summers
Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen CD by Jon Cleary

SONGS:
These are some of the most Carnival themed tunes:
Kermit Ruffins w/ the Rebirth Brass Band – “All on a Mardi Gras Day” - Throwback
Los Hombres Calientes – “The Mardi Gras Second Line” - Vol 5. Carnival
Jon Cleary & the Absolute Gentlemen – “Zulu Strut” - Pin Your Spin
Los Hombres Calientes - “Mardi Gras Bayou” - Vol. 5 Carnival
Los Hombres Calientes - “Carnival Kongo” - Vol. 5 Carnival
Henry Butler - “Some Iko” - Homeland
Los Hombres Calientes – “ New Second Line” Vol. 3 New Congo Square
Kermit Ruffins – “Do the Fat Tuesday” - The Barbecue Swingers Live
Kermit Ruffins – “It' Later Than You Think" - Throwback
Irvin Mayfield w/ the N.O. Jazz Orchestra and the Dillard U. Choir
“The Elder Negro Speaks” - Strange Fruit
Dr. Michael White – “King of the Second Line” – Blue Crescent
Los Hombres Calientes – “ Mardi Gras Bayou” & “Carnival de Phunk” -Vol.5 Carnival
Jeremy Davenport – “Mr. New Orleans” - We’ll Dance ‘Til Dawn
Kermit Ruffins - “Didn’t He Ramble” & “Treme Mardi Gras” - Livin’ a Treme Life
Jason Marsalis – “The Upper Second Line” – The Year of the Drummer
Kermit Ruffins – “A Saints Christmas” (This year, Carnival and the Saints more than double the fun!)

Sample and even buy any of our music at http://basinstreetrecords.downloadcentric.net

What a Cool Word!

January 28, 1965

I just started this new thing called blogging in my preschool class. In about 40 years I will actually be able to type this on the computer (I'll explain that later) for everyone around the world to see using the web (I will explain that later too). But for now, let me just say that I just coined a real cool new word. Whodat, or some people may say Who Dat. I expect I will use it when New Orleans is given a football team to say something like "Whodat Say Dey are Gonna Beat Dem ____", with the blank being whatever the name of the team is. I know it isn't perfect grammar or even real words, but I don't know all those words yet. And by the way, I sure hope they name the team the Saints! That's my first choice. My second choice would be Barracudas. Those are cool too.

New Orleans Saints are Going to the Superbowl

Kermit Ruffins was recording "A Saints Christmas" in August, and I read in early September that Peter King of Sports Illustrated picked the Saints to finish 3rd in the NFC South at 7-9. I wrote on my Facebook page "what will Sports Illustrated say when the Saints go 16-0 with an average score of 81-17". Yes, I was exaggerating the margin of victory, but really knew that this was a special team before the regular season began.

Now that we (and yes, we, as in all New Orleanians wherever we may be) have made it to the Superbowl, I am reflecting on what a fantastic season this has been, and what a road the Saints and our city took to get here. I have watched the footage of Garrett Hartley making the field goal with Jim Henderson's play call 6 times so far, and each time my eyes tear up and I get chills. Thank you to Tom Benson, Micky Loomis, Sean Payton and the Saints. But thanks go also to all of the previous Saints teams as those helped make this one special.

Football is just a game. But last night's game, the NFC Championship, was just the most important one in the 300 year history of New Orleans.

Yesterday, I chose to stay home and watch and cheer with my wife and children including 3 month old Conor, who told me the Saints have been this great as far back as he can remember. I sat there in my rebuilt home reflecting on not just this season, but on the previous seasons, and mostly on the past four years. High fives and screaming with the kids on big plays, text messages and phone calls with my college freshman who is away, and holding hands when Hartley made his kick, made this one of the top shared experiences with my family.

I also enjoyed sharing the experience with hundreds or thousands of other people as I tweeted over and over all day and night yesterday, in what was a virtual cheerleading "Chant it when you tweet it: 'This Is Our Year! #Whodat #Saints.'" and encouraged others to do the same.

Let me hear you: THIS IS OUR YEAR! WHODAT. SAINTS.

2010: A Saints Odyssey.

-------------------------------------------------------------

p.s.

Check out a wonderful video essay by Wright Thompson that first appeared on ESPN NFL Sunday Countdown entitled "The Soul of New Orleans". It includes a soundtrack of music performed by Kermit Ruffins.

I got ganked for $400 buying this counterfeit ticket

Click on it to enlarge.

Kermit Ruffins & Jeremy Davenport National Anthem

Here is video of Kermit and Jeremy performing National Anthem

at Saints vs. Cardinals playoff game taken by a fan.

Follow us on TWITTER @BasinStRecords

Don't miss out on the coolest things as they happen, like Kermit Ruffins and Jeremy Davenport hanging out during the pregame of a Saints game. Follow us on TWITTER @BasinStRecords and check out our Twitpics here http://twitpic.com/photos/BasinStRecords

Kermit Ruffins & Jeremy Davenport Performed National Anthem at Saints vs. Cardinals NFL Playoff

Here is a short clip of Kermit Ruffins & Jeremy Davenport

rehearsing National Anthem at New Orleans Saints vs.

Arizona Cardinals NFL Playoff Game.

The Saints won 45-14 to advance to NFC Championship

vs Minnesota Vikings.

Kermit Ruffins in Wall Street Journal

Cultural Conversation with David Simon of HBO's Treme in Wall Street Journal. Story includes quite a bit on Basin Street Records' recording artist, Kermit Ruffins. Read the story HERE.

PRESS RELEASE: M Bistro & The Davenport Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 4, 2010

Contact:
Char Thian
Director of Public Relations
The Ritz-Carlton Hotels of New Orleans
921 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112
Cel: 504-913-4114
E-Mail: char.thian@ritzcarlton.com

REQUEST FOR PROMOTION/APPEARANCE
M BISTRO AND THE DAVENPORT LOUNGE- 1ST RIBBON CUTTING OF 2010

Join us on the third floor lobby level of The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans for the VIP grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony for M Bistro and The Davenport Lounge, the two newest hospitality venues to open in 2010. Hospitality partners, celebrity chefs and dignitaries will be on hand to cut the ribbon and celebrate the official return of Chef Murphy and the opening of his new namesake restaurant, M Bistro (formerly Mélange Restaurant). As part of the ribbon cutting ceremony, the lounge adjacent to M Bistro will officially be renamed The Davenport Lounge (formerly On Trois/Lobby Lounge) in honor of the hotel’s headline entertainer Jeremy Davenport.

As of January 15, 2010, patrons can meet Chef Murphy and enjoy his celebrated cuisine in M Bistro while listening to the stylings of jazz aficionado Jeremy Davenport in the adjacent Davenport Lounge. Davenport has been with the hotel since it opened in 2000 and Murphy has been with the hotel since 2002. M Bistro and The Davenport Lounge debut on Friday, January 15, 2010.

WHO: The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans
Interviewees: Executive Chef Matt Murphy and Entertainer Jeremy Davenport

WHAT: M BISTRO AND THE DAVENPORT LOUNGE- 1ST RIBBON CUTTING OF 2010

WHEN: Ribbon Cutting: Friday, January 15, 2010 from 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Open for Lunch and Meet Chef Murphy & Jeremy Davenport: 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, 921 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112

About The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans
The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans is situated on world famous Canal Street on the edge of the French Quarter. The hotel offers a sense of place, incorporating the best that New Orleans has to offer from classic culinary creations and libations to live jazz. Originally opening in 2000, the hotel was shuttered for fifteen months post-Katrina to undergo a $150M historic renovation and restoration. Since reopening in December of 2006, the hotel has reclaimed its title as the Crown Jewel of the Crescent City. The Ritz-Carlton Hotels of New Orleans (Ritz-Carlton, Maison Orleans and Iberville Suites) continue to garner accolades. The three-hotels-in-one complex features 757 rooms, one restaurant, two lounges, free live entertainment and a spa. The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans is located at 921 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70122. For additional information, please go to www.ritzcarlton.com or call (800) 241-3333.

Irvin Mayfield on NPR's Toast of the Nation

Irvin Mayfield performed live on NPR's Toast of the Nation on New Year's Eve. If you missed him, or want to listen again, do so HERE.