(pictured with Los Hombres Calientes)
Devin
Phillips / The Headhunters
Rising young Orleanian tenor man Devin Phillips
cut his teeth with Los Hombres Calientes and is the newest addition to
The Headhunters, stepping into Benny Maupin's very deep and esteemed
shoes.
Can any one name the last time you were in the same room with Devin,
and his horn was not out of its case? A smart, driven player,
Devin just keeps
getting stronger and stronger, scarier and scarier, in the best
possible sense. At this writing, The Headhunters have been
gigging around New Orleans not just with Devin but local legend Donald
Harrison as well - an absolute, must-hear line-up. When in NOLA,
Devin can also be heard Sunday nights with his own group at The Spotted
Cat, on Frenchmen Street.
For updates on The
Headhunters, you can also check out Herbie Hancock's site at
Verve: http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/artist.aspx?aid=2846
Richard Booth
"Bootman" is not just a
first-rate saxophonist, not to
mention educator
and composer, but one of the finest persons I have ever had the
privilege
to meet. I've learned a great deal from "Bootman" not just about
music and musicianship, but about how to balance gracefully, while
walking a straight line. Bootman's begun making a modified,
souped-up Link himself -- a piece worth looking into for Rock &
Roll extroverts who like a HUGE opening and a deep sound that cuts at
full blast, without wilting under pressure.
Quamon Fowler
Another of the virtuosic
local "Young Lions," destined to be heard 'round the globe, and a
practitioner of the lost art of "double cushion." One of the most
adept and expressive young players I've heard anywhere, and a gentleman
through and through; if you want to hear what a person in total control
of his horn sounds like, Quamon is your man. If you're at
JazzFest this year (2004), you
can catch Quamon with Maurice Brown,
probably the hottest horn duo
in town.
Jerry Embree
Local mainstay and keeper
of the swing band flame, Embree has recorded with Fats,
performed with Johnny Adams, and produced
with ReBirth.
If ever there was a contender for official, local Holy Trinity
(Resumaeic
Edition), that is one.
Reggie
Houston
Fats
Domino band mainstay, Charmaine Neville
Band anchor, and solo recording artist, Reggie is surely last
year's, this year's, and next year's leading candidate for Ambassador
Of The Music, Department Of Saxophonia. A beautiful person,
friend, and mentor, you can find
Reggie and Charmaine Neville bringing "down home" to the people at Snug Harbor most Mondays.
Alan
Dejan
Heir to a tremendous family musical
legacy, Alan is another
of New Orleans' up & coming generation of young saxophonists,
himself already on the scene with a number of New Orleans staples for
years now. Previously with the Soul Rebels,
Alan was long-time right-hand saxo to Big Sam's Funky Nation,
and owner of a very nice Super 20 with some very spiffy resos....
Alan doesn't have a site right now - I think I used to have Big Sam's
site hooked up here, but I can't remember. He's one of my
favorite people, though, so I'm leaving this plug up here for when he
does get one. If you see this, Alan, hurry up and get one.
:)
Geoff
Vidal / Brotherhood of Groove
Hey, Geoff: I know we just met,
but everybody says you are so BAD - seriously, people are saying some
pretty great things about you, and this is very good - that I had to
put a plug in here for your band. Thanks for the "American
Spirit," man - hopefully that will jog your memory and make you
laugh. For those not from New Orleans, when you talk with local
saxophonists about people that know the soul of the local good foot,
Geoff's is the name that is first on the list among young players who
feel and can really play the funk.
.
