Down At The Union Hall

How much do I love my job? Yesterday I attended a pre-P-Stomp rehearsal for Wardell Quezergue's Rhythm & Blues Revue, at the New Orleans Musicians Union and was one of roughly a dozen people who saw history first-hand.

Known as the Creole Beethoven, Wardell is one of the great architects of the New Orleans groove. He has arranged historic sides for Fats Domino and Professor Longhair, not to mention out-of-towners like Paul Simon and Willie Nelson. Though now blind, his ears are sharper than ever, and yesterday he presided over a rehearsal that included Jean Knight belting out her monster hit "Mr. Big Stuff" and, in the pic below, Tammy Lynn tearing up her classic "Mojo Hannah."

That's Wardell in the center of the frame with his back to the camera, white hair, plaid shirt. On the drums? Zigaboo Modeliste, arguably the greatest percussionist ever to hail from the Crescent City. On the piano? Yep, Dr. John, who's scheduled to play a special P-Stomp exclusive set of his early Mac Rebennack material.

Wardell & co. hit the stage tonite at the House of Blues for the first night of the 7th Annual Ponderosa Stomp. I can assure you from first hand experience, it'll be all killer, no filler.