Great Song To Play Live
One of the new songs that's been fun to play live is "Cocaine and Chicken Fricassee". It's got a great groove and it gets people moving. It's also fun to watch the audience's reaction to the opening lines. You can see it on their faces. "Did he say what I think he...
Her Love Can’t Be Denied
"Her Love Can't Be Denied" is another song I enjoy playing live. It's a simple song with a thick, lush arrangement, which makes it a challenge to perform live. The risk / reward is high, so it's a great barometer as to how we are playing as a band.
Drew Brees
“You can accomplish anything in life that you’re willing to work for.” - Drew Brees #9 NFL All Time Passing Leader #GOAT
The Commitment
I call my Hammond B3 organ “The Commitment.” I bought it about a year (maybe two years) after I bought my first brand new car, a Honda Civic Hatchback. I could pack all my keyboards, speakers, really my entire rig in it. My two daughters were young at the time and...
Have More Ideas Than You Need
When I'm coming out of the shower or driving in the car, if a musical idea comes into my head, I immediately sing and record it into my phone. If I'm sitting at the piano and happen across something, good or bad, I recorded it. I learned from Allen Toussaint that...
Various Instruments
When songwriting, I write using various instruments: piano, organ, guitar, bass or voice. Each instrument brings something different out of me. Since I'm not very proficient at either, writing on guitar and bass forces me to keep things very simple. Composing at the...
Make A Better World
Exploring The New Songs
It's fun exploring these new songs live. They have to live and breathe every time. We can't just play them by rote. The search to find new ways to make them fresh each and every night is a reward in itself.
An Honor And A Responsibility
Being a native New Orleanian has been an honor and a responsibility, especially as a musician. As a child, I grew up in Baton Rouge, 80 miles upriver from New Orleans. I was lucky enough to have New Orleans as a second home, because my Mom would bring me to stay at my...