MAI-KAI RESTAURANT AND POLYNESIAN SHOW

FABULOUS HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF A 1950S LEGEND

The retro palace has been lovingly preserved and restored to its finest state since opening in 1956 in the heart of Fort Lauderdale.

Real fire dancers, athletic performers and live musicians entertain a packed house daily at Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Show in Fort Lauderdale.

The retro gem has multiple bars, a grotto garden and hundreds of South Seas artifacts.

Mai-Kai delivers on a special night out with fun for all Vegas caliber performances, food and drink.

It was restored by same hospitality team that preserved and enlivened the world famous Ball and Chain bar in the heart of Miami’s Calle Ocho.

The Mai Kai is listed on The National Register of Historic Places.

Closed by water damage, the new team did a multimillion dollar restoration.

Part of the upgrades include a huge ADA accessible restroom with changing station.

PROUD TO HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN MAKING

LITTLE HAVANA’S CALLE OCHO

THE CROWN JEWEL OF AUTHENTIC MIAMI

It was an honor to work as the senior urban policy advisor for Miami District 3 City Commissioner Joe Sanchez.

Two decades ago, Calle Ocho was sleepy.

We worked to strengthen arts and culture.

Now millions visit annually.

Good Morning America broadcast from the Ball & Chain World Famous Bar and Lounge on Calle Ocho in the heart of Miami's Little Havana this week.

I was there to meet GMA Weather Anchor Sam Champion and to see the success story that has made the Ball & Chain Miami’s best location for live music, crafted drinks and elevated bar food.

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/video/124408344

PARIS ACCORDEON

PARIS, FRANCE

A shop dedicated to the accordion, musical instrument typically French.Joy, good humor, live music, concerts sometimes.

Chromatic accordions button and piano, diatonic accordions, new or second hands.

--TRIPADVISOR.COM

Visit this video for a fun chat with the owner (in French)

https://www.parisaccordeon.com/shop

FRENCHMAN STREET

NEW ORLEANS

The oldest and best-known section of Frenchmen Street is in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood, just downriver from the Vieux Carré.

This area was once the plantation of Bernard de Marigny a wealthy Creole and political leader of old New Orleans. He exemplified the Creoles of his day, with his joie de vivre — a keen enjoyment of living.

In 1806, he had his property subdivided and developed as a neighborhood.

Many of the houses in this area are over 100 years old; some are much older.

The Frenchmen Street entertainment district began developing in the 1980s.

As Bourbon Street became more tourist-focused, Frenchmen emerged as a spot for locals to party, as it was more geared toward authentic New Orleans musical and gastronomical tastes.

Residing on some of the highest ground in the city, Frenchmen Street survived Katrina relatively unscathed.

Following the catastrophe, the street was officially designated a city arts and entertainment district; its notoriety increased when it was patronized by people who went to New Orleans to help rebuild, and by visitors who sought authentic local music.

ROCK N BOWL

NEARLY A QUARTER CENTURY OF NEW ORLEANS LIVE MUSIC

Finally made it to Rock N Bowl -- Christmas Eve of All times.

Where else but in New Orleans can you check the WWOZ live wire, wondering if anyone is playing Xmas Eve or Day...only to find yes, dozens and dozens of places are open even then.

Sadly, we never made it to the famous Mid-City Lanes original location.

The new one was walking distance from where we stayed in Hollygrove. Yes, that Hollygrove that birthed Lil Wayne and Cash Money Records.

It was old timers night when we went. We're in our 50s and were the youngins'

We returned our last night for some Zydeco, as Rock N Bowl has hosted some of the all-time greats.

http://www.rocknbowl.com/

CHRIS ARDOIN LIVE AT ROCK 'N' BOWL

New Orleans, Live, 12-29-2016

Chris Ardoin (born April 7, 1981 in Lake Charles, Louisiana^[) is a zydeco accordionist and singer. He is one of the young artists that helped form nouveau zydeco, a new style of music that fused traditional zydeco with various styles including hip-hop, reggae and R&B.

He was a child prodigy belonging to a musical dynasty (his father was Lawrence Ardoin and his grandfather, Bois Sec Ardoin). His older brother is Gospel zydeco artist Sean Ardoin. He started with the accordion at the age of two and grew up listening to zydeco only for the most part until he was in his teens.^[1] When he was just ten, with a help from his father Lawrence, he formed the Double Clutchin' zydeco band with his elder brother Sean Ardoin on drums.

In 1994, the band released their debut album That's Da Lick from Maison de Soul label. Though it was Sean who handled all the vocals and songwriting, the album was credited to Chris as they considered putting younger Chris in front would draw more attention to the band.^[1] Chris came more into the center of the spotlight in the follow-up effort Lick It Up! released a year later, sharing vocals and songwriting duties with Sean. Sean left the band after releasing the album Turn the Page in 1997 to concentrate in his solo career.

In 2005, Chris changed the band name from Double Clutchin' to NuStep, and released Sweat, the first album under the new name. M.V.P. followed in 2006, V.I.P in 2008, Alter Ego in 2009, and Headliner in 2010.

DR. JOHN -- IN THE RIGHT PLACE

Mini video clip from front row, center, Tipitina's: 12-27-2016

DR. JOHN LIVE -- TIPITINA'S -- UPTOWN, NEW ORLEANS

How Come My Dog Don't Bark (When You Come Around)?

DR. JOHN IKO IKO LIVE CLIP

TIPITINA'S, NEW ORLEANS, 12-27-2016

AKA MALCOLM JOHN "MAC" REBENNACK

Sent pictures from front row to my dear friend Frank....then enjoyed the incomparable baked goods made at the direction of his superstar daughter then next day at Willa Jean in New Orleans

DR. JOHN AND THE NITE TRIPPERS LIVE DEC 27 AT TIPITINA'S

Tipitina's is a music venue located at the corner of Napoleon Avenue and Tchoupitoulas Street in Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.

Local music enthusiasts opened the venue on January 14, 1977. The name was inspired by a well-known song, "Tipitina", by Professor Longhair who also performed there until his death in 1980. Before adopting use of "Tipitina's" as its name, the facility was known as "The 501 Club," in reference to its street address (501 Napoleon Avenue). Tipitina's stands as one of the best-known clubs in New Orleans. The building itself was constructed in 1912, and prior to becoming Tipitina's, it served as a gambling house, gymnasium, and brothel.

In the early years, it had a juice bar, restaurant, and a bar. The only remnant of the juice bar is the banana in Tipitina's logo. In the early 1980s, the studios of radio station WWOZ were located in one of the apartments upstairs from the club. During that time, occasionally, WWOZ would carry a Tipitina's show live by literally lowering a microphone into the club through a hole in the floor.  Tipitina's closed for a time during the 1984 World's Fair, when much of the local music scene was drawn to venues in and around the Fair. The building was then remodeled to remove the upstairs apartments in favor of a higher ceiling in the downstairs music venue and reopened.

In 1998, Tipitinas opened a second location on North Peters Street in the French Quarter,^[4] which for a time was also a regular live music venue as well as open for private events and parties but is currently closed. Apart from running these venues, Tipitina's has established the Tipitina's Foundation, a non-profit organization to support local music and musicians. The main focus of the Tipitina's Foundation is to provide musical instruments and uniforms to New Orleans public high school Marching Bands. The Foundation has been especially active in supporting the musicians victimized by Hurricane Katrina.^[5]

During the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival period, Tipitina's hosts a concert series titled "Fess Jazztival", which is a play on "Jazz Festival" and Professor Longhair's nickname, "Fess".

http://tipitinas.com/

LEYLA MCCALLA OPENED FOR DR. JOHN

I would never be so rude as to boo an opening act off the stage, but as I age, and want to get to bed relatively close to midnight -- even on big show night out night -- openers sometimes feel like an unnecessary delay that will push the headliner's start back so late, that I'll only get a half night's sleep.

Layla McCalla is the opposite of an opening act that is mere parsley on the plate, as you await the main course.

She is captivating, amazing, super talent.

She had us at the first song. So much heart, soul and big music from a little trio.

Living in Miami, we have lots of Haitian friends and are somewhat familiar with the music of Haiti.

But McCalla, Haitian rooted/New York raised added a whole new dimension to Haitian Creole and French singing strained threw New Orleans' incomparable musical gumbo.

She's great with the audience as well. Opening up her heart and sharing just enough details about her life, heritage, the meaning behind the lyrics, the verve behind the music.

She played maybe 45 minutes. It went by like 10.

We half hoped she would join Dr. John or even cook up some unheard of approach to coming out and playing after the headliner was done, the house lights were up and a few dozen loyal fans stuck around to hear her.

We would see her headlining a show in a heartbeat.

She's new artist of the year, in our book, so long as it isn't an insult to call a classically trained, young veteran artist a "newcomer."

--courtesy of her website:

Leyla McCalla is a New York-born Haitian-American living in New Orleans, who sings in French, Haitian Creole and English, and plays cello, tenor banjo and guitar. Deeply influenced by traditional Creole, Cajun and Haitian music, as well as by American jazz and folk, her music is at once earthy, elegant, soulful and witty — it vibrates with three centuries of history, yet also feels strikingly fresh, distinctive and contemporary.

Leyla’s debut album, Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute to Langston Hughes, was named 2013’s Album of the Year by the London Sunday Times and Songlines magazine, and received additional raves from a number of other publications, including the New York Times, Boston Globe and Offbeat, for its haunting mixture of music and message.

Now, having toured extensively in the U.S., Europe and Israel in support of Vari-Colored Songs, Leyla is focusing on her next album. Titled A Day For The Hunter, A Day For The Prey, the album will be released in the spring of 2016 by Jazz Village/Harmonia Mundi.

 A Day For The Hunter, A Day For The Prey will continue to explore the themes of social justice and pan-African consciousness that marked Vari-Colored Songs, and will once again feature songs sung in English, French and Haitian Creole. The album will also include guest appearances by legendary guitarist Marc Ribot, Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Louis Michot of the Lost Bayou Ramblers, and New Orleans singer-songwriter/guitarist Sarah Quintana.

http://leylamccalla.com/

DR. JOHN LIVE AND THE NITE TRIPPERS AT TIPITINA'S

THE FABULOUS NITE TRIPPERS BACKING BAND

Amazing horn section -- live at Tipitina's 12-27-2016

DR. JOHN LIVE AT TIPITINA'S

FRONT ROW SEAT, HEART OF NAWLINS, DEC. 27

He played 2 hours straight, without a pause.