Live Review: Cyril Neville Plays The Dead - 9/16/26 Brooklyn Bowl, Williamsburg NYC

Cyril Neville Plays The Dead

9/16/26

Live Brooklyn Bowl, Williamsburg, NYC

New Orleans legend, Cyril Neville has mounted a brief Fall tour where he decided to focus on the music of the Grateful Dead. Backed by his son's fantastic band, Omari Neville and The Fuel, the elder Neville delivered a mix of Grateful Dead tunes, originals, New Orleans classic and more on this perfect early fall Wednesday night in Brooklyn.   

Album Review: Thomas Dollbaum - Birds of Paradise

Thomas Dollbaum

Birds of Paradise

**** out of *****

The newest offering from the Tampa-born, New Orleans-based singer/songwriter Thomas Dollbaum is a collection of tunes that reflect on lost friends, loves and mortality. Mixing poetic, avian inspired lyrics focused on nature with engaging Southern influenced indie-rock is a successful combination throughout Birds of Paradise. 

Album Review: Charlie & the Tropicales - New Orleans '26

Hey all, got a review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here.

It is of Charlie & the Tropicales newest album, New Orleans '26.

Album Review: Cyril Neville - Don't Wait 'Til I'm Gone

Cyril Neville

Don't Wait 'Til I'm Gone

***and1/2 out of *****

"Give me my flowers, while I can still smell them. Hear my stories, while I can still tell them." The legendary Cyril Neville sings these affecting lines on the title track of his newest solo album, Don't Wait 'Til I'm Gone. The 77 year-old Neville and company prove that there is still gas left in the tank over these ten, memory stirring efforts. 

Album Review: Twisted Teens - Florida Water Blues

Twisted Teens

Florida Water Blues

**** out of *****

The New Orleans based, offbeat rockers, Twisted Teens newest effort is a frenzied mix that touches on a wide range of genres, all filtered through a DIY lo-fi production style, clanging and banging around melodic song structures. Florida Water Blues is the second successful release of 2026 from the prolific outfit. 

Album Review: The Breaks - Self-Titled

The Breaks

S/T

***and1/2 out of *****

Three great modern day funk-soul-jazz artists come together to form The Breaks, a new organ/guitar/drum trio that instantly hits the ground running on their infectiously joyful debut full length. 

Album Review: Leopard Hounds - Too Hot for Snakes

Leopard Hounds

Too Hot for Snakes

**** out of *****

The debut full length from the new blues/rock outfit Leopard Hounds finds the New Orleans quartet looking to the past for inspiration while writing originals about their Bywater neighborhood. Too Hot For Snakes works up an appetite and uses a protesting political spirit, while never forgetting to have fun. 

Album Review: Sari Jordan - Perfect Be The Enemy

Sari Jordan

Perfect Be The Enemy

***and1/2 out of *****

For their full length debut, Sari Jordan artistically strolls through the ever changing facets of relationships in nuanced fashion. Perfect Be The Enemy finds Jordan's voice in the spotlight with free floating backing from a host of New Orleans musicians. 

Album Review: Little Freddie King - Live at BJ's Lounge

Little Freddie King

Live at BJ's Lounge

****and1/2 out of *****

The (just turned) 86-year-old blues legend Little Freddie King fell in love with New Orleans and moved there when he was a young teen. Cousin of Lightnin' Hopkins, Kings connection to the blues runs as deep as possible and for his career (which is still ongoing) LFK called the Bywater establishment BJ's Lounge home, playing there as often as he could over the past thirty years. Now comes his definitive live record, the double album Live at BJ's Lounge and it is the best he has ever sounded anywhere.  

Album Review: Renée Gros - Glad I'm Wrong

Renée Gros

Glad I'm Wrong

***and1/2 out of *****

The debut full length effort from Renée Gros, Glad I'm Wrong, is a throwback to the warm singer-songwriter, 70's era albums as the New Orleans based artist eases her voice and songs out with relatable emotion.  

New Single from Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet "My City"

The GRAMMY nominated Corey Henry and his Treme Funktet have a new single out, "My City". 

RtBE are big fans of Henry, and this new tune is another banger. 

Sazerwrap 2026

In years past we have delivered a Sazerwrap to catalog our personal New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival experience, so we will continue that this year. 

The fried oyster salad with shrimp at Atchafalaya

We have reviewed some of the shows we caught already and it should be stated: Jazzfest in New Orleans is RtBE's absolute favorite time of the year. 

Album Review: Shannon Powell - Powell's Place

Shannon Powell 

Powell's Place

**** out of *****

The newest offering from Tipitina's Record Club is a reissue of Shannon Powell's debut solo album, Powell's Place. The gorgeous peach vinyl brings the hard to find release to a larger audience as the drummer unites a cross section of Crescent City players for a jazzy/funky affair. 

New Single from Billy Iuso "Broken Arrow"

The New Orleans rocker Billy Iuso has a new single out, "Broken Arrow".

Iuso's cover of Robbie Robertson's classic tune is a joy to listen to, check it out below:

New Single from Charlie & The Tropicales "Tain't It The Truth"

The New Orleans based Charlie & The Tropicales have a new single out, a cover of Ernie K Doe's "Tain't It The Truth".

RtBE are big fans of Charlie & The Tropicales, and on this track helping out are other RtBE favorites, Jon Cleary, Sally Baby Geloso, Xavier Lynn and more. 

New Single/Video from The Rumble "Burn It Down"

The New Orleans based funk/Mardi Gras Indian outfit The Rumble have a new video/single out for "Burn It Down".

Live Review: ChazFest Goes Abroad - 4/29/26 The Broadside, New Orleans, LA

ChazFest Goes Abroad

4/29/26 The Broadside 

New Orleans, LA

Twenty years ago New Orleans based musician Alex McMurray and his wife Kourtney Keller developed a local music festival, in-between Jazzfest weekends in New Orleans. The all day event would spotlight musicians from their Bywater neighborhood and was named after Washboard Chaz, who would also play with every act throughout the day. This year the festival returned, arriving at a new location, The Broadside in Mid-City, but a lot of friendly faces who played past ChazFest's were on hand to kick off this new era of the all day festival.

Full Show Friday: Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet - Live at NOLA Funk Fest 2024

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet!

Every April (and first week in May) we have a special showcase during our Full Show Friday series for bands who are playing this years Jazzfest in NOLA. Today we will focus on Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet  who will be playing on tomorrow, Saturday May 2nd

New Single/Video from Robin Barnes "Hands Up" ft. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & Chief Jwan Boudreaux

To kick off the second weekend of New Orleans Jazzfest we have a new single/video from Robin Barnes "Hands Up" ft. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & Chief Jwan Boudreaux.

Dylan Cover #728 Blind Boys of Alabama "Every Grain of Sand"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by Blind Boys of Alabama playing "Every Grain of Sand"

All April RtBE focuses our Monday Dylan Cover Series on artists who are playing this years New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Today is Blind Boys of Alabama who play the festival Thursday April 23rd