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Jimmy Charles Holmes was born in Bentonia, MS in 1947. His father was a farmer and his mother ran a juke joint called the Blue Front Cafe. Jimmy took it over in 1970, and it was at the Blue Front where he learned the Bentonia style of blues guitar from the revered Jack Owens.
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Joy Clark’s debut solo album is an ode to her Louisiana roots.
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Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole heritage will be showcased at 50th annual Festivals Acadiens et CreolesOrganizers say what started as a one day concert in 1974 has grown into a three-day event and possibly one of the largest Cajun and Zydeco festivals held globally.
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A Nazi-looted Claude Monet pastel has been returned to descendants of the man who owned it when it was seized in Austria decades ago.
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Titled “Beethoven Blues,” Batiste collaborates, in a way, with Beethoven, reimagining these instantly recognizable works into something fluid.
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Leonard “Flaco” Jiménez is the most influential Texas-Mexican accordion player of his time. Flaco’s father Santiago Jiménez Sr. helped create the style called “conjunto” or “la música norteña,” from rancheras to polkas. Flaco Jiménez was born in 1939 in San Antonio and carried his father's sound forward. In addition to singing, Flaco became famous for his rhythmic drive, inventive solos and stage antics. From his 1950s teenage days playing local dances, Flaco emerged in the early ‘70s to record with Doug Sahm and Ry Cooder, and later Linda Ronstadt and Los Lobos. I talked to the squeezebox king about his sound and his name.
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For those in the hospitality industry, there are few honors more prestigious than winning a James Beard Award. On this week's show, we celebrate the local 2024 winners and nominees. Ti Martin tells us about the party she hosted at Commander's Palace to recognize them. We also hear from mixologist extraordinaire, Chris Hannah and Chef Arvinder Vilkhu, along with his son, Ashwin, of Saffron Nola.
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Baton Rouge guitarist, harp player and singer Kenny Neal is a second-generation leader in the city’s blues scene, born into a family of ten children. Kenny’s father Raful Neal was a noted harmonica player, influenced by Little Walter and played in a local band with Buddy Guy. Raful Neal’s friend Slim Harpo gave son Kenny Neal his first harmonica at age three. Kenny started playing bass for his father at thirteen and went on to Buddy Guy’s band. Later, he recruited his siblings to form the Neal Brothers Blues Band. In 1989, Kenny recorded a breakout swamp blues LP Big News from Baton Rouge for Alligator Records. His fine guitar work and harmonica, as well as authoritative voice, carried him forward making sixteen more records. Kenny carries on the Baton Rouge blues tradition. Let’s go to to the Juke Joint stage at West Baton Rouge Parish Museum with Kenny Neal.
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The Historic New Orleans Collection spotlights photojournalist Mark Sindler.