Motorsports Park regularly hosts Kart racing, too
April 3, 2013Andrew Calise Freeman
April 8, 2013The United Houma Nation returns for the 16th year to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, serving up Indian fry bread, Indian tacos, cream shrimp maque and more.
Lanor Curole, who is among Terrebonne’s Native American chefs appearing at the Folk Area, is sharing one of her favorite dishes: Blackberry dumplings. (Her booth faces the Fais Do-Do Stage.)
“My mom taught me how to cook,” she says. “This is one of the dishes I I had not learned before she died. I was determined to learn this one.”
With the help of others from the United Houma Nation and little refining, Lanor said she’s landed on a recipe.
After cooking blackberries down and adding sugar and other seasonings, sweet dough is added to the light syrup. “It makes a dumpling but it is sweet,” Lanor says.
United Houma Nation members are also performing fry bread demonstrations at the Cultural Exchange 2013 all seven days of the festival. And, the Stoney Creek Singers and Yellow Bird appear at the exchange at various times throughout the first weekend.
“The Cultural Exchange looks to be a nice addition to the festival this year,” Lanor says. “We’ve had a long relationship with the Jazz Fest, but it is nice to have that relationship highlighted with all types of food and artists. We’re excited about this year.”
Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars – Acura Stage, April 27
Louisiana’s supergroup Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars take to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s Acura Stage from 1:45 to 2:55 p.m., Saturday, April 27.
Headlined by Houma bluesman Tab Benoit, the All-Stars feature the crème de la crème of south Louisiana’s musicians: Grammy award-winner Cyril Neville of the Neville Brothers and the Meters, 2012 Blues Music Award winner Johnny Sansone, New Orleans premier drummer Johnny Vidacovich, fiddler Waylon Thibodeaux, the big chief of New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and bassist Corey Duplechin. Dr. John, Anders Osborne and Geroge Porter Jr. join the band in the studio and on select touring dates.
The mantra that drives the artists – Activism Through Music – transcends the band’s bluesy rhythms. From stages around the globe, Benoit and company have shared the Gulf Coast’s plight with coastal erosion with audiences.
The band released a self-titled CD in September 2005, ironically, nearly one month to the day before Hurricane Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast region, foretelling of the vulnerability the coastline faced in the event of a monster storm.
Treater “Le Traiteur de Bayou” – Lagniappe Stage and Cultural Exchange Pavilion, April 27
Treater – or “Le Traiteur De Bayou” (to heal or healer) – celebrates the healing properties of music as it takes to the Lagniappe stage and at the Cultural Exchange Pavilion from 11:35 a.m. to 12:35 p.m., Saturday, April 27.
The Terrebonne-based band first appeared at the Jazz Fest in 1987, backing up Rockin’ Sidney (“Don’t Mess with My Toot Toot”) Gold. Today, they travel the globe, passing a good time and carrying on the spirit of their ancestors.
The Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars – Houma bluesman Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, 2012 Blues Music Award winner Johnny Sansone, New Orleans premier drummer Johnny Vidacovich, fiddler Waylon Thibodeaux, the big chief of New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians’ Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and bassist Corey Duplechin – take to the Acura Stage April 27. Local band Treater (Lagniappe Stage) also performs.
The United Houma Nation returns for the 16th year to the Jazz and Heritage Festival, dishing up Indian fry bread, Indian tacos, crime shrimp maque, blackberry dumplings and more.