Great Question! Thanks for asking. With all the love and chaos that is Jazz Fest, often we are hard pressed to find things off the festival grounds that are laced with true innovation. So, for the love of sound and in celebration of this most delightful time of year, the Sound Observatory is hosting all music lovers and festival goers alike for a magical evening of new music and creativity. Art collector and fun curator, Stacy Hoover, opens her doors to Wonderland, the beautiful Bywater home and artist residence that will be the decadent location of another spectacular party!
Musical happenings include some great opportunities to catch totally new music, performances of rare solo sets, and a get-down performance by free-jazz big band The Naked Orchestra. In the spirit of spring time in New Orleans, there will be a crawfish boil bubbling throughout the night, The lovely ladies of Two Girls One Shuck are serving up the aphrodisiacs at their raw oyster bar, and some more neighborhood friends will be concocting adult beverages in the garden late into the evening.
For this event, we hope to present you with an especially unique experience during the jazz fest season in which neighbors and travelers together can witness the marvel of creative music through exceptional performances and in a much more intimate environment. The acts we've curated are rather uncommon, some never before seen, and we hope that you will join us at hearing out the sounds and peering through the looking glass in Wonderland.
On the program is friend of the Observatory and amazing musician, Brian Coogan. Known for his naturally minimalist approach and his intuitive understanding of genres and theory, Brian Coogan, is one of New Orleans’ most unique and versatile pianists. He has been a huge influence and creative contributor to the world renowned electronic group, Pretty Lights, collaborating on various live performances and recordings with the group including the 2013 album, A Color Map of the Sun. Coogan joins us in Wonderland to perform an intimate solo set at the parlor’s baby grand piano.
At some point in the evening, you may hear the mysterious sounds of Glenn Hartman of the Klezmer Allstars echoing through the garden. Look up and find him in the branches of a myrtle tree performing an artistic set of solo accordion to all those below.
Then, premiering her long term, politically ambitious project is Zoe Boekbinder and her Prison Music Project. Zoe has worked side by side with nine incarcerated artists of New Folsom Prison in Sacramento, California to write and create new works of music, songs, and poetry. Acting as a human recording device, Zoe has learned their work and their stories, and will present them to us at Wonderland in what will be a truly inspiring performance and in a broader category, a great accomplishment for humanitarian activism against the prison industrial complex through MUSIC. These songs will be heard here for the first time at a public performance and will soon be released by Ani Difranco’s Righteous Babe Records on their very own album dedicated to the project.
Finally, we bring you our favorite free-jazz big band, the sound sculpting, note inventing, improvisers, the Naked Orchestra led by Jonathan Freilich , conducted by Jimbo Walsh and for this special festival addition saxophonist Skerik and his radical saxophonics from the underworld, of Garage a Trois and the Dead Kenny G’s, joins the orchestra for the evening. The Naked Orchestra will rock the garden at Wonderland with all original works and arrangements. Be sure to buy your ticket in advance, as there will be a limited number available at the door! Oh look at that, you can get them right here. TICKETS
Have an amazing festival... we'll see you in Wonderland!