New Tone and the Future of Ska
New Tone and the Future of Ska
October 4, 2021, Vol. 2 Issue 17
Thank you for reading Perfect Sound Whatever. I write updates on the latest music news in New Orleans, feature stories, album reviews, and more. Whether you are from New Orleans or not, my goal is to help you discover new music; provide coverage to local artists, venues, and others creating the music scene in NOLA; and start discussions about music. For questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to email me at daltonspangler25@gmail.com.
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Today in the newsletter: A brief look at New Orleans Ska, updates on the New Orleans music scene, upcoming shows this week and new music from the Gulf Coast.
‘New Tone’ and the Future of Ska
In a city full of world-class musicians, New Orleans brass horns occupy an entire class of their own. From its roots as the birthplace of American Jazz, these instruments are loved by all in the city regardless of musical taste or social background. You almost have to appreciate it. Seconds Line parades through Treme are a regular sight. On a Friday night, you can find dozens of big brass bands busking on street corners. It’s what makes the culture of New Orleans so unique. But another genre of music heavily built upon brass instruments has seen a resurgence in the city and surrounding region. Ska.
Local ska band Bad Operation hosted their first show debuting a record they released during the pandemic. They performed with two other Ska bands, Joystick of New Orleans and Stuck Lucky from Nashville, Tennessee. Dominic Minix of Bad Operation coined the term “New Tone” to describe the movement. It riffs off the original ska movement in Britain during the ’70s and ’80s called “two-tone” as the new generations share its values of political criticism and multiculturalism.
But beyond that, Ska of today heals people through celebration and dance. New Orleans has seen a rough month this September. In addition to the economic and social damage caused by the Delta Variant of COVID-19, Hurricane Ida has shuddered musicians and ordinary working people in the city. Trash and debris still fill roadways across the city as the mayor’s office gets a handle on the crisis. Many people lost work for weeks due to the storm. The Bad Operation show provided much-needed relief to folks who haven’t celebrated like this since 2019. It was a free show with the proceeds from merch and donations to Hurricane Ida relief in southern Louisiana. These bands defy as much as they heal.
I’m in the works of researching New Orleans Ska further and will be releasing an article soon taking a more in-depth look with words from the bands themselves. I’m currently writing this late Sunday, Oct. 3, after a long day of editing photos, so please enjoy these cool shots and consider streaming and listening to the following acts.
Updates:
A coalition of New Orleans’ music venues created a 10-day “music festival” called NOLAxNOLA to help fill the void left by several major music festivals canceled due to COVID-19.
Live music venue Chickie Wah Wah reopens this week on October 6.
WWOZ is hosting a 8-day broadcasting in the stead of this year’s Jazz Fest with over 100 archival performances from previous Jazz Fests. The broadcast will take place on October 7-10 and October 14-17 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on 90.7 FM.
The Latest from New Orleans/Gulf Coast Music:
Paprika (LUNGS-210) - PAPRIKA (Noise Punk)
BAD OPERATION - BAD OPERATION (Ska)
The Hands of Time - Weedie Braimah (Djembe/Jazz)
Upcoming Shows in New Orleans:
Brat with Knoll and Seared @ Banks St. Bar - Tuesday - 8 p.m. (unsure but not much if any)
Dana Ives with C’est Funk and Midriff @ Saturn Bar - Thursday - 8 p.m. ($10)
Boyfriend Featuring Members of The Revivalists @ Tipitinas - Saturday morning - 1 a.m. ($33)
Galactic @ Tipitinas - Saturday - 8 p.m. ($50)
JJ Shreds & The Chompers @ Gasa Gasa - Saturday @ 11:59 pm (Free)
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