Professor Longhair

All right.

Yeah, you know what? I- [laughs] I'll just do it all by my own with Professor Longhair.

[laughs] The ghost of Green Grid.

Um, but this album, this album really solidified him as not only, like, a pop icon, but I feel like a cultural icon.

Oh, by the way, behind me is a poster from Jazz Fest.

That's Professor Longhair.

Oh yeah.

Look at that.

I'm going to lead off with John Batiste, who is the music director for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

His playing has a lot of influences, including Professor Longhair, Jelly Roll Morton, and even Thelonious Monk.

The tune we're going to hear is named for the town in Louisiana where he was born.

This is the Kenner Boogie from John Batiste on The Singout Radio Magazine.

Um, Stuff that was recorded.

Professor Longhair.

Yeah, Professor Longhair.

There's a lot of New Orleans standards.

There's a lot of them.

And it's very similar kind of when we lost, when Tipitina's here, that's our version of the barn.

It's our historic music club where Professor Longhair and the Neville brothers, Dr. John, all kind of came out of in New Orleans.

And it's 800-cap room, so it's not really huge, but it's all old wood.

It's like almost a 150-year-old building.

And as you were saying, Allison, he wasn't just a cartoonist.

He was a writer, a music journalist, interviewed tons of musicians, everybody from Cab Calloway, Professor Longhair.

He was good friends with James Booker.

Bob Marley.

Okay.

Maybe they'll do a volume two.

The photo is in the Historic New Orleans collection because it's a photo of Professor Longhair performing at Tipitina.

It's taken by Michael P. Smith, the famous chronicler.

So, no surprise, we're going to hear now from two of the piano giants of New Orleans.

First up, Professor Longhair and then James Booker.

Let's start it off.

Professor Longhair Blues.

Dr.

Professor Longhand Some people call me a loving man Oh, little loving Dr.

There's a question that gets tossed around in the local music business.

What is New Orleans music? Is it only music that has a distinct New Orleans vibe like Professor Longhair or Dumpster Funk? Or is it a singer-songwriter like Andrew Duhon or a Latin band like the Iguanas making New Orleans music because they're New Orleanians? The real world conclusion seems to be something about New Orleans inevitably seeps into all music that's made here.

And it's the same with business.

My two lunch guests today have both started businesses unrelated to New Orleans, but there's still something inescapably New Orleanian about them.