NYC/NOLA Tribute Celebrating the Music and Life of Henry Butler - New York City Article

NYC/NOLA Tribute Celebrating the Music and Life of Henry Butler
(Le) Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker St
Monday, October 29

Henry Butler, who died in July at the age of 69, was hopefully not the last but certainly one of the greatest in a long line of New Orleans piano giants that included Professor Longhair and James Booker and whose most famous modern day representative is Harry Connick, Jr.. They’re sometimes described as jazz musicians but just as often as rhythm-and-blues players; the larger truth, I expect, is that New Orleans keyboard playing is a genre unto itself that crosses into the territory of a lot of other musics, including Afro-Latin, Caribbean, and other world music genres. The Jazz Foundation of America, worthy organization that it is, has organized this celebration in conjunction with trumpeter Steve Bernstein, Butler’s bandleader-partner, in order to defray the might keyboardist’s final hospital expenses. As you’d expect, there’s going to be a spectacular lineup of artists, including lots of pianists. Officially listed in advance are: Davell Crawford, Amy Helm, Richard Julian, Tom McDermott, John Medeski, Raul Midon, Arturo O’Farrill, Paul Shaffer, and both of Butler’s outstanding final bands, The Butler-Bernstein Hot 9 and Jambalaya, as well as surprises and last-minute guests galore.

For more information and reservations, click here.