Piano Night 2010 Artists

Bob Andrews

Since moving to New Orleans in 1992, Bob has played piano and organ and sung, both live and in the studio, with numerous Louisiana bands and musicians, as well as performing solo.

| Bob Andrews online

Victor “Red” Atkins hails from Selma, Alabama. He began playing with Delfeayo Marsalis in 1989 and went on to perform with Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Aaron Neville, and many more. Victor is currently a member of Irvin Mayfield's New Orleans Jazz Orchestra.

| Victor Atkins online

Marcia Ball

For more than 30 years, Ball has been delivering her signature brand of Texas blues, Louisiana R&B, and Gulf Coast swamp pop to audiences all over the world. She has earned a huge and intensely loyal following through critically acclaimed albums and non-stop touring.

| MarciaBall.com

Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes

Bruce Sunpie Barnes is a veteran musician, park ranger, actor, former high school biology teacher, former college football All-American, and former NFL player (Kansas City Chiefs).

| Sunpie on MySpace

Leslie Blackshear Smith

Leslie Smith was born in New Orleans and started out singing on the street but was quickly invited by the finest musicians in the Crescent City to play in the premier music venues. By 17 she reigned on the club scene and by age 19 was featured in the book "Up From The Cradle of Jazz" as the future of New Orleans music.

| Leslie Smith online

Mia Borders

With lyrics so personal, so mature, and so direct, Mia has established herself as an artist to watch. In early 2006, Mia and a few talented friends joined forces as a funk-rock-soul group that made an instant impression on the local music scene, playing legendary New Orleans stages like Tipitina's, Howlin' Wolf, Blue Nile, and The Parish at the House of Blues, to name a few.

| MiaBorders.com

Eden Brent

Eden Brent's piano playing and singing style ranges from a melancholic whisper to a full-blown juke joint holler. Brent developed her gutsy vocal and piano chops along the blues-drenched Highway 61 in Mississippi via family sing-a-longs and a 16-year apprenticeship with the late blues pioneer Boogaloo Ames, who ultimately dubbed his protégé "Little Boogaloo."

| EdenBrent.com

Cynthia Chen

Cynthia appears regularly at WWOZ's Piano Night, and she has been a New Orleans fixture at various local clubs opening for acts like Eddie Bo, Mother Blues, and Irving Bannister. She is a bandleader and piano player for her own bands, "CC and the Revelers," "CC and The Bayou Black Band," and "Yeah You Right Blues Band." Her piano styles range from mellow jazz standards to high-energy rock and New Orleans blues and R&B.

| Cynthia on MySpace

Jose Conde

Born in Chicago and raised in Miami by Cuban immigrant parents, Conde is a singer, songwriter and arranger based in Brooklyn, NY. His Cuba-centric band Ola Fresca recently morphed into Nola Fresca in collaboration with local New Orleans musicians like Michael Skinkus.

| Jose Conde online

Adam Deitch

Adam Deitch is a drummer and producer, best known for his work with the John Scofield Band. His drumming style is very funk oriented, and he plays some very unusual fills. In John Scofield's words, "He's got that jazz mentality and a 'take no prisoners' type of creativity - all combined with the groove of death."

| Adam Deitch on MySpace

Derek Douget

Raised in Gonzales, Louisiana, Douget was adopted into a mixed race family. His Cajun father exposed him to all things Acadian from food to music. In a region known for mixing African, Latin, Native American, and European traditions and cultures, Douget celebrates his part in this great community of mixed cultures that has always been a hot bed for jazz musicians.

| DerekDouget.com

Casandra Faulconer

Since arriving in New Orleans in 1998, Casandra Faulconer has become one of the hardest working and most sought after bass players in the city. She's been nominated for an OffBeat award as one of New Orleans' best bass players, alongside George Porter, Jr. and James Singleton.

| CasandraFaulconer.com

Carol Fran

From jump blues to soul blues and all the R&B in between, Carol Fran has been singing it for nearly fifty years. Her career started when she was still in her teens with the Don Conway Orchestra and continues to this day. In 1995, Carol was a nominee at the 16th Annual W.C. Handy Awards as the Female Artist of the Year and as the female vocalist of the year.

| Carol Fran on MySpace

Henry Gray

Henry Gray's remarkable 60-year blues career began at the age of 16 in Kenner, Louisiana, and later on in Chicago. In 1956, Howlin' Wolf asked Henry to join his band, where he remained until 1968. During the fifties and sixties, Chess records employed Henry as sideman on many recordings, and he recorded frequently with J. D. Miller's Louisiana Excello band.

| HenryGray.com

Jeff "Snake" Greenberg

In 2006 after a near death experience, Jeff felt the needed to explore his musical roots, and moved to New Orleans. He has become a strong exponent of the piano styles of Professor Longhair, James Booker, Huey "Piano" Smith, Tuts Washington and the accordion style of Clifton Chenier. He combines these sounds with the swing and jump styles of Louis Jordan, Nat Cole, Joe Liggins and others.

| Jeff Greenberg on MySpace

Nigel Hall

Nigel Hall is an honest, humble guardian of soul music. When asked about himself, Nigel reflects, "I'm just someone who lives, eats, drinks music." This ethic becomes clear as soon as Nigel takes the stage. Whether he is leading his own band, performing solo, or, fronting bands like Soulive and Lettuce, he instantly commands the attention of the audience.

| NigelHallMusic.com

Dr. John

Dr. John, or Mac Rebennack to friends and family, is the living embodiment of the rich musical heritage of New Orleans. His colorful musical career began in the 1950s when he wrote and played guitar on some of the greatest records to come out of the Crescent City, including recordings by Professor Longhair, Art Neville, Joe Tex and Frankie Ford.

| DrJohn.org

Keiko Komaki

Since moving to New Orleans from Japan in 2006, Keiko Komaki has also played with many of the Crescent City's most beloved musicians including George Porter Jr, Russell Batiste, James Andrews, Steve Johnson "grand son of Robert Johnson," Renard Poché, Mem Shannon and many more. Her international tours have taken her around the world to locales including Denmark, Austria, France, Brazil, and Italy.

| Keiko Komaki on Facebook

Eric Krasno

Founding member and guitarist of Soulive and Lettuce, Eric Krasno is known throughout jazz, funk, and hip-hop circles, working with Joshua Redman, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Chaka Khan, 50-Cent, GZA and Talib Kweli.

| Eric Krasno on MySpace

Joe Krown

Joe Krown is a resident and is based out of the city of New Orleans. He is a New Orleans styled piano and Hammond B-3 player. He has been nominated twice and won a New Orleans Big Easy Award in the Blues category in April 2001. His blues trio, Sansone, Krown & Fohl won a 2004 Big Easy Award.

| JoeKrown.com

Ellis Marsalis

Ellis Marsalis is regarded by many as the premier modern jazz pianist in New Orleans. He continues to lead his own group and has several recordings on the CBS-Sony label. He is currently developing his own recording label, Elm Records, with his wife Dolores and son Jason.

| EllisMarsalis.com

Charlie Miller

New Orleans native Charlie Miller is an old friend to several instruments, but the trumpet is his first love. He's worked with everyone from B.B. King and Al Hirt to the New York Ballet and the Saturday Night Live Band.

| Charlie Miller online

Brian Mitchell

Brian Mitchell is well known in music industry circles and beyond for both his solo career and his high-profile collaborations. He has recorded

| BrianMitchellMusic.com

Ivan Neville

Multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Ivan Neville is the son of Aaron Neville. He has released four solo albums and had a Top 40 Billboard hit with "Not Just Another Girl" from his first solo album. His compositions have appeared in films including Skin Deep and Pump Up The Volume. His current band, Dumpstaphunk, plays at festivals and clubs in New Orleans.

| Ivan Neville online

Renard Poché

A contemporary of some of New Orleans' funk greats, Renard Poché's contributions can be counted among the defining factors of funk in New Orleans. Best known for his electrifying guitar work, Poché is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist whose been known to move effortlessly from guitar to trombone to percussion without missing a beat.

| RenardPoche.com

Shannon Powell

A product of the culturally and musically rich Treme' neighborhood, when Shannon Powell is behind the drums, his fellow musicians and audiences are assured of the most solid, swingin' and stylistically simpatico rhythms to be found anywhere on the planet.

| Shannon Powell online

Zachary Richard

Militant environmentalist and cultural activist, poet and singer-songwriter Zachary Richard's roots are deeply planted in his native Louisiana. Inspired by the various styles of the region, his songs go beyond the limitations of any particular genre.

| ZacharyRichard.com

Marcel Richardson

One of the great New Orleans piano masters, Marcel Richardson appears on records by greats like funk pioneer Lee Dorsey, vocalist Barbara George, and saxman James Rivers. WWOZ is proud to have Marcel as a performer at 2010 Piano Night!

Threadhead Records artist Marc Stone has been a professional musician in New Orleans for 15 years, playing with many of Louisiana's great artists. He plays with his own group as well as his Acoustic Blues duo, Rockin' Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters, Fatien Ensemble and Derrick Freeman's Smoker's World. He also produces many special musical projects.

| MarcStoneMusic.com

David Torkanowsky

Beyond his regular WWOZ radio show and the music and people he brings to us on air, Tork is continually working with numerous artists and styles, from Irma Thomas to the critically acclaimed New Orleans modern jazz combo Astral Project.

| David Torkanowsky on WWOZ

Big Sam Williams

Big Sam is New Orleans - born and raised. He was schooled in the fertile musical streets of the Big Easy and in the classroom at the renowned New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). He started out with the Soul Rebels Brass Band and later joined the Dirty Dozen Brass Band as a teenager. He has been working tirelessly spreading his brand of funky brass ever since.

| BigSamsFunkyNation.com

Further Information

Elsewhere on the Web

Louisiana Music Collective