TOM SANCTON'S PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE - DECEMBER-JANUARY

Wednesday, December 9:
• Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with Lard Edegran, 6:30 - 7:30 pm.

• Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Saturday, December 13:  Monteleone Hotel, with Clive Wilson Serenaders, 9:30 - 11:30. (Private reception)

Sunday, December 14: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St.with the New Orleans Legacy band. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, December 16: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, December 31: New Year's Eve Gala at the Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Barbara Shorts. 9:00  - 12:30

Sunday, January 4: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St.with Wenell Brunious. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, January 7: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Sunday, January 11: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St.with the New Orleans Legacy band. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, January 14: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Thursday, January 15: Pavillion of the Two Sisters, Botannical Garden, City Park, with the Lars Edegran band. 6:00 - 7:00 pm.

Sunday, January 18: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St.with Wenell Brunious. 8 - 11 pm.

Tom Sancton Website: tomsancton.com
Tom Sancton FB page: https://www.facebook.com/tom.sancton
"Song For My Fathers" FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Song-for-My-Fathers/945467905483373

TOMMY SANCTON GIGLIST, MAY-JUNE 2014

Thursday, May 1:  Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Clive Wilson's New Orleans Serenaders. 8 - 11 pm.

Friday, May 2: Jazzfest, Economy Hall Tent, with Clive Wilson's New Orleans Serenaders. 12:20 - 1:20 pm.

Sunday, May 4: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with the New Orleans Legacy Band, featuring Ronell Johnson. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, May 7: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Friday, May 9: Brasserie Marigny, Frenchmen Street, with MArla Dixon's Shotgun Jazz Band. 8 - 11 pm.

Saturday, May 10: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St, with Lionel Ferbos Band, 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, May 14: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, May 21: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Friday, May 23: Brasserie Marigny, Frenchmen Street, with MArla Dixon's Shotgun Jazz Band. 8 - 11 pm.

Sunday, May 25: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with Lars Edegran's St. Peter Street All Stars. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, May 28: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Tuesday, June 3: Columns Hotel, St. Charles Avenue, with John Rankin (guitar) and Charlie Halloran (trombone). 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, June 4: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, June 11: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

June 15: Off to Europe. Have a great summer, y'all!

N.O. LEGACY BAND REVIEWED IN THE ADVOCATE

Nice review of our Jazzfest set on Saturday, April 26. Always nice to be appreciated, especially in New Orleans's official daily newspaper: 

TOMMY SANCTON BAND UPHOLDS TRAD LEGACY

BY JOHN WIRT

JWIRT@THEADVOCATE.COM
April 27, 2014

Traditional New Orleans jazz is alive and well at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival’s Economy Hall Tent. Saturday’s lineup included the Dukes of Dixieland, Treme Brass Band, Don Vappie with his Creole Jazz Serenaders and, one of Preservation Hall’s regular acts, Tommy Sancton’s New Orleans Legacy Band. Sancton is a music professor and performing pro. His introductions to songs included quick music history lessons.

The Legacy Band’s front line starred clarinetist Sancton, trumpeter Clive Wilson and trombonist-singer Lucien Barbarin. Sancton made of point of noting that Barbarin, whose credits include Harry Connick Jr.’s big band, is a member of one of New Orleans’ talented musical families.

Barbarin sang and played his trombone for a charming “Girl of My Dreams I Love You.” Another of New Orleans’ natural entertainers, Barbarin obviously modeled his gravely but warm vocals on those of Orleans jazz pioneer and star Louis Armstrong.

Jason Marsalis, another member of a great New Orleans music family, played the Legacy Band’s drums. He wowed the crowd with his lively, polyrhythmic solo.

— John Wirt

A HOT TIME IN THE ECONOMY HALL TENT

Had a great time at Jazzfest today. Our New Orleans Legacy Band got a nice reception from the packed house in the Economy Hall tent. Thanks to Clive Wilson, Lars Edegran, Lucien Barbarin, Kerry Lewis, and Jason Marsalis for their stellar performances.  Apart from our own heady moment onstage, I particularly enjoyed the sets of the Shotgun Jazz Band, Don Vappie's Creole Serenaders, Bob Wilbur with Wendell Brunious, and the Tremé Brass Band. There was incredible energy in the tent today, good vibes from the audience, and a lot of hot music from the bands. Standout performances that stick in my mind: Tom Fischer's clarinet solo on the haunting waltz "Abandon," Marla Dixon's vocal on the Buddy Holly ballad "Raining in my Heart," Gregg Stafford's hot trumpet on "Lord, Lord, Lord." Can't wait to return next Friday with Clive Wilson's Serenaders. Keep the faith, y'all!

TOM SANCTON PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE, APRIL 2014

Tuesday, April 1: Columns Hotel, Classic Jazz Trio featuring John Rankin and Charlie Halloran. 8- 11 pm.

Wednesday, April 9: Preservation Hall with Seva Venet String Band, 4 - 6 pm. Palm Court with Lars Edegran Band and vocalist Topsy Chapman, 1206 Decatur St, 8 - 11 pm.

Saturday, April 12: FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL

     500 Bourbon Stage, with Clive Wilson's New Orleans Serenaders, 1:45 - 3:45 pm

     600 Bourbon Stage, with Lars Edegran All Stars, 3:45 - 5:45 pm

Sunday, April 13: FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL

     Old U.S. Mint, with Society Brass Band, 11:15 - 12:30 pm. 

     600 Bourbon Stage, with New Orleans Legacy Band featuring Shannon Powell, 1:30 - 3:30 pm/

Wednesday, April 16 Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Saturday, April 19: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St, with Lionel Ferbos Band, 8 - 11 pm.

Sunday, April 20: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with the New Orleans Legacy Band, 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, April 23: Palm Court, 1206 Decatur St., with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Sunday, April 27: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with Wendell Brunious Band featuring Tom Hook. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, April 30: National Jazz Park (3rd floor auditorium in Old U.S. Mint, with Clive Wilson's New Orlens Serenaders, 2 - 3:30 pm.

GIGLIST - JANUARY 2014

Sunday, December 29: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with Clive Wilson's New Orleans Serenaders. 8 - 11 pm

Sunday, January 5: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with the New Orleans Legacy Band. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, January 8: Palm Court, with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Sunday, January 12: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with Lars Edegran All Stars. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, January 15: Palm Court, with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Thursday, January 16: Jazz at Twilight, Pavilion of the Two Sisters, City Park, with the New Orleans legacy Band. 6 - 7:45 pm.

Sunday, January 19: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with the New Orleans Legacy Band. 8 - 11 pm.

Tuesday, January 21: Columns Hotel, with John Rankin and the Classic Jazz Trio. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, January 22: Palm Court, with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Wednesday, January 22: Palm Court, with Lars Edegran's Palm Court All Stars, featuring vocalist Topsy Chapman. 8 - 11 pm.

Sunday, January 5: Preservation Hall, 726 St. Peter St., with the Lars Edegran All Stars. 8 - 11 pm.

UNCLE LIONEL BATISTE 1931-2012

Uncle Lionel Batiste, a popular bass drummer, singer and colorful character on the New Orleans music scene since the 1940s, died on July 8 at the age of 81. He was a longtime member of the Treme Brass Band and was frequently featured on the HBO series "Treme," which used his iconic image in its publicity and posters. Gaunt-faced and skinny as a drumstick, always dressed to the nines, he was a familiar figure in the Frenchmen Street music clubs and the Palm Court Jazz Cafe. He would regularly show up, unannounced, whirl a pretty girl around the dance floor, then grab the microphone and sing a blues or ballad to the delight of the audience and musicians alike. His warm, humorous singing style was captured on several CD's including two produced by pianist Lars Edegran. I had the honor of accompanying him on several tracks, as well as in this video of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" shot in the Palm Court last March: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d76EJDdlYJU

Colorful and flashy till the end, Uncle Lionel had a wake that was probably unique in the history of the undertaking profession: instead of being laid out in a casket, he was displayed standing up, leaning against a faux lamp post, dressed in his sporting clothes with his hands covered with the rings and jewelry that were part of his trademark. Check out Keith Spera's account and accompanying photographs: http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2012/07/uncle_lionel_batiste_gets_send.html

PIRATED "LONG DISTANCE BLUES" ON YOUTUBE

Among the rules at Preservation Hall are no video or sound recording of the band, and no flash photos. Drummer Shannon Powell does his best to enforce this by shouting loudly at patrons each time he sees a red light on a cell phone or camera. To no avail. Musicians are mercilessly pirated each night, and much of this low-quality fare winds up on YouTube. There doesn't seem to be much help for it, and it's not exactly like someone is going to make commercial CDs or DVDs from their cellphone recordings. So probably the best thing for us is to grin and bear it. And some folks might actually enjoy seeing these souvenirs of our performances, like this version of "Long Distance Blues" by my New Orleans Legacy Band, recorded on Novemer 26 and posted on YouTube less than 24 hours later: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLNboSEZUQI