Celebrating Spring with a Southern swing

A long-awaited appearance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on April 30 with his New JBs was the climax of Fred's swing through the U.S. South.

Initially cancelled due to forecast thunderstorms, the crestfallen band was elated to have the set rescheduled for four hours earlier and to finally get their chance to play. A planned oral history interview was cancelled when storms ended the Festival day early, but Fred still was able to have a brief fun visit with the interviewer, WWOZ's DJ SoulSister.

A day earlier, it was a mutual admiration society featuring Fred and Delfeayo Marsalis' excellent Uptown Jazz Orchestra at New Orleans' famed Snug Harbor Jazz Club.

The day before that Fred gathered with some 70 people including local musicians and his health coach daughter Joya to dine on healthy vegan food and talk about his whole food plant-based lifestyle at the HAPPY Meal Experience (healthy and plant-powered, yay!) at Longue Vue House and Gardens.

Before arriving in New Orleans, Fred's old friend and fellow trombonist Wycliffe Gordon hosted him at Augusta University for a conversation with college and high school students, and community members.

The swing started at the club Kind of Blue on Hilton Head Island, where he played with his "Bone Brother" Teddy Adams in two shows featuring Atlanta-based vocalist Lavahi.

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