Two weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Andrew Lamb’s trio went into the studio to record a response, the album New Orleans Suite (Engine Studios, 2005 & 2010). Now that album has been remastered and reissued to mark the fifth anniversary of the storm and the engineering disaster that flooded New Orleans. In this interview, Lamb talks about his personal connections to New Orleans; the experience of making the record in the days immediately after the storm; and why he feels musicians have a responsibility to make music that talks about social and political issues. Learn more at www.myspace.com/andrewtheblacklamb.

Drummer and New Orleans native Stanton Moore is a busy man, whether with his bands Galactic and Garage a Trois or as a solo artist. He’s just released a trio CD called Groove Alchemy (Telarc, 2010), which is also the name of the companion instructional DVD and book, all of which explore funk drumming. In this interview, Moore talks about the legacy of drummers Jabo Starks, Clyde Stubblefield and Zigaboo Modeliste; why he decided to explore funk drumming in depth with this new project; and the experience of recording the album at Levon Helm’s studio in Woodstock, NY. Learn more at www.stantonmoore.com.

Moore also talks about the important work of Defend The Coast and Gulf Restoration Network, two organization dedicated to repairing the man-made damage to the wetlands along the Gulf Coast. Please give these organizations your support.

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Saxophonist Roger Lewis is one of the founding members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Since the 1970s, Lewis and the band have played with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Elvis Costello. In this interview, Lewis talks about the formation of the band; how the Dirty Dozen decided early on to use all their musical influences to create their own sound; and why life on the road isn’t for everyone. Learn more at dirtydozenbrass.com.

The Dirty Dozen’s album What’s Going On? is a tour de force. If you’d like to buy it, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

Ellis Marsalis is more than the father of four famous sons. He’s an acclaimed pianist and educator in his own right, and his musical history has covered a lot of ground. Homecoming (ELM Records, 2009), his new CD, is a mix of old and new, combining a reissue of 1985 duet session with saxophonist Eddie Harris, and new music recorded in 2009 with fellow New Orleanian pianist Jonathan Batiste. In this interview, Marsalis talks about how his time in the Marines helped build his piano chops; how he got his gig with trumpeter Al Hirt; and what makes New Orleans “fertile ground” for a jazz musician. Find out more at EllisMarsalis.com.

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Drummer Jason Marsalis turns to the vibraphone on his new record, Music Update (ELM Records, 2009). In this interview, Marsalis talks about the reason he chose to focus on the vibes; the process by which he recorded the drum ensemble tracks on the CD; and his view of the current state of recovery in New Orleans. Find out more at JasonMarsalis.com.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can help support The Jazz Session by buying it via the link below:

Jason Crane interviews trumpeter Terence Blanchard. A standard-bearer for his home city of New Orleans, Blanchard turns his musical spotlight on the positive changes that have occurred since Katrina with his new CD, Choices (Concord Records, 2009). In this wide-ranging interview, Blanchard talks about the cultural rebuilding of New Orleans, the ability of music to stand up in the face of tragedy, and his dedication to the growth and maturation of the musicians he employs. Find out more at TerenceBlanchard.com.

Help support The Jazz Session by buying this album via the link below:

Jason Crane interviews trombonist Jeff Albert about his new album, Similar In The Opposite Way (Fora Sound, 2009). Albert is one of the leaders of the creative music scene in New Orleans, and his Open Ears Music Series helps provide a home for experimental and free music in the Crescent City. In this interview, Albert talks about the Frenchman Street scene, his Chicago-New Orleans connection, and the cultural condition of post-Katrina New Orleans. Find out more at jeffalbert.com.

Jason Crane interviews saxophone and clarinet player Victor Goines. Goines has made quite a name for himself with such seminal groups as the Wynton Marsalis Septet and the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra. In addition to touring the world with the those bands, he’s also an accomplished leader in his own right, and the director of the jazz program at Juilliard in New York. Goines has a new CD called New Adventures (Criss Cross, 2006).