CMJ to Voodoo

Had a very good time at the CMJ festival in New York and am looking forward to Voodoo in New Orleans this weekend. CMJ was packed -- it made little sense to try planning an evening out because of the long lines to get into some of the clubs. New Orleans is such a better environment for enjoying live music. Caught the Anders Osborne/John Fohl/Johnny Sansone set at Chickie Wah Wah Tuesday night. It's a semi-acoustic format which leaves a lot of dynamic space for the playing to shine through, and as powerful as Anders is at full volume I have to say I prefer this format because his slide work was masterful, something on a level with Duane Allman at his most creative, yet completely in Anders' own style. Fohl is an exceptional partner voice on single string solos, rhythm and fills. It's not just a technical display, either, which I think some hot guitar assemblages suffer from. Both Fohl and Osborne play from the heart at all times and their sympatico is breathtaking. Sansone is the perfect third man (cue the theme), playing percussion, accordion and harp and tossing a couple of his own tunes into the mix. This is really a must-see collaboration; one hopes they go on to record something together.