So now that I've reminded you that New Orleans is a haven for music lovers, let me take a little time to describe my wonderful school to you. Home of the Thelonious Monk School of Jazz, Loyola is extremely well known for our talented music students. This semester I have chosen to take a freshman seminar entitled "The History of Music in New Orleans." On the first day of class, my professor assigned a paper on an artist from New Orleans. We were to research an artist, write a short paper, and bring a sample of their music in to play for the class. After listening to a handful of New Orleans bands, I started to notice a trend: the majority of these bands showcase students that once went to or still attend Loyola. This list includes only a few of the talented musical acts keepin' it funky here at Loyola.
This group of enthusiastic Loyola musicians labels their genre of music as "Funk/Soul/Insanity." Founded in September of 2011, the six creative musicians have effectively earned their place in the lively music scene of New Orleans. Naughty Professor features two saxophonists (Nick Ellman, Ian Bowman), one trumpeter (John Culbreth), a guitarist (Bill Daniel), bassist (Noah Young), drummer (Danny Milojevic), and vocalist Mahoganee Medlock. All students in Loyola's music program, this group of instrumentalists demonstrates a phenomenal knack for funk as well as jazz solo improvisation. The band independently recorded their new EP entitled "theep" in October. This compilation features five mostly instrumental songs that are sure to get you on your feet. Though most of the songs are instrumentally dominant, the track "Now & Never" features the outstanding vocal talents of Ms. Medlock as she shows off her bluesy yet powerful voice. This group plays constantly in the New Orleans area so be sure to catch them whenever you can. Their next show is at the Maison on January 28th!
Recommended Track: Now & Never
Blog readers, meet Mr. Gerald Earl Gillum. Born and raised in California, Gillum then chose to venture to Loyola to earn a degree in Music Industry Studies in 2011. Though G Eazy is known to put on fantastic live shows, he maintains the goal of someday breaking into the world of music education. Gillum spent his years at Loyola building an impressive fan base in New Orleans all while maintaining his grades and his goal of earning a degree. Gillum has gone from tiny local shows in the New Orleans area to arena shows opening for headliners like Lil Wayne, Big Sean, and Drake. G Eazy is most famous for his sampling of the 1960's hit "Runaround Sue." The song's music video knocked up over 100,000 views within a week. New Orleans locals and rap/R&B enthusiasts alike should look out for G Eazy.
Recommended Track: Runaround Sue
Welcome to the Indie Rock scene of New Orleans. Sun Hotel features Loyola students Tyler Scurlock (vocals), Alex Hertz (lead guitar), Ross Farbe (drums), and John St. Cyr (bass). Far more than just another indie rock contender, the men of Sun Hotel along with their friends in the band Caddywhompus decided to found their own independent music label Chinquapin Records in early 2010. Classified as "Post-Gospel, Indie Rock," Sun Hotel's unique, ambient punk spin helps their music stand out among the "pseudo-artists dead set on making indie gold." Be sure to watch Sun Hotel's Facebook and Myspace for any upcoming shows!
Recommended Track: Talks
Well that's it for today's excursion into the world of the Loyola/New Orleans music scene! As always I appreciate comments and suggestions for future posts!
I love it!
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