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Words & Images by: Dino Perrucci
Kirk Joseph Benefit :: 03.28.08 :: Tipitina's :: New Orleans, LA
On Friday, March 28 the New Orleans music community came out to support one of their finest musicians, sousaphone master Kirk Joseph. Joseph, a founding member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band suffered a heart attack this past January. Without health insurance and unable to continue a normal performing schedule, bills mounted and a benefit was organized at Tipitina's. The lineup featured the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Anders Osborne, Papa Mali, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and more.
Jealous Monk started off the night with their brand of hip-hop funk. After a couple of songs they naturally invited Joseph onstage to lay down some serious bottom end to their groove. Next up, the 101 Runners brought some Mardi Gras Indian funk to the celebration with a lively set that featured Mean Willie Green on drums. Luckily everyone was good and warmed up by this point because next up the Rebirth Brass Band with special guest Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews nearly tore the roof off.
Rebirth is currently celebrating their 25th year and hitting stages with such ferocity that they reached a point when it felt as if the building was going to rock off its foundation. This set segued into a Sousaphone Choir set featuring no less than six sousaphones laying down the groove. Anders Osborne joined in on guitar as Trombone Shorty took a seat behind the drum kit. Before long, members of the Dirty Dozen began to take the stage until the whole band, including a double sousaphone attack and former member Big Sam Williams, was in place.
After a much needed short break, Eric Lindell and his band delivered a great set of funky soul. The next couple of hours also featured guest spots from Papa Mali, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Anders Osborne and a rotating cast of drummers including Stanton Moore, Wally Ingram and Russell Batiste. Well after 3 a.m., Joseph thanked the crowd and announced that they would play "Little Liza Jane" because it is his mom's favorite.
To end the night, Anders Osborne led the band in a rousing version of the Neil Young classic "Ohio." Although the night was happily without any political overtones it did seem fitting that with so many Americans without health insurance the last sounds you heard was the crowd in unity asking, "How many more?" How many indeed? Please support New Orleans and New Orleans musicians.
 Kirk Joseph
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 Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
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 Papa Mali
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 Big Sam Williams
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 Trombone Shorty
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 101 Runners
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 101 Runners
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 Dirty Dozen Brass Band
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 Jealous Monk
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 Eric Lindell
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 Kirk Joseph & Eric Lindell
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 Rebirth Brass Band with Trombone Shorty
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 Sousaphone Choir with Anders Osborne
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 The Grand Finale
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