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Ponderosa Stomp showcase
Show: Ponderosa Stomp showcase
Hometown: South Bend, Ind. (Herb Remington); Lecompte, La. (Jay Chevalier); Lafayette, La. (Paul “Lil’ Buck” Sinegal & the Buckaroos featuring Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural); New Orleans, (Rockie Charles, Tammy Lynn, Willie Tee and the Flaming Arrows Mardi Gras Indians)
Venue: Opal Divine’s Freehouse, all night Friday
Pre-show buzz: This celebration of under-appreciated roots artists, founded in New Orleans six years ago, had a long line out the door when it made its SXSW debut at the Continental Club last year.
High point: Loads of them. Pedal steel guitarist Herb Remington sparkled on everything from “Remington’s Ride,” an instrumental from his days with country star Hank Penny, to a lovely “Sleepwalk.” Red-hot guitarist Lil’ Buck Sinegal and soulful organist Stanley Dural (of Buckwheat Zydeco fame) played together with infectious joy (they were bandmates in the late Clifton Chenier’s zydeco band), whether backing other artists or stepping out front on instrumentals such as the Meters’ “Cissy Strut.” Snappy dresser Rockie Charles had a commanding presence, as well as a stirring, gospel-fired voice and some good new songs. Willie Tee displayed wide range — he sang his sly old soul hit “Teasin’ You,” went toe-to-toe with Dural on keyboards and led the Mardi Gras Indians through some of the carnival classics he created for the Wild Magnolias. The Indians in their splendid finery also performed some traditional chants on their own, getting the crowd dancing with only bass and drum accompaniment for their call-and-response.
Low point: Jay Chevalier overdid the showbiz shtick at times, and Tammy Lynn was a crowd-pleaser, but her big voice only has one speed — full-throttle.
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