Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers

Live at Lafayette Square- New Orleans- April 17, 2019

Photos by Kim Welsh

It’s been a while since I last saw Kermit play. That may be hard to believe since I wrote a book about his 10—year run at Vaughan’s. But the fact remains. So it was great to see the trumpeter and his killer band last Wednesday at Lafayette Square. His rhythm section, Jerry Anderson on drums and Kevin Morris on bass, were as tight as they have always been.

Jerry has a one-of-a-kind, syncopated style honed by decades of work. Kevin works the pocket as well as any bass player around.

Yoshitaka ‘Z2’ Tsuji, a relatively new addition to the band on keyboards, is a phenom who adds so much to their sound. His stellar solo runs are virtuoso.

As usual, Kermit is a gracious bandleader, making sure that his musicians get a round of applause after every solo.

Kermit warmed up the crowd with a chestnut for an opener, “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South.” Fans of the great Louis Armstrong know that the same song was often the icebreaker for his performances. Later in the set, Kermit had the crowd swooning with an ebullient version of the 1970s classic, “I Can See Clearly Now.”

A highlight of the set was a two-song appearance by Ruffins’ daughter, Neshia. Her soaring voice and charismatic stage presence demonstrates that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

For the finale, Kermit played two of his crowd-pleasers—”The Treme Song” and “Skokiann.” It was a great afternoon and early evening under a waxing full moon.