James Carroll Booker III

It’s that time of year again. James Booker would have turned 72 this Saturday. (Beethoven will turn 241 on Saturday. The fact of their shared birthday was not lost on young James Carroll. Incidentally, Prof Longhair’s birthday is on the 19th). We’ll be celebrating all these legends and more this Saturday, Dec. 17th at the Hi Ho Lounge. Stay tuned for details on line up and scheduling.

Where: Hi Ho Lounge. 2239 Saint Claude Ave.
When: December 17th. 6-11pm
How much: $5
A non smoking event.

Featuring:
Mike Hood
Joe Krown
Tom McDermott
Joshua Paxton
David Reis
Tom Worrell

Also featuring a sneak peek at some never-before-seen footage of Booker and an excerpt from the forthcoming documentary film, “Bayou Maharajah”.

It’s been a while since we sent out an update about Bayou Maharajah and- Wow!- do we have a lot to tell! This spring we spent a whirlwind two weeks in Europe, tracking down photos, audio recordings, and memorabilia of Booker’s tours in Germany, Belgium, and the UK. We found folks who hosted him, set up shows, and remember the awe-inspiring concerts he played. And most exciting of all, we found troves of never-before-seen footage of Booker talking, playing, and noodling around on the piano. Many thanks to everyone who hosted us, fed us, and let us peek into their archives!

This summer, veteran film producer Dr. Nate Kohn came onboard as Producer. His resume is entirely too long to list here, but suffice it to say that we’re super excited to have his level of expertise involved in the project.

We have continued to expand our understanding of Booker’s life, work, and influence with interviews from singer Irma Thomas, actor Hugh Laurie, historian Douglas Brinkley, drummer John Boudreaux, long-time friend Russell Rocke, jazz poet Ron Cuccia, and guitarist Texas Johnny Brown.

In November, we got word that Bayou Maharajah has been selected as one of the 2011 Louisiana Filmmakers grantees. Many thanks to Louisiana Entertainment for the support!



However, as exciting as this news is, we still have a l-o-n-g way to go in our fundraising efforts. All of our work to date has been funded by individual Booker fans who see the value in ensuring that James Booker’s life and music will endure and reach a new generation. 2013 will mark 30 years since Booker passed away. In those three decades, Booker’s best albums have gone out of print. His name is little-known outside of his die-hard fan base and his music is rarely heard on the radio, even in New Orleans. We are hoping that this film will revive interest in James Booker and help place his name alongside America’s greatest piano players.

As a small reminder, donations made to Bayou Maharajah are tax-deductible. If you are making a year-end donation this year (for tax purposes or otherwise!), please consider visiting JamesBooker.com and clicking the ‘Donate’ button. Or if you’d prefer to go old school, you can send a check to the address below:

Video Veracity, Inc.

memo: Bayou Maharajah

3020 Royal St

New Orleans, LA 70117

And if you’re in the market for a Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa gift, we have James Booker t-shirts and posters for sale. The shirts are 100% cotton, made in the USA, and super soft. Posters are signed and numbered by the artist Bunny Matthews.

In any case, thank you for your interest in the film. If you’re in New Orleans, we’re having our annual Booker Birthday Bash on December 17th at the Hi Ho Lounge. Visit JamesBooker.com for more details (coming soon). Come on out and celebrate Booker’s life in style!

Happy holidays,

Lily + crew

Bluesman James Booker and the History of the St. James Infirmary Blues by Matt Shedd

Matt Shed has posted an article about James Booker on No Depression including some insights into the history of the St. James Infirmary Blues. Worth checking out.

Come on out to the 3rd annual James Booker Birthday Celebration and Tribute this Friday, Dec 17th, 2010 at the Maple Leaf Bar in New Orleans. Music starts at 7pm. Sneak peek of “Bayou Maharajah” film at 9:30pm. After party across the street at Frenchy’s Gallery, 10pm- until..

Guest appearances from Tom Worrell, Tom McDermott, Bill Malcow, Josh Paxton, CR Gruver, Joe Krown, Woody Wood, and many, many others.

More info will be posted here in the upcoming week. I guarantee it’ll be a good time!

Bayou Maharajah made it into the online film journal indieWIRE. Check it out:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/in_the_works_december_9/

Here’s a funny little 45 from the Black Liberace. The flip side is “Dan’s Dilemma”. Anyone have any insight on the story behind this? It says it was recorded in Philly, but Booker’s time in PA is a complete mystery to me. Anyone have any ideas?