Kermit at the Square

Who doesn't love Kermit Ruffins? The Wednesday at the Square Concert on April 13 featured the hugely popular trumpet player/vocalist/entertainer as the headliner, and the Square was nearly as full as it had been the week before for Trombone Shorty. The YLC was prepared for this, and had arranged for all the food booths to move off the square to the street to make more room. (However, interestingly, the video screen we had noticed last week for the overflow crowd seemed to be gone this week.)

At my suggestion, some volunteers from a church in Nevada cancelled their dinner at our church's Volunteer Center in order to enjoy the food and fun at Lafayette Square. I got lots of kudos on that score!

We tried some new dishes we'd like to recommend: the excellent and tender and perfectly spiced chicken confit po-boy with spicy cole slaw on a fresh pistolet roll from the Brennan's Cafe Adelaide (Orlando, the sous chef was there, touting his wares in friendly fashion), and the *wonderful* fresh mixed seafood ceviche in mango and pineapple salsa. And we'd like to give a shout-out to the new addition of Luzianne iced tea at the Square, including the several flavors of diet iced tea on hand. Way better than having to choose between plain water and sodium-laced diet sodas for those not wanting alcohol.

A big intergenerational and interracial crowd gathered in the square to hear Kermit regale us with his version of jazz standards ("Ain't Misbehavin' "), cult hits ("if You're a Viper"), New Orleans classics ("Hey Pocky Way"), and older pop tunes done Kermit style ("More Than Yesterday"). Kermit was nattily dressed, in white shirt (untucked) over white pants, debonair navy blazer, white kerchief topped with a Meyer the Hatter white straw fedora. (At one point during his show, the brisk wind blew his hat off and Tambourine Green had to chase it across the stage. Kermit didn't miss a note and just kept blowing.)

As always, Kermit put on a great show. He is such a gifted entertainer. He is not by any means the best trumpeter player in town, but he doesn't need to be -- his show is all about giving the "music lovers" (Kermit's favorite way to address his fans a great show, and he does that, every time. Late in his set, he called up James Witfield "The Sleeping Giant" onstage for some killer vocals and great stage presence, but he didn't need to. We were all psyched up for Kermit, and he didn't disappoint.