Americana

Kevin Sekhani, a native of  Louisiana, who's worked as the front man for such diverse bands as Radio Thieves, Two Minute Sinatra and Parade for the better part of two decades, recently released his first solo album. Sumner Street is a 13-song tribute to Kevin's Louisiana heritage, with an exuberant spirit and affection for southern sounds and South Louisiana traditions.

Louisiana’s sweethearts the Figs have been charming revelers across the South with their unique blend of sassy, rowdy, and sweet. Born of sultry summer garage practices, a propensity for harmony, and a shared love of nice dresses and high heels, the Figs will please your ears, your eyes, and your shimmying feet. Their sugar-sweet harmonies lace through songs about guns, boats, trains, broken hearts, and rambling – some originals, some old-time rockabilly or country or swing, all made freshly and uniquely Fig. But really, you’ve got to see it to believe it…

The Mercy Brothers are a new Hillbilly Gospel outfit dreamed up by Kevin Sekhani and Mark Meaux of the Bluerunners. The Mercy Brothers were born to bring audiences the news by way of songs of faith and devotion, love and despair, singing songs of the spirit from both sides. A Holy Ghost explosion!  Rounding out the Mercy Brothers lineup are the likes of Greg Walls, Garland Theriot, Cal Stevenson, and, from time to time, Son Volt's Andrew Duplantis.

After fronting the Bluerunners for 20 years, Mark Meaux has shed his skin once more, and the result is Sam Rey, an electronic, folk-blues project. Sam Rey draws more on the sounds of New Orleans and North Mississippi resulting in a funky, guitar driven groove exemplified by songs like March On, and Sakes Alive. There's a folk element running through here as well. The Totem 2 are Steve LaCroix and Danny Kimball, the former rhythm section from the Red Beans and Rice Revue.

Like some Cajun queen bee from another era, the Bonsoir, Catin bassist picks up her acoustic guitar to belt out 16 original tunes that trace the arc of romance from holding hands to one night stands to making long term plans. Filled with bitter-sweet tales of love lost, found, and turned around, it’ll have you jerking the tears out of your eyeballs and crying in your beer. Her songs are played regularly on independent radio stations across the dance hall regions of the south.