Stop trying to count the number of bands Jack White is a member of and simply resign to the fact that it’s swelling by the second. At this very moment, his energies are turned towards The Dead Weather, who turn in a sophomore CD called Sea of Cowards (Warner Brothers), just a year after its debut. Expect plenty of raw licks, gut bucket blues and growling guitars from the famed Nashville foursome. (more…)

Now that the second weekend of New Orleans’ Jazz & Heritage Festival is in full swing, the Crescent City is more than warmed up and getting ready to expand the musical gumbo all the more. Friday night features a headlining slot by “The Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, alongside other soulful selections from gospel greats Kirk Franklin and Take 6. Latin favorites the Gipsy Kings and Jose Feliciano also appear, along with local favorite Allen Toussaint.
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You gotta admit Jack White never wears out his welcome. Right as the White Stripes’ garage blues was catching on, he switched musical gears to put out an eloquent country album with Loretta Lynn. Then, he threw himself into the neo-garage Raconteurs, sharing front man duties with Brendan Benson, playing second fiddle even though he’s clearly the superior guitarist and more charismatic singer. Now, with Dead Weather, which has just issued its debut, Horehound, he’s changed his tack again.

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