ROCKING THE SOUNDS OF NEW ORLEANS IN BUFFALO
By Jann Darsie
Louisiana music and culture has found its way to the Western New York region, thanks to The Big Easy in Buffalo. The nonprofit organization, formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, is the brainchild of Tod A. Kniazuk.
The Big Easy in Buffalo presents live performances with New Orleans musicians, and provides music education and professional development to musicians, students and the community. The lineup is a who’s who of our local talent: the Soul Rebels, George Porter Jr., Tank and the Bangas, Dumpstafunk, Trombone Shorty — the list goes on.
“For example, John ‘Papa’ Gros has been playing for us almost since Day One,” Kniazuk said. “And we presented his first post-Covid tour.” Gros has played as a solo performer as well as with his band, Papa Grows Funk.
At one of the concerts, local audience member Harold Christie told Kniazuk about his trumpet player son, Mike, who lives in New Orleans. Thanks to that introduction, Mike Christie now plays with John “Papa” Gros and has an upcoming gig with Grammy-winning zydeco musician Terrance Simien.
To keep its costs down, The Big Easy in Buffalo presents mid-week shows with performers who are already on tour in the Northeast. This is a win for everyone, giving the Buffalo community an opportunity to hear top Louisiana musicians while giving the musicians another night’s work on the road.
And the group keeps the shows affordable The cover charge at the door generally ranges from $10 to $20, with a couple of free shows each year. For this, the audiences get to hear two bands – one local and one from Louisiana.
This is where the educational and professional development aspect comes in. The organization pairs the touring Louisiana musicians with local bands and individuals to mentor them about aspects of the music business. The Buffalo-area musicians can get first-hand advice on topics such as setting up a tour and selecting music to play or record.
As Kniazuk puts it: “There’s a lot of knowledge right there.” Some of the groups have formed an ongoing relationship, further strengthening the ties between the two places.
Courtesy of The Big Easy in Buffalo
Although most of the shows are in venues that seat between 100 and 500, like the Sportsmen’s Tavern, and in the case of the block-buster show with Allen Toussaint and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, they filled the Shea’s Performing Arts Center, which seats 3,000. The style of music as well as the vibe of the venue determines who plays where. The spaces are always accessible to public transportation, and the group gives free tickets to disabled veterans and people on public assistance.
This all started with Kniazuk’s love of New Orleans music. After he first heard the Dirty Dozen Brass Band open for Robert Cray, he was hooked. The next summer he attended a “mini jazz festival” with BeauSoleil, Terrance Simien and The Iguanas, among others. That further cemented his love of the culture and music.
“After Katrina, the New Orleans bands were all on the road. I was so sad about the devastation in New Orleans that I decided to take action,” he said. “I had seen Jon Cleary & the Monster Gentlemen and asked myself ‘Why isn’t Buffalo having these musicians play here?’"
Just about this time, some major record companies settled a lawsuit brought by the state of New York. The settlement required a percentage of the money to go to musicians and music performances.
“I worked in policy at the time, so I found a fiscal agent and successfully applied for a grant,” Kniazuk said. “The first show was presented in 2007. In fact, there were eight shows that year!”
Since then, The Big Easy in Buffalo has showcased all genres of Louisiana music: trad jazz, funk, zydeco, rock, blues, roots, modern jazz, brass band, Cajun, R&B and more. Big names such as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Aaron Neville, the late Ellis Marsalis and Dr. John have been in the mix.
The group also routinely presents those starting out. The Pine Leaf Boys were featured during their first national tour, and Trombone Shorty played Buffalo at the time of his first national CD release. Buffalo stages have also showcased artists ranging from Big Chief Monk Boudreaux to the guitar-washboard-sousaphone trio, the Tin Men.
The connection with the Ella Project began when Kniazuk met its co-founder Gene Meneray at a national Americans for the Arts conference. They both were their own state’s captains for Arts Advocacy Day.
Since then, Kniazuk has been a financial supporter of the Ella Project as well as adopting their ideas for musicians’ professional development. “Their focus on musicians as a ‘small business’ really resonates with me,” he said.
And it’s no surprise that Meneray was invited to be a part of the New Orleans advisory board for The Big Easy in Buffalo. These volunteers provide local advice, keeping the Kniazuk up-to-date on New Orleans musicians who could be featured in Buffalo.
The Big Easy in Buffalo has allowed thousands of students, dozens of bands, and countless audience members in Western New York to enjoy and appreciate the uniquely American treasure of New Orleans and Louisiana music. Another way the nonprofit keeps the New Orleans connection going is selling T-shirts printed by Dirty Coast.
Big Easy in Buffalo has followed Kniazuk to various positions in the nonprofit sector. He founded it under the leadership of the Niagara Erie Regional Coalition and the Visit Buffalo Niagara Foundation, through a grant from the New York State Music Fund.
When he became the executive director of Music Is Art, the Big Easy in Buffalo came along. Later on he joined the Arts Services Initiative of Western New York, and the Big Easy in Buffalo did too.
In late 2018, The Big Easy in Buffalo was awarded a 501(c)3 nonprofit status. Wisely, Kniazuk wants it to have a life of its own going into the future.
Learn more about the organization at https://thebigeasyinbuffalo.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheBigEasyInBuffalo and on YouTube.
