On October 29, 2011, The Louisiana Book Festival will host more than thirty authors published by LSU Press and The Southern Review (TSR). In addition to this amazing lineup of writers, LSU Press has proudly agreed to sponsor performances during the festival by the world renowned Preservation Hall Jazz Trio, John Lisi’s tribute to Butch Hornsby, and Philip Gould’s band Rio Luminoso.
These performances will showcase the synergy between books and music, as they connect to three new LSU Press titles: Preservation Hall by Shannon Brinkman and Eve Abrams, Dirtdobber Blues by Cyril Vetter, and Acadiana by Gould and Carl Brasseaux.
Led by Tom Sancton, the Preservation Hall Jazz Trio will play at 1:30 p.m. The traditional New Orleans jazz band will pay homage to a venue that has kept this distinctive sound alive for over forty years. The book, Preservation Hall, available at the LSU Press tent, captures the rhythm and cool of this historic club with a pulsating array of images and the heartfelt words of current and former band members.
Slim Harpo Award-winner John Lisi takes the stage at noon with the songbook of the late Butch Hornsby, one of the most versatile artists to emerge from South Louisiana. Dirtdobber Blues, released by LSU Press last spring, offers a fictionalized account of Hornsby’s life by his close friend Cyril Vetter. This gritty but engrossing story of a musician, his demons, and his art will be the focus of a panel discussion at 3:30 p.m. in the House Committee Room of the Capitol.
Photographer Philip Gould puts down his camera and picks up his accordion to perform with Rio Luminoso at 10:30 a.m. Inspired by musical styles from around the globe, Rio Luminoso infuses Zydeco with a world sound. In this celebration of cultural mélange, the musicians reference both the future and the past of their home city of Lafayette. Coming from the heart of Cajun country, Gould and his fellow musicians represent the vibrant culture reflected in LSU Press’s Acadiana. Gould and co-author Carl Brasseaux will take part in a panel in the House Chamber of the Capitol at 1 p.m.
Additional authors featured at the day-long festival on October 29 include: Kelby Ouchley, Bob Mann, Seymour Topping, Mark Richard, A.P. Tureaud, Rachel Emanuel, James Wilcox, Robert Winans, James Turner, Sally Wolff-King, Thomas Aiello, Nolde Alexius, Marcelle Bienvenu, Brannon W. Costello, Ann B. Dobie, Shannon Frystak, Minrose Gwin, Judy Kahn, Tony Lewis, David Madden, and many more. LSU Press Director MaryKatherine Callaway and TSR editors Cara Blue Adams and Jessica Faust will also participate in panel discussions.