Soul Food Universal Register

Soul Food Universal Register: Laura’s II in Lafayette, Archibald’s, 50 Top Black-Owned Joints, Bell’s Catfish, Ma Mary’s

RL Reeves Jr reports on the US soul food scene

Todd Price, formerly of New Orleans Times-Picayune has landed on his feet. Writing for Lafayette’s Daily Advertiser, Price recently visited Laura’s II, an old-school Acadiana hotplate joint. Laura’s specializes in ‘back of the stove’ cooking, that south Louisiana specialty where the cook puts a big black pot on a gas burner on the back of the range and lets it roll all-day-long. Continue Reading

9th Ward Daily Photo

9th Ward Daily Photo: ‘Times Done Changed’

9th Ward Daily Photo via rl reeves jr

Oh to have been alive and on the streets of New Orleans in the late 50s when Sister Dora Alexander was working up crowds with her tambourine and acapella vocals.

Bible in hand, the old street evangelist prowled the alleys of the Vieux Carre in search of sinners who could be turned from their rowdy ways by a godly woman with bullhorn vocals.

‘Times Done Changed’ was recorded by Samuel Charters on March 8th 1958 at 638 St Peter St. in the French Quarter.

9th Ward Daily Photo

9th Ward Daily Photo: Mr Magic

9th Ward Daily Photo via rl reeves jr

Listening to Awood ‘Mr. Magic’ Johnson this afternoon. Mr Magic was a 9th Ward legend before his untimely passing in a car accident in Mississippi back in 2013.

Johnson’s debut LP ‘Sky’s the Limit’ went to no. 15 on the Billboard charts when it came out back in 1998.