It’s not often that we perform a show that requires a commute in either a four-wheel drive Land Rover or on a ski lift! The Rifugio le Rocce on the Corno Alle Scale in Italy’s Apennine Mountains is a restaurant and inn that attracts skiers in the winter and hikers in the summer, and we were invited to open a show there for boogie boogie pianist Mitch Woods. We enjoyed a meal of tortellini and salumi before the show, which was sponsored by the Piquadro leather goods company. The ride up the mountain was so bumpy that Scott decided to take the ski lift down. In the photo are Mitch Woods, Johnett ..read more

We didn’t plan it this way, but we have both recently published books! Johnette’s Singing Waters: A Selection of Haiku, Senryu and Haibun brings together over one hundred of her previously published poems for adults, beautifully presented and designed by Buddha Baby Press. You may order it from her website by clicking here. Scott’s Making Tracks: A Record Producer’s Southern Roots Music Journey is a memoir that recounts his stories of working with such iconic roots music artists as Irma Thomas, Charlie Rich, and Bobby Rush, as well as lessons learned over the years in the art of record product ..read more

Mardi Gras day is tomorrow March 1st, and we would like to wish you the joy of Carnival from New Orleans through our song Who Got the Baby in the King Cake! The culinary centerpiece of Carnival season, king cake has a hidden plastic baby inside, and who ever finds the baby in their slice of king cake it crowned king or queen for the day, has to buy the next king cake, and has to give the next party. This tradition ensures that the celebration continues all season long. Happy Mardi Gras ..read more

”Jumpin’ Jitters” Halloween single release on October 22! We are all jittery over the official release of our “Jumpin’ Jitters” single from the upcoming Halloween album for children by the same title. The song will be released on all streaming and music platforms on and around Friday, October 22! Not only that, but this marks the official album cover reveal which Johnette illustrated with craft foam. Johnette loves working with foam because it creates vivid, soft illustrations. We hope you and the children enjoy this energetic, non-spooky, and interactive song before and during Halloween, su ..read more

When many people think of New Orleans rhythm and blues, two hit-making eras come to mind. In the 1950s, Dave Bartholomew’s productions of local artists such as Fats Domino and Smiley Lewis were a defining sound. At the same time, national artists such as Little Richard, Big Joe Turner, and Roy Brown came to New Orleans to record, hoping to capture the magic that only New Orleans musicians could bring. Then, there was the era in the 1960s and 1970s when Allen Toussaint’s productions of Irma Thomas, Ernie K-Doe, Lee Dorsey, and LaBelle were the up-to-the-minute sound. Yet, there was a period in ..read more

After so many months of venturing no further than our front porch to play music together (practicing jazz tunes on ukulele and harmonica), we can’t wait for our annual concert in the garden of the Nantucket Atheneum, on Friday, August 6 at 11 AM. If you happen to be on the island then, the garden is a magical spot. In Moby Dick, Herman Melville writes about how the seafarers from this tiny island conquered the seven seas, ““What wonder, then, that these Nantucketers, born on a beach, should take to the sea for a livelihood! They first caught crabs and quohogs in the sand; grown bolder, they w ..read more

Adults, teens and ‘tweens learn how to play basic folk and blues harmonica in this one-hour beginners’ workshop with three-time Grammy® winner and lifelong harmonica player Scott Billington. Students will learn a brief history of the harmonica; breathing and embouchure techniques; how to play a signature blues riff; the approach required to play folk and fiddle tunes; the technique required to play trills, bends and other effects; and how to read harmonica tablature. Included in the workshop fee are quality, student-level harmonicas for up to fifteen students, and a special handout that summa ..read more

We are happy to be part of this Spotify Mixtape on The Bluegrass Situation! Johnette Downing – “J’ai Vu Le Loup, Le Renard Et La Belette” Louisiana music is a popular Americana style in children’s music, probably because it so easily gets kids dancing. On her album Swamp Rock, the New Orleans musician Johnette Downing does a marvelous job presenting, and explaining, a variety of Louisiana-bred music and culture. This bilingual animal tale (“I Saw the Wolf, the Fox and the Weasel”) showcases two Cajun greats: fiddler Joel Savoy and accordionist Roddie Romero. —MIXTAPE: MUSIC TO DRIVE YOU ..read more

We will be performing virtually between September 19-23, 2020 at the Weezie Library for Children as part of the Nantucket Atheneum. Put on your shrimp boots and get ready to romp in the swamp on the island! TOMORROW starting at 9 and available through 9/23!! Head over to our calendar page to join the fun! https://bit.ly/3ktV9oj Move the furniture and roll up the rug, it’s time to romp in the swamp and boogie on the bayou. Johnette and Scott’s virtual Swamp Romp concert is a rollicking ride through Louisiana roots music from Cajun, zydeco, traditional jazz, Isleño, swamp pop, and New Orle ..read more

We enjoyed participating in the four-day virtual Boston GreenFest 2020 with a performance of our “Bamboula Rhythm” song and video in August, for we too love a greener and cleaner planet to share with generations of children to come. We were also excited to see that we made the festival trailer video which is no small feat for a family act ..read more