During Mardi Gras celebrations, you'll hear a whole mish-mash of party music and other genres. For this Mardi Gras playlist, we've focused mainly on brass bands, rhythm and blues, jazz, and zydeco in order to capture the traditional sounds of the Bourbon Street festivities. Recorded on the Ric label, Al Johnson’s “Carnival Time” hit the streets of New Orleans for Mardi Gras of 1960. While it didn’t catch on at first, today it’s a standard. That’s Mac Rebennack (Dr. John) on the piano. A selection of music to get you in the mood for Mardi Gras and Carnival from the artists of New Orleans' premiere record label, Basin Street Records! Featuring Jon Cleary, Rebirth Brass Band, Dr. Michael White, Henry Butler, Los Hombres Calientes, Kermit Ruffins, Jason Marsalis, Irvin Mayfield and more. The Essence of Mardi Gras Music. Historical Roots: From Brass Bands to Today’s Hits; Mardi Gras music traces its origins to the lively streets of New Orleans, a melting pot of cultural influences. Brass bands, a cornerstone of Mardi Gras music, set the stage for a tradition of celebration that spans genres from jazz to R&B, zydeco, and beyond Here they are, in no special order, the Top Ten Mardi Gras Songs of Louisiana! 10) "My Feet Can't Fail Me Now" The Dirty Dozen Brass Band 9) Carnival Time Al Johnson One of my favorite lists to play is my set of Mardi Gras songs that I tend to turn up quite loudly and quite often – even ‘out-of-season’. Here, I compiled 12 of my favorite themed tunes in no particular order that includes a day-after Mardi Gras Day song. 70 Songs For Your Mardi Gras Playlist. Traditional Mardi Gras Classics. Mardi Gras Mambo by The Hawketts The ultimate Mardi Gras anthem. Go to the Mardi Gras by Professor Longhair A quintessential New Orleans piano-driven classic. Second Line (Part 1) by Stop, Inc. Perfect for parades and dancing. Big Chief by Professor Longhair The Meters, "Hey Pocky A-Way" The strongest of several Mardi Gras classics by these masters of funk during their mid-'70s period. With a microscopically accurate second-line beat, boogie-woogie piano New Orleans style, semi-nonsensical lyrics, and loads of thick funk on top, this sums up the bohemian essence of the celebration. Mardi Gras performance clubs, known as “krewes,” host over 100 parades throughout the city. The streets are full of elaborate floats, dancers in costumes, brass brands and the coveted throws. Mardi Gras songs pulse with the energy and spirit of celebration, making them essential to the vibrant festivities in New Orleans.Classic tracks like "Go to the Mardi Gras" by Professor Longhair and "Carnival Time" by Al Johnson set the tone for the season. Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” falls on March 4, 2025, and some of Austin’s favorite bars, restaurants and venues are gearing up for a series of vibrant celebrations all over the city. 3. "Mardi Gras Mambo" - The Hawketts. This cute little tune is a fun listen for all ages! Written by Frankie Adams and Lou Welsch, the best known version of "Mardi Gras Mambo" was recorded in 1954 by the Hawketts. There are the classic Mardi Gras anthems but the less obvious, Soul Island, Cissy Strut and Just Kissed my Baby always get the party started.” – Andy Myer , Editor St Charles Avenue “My Mardi Gras soundtrack is mostly listening to the amazing marching bands as they pass on by. New Orleans, Mardi Gras: Dixieland Jazz Music:Welcome to Jazz Hive! Get ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant sounds of New Orleans with our latest video Thanks for watching! Please like and subscribe!1 hour of New Orleans themed ambient music set to New Orleans and Mardi Gras images. A ambient instrumental mi Listen to Fat Tuesday: 50 Essential Songs for a Mardi Gras Party on Spotify · Compilation · Various Artists · 2012 · 50 songs There’s nothing quite like Mardi Gras in New Orleans. One of the world’s most iconic celebrations – and definitely one of the most well-known experiences in New Orleans – Mardi Gras is a mix of parades, music, food, and local culture that takes over the city for an experience like no other. This unforgettable song, sometimes known as “La Danse de Mardi Gras” or “La Chanson de Mardi Gras,” has been memorably recorded by Beausoleil, Wade Fruge and Cedric Watson, but the best Everyone in New Orleans knows the essential Mardi Gras songs. The likes of “Carnival Time,” “Mardi Gras Mambo,” “Go To the Mardi Gras,” “Big Chief” and “Second-Line, Pt. 1” are Perhaps the best way to hear Mardi Gras is to observe a second line of Mardi Gras Indians, whose rollicking spectacles galvanized the genre. At once a way of being and a public celebration, Mardi Gras mirrors to the world what Louisianans already know — good music is worth grooving to.
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