It literally doesn’t get more real New Orleans than this Happy Hour.

the legendary Charlie Gabriel

Charlie Gabriel

Charlie Gabriel was born in New Orleans in 1932. He started shining shoes and playing music when he was 5. By the time he was 11 he was a professional musician and he’s never looked back. He did leave new Orleans for a while. Actually, about 60 years. Hurricane Katrina and Preservation Hall brought him back. Charlie is a national treasure and one of New Orleans’ finest musicians and gentlemen. This is a rare opportunity to hear him talk about everything from living through segregation to playing with Aretha Franklin and working for Amazon.

Charlie Gabriel Andrew Duhon collaboration

The Charlie Gabriel Andrew Duhon collaboration

Charlie plays sax on a new song by Andrew Duhon. If you’re an Andrew Duhon fan you might want to chart the progress of this song from its first ever airing here on Happy Hour, through to wherever it eventually ends up. You’ll get it from the first note: this is going to be a beautiful song.

Cocktail artist Deniseea Taylor

Deniseea Taylor

Deniseea Taylor moved to New Orleans because she got a cheap air ticket from New York but even if you don’t believe in anything as mystical as the power of the Universe you’d have to believe it was Destiny. Where else could a person who is cocktail artist live if not the city that’s the home of the cocktail? “D” as everybody calls her is the creative force behind Cocktails by Pop. You can keep up with all her cocktail events – and they’re super cool – by following her on Instagram at @ChickenandChampagne.

Professor TR Johnson

T R Johnson

And just to make this show the most perfect representation of New Orleans of all time, T R Johnson is here with his new book, the definitive collection of New Orleans literature, called New Orleans: A Literary History. The book might be an academic tome but you can get it at decidedly unacademic places like Melba’s poboy shop.

Andrew Duhon, Deniseea Taylor, TR Johnson, Grant Morris, Charlie Gabriel

Andrew Duhon, Deniseea Taylor, TR Johnson, Grant Morris, Charlie Gabriel

Really, can you even imagine anything more Real New Orleans than this collection of New Orleanians?

It’s New Orleans Happy Hour is recorded live at The Maple Leaf Bar on Oak Street in Uptown New Orleans. Photos by Jill Lafleur.

If you want to hear TR Johnson’s last outing on Happy Hour complete with the hotel room saga, it’s here.