Ones To Watch
VaVaVoom
By Rebecca BrychVavavoom, a gypsy jazz band most frequently found playing on Frenchman Street at the Spotted Cat, is breaking its way into the New Orleans music scene a little more each weekend as word of their music spreads. Vavavoom is currently made up of four core members: Bart Ramsey on the accordion, piano and vocals, Raphael Bas on the electric jazz guitar and vocals, Nathan Lambertson on the bass, and Pierre Pichon on the acoustic guitar and vocals. These four core members are frequently joined by guests, making each show a little more unique then the last.
The band (“a world treasure” according to Ramsey) was formed in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, but it was not the first time they had met. All four had known each other, with Bas and Pichon playing together in high school in Bourges, France. Although they emigrated independently, the two found their pasts coming together again. Bart Ramsey started his career in the West African highlands of Cameroon on the organ, but it was not long before he was in Europe playing the piano, writing songs and singing. Nathan Lambertson rounds out the quartet with his ability to combine contemporary music with the more traditional sounds of jazz on the bass.
Vavavoom won the Big Easy Award in 2007 for Best Emerging Band and brought the sound of gypsy jazz to the attention of music aficionados throughout the city. Gypsy jazz is rooted in the French Gypsy tradition of Django Reinhardt. Ramsey describes Reinhardt as “a brilliant composer” with “good variety and uniqueness.” Reinhardt was an acoustic jazz guitarist popular in France in the 1930s whose work was all instrumental.
With Reinhardt as their inspiration, Vavavoom has followed closely in his footsteps, with many of their songs being original Reinhardt compositions. Also, their music has no drums; rather they are supported by two guitars. According to Ramsey, “one guitar fills the function of the snare drum,” and for most songs, “one guitar can keep the rhythm while the other is soloing.” In a city where drums are found in most music, Vavavoom creates a unique sound.
Vavavoom does stray from Reinhardt’s influence in some ways. One of the most obvious ways is that while Reinhardt was purely instrumental, three of the four members of Vavavoom frequently demonstrate their vocal abilities with catchy lyrics. The band also finds itself including some Latin influences. These can be heard frequently on their second album Swingphonicity which debuted in October 2007. Their first album was Melolania, which debuted less than a year earlier in April 2006.
Members of Vavavoom also work on their individual projects, such as Ramsey’s tour in Italy this past summer, while still coming together to play each weekend. They are a regular sight at The Spotted Cat on Wednesday and Thursdays, and you will most likely find them at Mimi’s on Franklin on Friday and at Hookah Café on Sunday nights.