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TGIF means a whole lot more on the third Fridays in New Orleans

LOUISIANA WEEKLY — Often it is preferable to keep rolling after work rather than go home and, even despite the best intentions to go out later, just end up collapsing in front of the television. Two great options on the third Fridays of every month – at least until December – are early evening gigs by saxophonist Calvin Johnson at Buffa’s Bar and the Lilli Lewis Project at the Carnaval Lounge, the St. Claude Avenue establishment formerly known as Siberia. Both locales, incidentally, offer food so there’s no need to head home first and cook. These gigs on September 20 start at 6 p.m. – say what? – so the choice is yours though with Johnson blowing until 9 p.m. it’s possible to hit the Carnaval and then hit Buffa’s or the other way around.

Published

7 years ago

September 18, 2019

Oakland Post

(l-r) Lillie Lewis and Calvin Johnson(Photo by: louisianaweekly.com)

By Geraldine Wyckoff

People around the country and probably many around the world understand the expression “Thank God it’s Friday,” and the relief of having made it through another hard-working week. In his hit, “Blue Monday,” Fats Domino viewed Fridays as his payday that enabled him on Saturday to “go out on the streets and play.”

Often it is preferable to keep rolling after work rather than go home and, even despite the best intentions to go out later, just end up collapsing in front of the television. Two great options on the third Fridays of every month – at least until December – are early evening gigs by saxophonist Calvin Johnson at Buffa’s Bar and the Lilli Lewis Project at the Carnaval Lounge, the St. Claude Avenue establishment formerly known as Siberia. Both locales, incidentally, offer food so there’s no need to head home first and cook. These gigs on September 20 start at 6 p.m. – say what? – so the choice is yours though with Johnson blowing until 9 p.m. it’s possible to hit the Carnaval and then hit Buffa’s or the other way around.

Here, we’ll start with Johnson’s show that includes ace musicians including pianist Jesse McBride, bassist Amina Scott and drummer Levon West. That combination just screams modern jazz that Johnson agrees he’s been digging into hard since moving to New York three months ago. “I’ve had to go back to the bebop and post-bop masters so I’m really deep into Monk (pianist/composer Thelonious Monk) right now and I’m deep into (drummer) Art Blakey. “A lot of tunes will come from the Blakey and Monk songbooks because that’s just what I’m shedding on right now in New York,” Johnson explains. “I’ll stretch the band a little bit and we’ll do some New Orleans songs with a modern flair and some originals.”

The paramount reason for Johnson’s departure from his hometown was to be closer to his longtime love with whom he’d been enduring a long distance relationship. It was also an opportunity for him to expand his artistic expression. “New York is the land of individuality,” he offers. “That’s an incubator for me to find what I’m searching for right now. Everything that I hate about New Orleans, New York offers and everything I that hate about New York, New Orleans offers. I see it as the best of both worlds. I found happiness.”When Johnson comes home to New Orleans once a month, he also performs at Preservation Hall on Saturdays and Sundays. In the Crescent City the saxophonist and vocalist is probably most associated with traditional New Orleans jazz. “That’s because of my lineage,” says Johnson, “and growing up, I was under that umbrella,” he adds mentioning his brilliant uncle, saxophonist and clarinetist Ralph Johnson and also trumpeter George Johnson III, who was a regular with the Pin Stripe and Tuba Fats’ Chosen Few brass bands. “I traveled with the Preservation Hall band so people have grown to identify me with that.”

On Saturdays, Johnson plays with trumpeter Marc Braud at “the Hall” and on Sunday’s with Braud’s uncle, trumpeter Wendell Brunious. “That’s real New Orleans stuff right there,” he proclaims. “I love it… they have the same sound. I’m sure that sound comes from Wendell’s dad, Big John Brunious. They inherited it. You don’t get that up here in New York.”

Just around the corner and down St. Claude Avenue the Lilli Lewis Project, led by the hugely talented vocalist and pianist Lewis, strikes up on Friday in celebration of the ensemble’s new release, We Belong. With a goal of bringing people together, the classically trained and spiritually driven Lewis draws one in with her sincerity and musical and personal charisma. She and her Project touch on and gracefully intertwine numerous genres as heard on the album’s opening cut, “Interlock” that gets started in a jazz mode, enforced by the saxophone of Ole Oddlocken, and becomes an anthem for togetherness on the strength of Lewis committed vocals and lyrics. The percussion of Ryan Murray adds an African flavor and beauty arrives with the guitar of Smokey Brown.

Straight-up blues works for Lewis whose versatility can seeming take her anywhere. With Lewis’ sincere belief in social consciousness, reggae is also right up her alley and she offers two examples on “When the Rain Comes In,” that is a sad reminder that “It will be too late when the rain comes in.” Dig that this includes an essential trombone provided by Glen David Andrews. The final cut, “Turn It Around” begins with Lewis’ sophisticated piano, which we’d like to hear more of, and jazz-wise vocals as she tells a story in song as she often does throughout the album. “It’s a matter of survival,” she sings or more accurately preaches. Then the reggae beat kicks in to calm the fears.Lewis is undeniably compelling throughout the album though perhaps never more so than on “Coretta’s Song,” based in part on the poem and gospel classic, “I Am a Soldier.” Her passionate delivery is stunning on the selection that features clarinetist Michael White and sousaphonist Kirk Joseph.

The Lilli Lewis Project’s We Belong moves in positive directions as steered by its artistically and emotionally committed leader Lilli Lewis.

This article originally published in the September 16, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.

This article originally appeared in The Louisiana Weekly.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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