[Dixielandjazz] Here's how New Orleans is doing New Years Eve.

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

For Immediate Release

 

New Year’s Eve New Orleans Style

 

New Orleans will be rockin’ into ’04 with three of the hottest up-and-coming 
talents on the city’s music scene: roots-rock songstress Theresa Andersson, 
the horn-fueled R&B band Big Sam’s Funky Nation and sultry hip-hop diva Euricka 
all will perform at the City’s official New Year’s Eve celebration. 

 

These exciting New Orleans artists will share a stage on Decatur Street, just 
outside Jackson Square in the historic French Quarter. The event – including 
the traditional lowering of the New Orleans New Year’s “King Cake Baby” and 
fireworks display – is free and open to the public. 

 

Theresa Andersson was named Best Female Artist in the 2003 Big Easy Awards 
and was recently featured on the cover of Gambit Weekly newspaper. Blessed with 
a voice of rare power and range, Andersson sings with astonishing sweetness 
and soul. She’s also a virtuoso violinist who leads a top-notch band through 
electrifying versions of her eclectic original songs. The Swedish native has been 
turning heads on the local and national music scenes ever since arriving in 
New Orleans in the late 1980s. She toured extensively as a member of fellow 
Swede Anders Osborne’s band, then released three acclaimed CDs of her own. Most 
recently, Andersson signed with the highly respected Basin Street Records. She 
is currently in the studio making a new record to be released early in 2004. 

 

Big Sam’s Funky Nation is led by the barrel-chested trombonist Sammie 
Williams. Virtually unknown until three years ago, Williams was plucked from the 
obscurity of his local church and invited to join the world-famous Dirty Dozen 
Brass Band. His enormously powerful sound and crowd-pleasing antics enlivened 
many tours with the Dozen. But, wanting to do his own thing, Williams started the 
Funky Nation. At only 22 years old, Williams is a prolific songwriter. His 
tunes are a dance-happy mix of classic ‘70s funk, contemporary hip-hop and New 
Orleans street beats. 

 

Euricka is a newcomer to the New Orleans music scene but a veteran of the city
’s art and entertainment worlds. Born into a large family that lived in the 
Calliope public housing complex, she began singing in church at age seven. But 
visual art was also her calling. She participated in some of the first shows 
by the group that evolved into the nationally known YA/YA (Young 
Aspirations/Young Artists) Guild. A “musical chair” painted by Euricka was featured on the 
cover of Life magazine in 1990, and she had her own booth selling art at the 
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for several years. Meanwhile, she pursued 
a modeling career that resulted in a (fully clothed) shot in the September 
2002 issue of Playboy. Music, however, was her first love. Her precocious skills 
(she never lost a talent contest at New Orleans’ Rabouin High School) are now 
in full blossom as a professional singer. She fronts a hard-driving full band –
 complete with dancers – that draws from R&B, soul and contemporary hip-hop. 

 

New Orleans New Year’s Eve Concert Schedule:

10 p.m. – Euricka

11 p.m. – Theresa Andersson Group

12 a.m. – Traditional lowering of the New Year’s “King Cake Baby” and 
fireworks display

12:15 a.m. – Big Sam’s Funky Nation

 

For more information about the performers, please see: 

www.theresaandersson.com

www.bigsamsfunkynation.com

www.euricka.com

 

High-resolution photos of each artist are available upon request. 

 

For additional information, please contact: 

Scott Aiges

Director of Music Business Development

Mayor's Office of Economic Development

1515 Poydras Street, Suite 1150

New Orleans, Louisiana 70112

E-mail: musicbiz at mayorofno.com

www.realneworleansmusic.com