To officially open the Vault at Skylight One Hanson, we hosted a party following Trombone Shorty’s Red Hot + New Orleans show at BAM.  Because I am obsessed with HBO’s The Wire, I got into the creator’s new series, Treme about post-Katrina New Orleans.  The show got me into New Orleans style jazz.

48-ton doors tantalized guests to take on the spirit of New Orleans

And this got me into Trombone Shorty whose new album “Backatown” just snagged a Grammy nomination.  I was thrilled to hear that he was performing at our friends and neighbors’ place, BAM, so we made an evening out of it.

The show, which started with a musical parade down the opera house aisles, had the crowd on their feet, hands in the air for three hours; and ended after several encore jam sessions with jazz greats Irma Thomas and Dr. John; along with Crescent City players like the trumpeter Kermit Ruffins; the keyboardist Ivan Neville; the hip-hop producer Mannie Fresh; the soul singer Marc Broussard; and members of two pre-eminent brass bands, Rebirth and the Dirty Dozen.

We turned the Vault Red Hot with a bit of lighting, and created the perfect edgy after-party to the show.  There was something in the air, the music, the food or the moody history of the space, but before I knew it, it turned into a giant electric slide party!  Not the kind that I did awkwardly in middle school, like a professional rhythmic symmetrical jazzy sliiiiiiide.  Ivan Neville had a mini piano-harmonica combo at danced to the sounds of his own instrument amidst in all.  I could only watch and take poor blackberry photos.  I can’t sliiiiiiide like that.

the guests fueled up for their electric slide with scrumptious New Orleans cuisine