In our "Yeah, You Right!" interview series, we toss 20 rapid-fire questions at some of the New Orleans music scene's brightest stars. Some of their answers will surprise you, so sit back and enjoy the ride!
This week's guest is trumpeter extraordinaire Leon "Kid Chocolate" Brown, whose classic tone and stunning facility on the horn has delighted audiences at tons of major festivals, on Frenchmen Street, and at clubs like Preservation Hall and Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse. He's worked in many of the greatest bands in New Orleans, including the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Los Hombres Calientes, the Preservation Hall-Stars, and his own Chocolate City.
His talents aren't limited to the trumpet; he sports a vocal style on classics like "All of Me" and "St. James Infirmary" that adds a bit of extra magic to his shows. He's also not shy about mixing traditional jazz, modern jazz, and funk — or about playing his horn while walking the length of a bar! Catch him weekly with his regular working band at the Rusty Nail in New Orleans' warehouse district.
Q: Crystal or Louisiana Hot Sauce?
A: Crystal.
Q: Zapp’s or Tater Tots?
A: Zapp's Jalapeno and Crawtators.
Q: Mint Julep or Hurricane?
A:Jose Cuervo Gold shaken violently.
Q: Beach or pool?
A: Pool.
Q: Concert hall or nightclub?
A: Nightclub atmosphere, concert hall pay.
Q: Congo Square Stage or Acura Stage?
A: Acura Stage.
Q: iTunes or Louisiana Music Factory?
A: iTunes.
Q: Wynton Marsalis or Lil’ Wayne?
A: Lil' Wayne.
Q: Aretha or Mahalia?
A: That's not fair.
Q: Samuel L. Jackson or Will Smith?
A: Terrence Howard.
Q: Lost or the Food Network?
A: Food Network.
Q: The Daily Show or CNN?
A: CNN.
Q: Facebook or MySpace?
A: Facebook. MySpace takes too long to load. [Both are killing me with that lately... —MK]
Q: TV or radio?
A: DVDs & MP3s.
Q: Books or magazines?
A: Both.
Q: SUV or Prius?
A: SUV.
Q: 1970s or 80s?
A: 1970's.
Q: NBA or NFL?
A: NFL. The more contact, the more fun it is to watch.
Q: The Godfather or the Godfather of Soul?
A: Can't do it. That's apples and oranges.
Q: French Quarter or Uptown?
A: I like different areas of both.