tight person of the day: professor longhair

Now here's a huge baller. Known as 'Fess or "the Bach of Rock," as Allen Toussaint puts it, Professor Longhair was a piano genius who put on display the soul of New Orleans. Born as Henry Byrd, Fess learned to play piano from his mother, who had no idea she was teaching one of the most influential musical ballers ever. The tightest thing about this guy is, you might have never heard of him. I certainly hadn't. But his influence is everywhere and I think in inner music circles he is somewhat revered. His music is a crazy mix of funk, mambo, reggae, rock 'n roll, and lawd knows that else. I also really can't emphasize enough how much I love his sunglasses in the above photo.

Check out these two Professor Longhair songs off his album Rock 'N' Roll Gumbo. Pretty good stuff and by pretty good stuff I mean amazing.

Professor Longhair - Tipitina

Professor Longhair - Mardi Gras in New Orleans


Also, here's a video of Fess performing so you can see him in action. Huge baller.