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Stealing the Show

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Or, much as the New Birth does at New Orleans Saints games, he would be willing to become the house band for the Houston Texans. At Saints games, the New Birth leads a parade around the stadium's concourses throughout the game, and the people fall in behind, partying along with umbrellas in hand. LeBlanc thinks Houstonians might be bewildered by something like that. "In New Orleans, they know what that is. I don't know how people would respond to that here, but it would probably be good to have it in the stadium in one spot or something."

LeBlanc just wants any Houston outlet music he can find. "I love Houston. I came here for an important part of my life -- college. And the only reason I went back to New Orleans was the music and my family, so I had to go back where my roots were. But Houston should be a prime place for this music. It's a big place."

LeBlanc does not believe that Houston lacks a music scene. What it lacks, he believes, is what New Orleans has tons of -- mystique. Hip-hop is fine, he says, but it's music made by people looking to get paid, first and foremost. "That's more commercial," he says. "You need some authenticity. That's what New Orleans still has on the rest of the world -- the authentic mystery of music. And they support it. In some ways it's a little prostituted, but that's to the advantage of the musician, because we make a living off it. Whenever you see New Orleans, it's always 'New Orleans jazz.'"

And now it could also be Houston jazz. Maybe the Soul Rebels will be able to round out their Houston lineup with locals, and then maybe some club will make a weekly Soul Rebels gig work. Maybe they can spice up the Texans games with some second-line funk, and maybe one day there will be a New Orleans-style street parade here. Maybe the powers-that-be that market this city to tourists will have something other than "world-class" symphonies, malls and medical centers to tout -- namely, fun, great music and, yes, authenticity and soul.

john.lomax@houstonpress.com

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