Allen Toussaint

Jazz Allen Toussaint The Bright Mississippi Nonesuch ESSENTIAL "Dear Old Southland" Allen Toussaint's new album couldn't sound more like New Orleans. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame pianist and R&B hitmaker ("Lady Marmalade," "Workin' in a Coal Mine") revisits jazz classics by Duke Ellington, Leonard Feather, Sidney Bechet, Jelly Roll Morton, Django Reinhardt, and Thelonious Monk and takes them for a stroll through Preservation Hall, imbuing his own funky brand of pop-song charisma.

The Neville Brothers carried on the tradition of closing out the big stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The Funky Meters, regulars at the fest since 1989, were back, too. And festival creator George Wein played with an all-star cast at the Preservation Hall and Friends 50th Anniversary Celebration. That was Sunday's big nod to tradition. The closing day lineup also included Bonnie Raitt, the Foo Fighters and the Rebirth Brass Band as part of the more than 60 groups performing on 11 stages.

A Home for the Holidays With Faith Hill 8 p.m., Channel 4 Kenan Thompson was hysterical pretending to be Reba McEntire on “Saturday Night Live.’’ I wish he were going to show up tonight with Faith Hill (above) for the 11th annual benefit to help place kids with adoptive families. But alas, it will be the real Reba. Also appearing: the real Mary J. Blige, the real Shakira, and the real Carrie Underwood. Spectacle: Elvis Costello With. . . 10 p.m., Sundance My love for this series remains steadfast, especially in light of tonight’s lineup.

For "Standing on the Rooftop," a graceful new album that nudges her aesthetic into a more organic territory, Madeleine Peyroux enlisted a cast of characters. How else to describe working with guitarist Marc Ribot, bassist Meshell Ndegeocello, violinist Jenny Scheinman, drummer Charley Drayton, and New Orleans icon Allen Toussaint? "All of these musicians are definitely more than musicians, more than session players. They're individuals in their own rights in so many ways," says Peyroux.

How does Elvis Costello do it? In the past four years alone, pop's reigning renaissance man has released a killer rock album ("The Delivery Man"), an eloquent collaboration with New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint ("The River in Reverse"), and a live recording with a Dutch jazz orchestra ("My Flame Burns Blue"). Today Costello gives us "Momofuku," titled in tribute to the inventor of the Cup Noodle, and this collection goes down as easy and tasty as its namesake's ingenious snack.

The Neville Brothers carried on the tradition of closing out the big stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The Funky Meters, regulars at the fest since 1989, were back, too. And festival creator George Wein played with an all-star cast at the Preservation Hall and Friends 50th Anniversary Celebration. That was Sunday's big nod to tradition. The closing day lineup also included Bonnie Raitt, the Foo Fighters and the Rebirth Brass Band as part of the more than 60 groups performing on 11 stages.

NEW ORLEANS -- Filmmaker Stevenson J. Palfi, whose documentary "Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together" chronicled the lives of three New Orleans jazzmen, shot himself to death, his family said. He had been severely depressed after Hurricane Katrina damaged most of his property and possessions, they said. Mr. Palfi, 53, shot himself Dec. 14 at his home, relatives family told The Times-Picayune. He had been living with his former wife and coproducer, Polly Waring, whose home was one of the few still habitable in the Mid-City area where...

For "Standing on the Rooftop," a graceful new album that nudges her aesthetic into a more organic territory, Madeleine Peyroux enlisted a cast of characters. How else to describe working with guitarist Marc Ribot, bassist Meshell Ndegeocello, violinist Jenny Scheinman, drummer Charley Drayton, and New Orleans icon Allen Toussaint? "All of these musicians are definitely more than musicians, more than session players. They're individuals in their own rights in so many ways," says Peyroux.

NEW ORLEANS - Composer, arranger, bandleader, producer, and teacher Wardell Quezergue, who arranged "Chapel of Love" for the Dixie Cups and was dubbed the "Creole Beethoven" by Allen Toussaint, has died. He was 81. He died Tuesday of congestive heart failure, said his son Brian. "What a mark he made. In fact, what several marks he made," Toussaint, the influential New Orleans musician, said Wednesday. "He was just a magnificent man in every way. He was a superb musician and bandleader.

Reprinted from late editions of yesterday's Globe. The best advertisement for a visit to post-Katrina New Orleans isn't being produced by the Louisiana tourism office. Veteran rock tunesmith Elvis Costello and Big Easy musical treasure Allen Toussaint have teamed up for a tour this summer that serves as a striking reminder of the ebullient music of the city. Wednesday night at the Bank of America Pavilion Costello exhorted the three-quarters-capacity crowd to take a journey to the region to support its economic recovery.

NEW ORLEANS - Composer, arranger, bandleader, producer, and teacher Wardell Quezergue, who arranged "Chapel of Love" for the Dixie Cups and was dubbed the "Creole Beethoven" by Allen Toussaint, has died. He was 81. He died Tuesday of congestive heart failure, said his son Brian. "What a mark he made. In fact, what several marks he made," Toussaint, the influential New Orleans musician, said Wednesday. "He was just a magnificent man in every way. He was a superb musician and bandleader.

Spectacle: Elvis Costello With . . . 8 p.m., Sundance Channel The new episode, with Sheryl Crow, comes on at 9 p.m., but check out this “Spectacle’’ rerun first, with the Band’s Levon Helm, plus Nick Lowe, Richard Thompson, and Allen Toussaint. Ray Lamontagne (above) joins for a rendition of “The Weight.’’ The Office 8 p.m., Channel 7 Executive note No. 9: When in doubt - and in reruns - just slap four episodes of “The Office’’ into the prime-time lineup.

Jazz Allen Toussaint The Bright Mississippi Nonesuch ESSENTIAL "Dear Old Southland" Allen Toussaint's new album couldn't sound more like New Orleans. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame pianist and R&B hitmaker ("Lady Marmalade," "Workin' in a Coal Mine") revisits jazz classics by Duke Ellington, Leonard Feather, Sidney Bechet, Jelly Roll Morton, Django Reinhardt, and Thelonious Monk and takes them for a stroll through Preservation Hall, imbuing his own funky brand of pop-song charisma.

Sorry Sundance Channel, but the title "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With. . . " is off. I know, I know, Costello has those trademark glasses. But the world "spectacle" connotes large-scaled arena shows, visual effects over music, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. And this enjoyable new music-interview series represents the antithesis of big, fat, production-heavy rock 'n' roll. "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With. . . " is an intimate weekly hour that finds host Costello and his guests turning away from the flash to talk about - and gush about, and play - good music.

How does Elvis Costello do it? In the past four years alone, pop's reigning renaissance man has released a killer rock album ("The Delivery Man"), an eloquent collaboration with New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint ("The River in Reverse"), and a live recording with a Dutch jazz orchestra ("My Flame Burns Blue"). Today Costello gives us "Momofuku," titled in tribute to the inventor of the Cup Noodle, and this collection goes down as easy and tasty as its namesake's ingenious snack.

Reprinted from late editions of yesterday's Globe. The best advertisement for a visit to post-Katrina New Orleans isn't being produced by the Louisiana tourism office. Veteran rock tunesmith Elvis Costello and Big Easy musical treasure Allen Toussaint have teamed up for a tour this summer that serves as a striking reminder of the ebullient music of the city. Wednesday night at the Bank of America Pavilion Costello exhorted the three-quarters-capacity crowd to take a journey to the region to support its economic recovery.