"I can't go for that," say Hall & Oates on just leaving New Orleans after Jazz Fest

The elder statesmen today

By: Gere Iverson - MSTv

With four decades of soulful and pop sounds under their belts, legendary music duo, Darryl Hall and John Oates continue to peak in their careers.   

The Philadelphia based team, first formed in 1972, found universal acclaim in the 1980's when their original rock-soul style, morphed into the higher energy pop-music sound of the decade. 

Within their forty year span, the duo has created more hits then anyone can hardly count.  But, fans and local music lovers alike might just get their chance to grab a more accurate tally as Hall & Oates make their New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival debut Sunday.

“It’s something that Daryl and I have always wanted to do,” John Oates said. “I’ve never even been to Jazz Fest. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do. So I’m getting a two-fer here, playing and going at the same time, which is pretty great.”

Oates, however won't just be stopping in the Crescent city for Jazz Fest and the food, he'll be gearing up to record music for his new project, Good Road to Follow.  And to start, he'll be releasing new songs every month for a year, beginning in June with the song, “High Maintenance,” a collaboration with rising pop act Hot Chelle Rae.

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Oates and Hall - circa 1984

"I cant go for that"  Hall & Oates  BMG entertainment 1983

Oates finds it nearly fated that some of the music being used in his new project is being recorded in New Orleans, and by native artists.  Being a fan of the city's unique music sound, Oates recalls his treasured record collection of New Orleans artists from his youth.

“I have Fats Domino records, Huey ‘Piano’ Smith and the Clowns, Lee Dorsey, all that stuff,” he said. “It’s soul music. It’s unique regional American music that, unfortunately, doesn’t exist so much anymore. But in those days, every region of America had a sound. New Orleans’ sound was different from Memphis and Chicago, Detroit, Philly and New York. New Orleans just had a thing. I think it had a lot to do with the city’s jazz heritage and mixed cultures.”

And with all the love Oates has for New Orleans, he promises that fans can expect nothing but the best, as far their as songs go, for the Jazz Fest crowd.  The hits will be a playing - to keep it short..

“We have a good problem,” Oates said. “We have too many hits. I don’t say that in a boasting manner. It’s just a fact.

Boasting or not, fans and music lovers alike can be assured a great show as Hall and Oates help bring another enjoyable Jazz Fest to a close.

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