Me & Kermit

A New Orleans native who grew up in the music-rich Treme district, Kermit Ruffins is a famous jazz trumpeter, newly minted restaurateur, and sometimes actor (primarily playing himself). He has a standing gig with his BBQ Swingers at Vaughan's Lounge--a dive bar on Lesseps Street in the Bywater neighborhood. This is no ordinary bar.You have to buzz first, and then they let you in.  

Vaughan's Lounge--a legendary neighborhood New Orleans bar.

Vaughan's is a simple set-up with two levels: the first level consists of a dance floor with a few tables, a jukebox playing rock n’ roll hits from the 50s & 60s, and a cigarette machine. A few stairs up, the second level has a bar which serves cheap beers and cocktails in plastic cups.

A dog-friendly bar! Actually, not a rare sight in New Orleans.

Kermit was the first in his band to arrive, and we recognized him right away. He helped himself to one of the Bud Lights in the ice bucket and set up his iPod to start playing tunes—Elton John’s "Benny and the Jets," Jay Z’s "Empire State of Mind," and Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" were just a few of the selections on his eclectic playlist.

Waiting for the band to begin...

 We decided to approach him for a picture, and he very graciously obliged.

Where can you get a hat like Kermit's? Just buy it here.

Emboldened, we took the opportunity to pepper him with a few burning questions. Which jazz trumpeters does he admire? Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan. What made Louis Armstrong one of the greatest trumpeters of all time? He could hit a higher octave on his trumpet than any other trumpeter before or since. Why Bud Light? He can drink it throughout the set and never worry about getting drunk. Who's doing the cooking at his new club in the Treme? Kermit does the cooking, and his meat is sourced from his friend’s freezer full of game meat. Last week he cooked up raccoon and he encouraged us to stop by on Sunday for his sea turtle soup.

Kermit doesn't just play the trumpet, he also sings.

The band started out with some crowd favorites like "The Sunny Side of the Street," but gradually the tempo picked up, the drinks loosened everyone’s inhibitions, and the dance floor got crowded. Here's Kermit and the BBQ Swingers performing "Swing Your Booty All Night Long," which really got everyone moving.

If you want to see Kermit, and you really should, you can catch him on Sundays cooking and blowing at his own place, Kermit's Treme Speakeasy, on Tuesdays at Bullets, and on Thursdays at Vaughan's.