“As New Orleans begins its next 300 years, we look forward to seeing the creative people it will continue to provide a setting for; people such as those in this year’s class of People to Watch,” write the editors of New Orleans Magazine. “We define a Person to Watch as someone doing something new and interesting. In some cases it might be someone who has already been watchable but that is moving in a new direction… Most of our selections achieve the greatness that we had anticipated, or greater. How will this class do? We’ll be watching.”
Katy is recognized among a class of fifteen stellar and creative people, including chefs, artists, dog lovers, designers, altruists, athletes, and more, all who combine their passion and energy with an entrepreneurial instinct. Read the article to learn who they are.
All of Katy’s work with children, music, and local culture under the umbrella of Confetti Park earned her a spot on this list… so the honor can be attributed to all the amazing fellow musicians and the children who participate in the Confetti Park Players chorus, as well as the families of Algiers Point and Confetti Kids volunteers who have all rallied around the adorable and inspirational heart of the neighborhood: the real Confetti Park.
Photo of Katy and the Confetti Park Players at Jazz Fest, by Sally Asher (those are her feet in the foreground)
Katy Hobgood Ray and the band and some of the Confetti Park Players will be performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this year! We perform at the Kids Tent on Thursday, May 3, 2018 at 3 p.m. SCHEDULE
This year Katy is leading a smaller troupe of Confetti Park Players in an interactive music set in the Kids Tent. We will do some of our favorites like “Roman Candy Man,” “Snoball,” “Watch Out for the Pirates,” and lots of Lead Belly songs. We will also do a special tribute to our dearly departed Mr. Okra. And of course you can expect a lively performance of our theme song, “We’re Going to Confetti Park!”
The Kids Area is a lovely zone where you can relax and enjoy a spacious safe area and special kid-oriented foods (still delicious and unique to Jazz Fest), arts & craft areas and discovery centers. and wonderful shade under the tents! There are some WONDERFUL people working and performing in the kids area on May 3!
Our own Algiers Point-based Calliope Puppets and the International School of Louisiana Circus Arts Kids are all performing on the same day as the Confetti Park Players? How cool is that? Algiers Point represents!
We are thrilled that the local media has given us some wonderful coverage surrounding our Jazz Fest performance. Hopefully people will be curious about our music and check out the Confetti Park Players CD, which every kid should have!
Confetti Park: Mardi Gras Indians, Brass Bands, Piano Profs!
Hi kids! It’s Mardi Gras time in Louisiana! Confetti Park is a kids radio show out of New Orleans. In my city the kids are out of school while we celebrate the end of the Epiphany season with parades, lots of good food, and music. Brass bands, marching bands, Indian chants, and sweet rock n roll. I’d like to bring you along for the carnival ride today…
Mardi Gras Indian in feathered glory on a Mardi Gras day, Central City, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2016. KDHRay
Every city that celebrates Mardi Gras has its own special customs, and in New Orleans, we have a few unique aspects… such as the Mardi Gras Indians. Neighborhood tribes wear fabulous towering costumes made up of colorful feathers and beads…. the Big Chiefs battle for who is the most beautiful on a Mardi Gras Day.
One of the songs I play today is famous across the world, but what you might not know is that it came from the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian tradition. This song “Iko Iko,” performed by the Dixie Cups, tells the story of two warring Indian tribes who have a confrontation in the street.
I also play “My Indian Red,” a very famous Indian prayer, performed by the Baby Dodds Trio. On Fat Tuesday, we will hear that sung on the streets of New Orleans from sunup to sundown. And there are other songs sure to be played along the parade routes where families will be camped to catch beads.
Songs included in this episode:
Red White and Blue Got the Golden Band – Mardi Gras Indians
Iko Iko – The Dixie Cups
Joke of the Day – Ash Who?
My Indian Red – Baby Dodds Trio
Ooh Poo Pah Doo – Trombone Shorty
Throw Me Something Mister – Johnette Downing & Jimmy LaRocca’s ODJB
Aveine, Aveine, Aveine – Les Petits Amis
Every Day is Mardi Gras – Schatzy
3-6-9 (The Clapping Song) – Confetti Park Players
Crawfish Fiesta – Professor Longhair
Mardi Gras in New Orleans – Olympia Brass Band
This episode also features The Cajun Cornbread Boy by Dianne De Las Casas at Storytime.
About Confetti Park
The Confetti Park podcast and radio program, hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!
Exciting news from the Confetti Park workshop! The Confetti Park Players have just released their brand new single, “Riding on the Mississippi River.” The track is available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, Google Play, and other digital music services.
“A song inspired by life along the Mississippi River, where beautiful riverboats & big ships rule, & the merry sound of calliopes fills the air. This fun song by Katy Hobgood Ray & the Confetti Park Players features a Dixieland jazz band from New Orleans.”
The song is performed by Katy Hobgood Ray and the Confetti Park Players children’s chorus. Musicians include: Jim Thornton, trumpet; Owen Callahan, clarinet; David Phy, trombone; Tim Stambaugh, tuba; Brandon Brunious; banjo; and Cale Pellick, drums. It was recorded at Word of Mouth Recording Studio, Algiers Point in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“Let’s Go Riding on the Mississippi River” was written by Ted Lindsay, from Mooringsport, Louisiana, who was inspired to write the song when visiting Katy and her family in Algiers Point in New Orleans. Ted was a principal songwriter on We’re Going to Confetti Park!, the first full-length album from the Confetti Park Players and winner of a Parents’ Choice Award.
Let’s go riding on the Mississippi River from St. Paul to New Orleans It’s 2000 miles all the way down the middle of the USA!
Confetti Park Players Luna, Louis, and Lily call out to a freighter on the Mississippi River in Algiers Point.
Tim Stambaugh and Confetti Park Players at Word of Mouth recording studio
Confetti Park Players at Word of Mouth recording studio
David Phy, Owen Callahan, and Jim Thornton at Word of Mouth recording studio
Cale Pellick at Word of Mouth recording studio
Brandon Brunious at Word of Mouth recording studio
About Katy Hobgood Ray & the Confetti Park Players
Katy leads a fun mashup of a kids choir and fabulous, well-established adult New Orleans musicians. They perform catchy originals and familiar folk songs, jump rope jingles and clapping chants, and a few rock ‘n roll surprises.
The Confetti Park Players have collaborated with such musical talents as world-renowned jazz drummer Johnny Vidacovich, flutist Patti Adams of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, internationally lauded clarinetist Evan Christopher, Lincoln Center-affiliated jazz trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso, Dirty Dozen Brass Band saxophonist Roger Lewis, beloved New Orleans piano players Tom McDermott and AJ Loria.
They’ve performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, French Quarter Fest, the Folk Art Fest, Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo, Beignet Fest, Creole Tomato Fest, Fête Française, and numerous venues around New Orleans. They are regularly featured on the Confetti Park radio program.
About Confetti Park
Confetti Park is a children’s media workshop, weekly radio program and podcast based out of New Orleans. We work with children to build community by sharing stories, music, and culture. The name for Confetti Park comes from a small playground in the heart of Algiers Point, a charming and historical neighborhood on the West bank of the Mississippi River. Learn More
Deborah A. Anderson is a 3D animator and creator of The Black Hair Alphabet
It’s Confetti Park Storytime! In this episode, we hear The Black Hair Alphabet, narrated by author and illustrator Deborah A. Anderson.
This is a children’s book that names different African-American hairstyles, from A-Z. Deborah’s illustrations, which she created digitally, showcase a terrific diversity of styles.
A is for Afro.
B is for Bantu Knot.
C is for Conk.
Deborah, who lives in New Orleans, is an animator and 3D artist by trade. She trained in Digital eMation in South Korea where she was a 3D Artist on shows such as Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, Batman: The Brave and The Bold and Scooby Doo.
In an interview with the Mane Man blog, Deborah explained why she decided to explore black hairstyles from A-Z. “The original premise came from the fact that a lot of people who play video games, namely guys, are aggravated by lack of representation in hairstyles when making avatars,” explained Deborah. “It’s always dreads or an afro, maybe a low-cut. This is the beginning of my journey in figuring out black hair in a 3D space.”
Stay tuned for an in depth interview on Confetti Park where Deborah explores these ideas further, and talks about how video gaming is getting better in representing black hair.
Thank you so much Deborah for sharing The Black Hair Alphabet with Confetti Park!
Confetti Park: A music medley from Louisiana… kids songs about dinosaurs!
This medley of kids music shows the diversity of Louisiana musicians. And today’s music medley features songs about dinosaurs! Songs featured in this episode, in order:
Check out this narrated story about a dinosaur…. Lophi Learns to Flyby David Eugene Ray.
The Confetti Park podcast and radio program, hosted by Katy Hobgood Ray, features music and stories spun in Louisiana. It showcases songs that kids love, songs created for kids, and songs created by kids. Sparkling interviews, in-studio performances, delightful music medleys, jokes, local author storytime, and a little surprise lagniappe make for an entertaining show!
In this episode of Confetti Park, New Orleans-based trombonist Dr. David Phy shares early music memories of learning how to read sheet music with his dad.
David is a professional musician who has performed with national acts and jazz artists such as The 4 Tops, The Temptations, Bonerama, Delfeyo Marsalis, The Yin Yang Twins, Chip McNeil, Louis Belson, Lena Prima, Louis Prima Jr., Charo, and the Dukes of Dixieland. He has taught at Tulane University, University of New Orleans and Delgado Community College in New Orleans.
David grew up in a musical household. His father was a professional pianist, organist, and teacher. His role as church organist led to David’ earliest interactions with written music.
Says David: “Growing up, my father was the church organist. At the end of church, there is always the postlude, where there’s a nice big organ fanfare piece, as people are supposed to go out into the world and carry on the philosophy of the sermon.
I remember I used to run up the stairs to the church loft where he would be playing organ, and he would need me to turn pages for him.
As he said ‘Turn the page,’ I knew that he would be starting at the top…so though I couldn’t read music…I kind of started following along.
I would play a game with myself, to think, ‘I bet, as I’m following along with my eyes, I can guess roughly when he needs me to turn the page….’ That was one of my earliest moments with music.”
David explains how these early experiences led him to playing in high school, college, cruise ships, Vegas, and now, New Orleans!
Isn’t it wonderful how these childhood musical interactions with his father led to a full, lifelong career in music? Thanks for sharing your memory, Dr. Dave!
Look for Katy Hobgood Ray and the Confetti Park Players in the October 2016 issue of NOLA Family!
Katy is featured as a New Orleans Mompreneur in an article titled “Lullabies And Lagniappe” for her work as director of the choir and as a radio host/producer and book publisher.
The article talks about how becoming a mom to son Louis in 2011 and being part of a neighborhood community full of children developed her interest in children’s music and literature. Katy started collecting songs and folktales from around Louisiana(she has an MA in musicology) and parlayed that interest into a radio show. The article also talks about the beginnings of the Confetti Park Players. Thank you for the lovely feature, NOLA Family!
I was SO excited to watch my music video “Feufollet” on the Entergy Giant Screen! It was an official selection at the 2016 New Orleans Film Festival. Look at this amazing company of Family Friendly Animated Shorts!
It was very cool to meet the other film makers, such as Limbert Fabian of Moonbot (The Boy Who Learned to Fly) and Brian Vincent Rhodes (Mosquito: The Bite of Passage). We took part in a Q&A after the film and fielded questions from a friendly, curious and supportive audience!
The big screen! The big time!
Katy Hobgood Ray, Brian Vincent Rhodes, and Limbert Fabian at a Q&A. Eric interviewed us.
How I wish I could have had the company of Santiago Germano and Gustavo Wenzel, the amazingly talented animators who created “Feufollet” (and Santiago illustrated The Little Mouse Santi). I hope I represented them well.
I did have the marvelous company of some of the best friends and family in the world! Thanks to my husband Dave, son Louis, and to my brother Marc and sister-in-law Gina and to Annabel for coming to the fest with me!
All the way from Shreveport, my brother Marcus and sister-in law Gina. And my husband Dave, son Louis, and niece Annabel.
And to my delight, just before the lights were lowered and the films began, some of my Confetti Park Players sprinted into the theatre…. It was a wonderful surprise!!!
Someone’s excited for our animated shorts here at the Entergy Giant Screen Theater! We’re running to grab the best seats too! pic.twitter.com/NHAZvhdCqu
Some of the Confetti Park Players attend the New Orleans Film Festival.
And now… for the film!
“Feufollet” is an animated short produced by Confetti Park. This is the music video for the song featuring Katy Hobgood Ray & the Confetti Park Players, animated by Santiago Germano and Gustav Wenzel.
“Feufollet” is performed by Katy Hobgood Ray & the Confetti Park Players, from the album “We’re Going to Confetti Park!” available on CD & digitally. It was recorded at Marigny Recording Studio by Matt Aguiluz and mastered by Bruce Barielle.
Featuring: Rick G. Nelson, bass; Sarah Quintana, background vocals and fae giggles; Katy Ray, vocals; Tim Robertson, guitar; Dr. Sick, violin, musical saw, toy piano; Dylan Field Turner, broom and other percussion.
[dt_sc_button type=”with-icon” link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/were-going-to-confetti-park!/id1057427046″ size=”medium” target=”_blank”]Buy Track on iTunes[/dt_sc_button]
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LYRICS:
In a boat, in a swamp, in the darkness
All around you is the night
Creatures jumping, night birds calling
When you see a flickering light
You think it could be a lantern
On some friendly neighbor’s trawl
Or the porch light on a swamp house
But it’s not friendly light at all
Chorus:
Don’t follow the Feufollet
Don’t follow the Feufollet
Lest you both should fade away
Pawpaw gave a warning to me
Don’t follow the Feufollet
Don’t get tricked by those lights in the sky,
They will lead you far astray
The swamp has many dangers
Use your wits, you’ll be OK
Trust the rats, the snakes and the gators
Before you trust the Feufollet
How will I know it Pawpaw?
What shall I do when I see?
When those flickering lights start to call to you
Do not follow, ma cherie.
It’s a will o’ the wisp, a trickster
Gives false comfort in the night
Stay close to the course you know in your heart
Or do not move ’til morning light.
Ol’ Chumbucket reads to kids at Hubbell Library in Algiers Point
In this episode of Confetti Park, Katy Hobgood Ray interviews Ol’ Chumbucket, the co-creator of International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19. Chumbucket, also known as John Baur in certain circles, lives in New Orleans today (he has lived in many places including the Virgin Islands) and spends much of his time traveling the pirate festival circuit promoting his books and pirate culture.
Chrissie Warren: Pirate Hunter, is his latest. It’s a truly entertaining young adult book about a 13-year-old girl in colonial Virginia who disguises herself as a boy in order to sign onto a merchant ship. What drives her to such rash madness? She must rescue her father, who has been taken by terrible pirates. This book is a great ride!
Ol’ Chumbucket has co-authored at least eight books about pirate culture with his buddy Cap’n Slappy (a.k.a Mark Summers, the co-creator of Talk Like a Pirate Day), including A Li’l Pirate’s ABSeas, “a piratical romp through the alphabet with all that that implies. Sometimes rude, sometimes downright dangerous and subversive, but always fun and always funny.”
Kids in the Algiers Point neighborhood where Confetti Park is located were very lucky to have Ol’ Chumbucket come to the Hubbell Library. He and the NOLA Pyrates Society sang sea shanties and shared pirate lore. Katy recorded this interview with Chumbucket outside the library located near the river. (You can hear the wind! Sorry for the rumbles.)
Here she talks to him about the genesis of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and they uncover what it is that makes pirates so universally appealing.
Says Chumbucket: “Pirates, they’re an expression of freedom. We always tell people it’s ‘Talk Like a Pirate Day’—not ‘Commit Felonies Like a Pirate Day.’ We’re not advocating you actually waylay a Spanish galleon.
But… pirates were the freest people on earth. They lived by their own rules; they rejected convention. So when you go out and live your life for YOU instead of the rules that everybody else’s putting on you, the TV ads that tell you you have to smell like this, and the magazine ads that tell you you have to wear these shoes… if you do what you want, because it’s what you want, then you’re living like a pirate.”
Enjoy this spooky, dramatic tale of a pirate who experiences the strangest vision…. a skeleton pirate crew that carries treasure aboard the island where he is marooned.
“It all started when Mr. Colt, me scurvy dog of a first mate, raised a mutiny against me. I was so proud; that’s how I first became a captain, you know.”
“….At first she appeared to be nothin’ but a large shadow moving across the waves, but as she got closer it became clear that it were a ship. But no ordinary ship she was, for she was indeed made of nothin’ but shadows…..It was then that that chill took a hold of me in earnest as I watches her crew boarding those boats, for they weren’t men, not least as we know them; they were a crew of skeletons whose bones glowed in the night.”
Based on an old pirate folk tale updated by David Eugene Ray, author of the award-winning book The Little Mouse Santi, and narrated by the vibrant New Orleans actor and producer Chris Lane, ‘Dem Bones is sure to thrill listeners of all ages! Who doesn’t love a good pirate tale?
This recording features archival fiddle performances from early 1900s American history: “Devil’s Dream” performed by John Sellick and “Mount Collins Reel” performed by Denis Murphy.
By the way, wonder who this “Louis Lafitte” is? He is the made-up imaginary pirate persona of a little boy from Louisiana, who has grown up hearing the legends of Jean Lafitte! Check out this song by the Confetti Park Players.
Today Lashon is pursuing a PHD in Performance Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. But for a while, she lived in New Orleans, and was inspired to write her sweet book about our favorite produce vendor.
In this interview Lashon talks about the first time she ever saw Mr. Okra, and how she went about creating a children’s book featuring his life’s calling.
Says Lashon: “It was an early Sunday morning, and I remember hearing the truck coming down my street and I thought, is that an ice cream man? And he was calling out these fruits and vegetables, saying there were strawberries and mangoes and bananas, and I thought to myself What kind of ice cream truck man is this?… I found out how well loved he is by the city.”
Lashon Daley and Mr. Okra
Mr. Okra Sells Fresh Fruits and Vegetables was published by Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. It is available in bookstores in New Orleans, Berkeley, and on Amazon.
Here’s what Mr. Okra has to say about the book (from the back cover): “I love selling fruits and veggies to the people of New Orleans because there are people who can’t get to the big stores and people who don’t really like to go to the big stores. . . . They depend on me and I depend on them. We are all family; even if they don’t buy nothing, they still come out and we talk. The fact that this young lady has put me in her children’s book means a whole lot to me. I’m very thankful.”
Listen to Lashon narrating Mr. Okra Sells Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Confetti Park: A music medley from Louisiana… kids songs about dinosaurs!
Look for Katy Hobgood Ray and the Confetti Park Players in the October 2016 issue of 
