New Orleans Jazzfest 2010

The feelings, emotions, joy and elation felt during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival are the reasons we've been making the annual trip for the past 22 years. It sure doesn't hurt that my birthday falls smack in the heart of Jazzfest every year - which adds another layer of other-worldly happiness to my experience. I wanted to hold onto every second spent with my friends and family - every passing moment was another smile, another hearty laugh, and another opportunity for a dance or hug. New Orleans is truly the playground of the human spirit.

Ain't nothing on earth taste as good as a Domilise's shrimp po-boy with creole mustard, a touch a mayo and extra pickels on toasty french bread with a Barq's root beer on the side. Lord have mercy is that delish!


Jonah kick's off the Fest on a gorgeous day


Next generation of 2nd line paraders


Next generation of 2nd line paraders


He's not jokin' 'bout his job


The kids pay respect to the late, great Marva Wright


The kids at the holy music temple of New Orleans... Tipitina's. The Radiators laid it down big time on Friday night - what a night!


The making of an authentic Hansens Snow Bliz. Hansen's Sno-Bliz was started by Ernest and Mary Hansen in 1939. Ernest invented the first ice shaving machine and Mary created her own flavored syrups.


Enjoying the sno-bliz masterpiece.


My birthday dinner at Cochon - blowing out the candles seconds before Eddie Vedder and Michael Stipe walk into the restaurant.


The family dinner at Cochon - this photo was taken by Eddie Vedder's bodyguard.

My Awesome New Rock Art Installation

I've been experimenting with printing images on metal - and am totally blown away by the results. Metal prints represent a new art medium for preserving photos by infusing dyes directly into specially coated aluminum sheets. The high gloss coating takes on an almost magical luminescence. Because the image is infused into the surface and not on it, the archival qualities of this unique process are unparalleled. You've never seen a more brilliant impressive print before! Colors are vibrant and the luminescence is breathtaking. So I created my own little rock art installation by creating a salute to some of my favorite masters of the guitar. Since I've photographed each of the rocks stars myself over the past few years, it made perfect sense to create this showcase for the wall in my studio. Each print is 10" x 10" on aluminum which floats off the wall about 2 inches.

From upper left to right, row by row: Dave Malone/Camile Baudouin (The Radiators), Derek Trucks (The Allman Brothers Band and Derek Trucks Band), Warren Haynes (The Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule and the Dead), John Mayer, Billy Joe Armstrong (Green Day), Trey Anastasio (Phish), Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce, Chapter 2), Michael Franti (Spearhead), and last but certainly not least David Gilmour (Pink Floyd).

It's Good to be King

What an epic night for an incredible friend - Kingsley "Captain Nemo" Stoken turns 40 and the Radiators throw down an all time great SNAFU party. Words can't really describe how much fun we all had, so I'll let the pictures do the talking. Happy Birthday Kingsley!







See the full gallery in hi-resolution here

Here's the video invitation that I created for Kingsley's party:

Jurick's Jazzfest 2008 Multimedia Extravaganza

Where do I begin? Really, how is it possible to sum up the experience I had this year in words? The usual Jurick phrases somehow don't carry weight anymore. Epic, Uber-Epic, Gargantuan, Incredible, Amazing, Herculean...they all fall short. The best I can come up with is DREAM. I had a dream last Tuesday night and woke up on Monday afternoon to quite possibly the most miraculous dream one could possibly imagine. I dreamed it all - from dancing, smiling children on the grassy fairgrounds jamming to Widespread Panic to the greatest Radiators SNAFU show in history to friends and family diner in a private room at the 140 year-old Antoine's restaurant to hearing the joyful sounds of Stevie Wonder with my kids on my shoulders to singing in the rain to Michael Franti and later dripping wet sweat dancing to Michael Franti at Tipitina's to the Meters with Mike Gordan dueling bass with George Porter, Jr. to 5am funk on Frenchmen Street with my hero Eric Krasno to the Pide Piper Kingsley leading all our kids onto the stage to see the Radiators close out the Festival in front of thousands.

More than anything, friends and family were the fabric of this year's festival. There are so many people I shared this incredible dream with and I love every one of them for dancing by my side. Though it was my gorgeous wife, Gal and exalted friend, Kingsley Stoken who sprinkled magic pixie dust above my head last Tuesday night to send me into that long, bountiful and miraculous dream.

Somehow, through the wonder of technology, I was able extract those memories and collect images and video to share with you. I hope you like my dream...



photo: Dino Perruci








photo: Gal Jurick












photo: Jacques Lobato








Video: courtesy of Jason King

MJ & The Foidy All-Stars with the Radiators:


Gal Introduces the Radiators:


Video: courtesy of Jill Vandercar
Backstage Birthday Toast with the Rads and Family/Friends



Video: by Michael Jurick
Kids dancing onstage for Radiators Jazzfest finale at Fairgrounds



Full Slideshow:

Mardi Gras in New Orleans!

Thanks to Hannah Montana and the Stoken Family, the Juricks were part of Mardi Gras once again - and shared the magic with the next generation of Madi Gras revelers. The first crop of photos in the slideshow are from Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World (check out the colors on those floats!) and the closing round of photos were taken at our kids very first Mardi Gras parade. SPARTA was the parade that rolled down Tchapitoulis Avenue and had Chef Daniel Boulud catching beads right along side us. We also celebrated 30 years of fishhead music with the New Orleans Radiators at Tipitian's...long live the Rads!

Fu-B-Q Part 2, The Ultimate Colorado Weekend

The Stokens did it again! Friends and family gathered from all across the country to share a little Radiators magic in the hills of Boulder, Colorado. The Krewe of Snafu is truly growing new legions of fishheads by the dozens - ensuring that kids of all ages can enjoy that swampy New Orleans music for years to come. Savory BBQ, swimming, margaritas, kids karnival, baseball, hotdogs (the costume kind), the Stoken family backyard, Radiators music and fireworks all provided the backdrop for the most incredible 4th of July one could ever imagine. Relive it all here!

See the awesome slideshow here:

Jazzfest 2007

Did I take my camera everywhere I went this year at Jazzfest? No. I set out to enjoy my vacation free of the lens a bit more than last year. However, when I did take it, I nailed a few gems. Here's a small sampling of The Radiators w/Little Feat's Paul Barrere (the grease was laid down thick at SNAFU), Michael Franti & Spearhead at HOB (epic), Stephen Marley at the Fairgrounds (He opened with "Sun is Shining"!!! Bob Marley was summoned and channeled thru his son), and Snooks w/George Porter.

Jazzfest 2007 Photos

Highlights I WISHED I caught on camera:

The Meters w/Derek Trucks - I've seen the Meters dozens of times, but never have I heard anything so fluid and soul-driven funk like I heard on Saturday night at the House of Blues. This show was the dark horse of the weekend and blew everyone away.

John Mayer - a personal highlight for me getting Jonah ONstage and watching John Mayer play from right next to Mayer's keyboard player. (Thank you Doug!)

Joss Stone - phew, can you say pipes??? Slinky dress and all - she played an incredible set and Jonah and Eden and the Sanders kids, Casey and Dylan were escorted to the front of the stage in the media riser to watch her. I know Jonah was psyched. She threw long stemmed lilies to the kids after her encore.

Dumpstaphunk - 110 degree inside Tipitina's did NOT stop the funk - it only FUELED IT. There is no stopping Dumpstaphunk, they continue to rein supreme as the funkiest band on the planet.

It was a super quality friends and family Jazzfest. Joy can't even begin to describe the weekend that we had together. The one and only problem with Jazzfest...is the end of it. The re-entry back into reality is the toughest thing to do when experiencing such joyous heights.

For your movie viewing enjoyment, check out this little snippet that Jill Vandercar took of one MJ introducing the Rads for the 2nd set of GREASE SNAFU (thank you Kingsley!)

Jurick video intro

Enjoy All!

-MJ