Jacob Brooks

The Daily News

Washington Parish is not known for having a music scene, but that doesn't mean good music can't be found around here.

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I've heard some good music at Birdie's Roadhouse in Varnado, where the acoustics are fantastic. I'm not sure if it's the cypress walls that make the music sound so good, or maybe the shape of the place, which used to be a house in Bogalusa. Plus, they bring in good musicians from throughout the region.

Then there's the Rocky Mountain Rhythm Bums, a Colorado-based band who settled in Washington Parish and have written songs about Bogalusa, Rayburn Correctional and who knows what else concerning things here in Washington Parish. I saw them at a concert in Covington not too long ago and was pretty impressed. I had heard a CD of theirs, but hearing them live was 10-times better. Their sound was clean, and they told funny stories in-between songs.

Still, there isn't much of a live music scene in Washington Parish. I had an experience in New Orleans last weekend that would probably never happen around here.

We were at a bar called d.b.a. on Frenchman Street to see the band Juke Joint Duo, a two-piece blues-funk band from north Mississippi that sounded more like a four-piece band.

They only had a drummer and guitarist, but produced a lot of sound.

Around midnight or so, I was feeling the music, dancing, having a good time. I noticed this guy right in front of me. He was an older gentleman, and I didn't recognize him at first.

Soon, the band took a little break, but when they came back on, the older gentleman who was right in front of me was on stage playing guitar and singing. It was Jimmy Buffett.

He sung "No woman, no cry," a Bob Marley song, and a few others before turning the stage over back to the band.

I had never seen Jimmy Buffett live before, but he looked to be having a lot of fun on stage - singing, laughing, etc. - just like he is on TV or what not.

When he was on stage, he said he loved New Orleans, which he called the "Capital of the Caribbean." When people in the audience realized it was him, the cell phone cameras came out and weren't put away until Buffett left the bar.

Later, my friend pointed out that we got to see a Jimmy Buffet concert for $5. Many people pay $40 or more and never get as close as we did in the small venue of d.b.a.

I chalked it down as another cool New Orleans music experience, of which I've had a few since I moved to Louisiana two years ago.

I'm hoping to chalk some Washington Parish music experiences down, too. I've had a couple, including some good bluegrass, but I need more. But maybe I haven't looked in all the right places, yet. If anyone knows where that greasy, funky, passionate, swallow-you-whole, grip-it-down, get down, fall down music venue in Washington Parish is, let me know.

Jacob Books can be reached by e-mail at jacobbrooks@wickcommunications.com.