Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published March 23, 2007 Jazz (And Eats) On The Bayou This Weekend Ronnie Kole--piano great, gourmet and wine collector--throws a delicious party every year at the home he and his wife Gardner share on Bayou Liberty, outside Slidell. He invites his friends (and that's a lot of people) to cook, play, eat, or listen. The first two categories are already pretty well filled. They include both Chef Pauls from K-Paul's (including the big man himself), John Besh, Craig Young from Young’s Steakhouse, Michael Frederic (from Michael’s in Slidell), Chef Andrea Apuzzo, Frank and Tommy Wong from Trey Yuen, Jay Dunaway of Dish, Floyd Bealer of Doug’s, Ann Sergie of Assunta's, and chefs from a half-dozen more restaurants. The Royal Sonesta, where Ronnie has been playing for decades, will bring its usual lavish dessert array. The music will go on constantly, with not only Ronnie and his band, but also the Storyville Stompers, Bobby Ohler and the Harbor Band, and other musician friends. There's a live auction of a bunch of first-class vacation stuff, too--the owner's suite on a Carnival cruise ship, stays at the Sonesta and the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, and more along those lines. You're invited to fill the eating and listening categories. The price is $100 a person, the proceeds going to Easter Seals of Louisiana, which supports aid for the disabled throughout the state. The St. Tammany Association for Retarded Citizens also shares in the benefits. This is the fifteenth year Ronnie and gardner have put on this bash, and this year it stretched across the whole weekend--from three till seven in the afternoon on both Saturday and Sunday, March 31 and April 1. You can get the tickets by going to JazzontheBayou.com. Or by calling Ronnie directly at 985-643-5761. © 2007 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com