MURF REEVES: How Do You Red Bean?

If you tune into WWOZ on a Monday afternoon, there’s a good chance you’ll hear the unmistakable voice of Murf Reeves guiding listeners through the rhythms and stories of New Orleans music scene. But before he was the Music Director at WWOZ and the longtime host of the Monday New Orleans Music Show, Murf Reeves was just a kid with a few cassette tapes and a curiosity that wouldn’t quit.

Reeves’ first deep dive into music came courtesy of the Columbia House Tape Club. His dad let him join, and when the first of those cassettes arrived — The Who’s Face Dances, Led Zeppelin IV, and The Doors Greatest Hits — Reeves was hooked. He didn’t just listen to the tapes. He studied the liner notes, the names in the credits, the influences and histories behind every song. He dove deeper reading music magazines and letting the music lead him down a rabbit hole of discovery, not just about the sounds but about the world itself. He learned about the African-American artists, which gave him an education in more than just music—it broadened his views on politics, philosophy, and history, expanding his world far beyond his own backyard.

He met his ex-partner in Boston. She was a native of New Orleans. And once she became pregnant, she told him that she wanted to have the baby in New Orleans. He had visited the city a few times before, but that was the push he needed to make New Orleans his home. She introduced him to the sounds of WWOZ, and in 2001, he walked into the station and asked a simple question: “How can I get on the air?”

While beginning his broadcast career at ‘OZ, Reeves worked in the service industry where he found another passion: spirits. It was about the craft, the tradition, and the alchemy of flavors. For a time after Hurricane Katrina, he studied under Clif Travers of Om in Boston, refining his skills in mixology. When he returned to New Orleans, he made his mark in some of the most respected bars – Elizabeth’s, Bombay Club, Bar Tonique – before becoming the bar manager at Sylvain, where he eventually took on the role of General Manager. At Sainte Marie Brasserie, he had the chance to build an entire beverage program from scratch, helping shape the drinking culture of the city’s evolving Central Business District.

More than two decades later, Reeves is a Monday fixture. He’s been the steady hand behind the mic, guiding listeners through the sounds of a city that never stops evolving, never stops surprising. As the Music Director of WWOZ, he helps curate the soundtrack of New Orleans, balancing deep-cut discoveries with the classics, always staying true to the spirit of the city’s music scene.

His journey—from those first cassette tapes to the control panel at WWOZ—is a testament to what happens when passion meets opportunity. Whether he’s behind a bar or behind a mic, Murf Reeves understands that music and storytelling go hand in hand. And on Monday afternoons, if you’re listening closely, you’ll hear it—the voice of someone who’s still just as hooked on music as he was when those first tapes arrived in the mail.

I don’t remember explicitly my first red beans and rice memory, but it was here in New Orleans.  I believe it was my daughter’s grandpa who made my first bowl of Red Beans and Rice.  I did not grow up eating beans, except for baked beans, which I always found sweet.  After having Red Beans, I decided I wanted to know more about beans, all kinds of beans.

I make red beans at home.  My version has a lot of vegetables in it.  I cook with a lot of onions, garlic, and then add greens, broccoli, or squash at the end.

A classic bowl of red beans has to have sausage or an umami element that simulates the richness of sausage.  I learned from my daughter’s stepdad to add kombu when cooking beans, which definitely gives it that umami flavor.  I have also learned about adding a small amount of soy sauce to help strengthen that umami flavor.

I would have Red Beans with my Grandfather/Papa.  I would want to sit with him and talk about his musical experiences working at Macy’s in New York City.

Red Beans and Rice is a centerpiece/cornerstone of the community.  A big pot of food that nourishes everyone, young and old,  so they can be their best selves.  The ingredients have come from different countries and cultures, and it is the heat, the energy, the soul, that tames all the individual flavors into one pot of deliciousness.

Watching everyone feel happy as they eat.  Food is the lubricant that begins the conversations and movements.  Once folks start eating, the smiles begin, and people start moving and grooving.

Red Beans and Rice means New Orleans. The blend of different ingredients and techniques, a pot of Red Beans and Rice is a community, and it is for everyone because it is always sitting on the stove, simmering, or being present, for everyone.

My favorite spot is the Chime tree in City Park.  I feel very connected to the Earth when I sit under the tree and listen to the chimes.

My favorite comfort food when I am at home is a pizza – Pizza Delicious or Nola Mia Gelato. I also really enjoy Chicken Tchoupitoulas at Coop’s.

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