Keeping the Fire Lit: Sally Baby on New Orleans Music, Playing South Bear, and Why Tradition Should Never Stand Still

Be in the know, always! The free newsletter delivers local news, features, and tips directly to you—perfect for busy readers. DECORAH — When Salvatore Geloso, better known as "Sally Baby," takes the stage with Sally Baby's Silver Dollars, he's not trying to recreate the past. He's trying to keep it alive. The New Orleans-based band brought its blend of Creole jazz, soulful blues and American roots music to South Bear School's Midsummer's Eve celebration on Saturday night, introducing local audiences to a sound Geloso says is rooted in the musical traditions of New Orleans while continuing to evolve. "I have been in New Orleans for the past 18, almost 19 years," Geloso said in an interview with DecorahNews.com reporter Alexander Rosenow. "The whole band is based out of there too." Although the band has become closely associated with the city's musical heritage, none of its members grew up there. Instead, Geloso said the musicians each found their way to New Orleans and immersed themselves in its traditions. "All of us have a deep love for the city's music," he said. "None of us grew up there, but we were kind of pulled into its orbit and really tried to cut our teeth on New Orleans jazz, all the different eras of music." However, Geloso's own musical journey began long before moving to Louisiana. As a child, he enjoyed entertaining others through singing, impressions and comedy. "I always liked kind of being a ham bone," Geloso said, laughing. Music also was a family tradition. He was named after his grandfather, a talented jazz guitarist in Brooklyn who spent most of his life working in a print shop rather than pursuing music professionally. "Man, he wanted to play professionally so bad, and wanted someone in his family to learn, but my mother and my uncle never wanted to learn music; I feel like it skipped a generation," Geloso said. "It came down to me." He eventually picked up an electric guitar as a teenager, "chunking away and playing power chords," but said his earliest musical foundation came through choir and theater. The band's appearance in Decorah happened largely by chance. Geloso said a planned performance in Minneapolis fell through. A friend connected to South Bear School's Midsummer's Eve celebration suggested the festival as an alternative, resulting in what he described as a fortunate coincidence. "One thing fell through and then this just kind of popped up randomly," he said. The performance continues a period of growing recognition for the group, which recently appeared on NPR's Tiny Desk series. Even with the increased exposure, Geloso said commercial success has never been the band's primary goal. "It was incredible to do NPR and just get that exposure," he said. "But none of us are after fame and the riches."Instead, he said the group measures success by its ability to inspire people through music. "I think it's connecting with people and making sure that music keeps inspiring the generations to come," he said.That philosophy also shapes the band's approach to recording. Sally Baby's Silver Dollars currently has an EP available through Bandcamp and only a limited presence on Spotify, a decision Geloso said reflects his personal reluctance to embrace the streaming platform due to unfair compensation. "I really resisted putting music on Spotify," he said, adding that the band ultimately uploaded only a few songs after repeated requests from listeners. Instead, the musicians are focusing on recording their first full-length album using vintage recording techniques. Geloso said the band hopes to work with engineers connected to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings while touring through Washington, D.C., later this year. He said the group is drawn to analog equipment, including reel-to-reel tape and vintage microphones, in search of the right recording environment. Beyond recording, Geloso said the band's broader mission is to honor the traditions that inspired them while contributing something of their own. "My aspiration through this is to continue the music, keep it alive, not just keep recreating the things that are already there, but to put our little touch on it," he said. He said encouragement from longtime New Orleans musicians and residents has reinforced that commitment. "They're like, 'Y'all are carrying this right,'" Geloso said. For Geloso, American roots music remains a living tradition rather than a museum piece. "So much of this music, especially American roots music, it's still a living art form," he said. "It's still evolving." That belief is one reason the band enjoys performing well beyond New Orleans. "I like coming to just random places," he said. "To me, that's the power of the music, when you can just bring it to the people." Ultimately, Geloso hopes audiences leave with more than memories of a performance. He believes music has the power to bring people together, help them discover their own voices and inspire future generations of musicians. "If we could continue to keep the fire lit and keep inspiring people," he said, "I feel like we've done our job." Your weekly dose of local life! Subscribe to the free newsletter and enjoy news, analysis, and stories you'll actually look forward to reading.