May 8, 2026
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The New Orleans Public Library and Junior League of New Orleans partner to provide monthly period supply kits for free.
Crescent City Sounds Spotlight: Ado Soul & The Tribe
Adolph Davis grew up in Charenton, Louisiana, singing gospel at church with his family. His father was a pastor, his brother played the drums, and Davis and his sister sang together.
“I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I started in the church when I was 3 or 4 years old.” he said.
As a teen, Davis started to write his own music. By the time he started attending Xavier University, he knew it was what he wanted to do with his life.
“I saw it as a way to express myself. It feels good to sing. It feels good to release this energy,” Davis said. “Music is powerful, so I definitely try to use it for good, and to positively affect the people around me.”
While studying music at Xavier, Davis met Gregg Molinario and Alijah Jett, and together the three started what would later become Ado Soul and the Tribe. Their 2024 album “Taste of the Tribe,” is featured on Crescent City Sounds, the New Orleans Public Library’s locally focused music streaming platform.
Featuring David McKissick on keys and Kalif Brown on drums, Davis described the album as “prayers, triumphs, and testimonies wrapped in a soulful groove.”
“It’s a blend of sounds. We incorporate a lot of funk, a lot of blues, and a whole lot of soul,” Davis said. “I think this album really reflects its name. It’s a taste of what we do, who we are. We take a lot of pride in our live performances. This album was recorded live, so I like to think of it as a little sample of what a live show is like.”
During a live Ado Soul show, audiences can expect to see them “jumping around, laughing, smiling together, and just hyping each other up in the best way possible.”
“We try to connect with the audience and the listeners as much as we possibly can,” he said. “We have a live show unlike anything else, because we’re all friends, we’re all family.”
For inspiration, Davis draws on Frankie Beverly, Stevie Wonder, and James Brown, among others.
“But my main inspiration is always going to be my family,” Davis said, pointing to his wife and band manager, Antoinette, and their six children: Symphony, Harmony, Melody, Sonata, Aria, and Adolph Jr.
The family homeschools all their kids, and with two more on the way, Davis said the Library is a vital resource. The family regularly visits Norman Mayer Library, using the space as a welcome change of scenery and productive educational space.
“Public libraries are a crucial part of the community, period, and my family spends a lot of time at the Library together,” Davis said. “Being able to utilize their tools and resources makes everything much simpler for us. Just being able to get them out of the house and go somewhere we know we’re welcome – it’s a beautiful thing.”
For Davis, having this close connection to the Library makes Ado Soul & The Tribes’ presence on Crescent City Sounds even sweeter.
“Antoinette discovered the platform and submitted the album to Crescent City Sound. When I found out we’d been picked, I was ecstatic,” Davis said.
“It really means the world to us. We are a Library family, through and through. So, to be chosen by the Library as musicians that represent New Orleans, that means something to us. We poured everything into this album. We put so much work into it, and being chosen is a recognition of that effort, and a recognition of who we are as artists. It’s an honor.”
The Library is so important to Ado Soul & The Tribe that they wanted to film their Tiny Desk submission there.
“The timing didn’t work out this year, but we’d still love to make that happen in the future,” Davis said.
Ado and the Soul are currently working on their next album, which Davis expects to be out sometime this summer. The band is performing at French Quarter Fest on April 18. For details and updates, visit adosoulmusic.com or follow them on social media at adosoulmusic.
May 4, 2026
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Since 1957, the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library have been standing up for the Library’s mission through sponsorship, fundraising, and advocacy work.
May 1, 2026
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May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and to celebrate, we’re taking a look through our City Archives & Special Collections to honor the history and heritage of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the New Orleans area.