We’ve got another big battle of New Orleans to win, one that, if lost, could change the complexion of the city’s culture and musical heritage forever.
Councilman Troy Carter and Eighth District Police Supervisor E.M. Demma have now joined forces with the powerful Catholic Church and opponents of music in the French Quarter to try and stop all performances, music and otherwise, in Jackson Square. “Friends of the Cathedral” claim that the noise emanating from the square impinges on their constitutional rights to worship as they please. Signs have been placed in the French Quarter saying “Church Quiet Zone,” which prohibit performances and music of all kinds.
The problem is, some musicians are not aware when services are held – the signs that used to tell us when services were being held have now been replaced by the ‘Quiet Zone’ signs,” says Scott Kirby, the world-renowned ragtime piano player, who’s played in Jackson Square for about ten years now as a street musician. “Virtually all of the local musicians respect the church services; but there are some performers. some of the jugglers, who don’t care, and they ruin it for the people in the cathedral and the legitimate musicians by making too much noise. “It’s ironic that the day the signs were put up, an MTV special was shooting in the Square (we presume with a city-granted permit); when police were called about the noise, they didn’t approach the MTV folks – they approached local musicians in the Square, including Scott Kirby, to move on.
Jackson Square has always been a place for music. The Square belongs to the entire city, not just the residents around the Square and the Catholic Church. There’s a vast difference between Scott Kirby playing his piano and Davis and Roselyn entertaining people who stroll through the Square and MTV’s blaring dance music. So who gets busted? The street musician. Why? Shouldn’t MTV be regulated too? Why are they allowed to get a permit for such activity? (oh, yeah, lots of green!)
We’re still of the opinion that common sense needs to rule here. The musicians should have the right to perform and be respectful of church services and residents; the residents should understand that they chose to live on Jackson Square and should be tolerant of normal musical activity in the Square. The Catholic Church should stay out of it. We say re-post the signs advertising services and take down the ludicrous signs banning musical “noise.” It makes the city officials look like idiots for allowing such “cultural cleansing.” The police should use discretion and common sense in keeping down the noise. If there’s a street performer who’s making too much noise, all the street performers should self-police. If there’s still a problem, they should go to the NOPD to remove the person from the street. But in all matters, the city should support the cultural heritage of street music in Jackson Square. It’s our culhm, you’re screwing with, guys.
As most locals know, OffBeat won its battle with the City of New Orleans to distribute magazines outside the Fair Grounds during Jazz Fest. Judge Ethel Simms Julien concurred that OffBeat was an example of free speech and did not come under the category of “commercial literature” in the city ordinance which prohibited our distribution on the street during Jazz Fest. The representative of the city attorney’s office, Evelyn Pugh, argued that for 11 months a year, OffBeat qualified as a regular magazine, but during Jazz Fest OffBeat was transformed into commercial literature because it was geared primarily to attendees of the Jazz Fest. She also argued that OffBeat qualified as a commercial literature because it contained advertising geared towards the Jazz Festers (we didn’t find that particularly strange and didn’t think that qualified OffBeat as an “advertising brochure,” and apparently neither did Judge Simms Julien).
We’re grateful for knowing that the first amendment is indeed sacrosanct in New Orleans, but it bothers us that this ruling seemingly puts OffBeat at odds with the Jazz Fest.
Let us be clear on this point: we encourage and have always encouraged OffBeat readers to purchase the Jazz Fest program. It’s the “official” documentation of that year’s Fest and makes a great souvenir of the event.
In fact, we have offered to work with Festival Productions on ways to sell and market the official Jazz Fest program more efficiently. We feel that cooperation between OffBeat and the Jazz Fest is crucial, as we both promote the city’s music and culture. But the Jazz Fest does it for ten days a year; OffBeat does it twelve months a year. Why can’t we find a way to combine our efforts so that both parties benefit and work together? It seems like a no-brainer to us. Any ideas or. comments from our readers? Email to [email protected].
You may notice that there are a few less club advertisers this month in Off Beat. Levon Helm’s Classic American Cafe closed its doors in mid-May after less than six months’ operation. Banu Gibson, co-owner of the dub, along with general manager Carmen Marotta and others tell OffBeat that “several offers are on the table” to purchase the club. Southport Hall in Jefferson canceled its ambitious second weekend of Jazz Fest shows, citing very poor showing during the first weekend.
Many local club owners told OffBeat that the first weekend of Jazz Fest 1999 was a big disappointment, with some clubs being down 40 percent from last year’s first Jazz Fest weekend. It could have been the weather, maybe it just was there were less people in town; but the second weekend seemed to make up for the first. The question is: has the increased competition from the additional clubs in town (Levon Helm’s, Southport, Tipitina’s French Quarter and other Tip’s venues, Storyville District) diluted the market for everyone?
Some clubs had two great weekends. “This was the first time we sold out all of our Jazz Fest shows,” said Mike Grozier, General Manager of the House of Blues. “It was a great Jazz Fest for us.” Jonathan Mayers of Superfly Productions confirmed that the first Jazz Fest weekend was not what they expected but “the second weekend killed.” Hank Staples of the Maple Leaf says the Leaf “had the biggest ReBirth nights ever,” but that “things that used to work don’t work quite as well anymore.” Changing markets and demographics?
Dr. Scott Fredrickson has been chosen as the first Conrad N. Hilton Eminent Scholar in Music Industry Studies at Loyola University. Dt. Fredrickson joins the Loyola faculty from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, where he currently directs a music industry curriculum within the music department. He holds numerous degrees in music, business administration and education, as well as being a composer, arranger, director and performer. He has produced many musical pieces and has published several articles and books. Dr. Fredrickson is currently the president of the Music & Entertainment Industry Educators Association. We’re looking forward to working with Dr. Fredrickson (a really cool guy, by the way) in improving the New Orleans music industry and look forward to his development of the Loyola Music Industry Studies Program.
