HURRAH FOR JAZZ FEST
I would imagine that the powers that be must be quite pleased with the Fest this year. I can almost envision them in a room full of money throwing it up in the air, giddier than a child on Christmas morning. I read in the Times Picayune that 2007 was the biggest crowd since 2003, which should make it the biggest crowd in the history of the Fest because it was a six-day event as compared to seven in 2003. But we all know about those pesky statistics.
According to the spin, this year an average of 62,500 folks passed legally through the gate of the Fair Grounds. With every organization and their mothers buying of space for hospitality tents, people are squished into tighter spaces. Plus the chair people were being pushed back so that the squeaky wheel people could have the ability to stare at the pores of the performers.
The second Saturday was a perfect example of why it seemed so crowded. If you didn’t want to be part of the average 62,500 people at John Mayer or the 62,500 at the Allmans or the 62,500 at the John Legend shows, that leaves your options somewhat limited. To the Lagniappe Stage? Too esoteric. Economy Hall? Too geriatric. Gospel? Could get struck down or find religion. Jazz Tent? What dat? Jazz and Heritage Stage? Brass bands all sound alike. What’s left? That damn chair tent—the Blues Tent—with another 62,500, but no chair free zone. Hurrah for Jazz Fest let it live for another 62,500 years!
—Walt Miles, East Lansdowne, PA
To set the record straight, festival organizers corrected themselves. This year’s attendance was the biggest turnout since 2005, when attendance topped 400,000. That year did, however, include a Thursday.—Ed.
LEARNING ABOUT ZYDECO
I’ve just read John Swenson’s article “Every Accordion a King” from your May 2007 edition and I was really impressed. I now feel like I know zydeco.
I’m a fan of all New Orleans music but never really knew where zydeco came from. That guy Swenson taught me good.
—Peter Franke, Long Beach, NY
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
With an increasing mix of mounting excitement and trepidation, Ed and I came to our first Jazz Fest in seven years and our first post-Katrina trip.
We were shocked and horrified at the continuing extent of devastation. But we also partied and had a great time—not hard is it? We met wonderful people all through the trip, both visitors and locals. The music, food and ambience were, of course, second to none and defy explanation to those who’ve never been to the city. So many amazing memories; Dr. John was on fire at Tip’s.
During the “Blue Monday” trip home, we had hangover blues. When I got home and was surrounded by the hill of CDs, books, gifts, and memorabilia thinking about it all, I guess a gumbo of memories, it hit me. I sobbed and cried for the quiet, classy dignity of the city and its people—the lost families, friends, houses, jobs, careers, neighborhoods, possessions and the resolve to recover and keep celebrating the city and unique culture. Everyone thanked us for coming and supporting the city and its recovery.
Well, New Orleans, the world should thank you for the place you were/are and hopefully will be again. Thank you for being you despite all the other difficulties, conflicts, strife, and tensions that manifestly abound. You are still the wonderful, unique, priceless New Orleans. We out here in the mundane rest of the world love you unconditionally and appreciate you, warts ’n’ all.
There, I feel better now. Where did I put that Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together DVD?
—Charlie Stamp, Sheffield, United Kingdom
SOUND IMPROVEMENT
I love Jazz Fest. The festival gets better every year and I brag about it to my friends living elsewhere. But there is one problem I see with the festival. Year after year, the sound mixing for many of the shows is below average. Some of the shows I saw this year were so poorly mixed that all I could hear at times is drums and bass. I have noticed this problem since I started attending Jazz Fest 12 years ago and thought the problem would take care of itself as the festival matured. But the problem hasn’t gone away. To maintain its status as one of the premier music festivals in the world, the festival needs to do something about the mix!
—Jason Specht, New Orleans, LA
WITHOUT A HITCH?
I note that your June issue, which reviewed this year’s Jazz Fest, included the fact that Eddie Bo’s set at the Gentilly Stage started an hour late. I was there for the entire delay and I would like to point out that neither the stage manager or anyone delegated by him bothered to take the time to apologize to those of us waiting for Bo to start. Not one word.
During this time, it occurred to me that if this show were at the Angola Prison, surely someone would have the sense to apologize to the prisoners waiting for it to start. Maybe someone would have even told them why there was a delay, and more importantly, how long the delay would be. Not that they could go elsewhere.
At Jazz Fest, no one saw fit to tell the PAYING customers anything. Even though they paid a decent price to get in to the festival—and of course had OTHER choices to pursue. But some of us wanted to show our respect to Mr. Bo. We waited it out, not knowing if he’d start in two minutes or as it turned out, 55 minutes, after the scheduled start.
This is typical of the way Jazz Fest operates these days. The festival higher-ups are much too elitist to care much about its paying customers. It needs to cater to the Rod Stewart’s and Jerry Lee Lewis’s. And since the Heritage board members have decided that they will be on the board FOR LIFE—you can’t expect much from them. Why should they care about you or me?
A final note: The headline on page one of the next-day’s Times-Picayune: Jazz Fest Begins Without A Hitch. Well, it was only the first act on the second largest stage, and the delay was only an hour! Guess that’s not a hitch.
—Dusk Lipton, New Orleans, LA
BRASS PASS AND OFFBEAT
I purchased a Brass Pass in 2007. Do I have to pay for an OffBeat subscription?
—Adrian Blotner, Memphis TN
The Jazz and Heritage Foundation, which owns radio station WWOZ, is a non-profit organization. The sale of a Brass Pass, which allows entry to the Jazz and Heritage Festival, is a financial fundraiser by the Jazz and Heritage Foundation for WWOZ. Although the Jazz and Heritage Foundation, its radio station WWOZ, and OffBeat Magazine all promote and support Louisiana music, OffBeat has no affiliation with the Jazz and Heritage Foundation. OffBeat is financially funded primarily by the advertisers you see in OffBeat Magazine, OffBeat’s Weekly Beat email newsletter, the Louisiana Music Directory and on its website www.offbeat.com. Purchasing an OffBeat subscription helps us to sell advertisements, whose dollars help bring you the magazine by offsetting the costs of printing and postage. A domestic renewal represents about half of the actual costs; the remaining half is financed by our advertisers. Please patronize them, and tell them you saw it in OffBeat!—ED
