OFFBEAT MATTERS
One of the most special moments of my earliest trips to New Orleans (they began in late ’70s) was seeing an advertisement for the Neville Brothers, and going to the show, though I was not quite sure what I was in for. Nothing was the same after I entered the room, and being a novice, but a record nut, I was impressed when a fellow patron informed me that the reaction would be “like for the Beatles” when Aaron would do “Tell It Like It Is”!
Your “Why They Matter” article and perspective were great, and every chord of it rang true.
I was not down there for Jazz Fest, but I did just get back from the Ponderosa Stomp. Part of it is, the 8 fests I attended were the smaller versions, and now I feel the city needs me more at other times.
As I watched the Katrina horrors, and overhead stupid comments, all I could think of was no matter which part of New Orleans I wandered into—I explored everywhere-there was always someone with a friendly word and a warm and natural smile. After each recent trip I up the volume on my “cheerleader” mode. Those fighting for the city must win and we must help them do so.
For me, Dr. Ike, did two marvelous nights at House of Blues, and I guess I’m still a music snob. I was appalled on exiting Herbsaint to have a well meaning, veteran NOLA-loving visitor suggest my friends “not miss Stevie Wonder” as if that were a tip. All I could think was, “Aren’t Marva Wright, the Chenier tribute and Ann Savoy playing at that time?”
—Crescenzo Capece, Brooklyn, NY
STALE AND BORING
I just got back from the first weekend of Jazz Fest and I must say I will never attend another. I do not travel to New Orleans to see the likes of Billy Joel, Tim McGraw or Sheryl Crow. I’m 49 years old and I find the Fest has gotten stale and boring. It’s seems to be all about money now, and there is very little music for younger people to enjoy. It is geared toward middle-aged people who have fat wallets. The festival has corporate sponsors, but has still jacked up the price to get in. I have been to the Fair Grounds over 60 times since I used to live a few blocks away, so I do have something to compare this year to. What happened to highlighting a different country each year? Where is the jazz? Next weekend they have great locals like Kermit Ruffins, Galactic and Ivan Neville playing an hour set and Widespread Panic given 2 1/2 hours! What’s wrong with this picture? How about having fewer lame middle of the road superstars and lowering the ridiculous entry price? Most of my friends that live in the city have stopped attending the fest years ago for these reasons: high prices and the weak talent! Instead they go to Austin, a city that holds a much more interesting and diverse music festival. It’s a real shame what this once great festival has come to.
—James Temple, New York, NY
TAKING MUSIC FOR GRANTED
I completely agree with you in your article “Privilege and Pleasure,” and I want to put in my two cents worth.
I used to live in New Orleans, and it has also struck me as ironic and totally unfair that the residents of the Quarter don’t want music in the Quarter.
In your article, you say, “While we take so much pleasure in what musicians and artists do, we really don’t seem to value what they contribute to our lives and standard of living.” When I read that sentence I wanted to stand up and cheer for the sheer truth of it. Here’s what I noticed from living in New Orleans and having two shows on WWOZ—even though they listen, even though they enjoy New Orleans and southern Louisiana’s music, the people there take it for granted. Well, the storm proved that the music is not always going to be there. And yet, even post-K, people in New Orleans still take the indigenous music for granted. It’s a damn shame.
—Raymond Kent, Springfield, MO
PROMPT DELIVERY
Thank you so much for your prompt delivery of the Jazz Fest Bible this year. We (your subscribers) were very happy to have it arrive before we all left for this year’s fest. What a treat!
Again thanks for all you do, especially the early delivery!
—Bartley Gaston, Wetumpka, AL
I subscribe to OffBeat Magazine, both the hard copy and online. It seems that I never receive the Jazz Fest Bible in my mailbox until after Jazz Fest. Yeah, I know I can get all the freebie copies at Jazz Fest, but I’d like the chance to do a little research on the performers ahead of time. What’s the scoop on this?
—Becky Ainsworth, Ocean Springs, MS
We mail our magazines First Class; unfortunately, the Post Office, sometimes does not move them at the First Class speed we paid for. Additionally OffBeat is published as close to the first day of Jazz Fest as possible to allow us to acquire music listings. Because our new printer also handles our subscriber mailings we were able to cut two days from the process, allowing many subscribers to receive the Jazz Fest Bible before the start of Jazz Fest.—Ed.
MISSED THE BOAT
Alex Rawls was right on the money about Henry Butler’s new, live recording. PiaNOLA Live is such a warm, open-hearted treat with an undercurrent of pain and blues transcendence that it’s like a trip to New Orleans in your head (and your heart, if you know what it means to miss New Orleans.) Sadly, Rawls missed the boat on Irvin Mayfield and Ellis Marsalis’ Love Songs, Ballads and Standards in his review in the same April issue. I don’t think any jazz musicians have done a better job with the standard repertoire since Coltrane’s mid-’60s classics, Standards and John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. Ellis is such an understated genius, and his rhythmic and harmonic sense so nuanced and subtle, that is unfair of Rawls to characterize his playing as “never more than pretty” and “Music for Lovers vibe.” That is just stupid. All Rawls seems to hear is “restraint.” With Mayfield’s burnished tone and playful abstractions leading the way, the record offers sublime, richly romantic, and sexy readings of a brilliantly expanded standard repertoire. including a beautifully reshaped “My One and Only Love,” which is also the centerpiece to the aforementioned Coltrane LPs. Mayfield, Marsalis and company (including tasty contributions from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra on a couple of tracks) weave this eclectic repertoire into whole cloth with intuitive grace and Zen-like note placement. Sometimes less really is more. I hope your readers will overlook Rawls’ review and give this one a careful listen.
—Joseph Blake Victoria, BC, Canada
HONEST AND TRUE
I just want to thank you for keeping your reviews and articles honest and true. I’d imagine that there is pressure to put a fine gloss on everything, but then the readers couldn’t trust what we are reading. I’m excited every month when I open my mailbox here in San Francisco and am transported for a few hours.
—Larry Weinberg, San Francisco, CA
