THE INSANE SUPER-RICH

Let me see if I have this straight, Ms. Ronstadt: Dump the televisions and computers in the alley, gather the family hearthside and warble the praises of Fidel Castro while shelling peas. Gracious me, have I been on the wrong track! Please, Ms. Ramsey, I get enough exposure elsewhere to the crackpot ideas of the insane super-rich.

-John Kinsock, Los Angeles, CA

Linda Ronstadt didn’t stick to music, so I offer my assessments of Ronstadt’s views on Fidel and Cuba. I am first wondering what planet she just arrived from. She says she has been to Cuba. Think maybe she didn’t notice that Havana hasn’t had a paint job in 40 years. Or that everyone rides a Chinese bike, drives a ratty Russian car, or maybe, a ’57 Chevy. She wouldn’t last two weeks living like an average Cuban. Sure, everyone can read and write and medical care is free, good cigars also. How much you wanna bet Ms. Ronstadt traveled first class to and from Cuba? Sounds a lot better than a 90 mile rafting trip. Or does she ignore that people risk their lives to escape Fidel’s “revolution”? Think about it, most people can’t even row a boat across Lake Pontchartrain, much less float out to sea on a overcrowded rickety raft. These people would swim the damn lake! As for U.S. policy, it sucks. So much is to blame on this country. Fidel has won, get over it and give in. Then we can flood the country with greenbacks (already allowed) and kill ’em with kindness. Give’m a full belly and a few boom boxes and Fidel and his stinkin’ revolution will become very insignificant. Am I clear? I tried not to hold back.

-Michael Altee, via email

PRESERVATIVES

Your story in this month’s issue [Oct. 99] of OffBeat, concerning Cyril Neville’s New Orleans Music Preservatory (p.12) erroneously identifies The Eighth Floor Music Foundation as the owner of The Preservatory. The Preservatory is the creation of Mr. Cyril Neville and is supervised and administered by him with the support of Tipitina’s and The Eighth Floor Studios. The Foundation would only become involved if there were an event or function that, on a case-by-case basis, would be designated as benefiting Xavier University’s Music Program. Perhaps a correction is in order.

-Roland Von Kurnatowski, New Orleans, LA

We wrote “This is the concept behind the Eighth Floor Foundation’s New Orleans Music & Culture Preservatory” We should have written, “This is the concept behind the New Orleans Music & Culture Preservatory which is supported by Eighth Floor Studios and Tipitina’s.”-Ed.

REALLY HAPPENING

Just a response to your article [Straight No Chaser, Oct. ’99]. The New Orleans music scene has exploded in the last few years. There are so many places for younger musicians to play as well as older established musicians. The clubs you wouldn’t have expected to hear jazz in are now realizing that this music has an audience: Dragon’s Den, Le Bon Ton, etc.

I have toured all over the world with Harry Connick, Jr. and the scene here in New Orleans is the best. The cats in the band are always trying to find a club in the cities we play in to go and jam. So I get to see what is really happening. New Orleans is happening for sure. Of course New York is also, but New Orleans has a better vibe.

-Craig Klein, via email

WORD UP!

Please consider a spoken word artist of the year on the ballot for this years “Best of the Beat.”

We have EASILY one of the strongest spoken word communities in the country! I can say this not just as someone from NOLA who wants to believe it, but as someone who is active in spoken word on a national level and can compare numbers.

On Season-two separate spoken word communities draw a hundred or more on a weekly basis for straight open reading. That is unheard of in any city other than New York City, Chicago, and occasionally Boston. Moreover, we have six different feature series at six difference venues. There is a poetry event every night of the week and more than one on many nights.

NOLA readers should be given the opportunity to pay tribute to the often over looked genre and its important artists.

-Chris Chandler, New Orleans, LA

UNDERWEAR AND SUPER GLUE

This is Benji from King Thunder, and I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to review our debut CD Lambert’s Folly. It was nice to see so many nice things being said about us in one of my favorite music magazines, not to mention the color reproduction of the cover we’re so proud of (underwear, jellybeans and Super Glue.) We’re genuinely trying to do something new and different here, which makes your support all the more important.

Thanks to your review, our CD now has a listening station at Tower Records. Look for a live performance of the music at the Maple Leaf in early November.

-Benji, Laundry Productions, New Orleans, LA

LATER ALLIGATOR

If my friend Bobby Charles (Robert Guidry) read your review of Rod Bernard’s A Louisiana Tradition in your September issue, he would be amazed that you called “See You Later Alligator” a Bill Haley song.

-Terry Perrin, via email

Bobby Charles wrote the song, of course, but we would wager that virtually every music fan in the universe is familiar with Bill Haley’s chart-topping version. -Ed.

HEAVEN ON EARTH

I gotta tell you from a California perspective, New Orleans jazz clubs are heaven on earth. The Funky Butt, Vaughan’s on a Thursday night, Joe’s Cozy Corner, Donna’s and all the ones I’ve missed. All the wonderful bands. Chicago has nothing that compares and in Los Angeles we have 5th Street Dicks, the World Stage, Catalina’s and the Jazz Bakery and this town ends there. All of these places present wonderful musicians nightly.

Any of your wonderful bands can visit here anytime. The only we get brass bands is via the Internet on Saturday afternoon. Thank you WWOZ and the “Brass Band Jam.” Gotta love that classic American music wherever you can find it.

And I hope I find my way back to NOLA soon.

Love and Peace.

-Thomas Houghton, via email

SLY AND ROBBIE OF NEW ORLEANS?

Perhaps you can help me with something About a year and a half ago, I saw local talent Lenny McDaniel (who won your best song of the year award last year for “Tired Angels”) at the Bon Temps and I was very impressed with his drummer and bass player. These guys rocked! Then, a couple of months later, I went to a Gary Hirstius and Day 7 show (at the Howlin’ Wolf) and guess what? Same drummer and bass player. Then, I went to catch a show at Levon Helm’s club on Decatur Street, which was Brint Anderson opening for Levon himself, and lo, the same drummer and bass player played with Brint and also with Levon. Then I recently went out to the lakefront, to Amberjack’s, to catch their comedy night on a Wednesday. On the bill was local guitar great Cranston Clements (in his alter ego as Inort & the Nationals) and, big surprise, the same drummer and bass player, sounding fantastic as ever. Then, I went to the new Warehouse on Earhart to see a new hard rock band One on 9/28 opening for Indigenous (incidentally Indigenous never did make it to the stage) and you guessed it same drummer and bass player! My question is this WHO ARE THESE GUYS? Are they the Sly and Robbie of New Orleans? They seem to be playing with everybody who is anybody in the local music scene. I love your magazine very much, I totally rely on it for my information of who’s playing at any given moment around town, but I have one criticism: You seem to keep covering the same musicians over and over and players such as this kick-ass drum and bass duo, whoever they are, remain a mystery. I sure would like some info on who they are so I can make it a point to plan my musical outings to include making sure I see them somewhere. Apparently, it shouldn’t be too hard as they seem to be playing with just about every band in town! Thanks for your help and again, I love OffBeat, keep up the good work.

-Victoria Robicheaux, Metairie, LA

The outstanding duo is bassist Jimmy Messa and drummer Mike Barras. Brint Anderson, who solved this mystery for us, concurs: “They are the Sly and Robbie of New Orleans”-Ed.