ERRONEOUS TIGERS
This is a brief note regarding Jerry Brock’s article [Notes On New Orleans Brass Bands] in the July [2001] issue on the brass bands. There is a bit of erroneous information that should be clarified.
In the article, Jerry brings to mention the Mexican brass band, El Tigre del Norte, which does not exist. I believe he meant a group named Los Tigres del Norte. If so, he is still off target.
Los Tigres del Norte—The Tigers of the North—are made up by six musicians who play the following instruments: accordions (2), guitar, bass, tenor sax (1) and drums. From Monterrey, Sinaloa, Mexico, they are both very popular and financially successful. They are representative of the Corrido music (protest music dating back to the times of the Mexican Revolution).
To be on target, Jerry was aiming for the brass bands whose music also originates in the state of Sinaloa. Two bands responsible for the newly generated interest towards Las Bandas Sinaloenses are Banda El Recodo and Banda Machos. These bands feature 12 to 16 musicians, and yes, definitely, they lay down some ass-jumping brass!
When possible, please run that by Jerry. He continues, as well as other staff members—the Slim, da Bunny, JT and now Geraldine—to be an inspiration to keep on diggin’.
And do accept my warm hello… during this period of loss for all… for “The Emperor” has parted… Love, Peace y Musica.
—Eduardo Young, New Orleans, LA
Thanks for your “diggin’”—yet another sharp-eyed reader (OffBeat columnist Jon Pult) has pointed out that it is unlikely that John Philip Sousa marches were played at the 1864 inauguration of Governor Hahn considering that Sousa was born in 1854 and didn’t publish his first composition, “Moonlight on the Potomac Waltzes,” until 1872. We regret the errors.—Ed.
ELECTRIC POSSIBILITIES
Corrine Cervenka’s passionate letter seems to reflect the opinions of many committed but worried Jazz Fest regulars that I have spoken with over the last five years or so. And while I have my own programming issues with the festival (who wouldn’t? music is extremely subjective. Get over it!), it should be pointed out that some of the artists she mentions have played the Fest. Oumou Sangaré, Steve Turre, Geri Allen, World Saxophone Quartet, Ray Anderson… sometimes they slip by with little fanfare.
The festival is a huge organic entity that continues to grow in a typically New Orleanian way. Politics here is nearly as well known as the music itself. Every year I start out by thinking of it more and more as mainly a social event and then I inevitably am amazed at the artistic highs. Can you say Dona Selma? Othar Turner? Black Lodge?
For those who miss the days when adventurous programmers brought us Johnny Vidacovich solo followed by James Black solo followed by Mingus on piano (!!), the fates have delivered the Zeitgeist festival. In a ten day tour-de-force René Broussard and friends presented one knockout program after another. To me it recalled Jeanne Nathan’s CAC Dew Drop gigs where we witnessed such things as Kidd Jordan, Alvin Battiste, Earl Turbinton, and Clyde Kerr together. At Zeitgeist the air was similarly electric with possibilities. Annoying boundaries were skirted nightly, and kindred spirits gathered for a feast at the edge of sanity. There is plenty more to come.
When I first played the fest in ’77 I thought it had to be the entertainment and arts bargain of the world. Nowadays the size of the crowd precludes that designation, but there is a good reason for the huge crowd. The Jazz Fest delivers and word gets around.
As a performer I find it immensely gratifying to live in a community that rewards tradition AND innovation. Snug Harbor and Funky Butt have developed solid international reputations. Zeitgeist, Mermaid, Anxious Sound, Dragon’s den, and Superfly are hot on the trail. Is it just me or is it getting hotter in here?
—James Singleton, New Orleans, LA
SPELLBOUND AND BEGGING
Just a brief note to thank you for the review article entitled Jazz Fest 2001 Redux in your June issue of OffBeat. The numerous reviews rekindled fond memories of a truly magical Jazz Fest year considering theme, talent, and weather. On the other hand, woefully missing was a review of one of the most inspiring and crowd-pleasing performances of the entire week. On the second Sunday, John Mooney & Bluesiana performed an energetic and uplifting set leaving the truly thankful crowd spellbound and begging for more. A quick review of their performance that day will surely send chills up the back to those of us fortunate enough to have witnessed the band that day! Great work John!
—Bill Harris, Luling, LA
NUMBER 32
How goes it? Well, number 32 is in the books, records, et al. By the way, where is the Fest Book? The unequivocal star of JF32 had to be the weather. As great as the weather was it was overshadowed by the death of Boozoo Chavis. Seems that every year we loose another legend/artist that has made the Fest the world famous event it is today. New artists will replace them at the Fair Grounds but the Boozoo’s, Adams’, Myles’ etc., etc. will never be “replaced.”
The Fest this year definitely wasn’t the best ever (unless you were a rookie) or the worst (unless 600,000 people bother you). The Fest seems to have hit a sort of middle ground, it’s basically the same every year, and you make of it what you want. Good, bad, indifferent.
One disturbing trend is the number of acts shrinks as the crowds balloon to record numbers. Friday, May 4, four acts played the Acura Stage. The first two acts played from 12 noon ’til 2 p.m. The next two played from 2:30 p.m. ’til 7 p.m. One would hope and pray that the “small acts” that really make it a “festival” aren’t being sacrificed so that more self-absorbed “superstars” like Van Morrison and Lucinda Williams can show up late. Their performance is such a chore routine.
Just as the Fest is losing its pioneering artists, our Krewe lost a dear friend and ten-year Fest veteran Eddie Stewart.
It would be nice if the posters didn’t go on sale on line until the Fest starts. At least give the folks who are actually there a chance to buy one. Quite disheartening to be told on the second day—sold out! I see you finally got around to calling yourselves “The Jazz Fest Bible,” a phrase I first used after attending my first Jazz Fest in ’91. I wrote a letter calling your magazine the “Bible of the Jazz Fest.” It still is!
—Walt Miles, East Lansdowne, PA
A MILLION THANKS
To all my friends, musicians, and music fans alike, a million thanks for attending the recovery party held on my behalf at the Palm Court on Wednesday, June 13th.
Just in case I did not get the opportunity to thank each and everyone of you, my heartfelt gratitude.
Special thanks to Nina Buck, her amazing chef and the bar and wait staff, I appreciate your time. Also thanks to The [Louisiana] Music Factory and WWOZ radio.
A very special thank you to all the great musicians who played the event, I enjoyed every note and could not begin to imagine how much money it would cost to put together the assembled talent. Thank you once again.
—Les Muscutt, New Orleans, LA
SCHATZY!
Hello and good a.m. I was in New Orleans back in April, could go on for the rest of my life about how much good enjoys I had. Saw Sonny Landreth at the Rock ‘n’ Bowl, got to chat with him a bit (nice humble guy) and also met Dr. John at the airport when we were heading home to Canada. Anyhow, one night we were strolling around and we heard this little trio playing in the front of Jimmy Buffett’s joint. I really didn’t want to go in here as I thought it was too set up, but the music from the outer room was really hitting me. There was a group , or cat name of Shattzy, or Shattzie and they were doing a tune with the refrain of “Be my, Be my honey, Be my honey bee”—something along those lines. I have since looked high, low and high again to find out if this was a traditional tune or maybe one of their own. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? Much appreciated and we were treated wonderfully by everyone we met. Also, I am dying for one of Johnny’s po-boys.
—Tony Sloggett, Canada, via email
Schatzy is a rock band fronted by Greg Schatz, best known as the bassist with Jeremy Lyons and the Deltabilly Boys. The band’s first album will be released in the very near future and it will include “Honey Bee,” the song in question. For further info, point your mouse in the direction of www.deltabilly.com.—Ed.
DISAPPOINTED WITH NIGHT TRAIN
I guess this would be directed to Michael Hurtt as he wrote the review [The Best of Drew-Blan (Night Train)]. The set sounds great but I wonder if you could tell me about the sound quality and the liner notes? I have been disappointed with past Night Train discs as the sound was clearly dubbed from old 45s or LPs and they had no liner notes. I’m guessing that the presence of unreleased material would mean that the disc was pressed from the original master tapes? Thanks for your time.
—Erik Haynes, via email
Although Night Train releases in the past have suffered from a lack of liner notes and stellar sound quality, the Drew-Blan collection was pressed from the original master tapes and contains good liner notes. Although some reissues leave something to be desired, at least the music is finally available. It would be welcomed if labels didn’t depend solely on the strength of the music, but made the effort to present the complete package with the utmost care and quality.—Ed.
TEASING YOU
As a Tommy Malone fan and someone who already has the CD I was interested in what the OffBeat review might say. Since there is no review in this edition, might you please consider removing the false “teaser” in your opening web site page that states there is a Tommy Malone review.
Love what you do, the content and the commitment to New Orleans/Louisiana music. It keeps me close when I am otherwise a six-hour drive away.
—Dave Taylor, Tallahassee, FL
Actually, the Tommy Malone review was in the May 2001 issue. Our web master goofed.—Ed.
PROMPT DELIVERY
I just wanted to thank you for mailing the Jazz Fest edition of OffBeat in time to plan my schedule for the festival. As a longtime volunteer for the Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival, I love to come to the New Orleans festival to look for ideas, talent to suggest, etc. Anyway, you guys have been great! You will be receiving my renewal shortly!
—Sherri Elliott, Kansas City, MO
Just wanted to say a quick thank you for both the prompt delivery of the Festival 2000 CD and the smooth startup of my subscription. We’ll be back in town the weekend of March 17 and Geraldine Wyckoff’s story really helped us with planning to see Super Sunday.
—Mike McAbee, Euless, TX
SOMETHING LIKE LOUISIANA LOVE
This CD [Something Like That: Louisiana Love (Independent)] was reviewed by Dean M. Shapiro in your May 2001 issue. Can Dean or someone tell me how to obtain this CD?
—Dale “Le Blanc” Johnson, Host of Bayou Country,
KVMR-FM Nevada City, CA
The CD Louisiana Love by the band Something Like That is available at the Louisiana Music Factory.—Ed.
CANADIAN-BORN
A quick note to let you know that I really enjoy your magazine, which is a great way to stay “connected” with what’s going on down there. It is also a source of motivation; I am a music writer based in Montreal who would love to go and live in New Orleans (I came back elated from my one and only trip to your city, and that was after spending 96 hours on the bus…), and seeing how many Canadian-born writers you have on your staff tells me that my dream could one day come true.
Anyway, I want to let you know that I am moving pretty soon, and give you my future address, so I can continue to receive my Louisiana news.
—Benoît Brière, Longueuil, Canada
THE NAME GAME
Just a short note about that “curious” Maryland Jazz Band of Germany.
You asked, if there is a Baltimore in Bavaria. Bavaria is a part of Germany, but not, as many Americans seem to believe, Germany. Our band is based in Cologne, and the name of that band has its story: When the band was founded in 1959, some of the founding members came from a church brass band. So we were able to play as one of our first tunes “Maryland, My Maryland”—which is, as you probably know, the German Christmas carol “ O Tannenbaum”. When it was time to find a name, we called the band “Maryland Jazz Band” after our first “jazz” song. Now, after 42 years, the band is that well known that we even received an invitation to the Jazz Fest, that there is no reason to change the name, which, I admit, has nothing to do with “New Orleans.” For us it is and was more important, that the audience at the Economy Hall Tent liked our music. And we love the music of your city—and the information we can get by OffBeat!
Keep swinging.
—Gerhard “Doggy” Hund,
Leader of the MJ of Cologne (Germany)
JOANIE’S PONY
I enjoyed your [Bunny Matthews] “Quarter Notes” article in the April [OffBeat] edition. I have some FYI for you about the golden statue of Joanie on her Pony. You said you looked—closely—in vain for the name of the sculptor among all the testimonials politicians had given to themselves. That’s the problem, you looked too closely. I noticed the other day that along the gilded base of the statue, facing Decatur, there are letters carved into the side of the base. I assume these give the name of the artist, but I couldn’t tell you what it is. I was standing across Decatur on the far sidewalk, and from there you can see the lettering but it’s too far to make it out without binoculars. Cross the street and get close enough to read them, and they are totally blocked by the edge of the concrete pedestal the statue’s mounted on. Can’t even tell they’re there. Typical, no?
—Steve Teeter, Jazz Curator, Louisiana State Museum
Typical, yes!—Ed.
REMINDERS
Although you have many subscribers, I never did get the opportunity to thank you for your kind wishes last year of wishing me success after having a heart attack. The good news is I’m feeling wonderful and got to spend a couple of weeks in my favorite city in December. I’m writing because have a question.
When my OffBeat didn’t come this month, I sent an email last week to find out why. After not getting any response I called today and found out from a very helpful Mr. Blagg that my subscription ran out in February although I did get a March edition.
Here’s my question. In the past, didn’t you put a reminder in OffBeat when a person’s subscription was running out? I’m pretty sure I have seen it in the past and that’s how I always remembered not to miss a copy. I just wanted to say that it would be very helpful in making sure one doesn’t get behind in your great magazine. I suppose it’s really up to us, the subscriber; but that little reminder is great for both of us. Anyway I’m calling Christopher tomorrow and immediately signing up again; but I just thought I would ask.
As always thank you for just a great product Ms. Ramsey. My wife and I love the Crescent City so much and you always make us feel like we’re there when we can’t be. You and your staff deserve every award you get. Now that you’re over on Frenchmen, I’ll have to drop by, as we always stay nearby at Le Richelieu.
—John Donabie,
CFRB News-Talk Radio, Toronto
Your reminder must have slipped through the hands of our otherwise helpful and hard-working Mr. Blagg, (he’s a great writer too!). OffBeat starts reminding its subscribers two months prior to their last issue. Another reminder is sent with the last issue, along with a self-addressed postage paid envelope.—Ed.
