POPPING CHERRIES

The pen is mightier than the sword; therefore it is frightening to see such a potent instrument in the wrong hands. Case in point: Bunny Matthews’ review (OffBeat, October 1999) of the Continental Drifters’ CD Vermilion.

His snide, rambling diatribe comes at the expense of a group of individuals who have been not simply tolerated but wholly embraced by the musical community of this city, as evidenced by the SRO crowd that converged on the Howlin’ Wolf for their recent CD release party.

Noteworthy on this occasion was the appearance of at least twenty prominent local musicians who to show their love of and appreciation for the members of the band, had eagerly accepted the Drifters’ invitation to choose songs from the new CD and perform them that night. Certainly this is a reflection of the fact that the positive presence of the group has not gone unnoticed. (We met Susan Cowsill and Peter Holsapple after they volunteered to perform at a benefit on our behalf during a medical crisis.)

Matthews’ petulant resentment of these intruders who “like ten kazillion other creative individuals…decided to migrate to New Orleans because it’s funky and because we didn’t have enough creative people in residence already” (enough “already’s already) is insulting to a city which is renowned for its cultural cross-currents. He states “you would never imagine that this band came from the same vicinity as the Neville Brothers.” Mercifully, the Continental Drifters don’t sound like Neville Brothers clones. They sound like themselves! Exactly and exclusively! What’s wrong with that?

Matthews remarks that “this sounds like two totally different bands–one with female singer(s) and one with, presumably, Peter Holsapple singing.” (Holsapple has long been suspected of being a male.) Matthews must have really been confused by Fleetwood Mac, Little Queenie and the Percolators (also featuring John Magnie), or heaven forbid, the Mamas and the Papas! Matthews’ impenetrable “virginal” ears couldn’t let in that this CD is a consummate example of what collaborative effort in a band can be.

It’s hard to fathom that a professional music reviewer (i.e. one who actually listens to the music) could have blithely skipped over track three (“Way Of The World”), a brain-jolting masterpiece of contemporary rock. Music of this caliber is not the end product of some whimsical attempt to be “funky”; it is the result of a sense of purpose and dedication that should be welcome anywhere. Maybe this song prompted Matthews’ distasteful closing comment, “I’m like a virgin but I feel my cherry popping!”

Matthews would do well to use protection next time he exposes himself to such potent creative juices.

–Jan and Cranston Clements, New Orleans, LA

Bunny Matthews responds: Like I said, the Drifters popped my cherry and now I’ve got some sort of musical infection. That’s gratitude for you!

I just wanted to thank you [Bunny Matthews] for reviewing One’s CD in the November OffBeat.

I’m sure you have an idea about how hard it is to keep re-inventing yourself in the music business–your support of locals–especially myself included–is greatly appreciated.

–Steve Staples, New Orleans, LA

BIG EASIER SAID THAN DONE

Hey Hey Bunny. We haven’t met, that I can remember, maybe back in the Percolators’ early days. I have always enjoyed your Vic & Nat’ly cartoons and look forward to reading your columns and reviews.

I read today with great amusement your (kind) review of Back to the Big Easy. First, I was against the subtitle “Music from New Orleans” and also not very enthusiastic about the cover photo. I guess I’d have to say the folks in El Lay, realized the success of the first CD and followed suit.

I’d be willin’ to say that there is a tremendous amount of music from New Orleans I could have considered for this compilation. I could have used “Goin’ to the Mardi Gras” or “Street Parade” by Professor Longhair and Earl King. Both recorded in Baton Rouge, I might add. Point here is I am very proud of the Music of Louisiana. Granted New Orleans, not only because it is the largest city in the state, is where most all American Music originated. It does not mean music from other areas of the state doesn’t originate in New Orleans. Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Lafayette, Crowley, Ville Platte and Baton Rouge have track records in music equal in proportion to New Orleans. I didn’t mean to mislead anyone about the music on the CD. It’s all Louisiana Music to me, New Orleans is the center! Standing alone it will be alone. Do you like the Duke Bardwell CD at all? Thanks for the coverage.

–Johnny R. Palazzotto, Baton Rouge, LA

“Go The The Mardi Gras” by Professor Longhair was recorded in New Orleans at Cosimo’s Studio in 1959. “Street Parade” by Earl King was recorded in New Orleans at Jazz City Studios in 1970. –Ed.

THE FRAGRANT AND THE PUNGENT

After three eventful years, my wife and I are about to depart the Crescent City. When we arrived, I expected to find a vibrant musical culture that would spark my creativity; what I found was much more. I found life in all its various guises, from the wonderful to the horrible to the absurd. I lived the better part of a decade in the past three years, and am thankful for it. However, it’s now time to leave and rediscover the part of me that was left in the mountains of the east coast. Before leaving, I wanted to give thanks for my time here.

Along with six car accidents, the deaths of friends and the near poverty that seems to be an integral part of the New Orleans experience, I have had the opportunity to perform with some of the most talented musicians to have lived. Among them is Tricia Boutte (a.k.a. Sista Teedy), who I’ve worked with in Cool Riddims, Sista Teedy’s Afro-Caribbean Brass Party and an un-named jazz aggregation that entertained the citizens of Nantes, France. An immensely talented singer, she is also a courageous individual who is deserving of much wider recognition. I think it’s a grave injustice of the press that OffBeat has yet to do a feature story on Teedy (not to mention Cool Riddims), especially since she just won the Big Easy Award for Best Female Vocalist (over the exceptional Irma Thomas, who she was runner-up to in the Best of the Beat Awards). Moreover, Cool Riddims & Sista Teedy have consistently won the Best of the Beat Award for Best Reggae/World Beat Band (not to mention the band’s Big Easy win this year).

I don’t want these comments taken the wrong way, however, because I would like to include OffBeat in my thanks. Even though I don’t necessarily agree with all editorial decisions, I appreciate that the magazine supports New Orleans’ greatest natural resource, its music (its second greatest being its food), and for this all I have is praise. While I’m on the subject of supporting New Orleans’ musicians, I would also like to thank WWOZ, the greatest radio station on the planet; in the same breath. I’ll add that the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana–here I refer to our beloved government–consistently disgrace themselves by not only failing to support our musicians but often actually working against the music. Perhaps this city has too much of a good thing and it’s taken for granted, I don’t know. All I know is that it’s time this changed.

In the end, I have come to realize that New Orleans is a living dichotomy, characterized by the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, not to mention the fragrant and the pungent. I give thanks for the bad as well as the good, for without the bad, we wouldn’t know what good is. Once again, thanks to all of the talented musicians I’ve been fortunate enough to work with, to all of the interesting people I’ve had the pleasure to know, and ultimately, thanks to New Orleans for continuing to be itself. All my best.

–Jeff Muller, Asheville, NC

Jeff, we’re really sorry to see you leave, and we take your comments to heart. OffBeat did a story on the Boutte family, which included Tricia (see Backtalk, February 1997). We were the first local publication to publish anything on Sista Teedy (just as OffBeat was the first to recognize Better Than Ezra, Royal Fingerbowl, Tab Benoit, Anders Osborne and Theresa Andersson, Tiny Town, and many, many other musicians and performers–that’s our job!). There are many other musicians and bands who want to be covered in OffBeat, so many that we’ll never run out of editorial. But it’s difficult to cover everybody in the depth we’d like to, as we have limited resources and depend on the local community, which financially supports our publications. To clarify: The Best of The Beat Awards were designed so local musicians could vote for and honor their peers, and consistently, for the past four years, The Big Easy Awards have followed OffBeat’s lead in awarding honors to deserving musicians (check out the Big Easy Award winners prior to OffBeat’s awards!). We pride ourselves on finding and exposing new Louisiana talent to music-lovers worldwide. We certainly agree, Tricia Boutte deserves accolades for her talent, as well as her spirit and courage. But, can you give us just a little credit where it’s due?–Ed.

SERVICE INDUSTRY

Thank you very much for including me in the 1999-2000 Louisiana Music Directory. That publication is a great service to musicians and I for one can affirm that fact that its been useful to me for finding people and info, and that I’ve been called for gigs because I was listed in the directory. (I’m not listed in the phone book.) Thank you for all the work you and the OffBeat staff dedicate to our music.

–Tim Green, New Orleans, LA

Thank you, Tim, for staying in New Orleans and gracing us with your talent. The magazine’s staff works really hard to put out quality products, and we really appreciate your kind words. FYI, the Louisiana Music Directory is now on-line at offbeat.com. We are updating our database regularly for publication on-line, so keep in touch and let us know how we can get in touch–so your fans can too via the LMD On-Line.–Ed.

LUDICROUS DECISIONS

My name is Mike Campbell and I live in Seattle. I am a previous resident of NOLA and am very proud to have lived, and I mean LIVED in such a culturally rich city. The music and the clubs of New Orleans are the backbone which I miss so much. Those that are making these ludicrous decisions to stifle your city’s gracious gift need to be stopped.

I would like to help in any manner possible from my perch in the Pacific Northwest. Please let me know any contacts that you may know that I could write to.

Good luck and keep in touch.

–Mike Campbell, Seattle, WA

BLACK, WHITE AND CREOLE

A response to the review on The Complete Kid Ory Verve Sessions and Central Avenue Sounds: Jazz in Los Angeles: 1921-1956 by Roger Hahn.

First and foremost, both are very good and I recommend them highly.

Roger Hahn says “…Hadlock surmises, summing up Ory’s character as ‘very New Orleans.’ Very Creole New Orleans, he might have said more accurately, because Ory represents that strand of culture…”

Hadlock is justifiably more correct in his description as Ory represented New Orleans and the classic American music that came to be known as jazz, not the Creole contribution, but a Musician’s contribution. Many musicians of diverse cultural backgrounds contributed to this early style of music, so please don’t distort the essence of this music.

Hahn says “both of these box sets go a long way toward restoring our distorted (and almost absent) sense of music history, helping us retain some vague idea of where the music we listen to today comes from. …Kid Ory and his 1922 recording of Ory’s Creole Trombone, which by all rights ought to be universally recognized as the first genuine jazz recording–attributing the first recording of jazz to the Original Dixieland Jazz Band is a little like assigning the musical heritage of Tutti Frutti to Pat Boone because he had the bigger hit with it.”

Please, don’t contradict yourself Mr. Hahn. In one breath you are speaking of restoring the distorted sense of jazz music history and then you have the nerve to cut down the famous Original Dixieland Jazz Band recordings. Let us first be aware that the ODJB recordings were ground-breaking, as they were the first. They sold over one million copies between March and December 1917, worldwide. This historical and artistic event, by the way, happened six years before the Kid Ory recordings were released and the ODJB recordings continue to sell today. The ODJB performed “original music” and was essentially America’s first recorded “Pop” band as the music of that time was for dancing–justifiably, this music is now treasured as an art form. The largest selling “artist” prior to the ODJB recording was Enrico Caruso, the famous opera tenor. Even the Ory band recordings were for dancing or “pop” music of the day. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band and the Kid Ory recordings, and hundreds of other early performers have given us a very unique and very “American” musical art form.

Many famous musicians have claimed the ODJB recordings were an important influence to them. Louis Armstrong and Bix Biederbeck talked of the ODJB in a very positive manner and their approval alone outweighs anything negative you or anyone else could ever say regarding the ODJB.

–David Hansen, ODJB Manager & Agent, New Orleans, LA

Roger Hahn replies:

I believe Mr. Hansen has proved my point. Music history written by the managers and agents of musicians tends to be a history distorted by too great an emphasis on commercial achievements. The essence of jazz, a uniquely American musical form whose main influences can be traced to the uniquely American city of New Orleans, most likely would not exist were it not for the Caribbean-style, three-part social system that prevailed here in the 19th century. The most significant aspect of that arrangement, as far as jazz is concerned, was a population schooled in European music and described as Creole, whose skin color frequently provided evidence of the French Catholic tolerance for sexual relations between races.

The catalyst for the birth of jazz, in fact, was the shift to a biracial society that occurred during Reconstruction and resulted, in the 1890s, in the legal re-categorization of so-called Creoles of Color. After that, Creole audiences and musicians, with their European understanding of music, were forced to co-exist with so-called Negro musicians, who relied on many of the still-strong African approaches to music. Descendents of that strain of Creole musicians continue to play a major role in the community of traditional New Orleans jazz musicians today. So, the fact of Kid Ory’s Creole heritage is not only important, but also an essential explanation of his sometimes demanding personality as well as his remarkable longevity as a band leader. And he was much more closely tied to the central sources of jazz than the original Original Dixieland Jazz Band ever was.

My intention, as I’m sure Mr. Hansen understood, was not to insult the legacy of the ODJB but simply to set the record straight. In fact, instead of Pat Boone and “Tutti Frutti,” I was going to use Elvis Presley as the ultimate example of music history almost completely obliterated by a reliance on sales figures, instead of historical fact and understanding, but I was afraid I’d get 50 letters like Mr. Hansen’s. From my perspective, it’s Mr. Hansen who does Kid Ory the injustice, by standing up to defend the honor of the ODJB when no real insult has occurred, thereby shifting the spotlight away from the Kid, who, it might be pointed out, has no manager and agent on salary today to defend his cause.

The underlying argument here, as I believe Mr. Hansen knows well, is how much of a role white musicians play in the story of jazz. No one’s ever said they don’t deserve a significant chapter. But it’s the real heroes, who coincidentally all bear varying degrees of skin pigmentation missing from white cultures, that deserve the lion’s share of credit and the spotlight. And until Kid Ory, King Oliver, the Dodds brothers and many other pioneers of jazz get their rightful due in the textbooks of American history, the vociferous defenders of white jazz musicians’ reputations might think twice about engaging every argument every time, choosing instead to promote the larger cause of communicating the music’s complete history. That would go a long way toward building the sort of credibility that a constant campaign of attention-getting tactics only serves to undermine.

JUSTIFICATION

I was pleased to see Tab Benoit recognized by your publication as worthy of a cover. We have always felt that Tab Benoit is a rare and unique artist with a great deal of integrity. We are pleased to find him happy and succeeding. We do however feel it is important to clarity a statement made by both Tab and the writer. Justice Records has not folded. In fact, Justice Records has just completed two major deals, one with BMG and the other with Emusic.

What I don’t read in your story is that Tab came to me and asked if he could be released from his contract and have the right to purchase his masters. Because Justice Records has always attempted to put the artist first, I said yes. And that is how Tab was able to place his catalog with Vanguard.

As regards to heavy-handed production, my recollection is that each time Tab and I walked out of the studio, he was both happy and proud of the music that we created. I am happy and proud to have made a contribution in developing this fine blues man and I will enjoy watching his great career unfold. Congratulations Tab, everyone at Justice applauds you.

–Randal Jamail, President, Justice Records Houston, TX

Thanks for the update on Justice Records, Randall. Keep in touch with us if you work with any Louisiana artists.–Ed.

STANDARDIZATION

I’m writing to your publication to say thanks for the great review Dean Shapiro wrote about my album Meeting Standards. If it’s all right with you folks I’m going to put a link from my website to the page with my review, and a general link to your main site. Keep up the good work!

–Clay Moore via email

I’m writing to thank you for the review of my CD, David Frazier: A Touch of Blues, in the October issue of OffBeat. I appreciate your positive comments about my music and your comparisons between my guitar work and that of some really great guitarists. I’m very pleased that you enjoyed my music and so enthusiastically shared that enjoyment with your readers.

Thanks again for your support and interest!

–David Frazier, Baton Rouge, LA