A Normal Reaction

Just wanted to say thanks for the great article on The Normals (OffBeat, Dec. 1997). This was a great band from New Orleans. So glad to see they put out a new CD on Airline 61 Records. Sometimes something from the past is better than the present. Rock on Normals!

Thanks,
Sandy Mason
Metairie, LA

Judging from those who turned our to see the Normals’ reunion show at the Wolf, Sandy definitely wasn’t in the minority. –Ed.

A Dispatch from Duluth

Please send me OffBeat magazine. Enclosed is a check for one year’s first-class subscription. If possible, I would like to start with the December 1997 issue because of Allen Toussaint (and George Porter, Jr. too)!

I think your magazine is absolutely great and your Web site is phenomenal. Alex [Oliver] does a great job with the Message/Graffiti board and club monthly listings. Thanks to your message board, I was able to get a ride to Jazz Fest in 1997! I was contacted by someone who was driving there and looking for someone to share the ride and accommodations. We had a great trip, despite the Rain Fest (the first weekend), stopping in Memphis en route both ways, and going up to Lafayette for one night of the Festival Internationale. Your magazine is the definitive music guide for the Fest, as well as for New Orleans and Louisiana music.

The 1997 Year in Review (OffBeat, Dec. 1997) was also very helpful.

Thanks for keeping us music hounds up-to-date and providing us with opportunities to connect with other crazed music hounds such as ourselves!

Sincerely,
Charlotte Altobelli
Duluth, MN

With all this talk of music hounds, it’s good to see that we’re not barking up the wrong tree. But then again, all our hounds have been properly paper-trained. –Ed.

Bad Press Is Better Than No Press

I wanted to take a minute and write you a note to say how much I enjoyed the ’97 reviews (OffBeat, Dec. 1997). They were all very interesting to read and they give Louisiana musicians a taste of what a review really is. I read the magazine on the ‘net since the issues don’t usually make it up to the northern portion of the state. Although the review was less than complementary on my CD, I realize that bad press is better than no press and my sales have not suffered from the review. I only wish that I had a sweet piece to include in my press kit from OffBeat. I love the magazine and can’t wait to see the January ’98 issue.

Yours truly,
Johnny O’Neal
West Monroe, LA

If only all musicians were as understanding about our reviews as Mr. Johnny O’Neal. Thanks. –Ed.

A Winter-Filtered View

(In response to last month’s query regarding winter-filtered views, we received the following explanation from Susie Bavo via the Internet. –Ed.)

A winter-filtered view means no view in the summer when the trees have leaves and not much more in the winter. We spend part of our year on Whidbey Island (with a totally unobstructed view of the Olympic Mountains year-round) and the other part in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. My daughter is doing her high school senior project on Cajun dance and culture so she’s going to contact the folks on Hey Pocky Way next time we’re up there. It was coming to the Jazz Fest that got her turned on to everything Cajun. Thanks for a great magazine!

Susie Bavo
Via Internet

Just Another Satisfied Reader

Got to say ruling article/interview by Sonny Goldreich on John Mooney (OffBeat, Oct. 1997). Very inspiring words from such a great player who has influenced so many. Glad you mentioned Corey Harris who has clearly learned directly from Mooney and from his early releases on Blind Pig (didn’t Mooney give Corey the slide he uses? What generosity!). Thanks too for another wonderful piece recently on Paul Cebar (OffBeat, Nov. 1997).

Oh, I’m falling into the waxing-too-enthusiastic category, so please just sign us up to your great mag.

Sincerely,
Gabriela Sweet
Minneapolis, MN

What a sweet note, don’t ya think? –Ed.

The Fine Print

Kudos to your magazine! About a year ago I was able to see the subdudes last show at Tipitina’s because I spied the info in my OffBeat. Though I live in Florida, I make regualr excursions to New Orleans and I use your listings to guide me to whatever venue is happening that evening. But I still need more info: Any release coming from Tiny Town?

Thanks,
Michael Altee
Jacksonville, FL

Michael, we hear that Tiny Town has signed with Pioneer Records and that they’re working on a CD but when that will come out, we still don’t know. –Ed.

A Composer With Attitude

As I was reading your “year-end best of,” (OffBeat, January 1998), it occurred to me that the music writers have unintentionally over looked the various 1997 concert-events presented by my organization, Composers with Attitude. CWA presents concerts of contemporary compositions by local and non-local composers. Our local concerts feature the talents of New Orleans musicians from the classical, rock, jazz, music theater and hip-hop communities. I know that this is a town that is saturated with music, but it seems to me that the same people get the same awards year after year while (and maybe unintentionally) many creative people are overlooked.

Sincerely,
Chris Becker
New Orleans, LA

You can normally hear CWA performances at the Zeitgeist Theatre Experiments on Magazine Street. –Ed.