Feedback on Feedback on Feedback
Mr. Miester: I’m sorry this letter is a little bit after the fact but I just finished reading the May/Jazz Fest ’98 issue and I didn’t want to wait until next year to comment on your article, “The Annual Jazz Fest Critique” in “Feedback”.
There was a little negativity here and there among the other contributors but nothing like yours. You were so bitter, you sounded like you wrote it while under simultaneous menopause and drug withdrawal. You don’t like Jimmy Buffett. You don’t like to see anybody play the Fest twice in 10 years. And your favorite phrase (you use it twice) — “the same tired but inexplicably popular acts.” That just amazes me.
You can’t figure out why, but you even admit that they are popular. What does that mean? That a whole lot of people like them and want to see them perform? But, God forbid these popular acts be booked so that people can come and overcrowd the Fair Grounds. You would prefer that your favorite obscure acts be booked so that the Fest and town remain half-full and nobody makes any money.
I don’t understand your thinking, man, I really don’t. I just thank God that you are not part of the majority.
Sincerely,
Al Black
New Orleans, LA
Mister Miester replies: “I was beginning to think that no one ever read Feedback. To begin with, I do not hate Jimmy Buffet and I am not a bitter shell of a person who spends every waking hour in a stuffy, windowless room searching out ever more obscure, inconsequential bands to exalt. I do have a window.
Actually, the 1998 Jazz Fest was, for me, the best in recent memory. The point of my diatribe, however, was the generally myopic perspective of Jazz Fest talent buyers, which Buffet epitomizes. I can accept the argument that Quint Davis has to book major draws to assure the festival’s financial viability, but what I can’t accept is Davis’ undeniable preference for Woodstock-era icons and their tie-dyed scions to fill those slots. For years, the Fest has showcased a variety of classic rockers and neo-hippies that embody the spirit and musical styles of the ’60s. At the same time, the Fest has all but ignored the hundreds of young, adventurous bands expanding the boundaries of the jazz, blues and folk traditions. Fest goers are presented with only a fraction of the musical spectrum that the festival ostensibly celebrates and preserves.
I am not saying that there is no room at the Fair Grounds for Jimmy Buffet, Dave Matthews or Blues Traveler. I am suggesting that Festival Productions could easily widen its scope to encompass some of the artists who are pushing roots music in new directions. What kind of artists? Performers like the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Junior Brown, Liquid Soul, Vic Chestnut, John Zorn, Brave Combo, Southern Culture on the Skids, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, the Royal Crown Review, Wilco, the Wallflowers, the Rev. Horton Heat, or even Neil Young or Roger McGuinn. There’s a lot new, exciting music out there. New blood would breathe new life into the Jazz Fest as well as show that the venerable bloodline the Fest celebrates is still alive and kicking.”
A Frankie Ford Fan
Thank you for the great picture of Frankie Ford featured on the cover of the June issue of OffBeat. What disappointed me was that Frankie’s name was not printed. Why you would print a picture of this famous artist and neglect to acknowledge his name is beyond my comprehension. I felt very disillusioned.
Thanks Kindly,
Sami Legendre
Harvey, LA
Good point. We assumed that everybody knows the legendary Frankie Ford, who also appeared on the cover of our August 1995 issue. –Ed.
The Yolk is on Us
I would like to extend an enthusiastic (and also quite belated) thank you to OffBeat for printing Christine Fontana’s interview with our group, the Egg Yolk Jubilee Music Band (March 1998). We were all very proud of the flattering depiction she painted of our, er, somewhat eccentric selves. The support we receive from OffBeat and other such organizations is very encouraging to young musicians like us. You have helped change the climate for young New Orleans bands from indifferent to inspiring. I know I speak for many when I say, “Thank you for your kind support.”
I would also like to thank Ms. Fontana for doing a fantastic job of writing an extremely interesting and entertaining article. Instead of belaboring the reader with who said what via the typical Q&A format, she transformed a seven-part mish-mash of answers into a single seamless response to each well-directed question. Christine is a talented interviewer with a promising future.
Once again I thank OffBeat for being such a positive and supportive entity for the New Orleans music scene. We hope to be involved with your organization again sometime in the future.
Sincerely,
Eric Belletto
Metairie, LA
It’s always great when the letters are this positive. –Ed.
Dig This
In the May 1998 OffBeat, Doug MacCash (“Eye Music”) highlighted the art work of Mitchell Burd which uses “archaeological” materials as decorative elements. We are writing to express our concern for publicity and praise. The sort of excavation done by Mr. Burd (and apparently by MacCash and his friend) is known as looting. While this activity indeed discovers archaeology deposits, it does so in a way that destroys the research potential for any archaeological site. True archaeology endeavors to enrich society with a deeper understanding of our shared heritage. Mr. Burd, on the other hand, seeks only to enrich himself. It is ironic, indeed, that Mr. Burd found a venue for his heritage-destroying activities at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
The archaeological record is an important, but very fragile, document of the lives of past people. Oftentimes, those who left no written documents are rediscovered through the study of the archaeological traces at the places they lived, worked and died.
The archaeological record of New Orleans, like any place, provides trained and experienced archaeologists (and their public audience) with a source for understanding about how these people lived in the Crescent City since its founding. It is everyone’s loss that a great deal of the city’s archaeological record has already been destroyed by actions such as Mr. Burd’s. For example, privies (a focus of MacCash’s article and a principal source of Burd’s material) are often stratified deposits with excellent preservation and can be the most informative and significant of all archaeological deposits. Distressingly, it is believed that as much as 80% of the privies in the French Quarter are already lost to bottle hunting and looting.
We certainly agree that archaeology is a fascinating enterprise and share Burd’s and MacCash’s enthusiasm for digging up the past. However, there are ethical guidelines for proper archaeological excavation and research in place to protect the irreplaceable archeological record from unprofessional incursions. To ignore these standards is a public loss, to publicly praise the destruction of archaeological sites (be it for profit or not) is disgraceful.
Sincerely,
Shannon Lee Dawdy
Christopher N. Matthews
New Orleans.
But then we also get the negative side. –Ed
Magnifico!
Having lived away from Louisiana for 51 years, I returned in January in 1995 to live once more among my family.
As an international banker, I lived in New York, Baltimore, Washington as well as to 57 countries. I am most acquainted with the Caribbean, Central and south America. There I learned about music; their music which is heavily influenced by Africa and Spain. I also learned to dance to some of that music — from tango to cumbia to salsa.
After each trip south, I always tried to put into words my impressions of the people, countries, their music, food and language. Especially the music! Those rhythms are so powerful, foot-stomping good!
Your article in OffBeat (June 1998, The Latin Quarter) beginning with the words, “cultural roots of enormous depth connect New Orleans and Latin music” said so much to me. I feel what you said. I sensed the connection and knew it all the time.
Thank you for expressing so well my feeling of kinship with Latin music. You explained it so well–the history, background, similarities of culture, food and people.
I shall keep this article and hopefully (with your permission) send copies of it to friends in Latin America and around Miami. Once they read this then they will better understand me and where I’m coming from. My Hispanic friends always used to say, “Lorenzo are you sure you’re not Latino?”
Sincerely,
Laurence J. Simoneaux
Metairie, LA
Writer/painter Hugo Montero says thank you and our publisher says send out as many copies as you want. She also mentioned that you might get your friends to subscribe as well. Thanks for your positive comments. –Ed.
