On A Scale Of One To Ten…
While down yonder yearly for Jazz Fest, I have become an avid reader of OffBeat. Kudos for a cohesive publication.
As a former resident of Metairie, I started attending Jazz Fest in 1980, certainly a mud bath year but it was a year that I vividly recall when there was plenty of room to stretch out, kick up your muddy feet, relax and enjoy the culture. Since that year — for me and anyone else that I have taken over the years — the excitement has grown as the event has been transformed.
I feel compelled, however, to write down some of my impressions of this year’s edition so that your publication (which is very serious about maintaining the integrity of the arts in Louisiana, which many of us support) could pass this information along to the festival producers. It is the hope that with such feedback from committed music/arts mavens such as myself, they can digest this information and continue to look for the most favorable conditions in which to maintain the high quality presentation that the Fest has produced over the years.
Some of my impressions: I am willing to concede to age and my growing sense of tradition, and I’m not so bullish as some of your readers regarding, say, the relevance of Phish or Jimmy Buffett (despite the fact that I would personally and independently choose never to see them. And, although I am a die-hard jazz aficionado, it was a good friend who dragged me over to the Ray Ban Stage many years ago to see Marcia Ball and I’ve been hooked on her ever since!) But…on the first day, hanging out at my favorite venue — the WWOZ Jazz Tent — I sensed early on that something was wrong. I walked out in the middle of one of my favorite performers, Nicholas Payton, because: (1) The sound system was shoddy and unbalanced; and (2) The sound from another venue (the House of Blues venue perhaps) was so obtrusive that when Nicholas took a solo on a beautiful ballad, I simply couldn’t hear it. (Now, I know that my eyesight has been a little compromised over the years but my hearing is nearly perfect.) And I was sitting almost dead center!
Such conditions, indeed, freed me up to catch other acts that I ordinarily wouldn’t check out first, but I quickly realized by Sunday — this time another one of my favorites, Astral Project but this time positioned at the rear of the venue just a few rows from the soundboard that this new venue was simply too big to accommodate the right, intimate ambiance necessary to make jazz work as it had done nicely at its former site. Sure, the topography of the ground was questionable and when it rained it was sloppy, but the hay and the soil absorbed the sound to a degree and coupled with what I thought was near flawless technical acumen on the part of the sound crew, I felt much more comfortable and aesthetically fulfilled. With great regret, I decided to skip Jimmy McGriff, Donald Harrison, Benny Golsen and others, because I simply couldn’t achieve the state of catharsis that I had grown to anticipate in the Jazz Tent. The likes of Etta James, Ruth Brown, Dr. John, Marcia Ball, etc., work nicely in those larger settings. But, that new, pretty-much-out-of-the-way (what a pain-in-the-ass to cross the narrow passageways) larger, cement floor with its all too lively sound Jazz Tent, left me empty.
Although I am already looking forward to next year’s experience, I can’t say I came home with that feeling of “Wow!” that I’ve been used to in years past. At least after two nights of music at the Funky Butt (featuring Delfeayo Marsalis, along with Payton and Henry Butler, and the second night with Kermit Ruffins) was I able to feel that spontaneous, sensual thing that seems only to happen, at least more regularly in New Orleans than in rigid, up-tight New York.
The Fest has always been, more often than not, a real “10” experience for me. But, this year, ah, maybe a “7” or “8,” which is still pretty good. Since New Orleans is really my second home (I may only get “home” once or twice a year), this is all very close to my heart. I’m expressing my thoughts now so that I won’t ever have to leave the Fest thinking, “Hmmm, maybe a 6.”
Keep up the good work.
Peace,
Russ Layne
Chester, New York
The Good Jazz Fest Does
I found your article about the Jazz and Heritage Festival using a “title sponsor” (OffBeat, “Mojo Mouth” April ’98) very interesting. I pretty much followed the same thought process by first thinking that having the Fest [having a] corporate sponsorship would be “selling out,” but then from a business perspective it’s probably worthwhile. I know that the board of directors does appreciate hearing others’ thoughts and ideas.
I did think it surprising that you didn’t know much about the way the Jazz Fest uses its profits for charities. I’ve been going to the Fest for ten years and during that time I’ve become aquatinted with the people involved in the Foundation and have learned quite a bit. I get their newsletter, The Secondliner, which describes the various charitable activities that the Foundation participates in.
In each issue, the events the Foundation sponsored are highlighted. I know they are particularly proud of the “Seed Program” that they’ve set up to provide loans to small businesses. There are other small local street festivals, the Heritage School of Music, grants and lectures and music series that benefit from the Foundation’s donations.
Now these descriptions do not detail the amounts of money nor do they list adminstrative costs, and I wonder if that’s available for the public similar to the annual reports.
Thanks for the good articles.
Sincerely,
Daphne DeVetsco
New Orleans
Feedback on Feedback
Dear Mr. Miester: How goes it? Hope you were able to enjoy yourself at the Fest despite your objections to the national acts. Actually, I only partially understood your point. Are you against booking all national acts or just the ones that don’t fit your criteria of being related to the music of New Orleans and southwest Louisiana (example: John Fogerty). It’s okay to book Buckwheat Zydeco every year but not Boz Scaggs every three? You talked about tired acts. Buckwheat Zydeco seems to have as much in common with zydeco as the Hackberry Ramblers have with Chuck Berry. You also jumped the gun with your praise of Emmylou Harris and the McGriff-Crawford act. You spoke of not wanting to waste your time on “preciously sensitive folkies,” well that’s exactly what you got from Emmylou. Still, I’ll give her the benefit of being booked into the wrong venue. McGriff, on the other hand, seemed lost without Crawford. Seems strange with hundreds of musicians in one spot that no substitute could be found for Crawford. I agree with you that a tinkering of format is in order. But turning the Fest into just a New Orleans/Southwest Louisiana musical festival, isn’t the answer.
They’re a lot of gray beards (sorry ladies) walking around the Fair Grounds. My core group of about 40 people do a lot of moaning and groaning at day’s end. If the Fest is to survive, it needs to attract a younger audience who can come to appreciate the tradition the festival represents. How to do this and maintain its integrity is a question that must be dealt with soon, for like it or not, the future of the Fest like everything else belongs to the young.
Sincerely,
Walter Miles
East Lansdowne, PA
Simien on Simien & More
I want to thank you for the excellent coverage that you gave Terrance in your Jazz Fest ’98 issue. We were especially thrilled about the photo on the table of contents page [which featured Simien body surfing across a vast and quite enthusiastic Jazz Fest crowd].
You guys are the source for the festival and the musicians appreciate the good taste that you display in the manner in which you present them. We applaud John Radanovich [the writer], his insight and understanding of Terrance’s vision and how well he presented Terrance in the feature. Thanks for your continued support.
Terrance and Cynthia Simien
Lafayette, LA
It’s 100% Normal(s)
[Regarding Kevin Combs’ letter to the editor in the April 1998 issue of OffBeat.]
Why Kevin Combs has brought it on himself to attack Steve Walters (after having swilled a great quantity of Steve’s Jaegermiester in the dressing room at a recent reunion), I cannot fathom. Being a “True Normals Veteran,” a bit of respect would seem to be in order I mean, after all, it was Steve’s Jaeger.
As far as I’m concerned, Steve speaks for me and, from conversations I’ve had on specific points, Chris too. I don’t know who Kevin speaks for or why he has even opened his pie-hole.
The Normals knew what we wanted and how we wanted it (until the women, booze and drugs kicked in — just kidding!). We had to keep a tight rein on ourselves and others to prevent Suckatage. We would never let anyone do things for us unsupervised.
In Kevin’s case, when we used him, we previewed all his art, made changes, suggestions and helped create art that we could sign off on.
The fact is that me, Steve, David or Chris can call the Normals’ music anything we want; Kevin and everybody else can go fish. Saying Steve was in denial of his punk heritage because he said we were “kind of punk band,” and using Maximum RnR to back up his claim that nothing less than 100% punk heritage (while at the same not mentioning the fact that the same review said our music included…”a hint of New Wave to come”…) proves someone is in denial but it sure ain’t Steve.
Someone put out a Normals’ CD and that’s a good thing. After all it’s The Normals’ music and The Normals rule! But, I personally look forward to a 100% punk, 100% Normals’ CD similar to the set that we performed during Mardi Gras to an insane audience at the Wolf. We found songs that we hadn’t played in twenty years that I personally had completely forgotten about. If we eliminated all the pop and otherwise slag that we wrote in weak moments when lost-on-the-road-to-oblivion, we could claim a 100% punk rating, but wouldn’t we be in denial?
Hopefully we’ll be in New Orleans again during the summer. Maybe we could have Kevin eating his biker jacket (with hardware) as an opening act. How about it Kevin? But you should have your own bottle of Jaeger to wash it down with!
Thanks for the memories
Charlie Normal
New York, NY
(We just hope things get back to Normal around here or at least that the Normals get back together after this string of poetry from opposite sides of the fence. And please let us know if anybody is going to eat their biker jacket. That’s something we’d cover –Ed.)
Frankie Ford’s Sea Cruise
Just a quick note to say how much we appreciate the kind words in your review of my latest CD, A New Orleans Tradition, in the April issue of OffBeat. Sorry it’s taken me so long to thank you but I’ve been on the road almost non-stop.
I might mention — in reference to “Cotton Fields” and “Your Game Is Over — that those two track are also “old” original tracks, not new. In fact, “Your Game is Over” (which I co-wrote) was also on my Let’s Take A Sea Cruise With Frankie Ford album, released in early 1960.
And to set the record straight about “Sea Cruise,” Huey Smith is the sole writer of the song and I have never claimed to have had any part in writing it, regardless of what has been written in various articles. I never ever heard a vocal on the tape when I went to the studio. Huey sat at the black piano and sang it to me at Cosimo’s. There has been a lot of bull written about me and Huey’s disagreement about “Sea Cruise.” If there was any disagreement, why did Huey leave Ace with me to sign with Imperial Records? We continued to co-write together on much of the Imperial recordings, both his and mine.
Thanks again for your support and I hope that the above information will clear up some misconceptions, and on a final note, “Thank God, ‘Sea Cruise’ came my way!”
Kindest Regards,
Frankie Ford
Gretna, LA
Coffee on the Redneck Riviera
I have a coffee/sandwich shop in downtown Gulfport, MS, and I would like to be a Gulf Coast distribution point for OffBeat magazine. I am from New Orleans and I often have customers asking me about live music in the city. You’d be surprised how many Gulf Coast residents are familiar with OffBeat, not to mention how many travel to New Orleans frequently just to see bands at House of Blues, Howlin’ Wolf, Tipitina’s, etc.
Thanks,
Randy Kennedy
Gulfport, MS
Thanks for you interest, Mr. Kennedy. We’ll get our all-purpose circulation manager and go-to-guy, Joe Hollier, right on this request. Don’t be surprised if you see magazines very soon. For questions about becoming a distributor, call Mr. Hollier at (504) 522-5533.
Never Enough About Jazz Fest
How goes it? Has a great malaise fallen over the city now that the beer-swilling, restaurant-eating, night-crawling, free-spending, Fest-attending tourists have left town? Maybe those feelings don’t happen in New Orleans.
A funny thing happened to me on the way to the Festival. My usual routine for the past seven years has been to fly into New Orleans, pick up my rental car, then head for the nearest place to pick up OffBeat magazine. This way I could circle the acts that seemed interesting at the Fair Grounds and make my plans for the nights. This year someone gave me one. It also seemed like everyone and their mother was sucking Jazz Fest info from cyberspace. By the time I left New Orleans, I had a portfolio of Fair Grounds’ acts, LMNOP artists and the whole night-crawling scene along with some commentary on must-to-avoid and must-to-see acts. Sniff, sniff, sob, sob . . . another end to another Festival.
Sincerely,
Walt Miles
East Lansdowne, PA
A “Woman On Her Own” At Fest
I vacationed in New Orleans for my third Jazz Fest in a row this year. This was my first visit alone and despite loudly voiced misgivings from some of my friends — “a woman on her own,” etc. — I am happy to report that I had, as ever, a wonderful time! I pretty much went wherever I wanted to but, at the same time, tried not to take any really silly risks.
Apart from the obvious good stuff like Jazz Fest itself and all the food and drink I managed to put away over 10 days and the superb weather this year, it was the local people I met who made the vacation memorable and I want to thank them publicly. The man with the curly moustache from S.A.M. photographic shop on Canal; Mario, the waiter from Bacco; Vic, from Vic’s Kangaroo Café; Merrit Doggins and English Bob; Mike James, from a band in N. LA; the Cormiers, from the Cajun Cabin, especially Pete; the girl at the Louisiana Music Factory; and Leo Tonks, Jr. Take a bow, people — you are the true spirit of the city. Halfway around the world is quite a way to come for a vacation, but you will see me there again next year without fail!
Yours sincerely,
Jocelyn J. Fausett
Downtown Auckland, New Zealand
Somehow, when Jocelyn says, “Yours sincerely,” you kind of believe it’s true. –Ed.
And Something From “Funky Fish”
I would like to begin by saying that I love the town of New Orleans for its rich musical heritage and amazing culinary delights. I would also like to say that not only do I think OffBeat is the best publication covering New Orleans music, but probably the best music publication this music fan has ever read.
the reason I am writing is to bring light to a band that, in my opinion, was terribly overlooked not only by OffBeat but by almost everyone attending Jazz Fest this year. The band I am referring to is known as the Greyboy Allstars. For fans of jazz, the Allstars feature an extraordinary tenor sax and flute player by the name of Karl Denson. For fans of funk and groove, all it takes is one listen to realize that the Greyboys is clearly more of what you’re funking for!
I understand that OffBeat’s main focus is New Orleans bands and music, but I feel that as a total music fiend (and member of the Pet De Kat Krewe) that it’s part of my responsibility to other music fiends to turn people onto a good thing when I see/hear one.
So, for the people at OffBeat, the next time you see the Greyboy Allstars come to town, check them out. You won’t be disappointed. And for anyone going to catch a summertime concert or festival, keep your eyes and ears open for this premier up-and-coming band (especially fans of Galactic).
Craig “Funky Fish” Young
via e-mail
