Vic ‘N Natly Go Too Far?
My 16-month old daughter is starting to absorb cartoons. Soon she will be old enough to read the cartoons. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to let her read last month’s Jazz Fest issue, even though her Daddy defended the First Amendment rights of that issue in court. Her Daddy can’t let her read Mr. Bunny Matthews’ cartoon in which his “Vic” character dreams that the Jazz Fest has become as regimented as Nazi concentration camps. My daughter’s Grandpa Sasha held out for five years and eight months in the camps. Mitzi is the living tribute to her grandfather’s ability to survive against all odds under conditions which were so horrible that they must never be allowed to happen again. Mitzi’s great aunts and uncles were all gassed or shot by the Nazis, for no other reason than their being Jewish.
We all know crowd control at the Jazz Fest requires some herding, but for an otherwise talented cartoonist to use the enormity of the Holocaust as a metaphor is offensive and uncalled for. Whatever his feelings may be about Jazz Fest, he ought not trivialize the horrors of Fascist slavery by comparing Jews in the slave camps to music lovers at a festival. Nor ought he compare through metaphor the organizers of a music and heritage festival with Nazi executioners. This cartoon speaks volumes about Mr. Matthews’ lack of sensitivity to ethnic minorities who have suffered beyond belief, and does not deserve publication in a fine magazine such as OffBeat. I will not have my daughter see this cartoon, and I expect a sincere written apology from Bunny Matthews in the very next issue.
-Justin Asher Zitler
New Orleans
I am writing to express the Anti-Defamation League’s dismay at the insensitivity of Mr. Bunny Matthew’s cartoon in your May issue. In it, Mr. Matthews compares Jazz Fest workers to Nazis and festival-goers to victims of the Nazis. Such an analogy is an insult to the memory of the millions of victims of Nazism. It trivializes a profound historical tragedy.
We completely support your First Amendment freedom to publish this material. We note with a sense of sad irony that Justin Zitler, whose father spent over five years in a Nazi concentration camp, successfully defended your freedom of the press for this issue in court. It’s a shame that you used that freedom to publish such an insensitive cartoon.
-Jerry Himelstein, Director, Anti Defamation League
South Central Office, New Orleans
Mr. Matthews responds:
Before I proceed, the reader should understand that Mr. Zitler is the attorney who successfully defended OffBeat’s right to distribution within the vicinity of the Fair Grounds during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. He won the case against the City of New Orleans because citizens of the United States are guaranteed the right to free speech.
This is not free speech “unless it’s offensive.” Free speech means Shakespeare and pornography, Mark Twain and Monica Lewinsky, Rev. Jessie Jackson and Rush Limbaugh, the Koran and the Torah, Hitler and Zitler.
No artist can create if he has to constantly look over his shoulder or be concerned with people’s feelings. I assume that my audience is composed of (in the words of Robert Crumb) “adult intellectuals.” They possess the ability to interpret the work, love it, hate it, stick it on the refrigerator door or toss it in the trash.
My work is popular, I think, because it’s “real”-because, as my Jewish friend Aaron Fuchs has told me, it’s “a combination of idiocy and profundity.”
The beauty of New Orleans is that people express themselves. They say ignorant stuff, they compose poetry, they pontificate, they speak their minds and mostly, they joke. It is not always a pleasant sound. “Vic and Nat’ly” are New Orleans. -Bunny Matthews
So Where Did Blues Come From Again?
In reading your excellent May, 1999, Jazzfest edition, my curiosity was peaked by a comment by Rob Fontenot in his article on “Blues Bests at the Fest” in which he says “Fact is, although the neighborhood [New Orleans] has birthed at least a half a dozen musical styles, from Dixieland to Bounce, the blues birthright remains the property of the Mississippi Delta, midwifed by Chicago perhaps.” I don’t mean to say that Mr. Fontenot is wrong, I simply wonder where he got his information from. The first 12-bar blues recording was done by a New Orleans band in 1917. The first sheet music of a 12-bar blues, I believe you’ll find if you check with the expert researchers of the New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra, was published in New Orleans around 1905.
Let me reiterate: I am not saying Mr. Fontenot is wrong, and I certainly don’t mean to say authoritatively or otherwise that the blues originated in New Orleans, but I suspect that my somewhat dated Encyclopedia Britannica is still correct in stating, “It is not known where the blues form came from or how or when it evolved.”
-Steve Steinberg
New Orleans
Happy Subscribers Speak
Recently I purchased a few of your magazines in Singapore. Could I subscribe to your magazine for two (2) years? Could you please send me copies of your October and your November 1998 issues? I am very excited about your 100 Essential Louisiana CD’s articles and am keen to have a copy of all articles in the series. I have enclosed an international postal order to cover both the subscription and the two back issues.
-Trevor Graham
Bundabong, Queensland, Australia
Please find my renewal to your magnificent magazine OffBeat enclosed. Have just been listening to the new CD by the Wild Magnolias/Life is a Carnival-Love the street music of New Orleans. Tomorrow night, Dr. John plays here in Melbourne with Keb’ Mo’ am really looking forward to hearing the Dr. again to see him strut his stuff. Am coming over to Jazz Awareness month in October and will come by your office to wish you’all well. Keep up the good work with your magazine. Great to see George Lewis made your top 100 CD’s-this has been a terrific series in your magazines-perhaps you could do something similar with books/videos.
-Peter R.. Haby
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Just a note to say congrats on your continued success. As a loyal reader since May of 1989, I’ve watched you guys grab the baton from Wavelength and run with it. I wish you continued success!
Now that I’ve sucked up a little, I wish to get in on the OffBeat CD offer. I renewed for two years in October of 1997. I got the ’97 CD. In response to your letter from J. Walker Coleman III in the April issue, you guys now say that we “two timers” will get both CDs during our subscription. Great! Please put me on the list for the ’98 CD and enclosed is an extension for two more years to insure the ’99 and ’00 (that just looks weird) CDs.
Congratulations again and thanks for your support of the French Quarter Festival (wow, Sister Teedy with Gaynielle and Cyril, Mem Shannon, Charmaine, etc. Free). Yeah, you right!
-Al Dunn
Salisbury, NC
Hey, Al, thank you for your continued readership. When you buy a first-class sub, you get a free CD for every year. The 1999 CD is gonna be a killer.-Ed.
I just wanted to let you know how very much I appreciate the wonderful work the whole staff does to produce such a great magazine. I now consider New Orleans my second home and have been coming down from New York about eight times a year. Having OffBeat delivered at the beginning of every month just makes me feel part of what is going on with all the fabulous music while I am not there, so I don’t feel like I missed out and I can keep abreast of what is current.
OffBeat is invaluable when I plan trips as I know when and where my favorite musicians are playing. The articles are always interesting and informative. You all make such a great contribution to keeping the wonderful heritage and culture of Louisiana music alive, which is so important for the world I think! The more outside people find out about exactly what they are missing out on in the music field in New Orleans the better and OffBeat delivers every time.
My best wishes and heartfelt thanks to everyone for keeping me “plugged in” and less homesick.
-Elizabeth Grant
New York, NY
We just wish we could convince the city and state officials that there are lots of people all over the world like you who are really crazy about our music-maybe they’d quit harassing the street musicians.-Ed.
OffBeat Rules, Baby-And You Can Still Get It Free On The Streets!
Thank you for fighting that [city ordinance], not only for the sake or your magazine, but also for the fact that those greedy SOB’s are going to charge me $48 bucks to get in the gate this morning. From what I read, they did not want you giving away the schedule because them people would not buy their program. They give the schedule out on the net for free. The damn nerve. I look forward to someone walking by and handing me an OffBeat every Jazzfest because not only do I get the schedule, but I also get the schedule for all clubs in town. Keep up the fight. Idiots like that need to be beat (in court at least).
-John Simpson
Via e-mail
I am a tourist to your fine city…I don’t live there, though I did many years ago for a short time. I come to New Orleans at least two or three times a year, and have been to Jazz Fest every year for the last 10 years. I look forward to OffBeat, and this year plan on having a home subscription even though I live in Florida. I think it’s a crime (not to mention unconstitutional) to forbid your vendors from handing out OffBeat near the Fairgrounds. I read OffBeat during the Jazz Fest because the articles are informative, and I often end up listening to acts that I would not otherwise know about. I carry the OffBeat cubes with me throughout the Fest. I have tended to rely on them …and have no intention of not carrying them in my pocket again this year. You guys have been my secret Jazz Fest weapon for years. I am sorry to say, however, that despite your editorial…I will NOT be purchasing a Jazz Fest Program this year. I understand your logic, but I must protest your exclusion in my own personal way. It makes me sick. Now, I know that I am not a New Orleans resident, BUT…I spend money in your city at restaurants, clubs, stores, bars, and even Lucky Dog stands. I shall therefore, utilize my right NOT to spend money buying a program. I was at Jazz Fest in 1978 and 1979…and it’s improved somewhat since then and in some ways it has not. Keep the fight going…don’t give up…and know that you have the support of many people in New Orleans, as well as far away from the city. Looking forward to another Festand thank you Jan and OffBeat for sticking to your guns.
-Leon Cohen
Feedback To Feedback
This letter is in response to Mark Miester’s “Feedback”column in the May, 1999 edition of OffBeat. Does he have anything positive to say? Has he ever heard the expression “you can’t please everyone all the time?” Instead of bitching and complaining about the bands that won’t be playing Jazz Fest, why not celebrate and congratulate Jazz Fest for bringing together the awesome talent that WILL be there! As far as the “wasted space”comment, I suggest that Mr. Miester show up at the Ray Ban Stage at 5:30 on 4/29 to see Little Feat.Take a peak at the thousands of people who think they’re worthy enough to be playing there. There won’t be a whole lot of wasted space around the stage. But he probably won’t show up, he’ll be at home listening to Neil Young and Counting Crows.
-Joseph Bowers
They Really Do Deserve The Credit
Kudos to the city of New Orleans and the NOJHF committee for putting on another fantastic show! As one of a huge group of Chicagoans who love great live music, thanks in part to our fantastic WXRT-FM (“Radio Chicago” that goes by the slogan “Radio New Orleans” on certain festive days of the year!) and a six-year vet of fest-going in the Big Easy, I am constantly reminded how well orchestrated this event is. From the diverse talent on stage to the great food and fun throughout the city, each year’s Jazz Fest never fails to deliver the goods! OffBeat is a devoured source of information when we step off the plane and has helped us experience some great memories of New Orleans visits past-dancing on the lanes at Mid City to the Iguanas, joining in a Second Line before the dedication of Professor Longhair square outside Tip’s are just a few that keep us coming back-as the king Cowboy Mouth often shouts: “Are you with me?” and we always are! Thanks!
-Megan McCord
[email protected],Chicago, IL
Thank You (Smile)
Hello, my name is Kimberly Johnson and I live in Dallas, Texas. I was in your wonderful city recently for Jazz Fest, the weekend of April 23rd. I also came to Mardi Gras in February. Your magazine was my constant companion. I really enjoyed your magazine during both of my visits. I fell in love with New Orleans five years ago when I came up for a football game. I love the history, the music and of course, the food. I also love the fact that you can go out on all levels in the city. You can do Bourbon Street or the French Market or just roam around the city.
I saved the copies of OffBeat on my visits to read at home. We don’t have a magazine like this here. The closest we have is a newspaper called The Observer, which prints out listings of bands and feature articles on local celebrities and artists.
As I was reading your February issue the other night and I was interested in getting more information on the Neville Brothers after reading the article “Funky Four.” I am having a hard time getting information here. I’ve checked their web site but its not detailed enough. I enjoyed the article very much. I’ve been a fan of theirs for a while but after that article and seeing them perform during Jazz Fest I’m a fanatic. I went to see them at Tipitina’s concert on April 24th and fell in love (smile). They are everything I heard and read about; soulful, cool and beautiful people, especially Aaron (smile).
I’ve decided since I’ve adopted New Orleans as my second home to subscribe to your magazine. Its the only way I can keep up with everything that’s going on. I plan on coming back the second weekend in June. I would like a chance to visit the city without any special events going on to distract me. Of course, I look forward to having your magazine right by my side as always. I would have been very lost. Thanks for being my guide.
-Kimberly Johnson
Dallas, TX
Stale Bread? No Pix? New Tips
How goes it? Number 30 is in the books. It was my ninth consecutive Fest. Man, was it hot, that first weekend and Thursday. Thank God it cooled for the rest of the Fest.
On the second Saturday I was sitting in the grandstands just soaking up some A.C. and the scene taking place on the fairgrounds, when the though came to me what a colossal bore the Festival has become. The musical line-up has become staler than po-boy bread. Yea, I know its a New Orleans Musical Heritage Festival, but come on how many times can you have every Neville Bro and Marsalis family member play the Festival. It seems every year there is less and less new and interesting groups to “discover”. The new placement of the jazz and gospel tents still sucks. Especially the gospel tent. Its location makes it almost impossible to wonder into, which used to be one of the great joys of the festival.
It now costs more to bring your car to the Fest than a person. I’ve found that there is more than ample parking in the neighborhood. The price of a poster has just about doubled in the last five years (and they haven’t been that good). A new phenom-tip jars at the food stands. I tip for service, not for someone yelling “one Jamaican chicken.”
To close, what was with the 30th anniversary photo exhibit your advertised for people to send their photos? If I didn’t go to the OffBeat office I never would have known where it was. I saw only about thirty photos, half of which were mine. Was the response to your ad that bad that you could only put on that lame of an exhibit? Needless to say I expected something better. I’m sorry now that I wasted my time, money and energy to participate in such a second rate thoughtless enterprise. Other than that these small complaints everything else was wonderful.
-Walt Miles
E. Lansdowne, PA
You’re right, it could’ve been better. Our old contact at the Contemporary Arts Center, Doug MacCash, left to work for that big daily newspaper in town, and we were unfortunately stuck with a much smaller space at the CAC (that’s all the CAC would give us). You had to look hard maybe next year we’ll have the FotoFest at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Oh yeah, Walt, check out our website for another one of your pix.-Ed.
You Send ‘Em; If They’re Crazy Enough, We’ll Use ‘Em
What a thrill it was to see that 1992 shot of mine grace the Table of Contents for this year’s Jazz Fest issue. Only problem is I didn’t notice it until I got back home. Wish you guys had clued me in. I gave that and some other shots to Jan years ago, so there was not problem with you using it, I just would have like a tip-off it was coming.
Could have scored major beers and maybe a few babes in NOLA had I known. Anyway, any chance you can ship me a couple of extra copies of the issue as I only have on beat up one lift up here in Jersey. I’d like to use them for tear sheets in my portfolio.
-Steve Moran/Lifeslices Photography
Sorry we didn’t let you know sooner, Steve. Thanks for the pix-we’ll send you some extra copies.-Ed.
Will Beatle Bob Lose His Laminate?
To Whom It May Concern:
Please note for the record that “Beatle Bob” is not now nor ever has been a staff member, volunteer, or radio programmer at KDHX-St. Louis Community Radio.
We understand that misleading and erroneous information about Beatle Bob’s association with KDHX and the St. Louis media community has been circulated at the JazzFest and other music events in past years.
We very much appreciate your helping to set the record straight and informing the Louisiana music community of the facts.
The only Louisiana music program on St. Louis radio is KDHX’s Musique des Bayous show with Al Boudreaux. This program airs weekly on Tuesday afternoons from 4pm to 7pm (central time) and can be heard over the internet at www.kdhx.org.
Beatle Bob is not associated with KDHX and does not promote Louisiana music on St. Louis radio.
-Beverly Hacker, Station Manager, KDHX Radio
St. Louis, MO
Yeah, but he does a mean St. Louis frug and provides hours of amusement to us jaded Festgoers.-Ed.
