IN A PANIC
This unresearched article by A. Cohen fails to include the so-called jamband Widespread Panic. Their sound has been heavily influenced by the jazz and funk roots that New Orleans is famous for and as seen through their collaborative efforts with New Orleans favorites like Professor Longhair, Dr. John, the Dirty Dozen and Galactic, they obviously have strong ties with the bayou music scene. While the article did include several bands that could possibly attract crowds of over 40,000 during nine shows, it neglects to mention that it was Widespread Panic who set the attendance record for Jazz Fest with over 63,000 fans in attendance at a single show! I feel compelled to mention this huge oversight as it will be Widespread Panic who brings the most funk over the course of the next week…not SCI [String Cheese Incident] or Superfly. Thanks.
—Bryan Windham, Winston-Salem, NC
Sorry for yelling, but how does this “A. Cohen” not mention Widespread Panic in an article about jambands / Jazz Fest. They set an attendance record at the Fest (63,000), played two sets (unheard of at Jazz Fest) and are the inspiration for the other bands you mentioned (SCI, moe.). I assure you that after this weekend, OffBeat will have something to write about that involves Widespread Panic.
—Eric Hartley, Los Angeles, CA
Widespread Panic got two sets at the Fairgrounds? WTF? Personally I like some these bands, but I would prefer seeing them teamed with New Orleans musicians such as WSP and the Dirty Dozen for shorter sets.
Eddie Bo was incredible. Peace.
—Kurt Nordwell, Raleigh, NC
You are quite right to point out that Widespread Panic was not mentioned in my article. Leaving them out of the article was prompted by space limitations more than the profound sense of boredom that their music induces in me. However it appears that you guys must have read the article on the web site as opposed to reading the print copy itself as there is a prominent photo of the band listing the time and date of their appearance at Jazz Fest as was appropriate for a band with such a substantial regional following.
If you really thought that Widespread Panic was going to “bring the most funk to Jazz Fest during that first week” you certainly have a uniquely pale definition of the word funk. OffBeat has in fact published interviews with members of Widespread Panic and reviewed the group’s albums.
—A. Cohen
P.S. PRI, NOT NPR
I’m writing to thank OffBeat Magazine for mentioning A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor‚ in the May, 2001 issue of your publication. However, in the column entitled “Fest Focus,” by Jeff Hannusch, A Prairie Home Companion was referred to as a NPR program, which is incorrect. National Public Radio has no involvement in distribution or production of this program. A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor is distributed by Public Radio International and produced by Minnesota Public Radio. We would appreciate a correction.
—Linda Sue Anderson,
Assistant to Senior VP, PRI Public Radio International
PATTI EATS ALLIGATOR… NOT
Just wanted to let you know that the dish that Patti Spring is eating in Rico’s Diary / Jazz Fest 2001 [www.offbeat.com] is actually the following: The green is Spinach/Artichoke Casserole, the flaky homemade French pie crust is home to the Seafood Augratin, and the orange square in the front of the plate is Creole Sweet Potato Pone.
All of this delicious food comes from our family and we are in Food Tent I, Booth 13.
Happy Happy Fest…..see you next year… or maybe… in between.
—Peggy Miranda, New Orleans, LA
THE LOVELY RENE
I would like to thank you for your generous support. Without OffBeat and you [Jan Ramsey], the First Annual Zeitgeist Creative Music Festival might not have even happened much less been such a huge success. The feature article and coverage by OffBeat was incredible. I especially liked being called “the lovely Rene Broussard.” I don’t know that I have ever been called that before or probably never will be again.
The festival got off to a great start with the Sun Ra tribute. It was greeted with a packed house. Although the festival attendance was often sporadic and unpredictable, I feel it was an overwhelming success. We did exactly what we set out to do…offer a low-key, comfortable alternative to the fest, filled with mind-blowing performances of creative music.
Most importantly we did the almost impossible. We paid all of the musicians, all of our expenses and built up momentum and audiences for year’s to come. Hey we even got mentioned in Rolling Stone. I hope OffBeat will be with us as the festival grows. I thank you and look forward to working with you throughout the year(s).
—Rene Broussard, Zeitgeist Multi-disciplinary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
INDEED CANADIAN
I can’t believe it! I got my May copy of OffBeat today April 30th. Thank you for such a great Jazz Fest special. Living in Canada my copy doesn’t usually come for a few more days, so this makes it really special. I would like to thank Mr. Blagg very much for renewing my subscription and making sure I didn’t miss a OffBeat.
My compliments to Jeff Hannusch on his article on the famous gravesites of New Orleans Music Masters. It was of great interest to me as I have always wanted to pay my respects to the Kings & Queens of New Orleans; but had no idea where they were buried. I would also like to mention how proud I was as a Canadian; when I found out recently that Jeff Hannusch was indeed Canadian. I discovered his writing after he moved to New Orleans and had no idea he was from this neck of the woods. I envy you Mr. Hannusch. Have a great Jazz Fest everyone. Wish I could be there….next best thing is having OffBeat!
—John M. Donabie, Scarborough, ON, Canada
PROPERTY RIOTS
I often think of the story of Mahalia Jackson singing and walking amongst the fans at the first-ever Jazz Fest. It’s a wonderful picture. Unfortunately, she couldn’t do this at today’s Jazz Fest. Instead of encountering people standing and listening to her, she’d find fans stretched out in their wide-body chairs, with spacious armrests and footrests extended, objecting to her potential encroachment!
Indeed, she might not be able to walk amongst them at all if she were unlucky enough to stroll near some of the many groups who bind their chairs together with tape or rope. Then there are the blankets, tarps and king-sized sheets. She’d better not cross some of these or she’d risk the threat of physical harm. Not a pretty picture.
Neither was it a pretty picture on this year’s record-crowded second Saturday, early in the day, when Kevin Gordon was performing at the Acura Stage. In front of him sat very few people, but the area looked like a grid of farms in Nebraska. Each farm was a large blanket or other covering, with the farmhouse being one or two people in their chairs, waiting for their friends or sunning themselves with their backs to the stage. The silence from the lack of applause at the end of each song was an embarrassment. Better Jazz Fest should save some money and have a DJ play recorded music before a Dave Matthews Band or some other popular group appears.
I’ve not missed an hour of Jazz Fest in 17 years. I’ve seen lots. But never anything remotely resembling the property rights attendees now feel they are entitled to with their chairs and blankets. It’s gotten really ugly. There is no other way to describe it. Do their tickets entitle them to more rights than mine? Does getting to a spot first entitle a couple of people to two hundred square feet of private property with no trespassing? I thought everyone near the stages got the space their own hips provided for them. No more. The now-popular grouping of chairs together in an effort to stop people from coming or going past them is downright dangerous. It even happened at the end of some of the aisles in the Jazz, Gospel and Economy Hall Tents.
It’s time to get the chairs away from the stages, aisles and passageways. Much more importantly, it’s time for Jazz Fest to start enforcing the rules they set and advertise. What’s the use of publishing a rule that ground coverings can be no more than six feet by eight feet when it’s totally ignored? Quint Davis better soon recognize that this ugliness could lead to some serious consequences. I’m sure he knows about the tragedies at Roskilde, Cincinnati and Altamont. Make no mistake about it: This is a potentially dangerous situation, and the future of Jazz Fest as we know it is in no way guaranteed forever.
—R. Dusk Lipton, Washington, D.C.
ATTENTION MR. SMASH AND GRAB
On May 7, sometime between 8:30 p.m. and midnight, someone smashed a window in my rental car and stole a backpack and two other items from the back seat. The break-in occurred on Magazine Street near St. Mary in New Orleans. This letter is addressed primarily to the thief.
Among the belongings was a note pad with notes taken at Jazz Fest during my 12-day visit. I have been writing reviews of Jazz Fests for various publications for years, starting with my first trip there in 1986. Without my notes, I can’t write a decent review of the 2001 Fest, so I’d love to get them back. Same for the two rolls of exposed film.
As for the telephoto lens, good luck trying to mount it on any camera other than my old Pentax. The mini-binoculars, outdoorsman’s knife, poncho, baseball cap and assorted other paraphernalia, you can keep. Ditto for the old ski lock—1342 is the combination. You can even keep the brand new ¡Cubanismo!/John Boutté CD and the Buddy Bolden T-Shirt. I can always get replacements.
The backpack itself has some sentimental value as it was a gift from a friend.
This mishap won’t deter me from coming back to Jazz Fest as long as I’m able. Nor has it changed my opinion of New Orleans, still one of my favorite cities. With my notes, I could write an article on Jazz Fest that might persuade some readers to plan a vacation there. If the economy improves enough, Mr. Smash and Grab, perhaps you could get a real job.
—Alexander Ingham, Morganville, NJ 07751
Sorry about your bad experience, but are you insinuating that common criminals read OffBeat? — Ed.
RE-ENERGIZED
What special did the music deities give us this year, First Weekend?
-when John Boutté accepted an audience request (the bitter yet sweet “Black Orpheus”), only to find that his keyboardist didn’t know that tune, his sax player stepped up: I do!
-Mr. Porkypie Hat w/the grey goatee sets down his horn and takes over the 88’s
-man, the level of musicianship in Nawlins is so strong and deep!
-the 3-day Breeze, sweeter than a cherry snowcone!
-the clear-skies, no-rain, late-morning rainbow, just before Theresa Andersson’s Saturday set, a Sign of her fine upcoming diverse, funky set w/ a great new band
See y’all next year to get re-energized again!
PS: Keep posting those fotos!
—Hank Jones, Austin, TX
