VENTING

I just had the opportunity to read the review of my CD. Thanks for including me in the issue.

For the record, when you submit to review, you submit to the opinion of the reviewer. Obviously I do not agree. But that’s the difference between the reviewer and the person being reviewed. Each has his own view.

A lot of what the reviewer states may be true but a lot of it is intentional. I deliberately attempted to separate myself from other percussionists. Traditional drumming goes back eons. Its been done by many people who are much greater than I. I wanted to reach for the new millennium. Whether we like it or not, electronics in music are the wave of the future. Remember when Jimi Hendrix made his statement–people said he was too far out (this is by no means a comparison of myself to Jimi… perish the thought).

My CD is a result of my connection to Kidd Jordan. Remember he said (and taught us) to reach beyond what is common or ordinary. I chose to do so as a percussionist. I also did not want to do a CD where I was soloing on every track. That’s boring to me. Since I consider myself a composer and producer in addition to being a percussionist, it was more important to me to highlight my compositions. I was not afraid to highlight brilliant soloists. Most percussionists I know are limited to being percussionists, but remember I’ve studied as a musician! I also played keyboards.

If the people who look to percussionists’ projects only seek to hear traditional rhythms they’ve got the wrong person. I’m a child of Kidd Jordan, Allen Toussaint and Dr. John–all people who have dared to reach and encouraged me to do so! Maybe my next project will go even further but you can bet I’ll keep stretching!

Once I again thanks for the pub it all helps anyway!

–Ken “Afro” Williams, New Orleans, LA

I feel your recent review of the All Nations CD by Ken Afro is somewhat unfair. In my opinion it is a good piece of music by a local artist that deserves more support from the New Orleans music scene.

While the overall tone of the article was not totally negative, had I not heard it for myself I would have been reluctant to even listen to it. Those people I know have listened to it have all enjoyed it and speak highly of it. Your assessment that the drums are electronic is true in most cases but that does not take away from the quality of the music itself. I feel that you do the artist and the listener a disservice by not giving a higher recommendation to this effort.

–Gerard Williams, New Orleans, LA

VIRTUAL HUBIG?

Over the last few years, several anthologies of writing have appeared under some variation of the “Literary New Orleans” theme. While these have been enjoyable as they remind us of Faulkner, O. Henry, Sherwood Anderson, et.al and their various stays in the Big Easy (and the city’s influence on them), it appears they left out one of the contemporary masters…Bunny Matthews! Hear me out on this. Just as Faulkner would be remembered if he had written only Absalom, Absalom, Bunny should be held in high regard if only for Vic and Nat’ly, his illustrations for Wavelength and his review of the Meters’ reissues a while back. However, he continues to add to that legacy with the intro paragraph of the two carnival records profiled in the Feb. ’01 issue. The man can sum up New Orleans in a couple of paragraphs…better than several years worth of Emeril reruns! When I read Bunny, I can almost taste the Hubig pies.

While New Orleans can, if it must, survive the “Bay St. Louis Saints” or whatever, it will be the 21st-century equivalent of the 1788 fire, malaria, the Civil War and Jim Garrison combined if the city loses Vic and Nat’ly. Storm the Bastille of The Times Picayune! Demand justice.

Meanwhile, I’ll pray that Vic and Nat’ly don’t join Dr. Nutt, Jax and Mr. Bingle as symbols of what used to be.

If Bunny ever agrees to sell a signed sketch of the two Nint’ Ward luvbirdz, let me know. I would love to have an original to hang right next to my photo of Ruthie the Duck Girl! Let me know.

–Al Dunn, Salisbury, NC

Fear not, Vic and Nat’ly Broussard live on in the pages of OffBeat!–Ed.

UNDISPUTED CHIEF AMBASSADOR

Once again it seems appropriate to commend the OffBeat staff on your continually improving publication, as well as your web site. Having started with the 1991 Jazz Fest issue (which I picked up while boarding a Fair Grounds bus behind the brewery), and subscribing shortly thereafter, I feel qualified to note the extremely impressive scope your staff provides for aspects of the arts-and-eats scene. Us removed lovers of Crescent City music would be totally missing out on most locally recorded materials without the current information gleaned from your monthly news fix. (I make at least two or three annual orders to the Louisiana Music Factory.) Thanks to you we can also show up at Jazz Fest time with added anticipation and enthusiasm for unseen acts that we have already heard and know something about. Over the past ten years, you have more than earned the title of “undisputed chief ambassador of New Orleans music.”

I have received and enjoy both CDs, and I plan to re-subscribe for two years when my current subscription runs out somewhat close to Jazz Fest this year. What I want to make sure of is that I don’t miss out on the 2000 CD as the 2001 might be out by time of my re-subscription. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Best wishes and keep up the good work.

–J. Walker Coleman III, Charleston, SC

Here’s how it works–you receive a free OffBeat Festival CD for each year of paid subscription. If you subscribe right now for two years, you will receive the 2000 CD immediately and the 2001 CD when it is manufactured (scheduled for Fall release). CDs for a particular year are usually not available until the year is nearly over.–Ed.

CARR TALK

It made me very sad to see the review of Richard Carr’s excellent CD. I have been selling many forms of contemporary instrumental music in my business for 12 years and listening to many forms of music for years way beyond that. Since this is my business I can tell you that Dean Shapiro’s review of When Soul & Heart Collide could not be more dead wrong. We are blessed to have a pianist in New Orleans of Richard Carr’s talent. If Dean does not understand the concept of New Age piano, he should let others do the reviews on it. Richard has grown with each release and now has qualities that many pianist will never capture and in fact When Soul & Heart Collide has songs that I feel will be classics for many years to come. We are blessed to have a pianist in New Orleans that rivals George Winston, Michael Jones, David Lanz and John Boswell. But then again maybe Dean does not know or understand the fabulous works of these artists either. In short I can’t stand when people who do not understand the music tear it down. Artists work too hard to create and deserve better.

–Erik de Jonge, Bep’s Antiques & Music, New Orleans, LA

I am writing in reply to Dean Shapiro’s review of Richard Carr’s When Soul and Heart Collide. I have been trying very hard to understand Mr. Shapiro’s “P.O.V” of Mr. Carr’s music, but I feel that he has completely missed the point!

Amidst the technical references and comparisons to Handel, Mr. Shapiro failed to acknowledge (or maybe doesn’t realize) the feature that I find most fascinating and unique: Nearly every track on this CD, as on all of Richard Carr’s releases, is a first time improvisation; nothing is ever written or composed prior to a recording session, and nothing is ever altered after it is recorded. The remaining tracks are improvisational to start, but are recreated and fine-tuned in that same style until the perfect sound is found. I find the fact that he is able to compose “on the fly” to be a very special quality which adds another scope to the music; when combined with the profound passion heard in each piece, and the strong left hand involvement, (which is quickly becoming Carr’s trademark) it becomes a multi-faceted jewel.

There’s an agonizing sameness to most of these tracks that make them virtually indistinguishable from one another.” I do not understand this statement at all, unless Mr. Shapiro had one track set on “repeat” “Familiar Stranger” in no way resembles the title track or “Tender Love,” nor does “Headlong Into the Wind” even vaguely simulate “Chasing the Dream” or “Into the Sunset.” Each piece has its own personality and set of emotions.

“Perhaps the greatest flaw here is Carr’s one-dimensional P.O.V. As we all know, life isn’t all sweetness and light and the best music of our Western culture reflects that.” As does Richard Carr’s music; Mr. Shapiro must have noted that the recording itself is dedicated to Carr’s piano teacher/mentor/friend who recently passed away, and that “In Memoriam” was composed in his memory. “Touch of Life” was composed for a friend who is struggling with illness and unable to do the things she used to. No, life is not “all sweetness and light,” but it is obvious that Carr wishes to lend a positive energy to even the most unbearable of situations.

In addition, Mr. Shapiro appears to be working too hard when he is listening to the CD. The liner notes are Mr. Carr’s interpretation of the music; Mr. Shapiro is trying to follow the notes word for word and see the music as the artist does. (A “purely constructive” suggestion Mr. Shapiro: Put the liner notes away, free your mind, listen, enjoy, color outside the lines! Relax and let the music form images in your mind which are personal to you. There are no rules: that, Mr. Shapiro, is the main point that you missed.)

–Faye Abbott, New Orleans, LA

REAL INFORMATION

Damn, it sounds like the natives are not only getting restless but banally bored (perhaps living in a sanctimonious microcosm too long, rather than looking out of their local environs through a telescope at the rest of the universe). Hey, there’s a world out there and it’s watching. And what does it see?!?

After mostly being bombasted by and wading through beaucoup verbose mental masturbations, it leaves me wondering what could possibly be lacking in a community which is so rich culturally, that it does not exhibit a greater sense of local pride and respect or exude more joy about having the fortune to live in a city with as much to offer as New Orleans does.

Expecting to find some REAL information about music and the musicians I miss and dearly love from my homeland, I decided to peruse this message board for the first time. Thus, maybe you can imagine my painful disappointment in what was presented to me instead. So, I’ll hope for the best next time I get homesick enough to look y’all up again or better yet, call a friend “in the know.”

Just beware–is this the frame of reference and the aesthetic image of your fair city that you want to project to all the rest of the NOLA music aficionados around the globe, who may just be interested enough to look you up too?

–Karen S. Fredepric, ZuZu from the Left Bank of New York City

PURE MAGIC

I never got a chance to thank you [Jonathan Tabak] for such a wonderful and insightful review on Phillip Manuel’s Love Happened To Me CD and it was nice that you mentioned my contribution to it. It was interesting that you singled out Phillip’s performance on “Round Midnight”. As it turns out it was late at night and he decided to take a pass at it (as an overdub) and it was pure magic, one take. I agree that it is one of the best moments on the whole CD. It’s nice to know that there are critics out there that can hear the fine lines musicians sometimes cross when all the elements are right.

–Michael Pellera

DAMN HOT

OffBeat is the “Cornbread & coffee-milk” of southern music. Keep up the good work! Jussss toooooo damn hot for hip-boots–much success in 2001!

–Carmine, via email