CRITICAL MASS

Andy Forest is a very nice guy but I don’t believe he fully thought through the implications of his letter in the February issue, complaining about the "insults" he finds in the CD reviews of Rob Fontenot, with a brief mention of a similar tendency on my part.

Mr. Forest raises questions that deserve a thorough airing even though they may have no definitive answers.

His view of the role of the media reminds me of the way many politicians in Washington and elsewhere feel that journalists should perform. They expect writers and reporters to serve essentially as a cheering section. Indeed, this is precisely the way that journalists function in dictatorships. Their job is to whip up enthusiasm for whatever the folks putting out the message want to sell. That’s not, however, the way it works here, whether we’re talking government or entertainment or any other type of endeavor that’s in the public eye.

It is certainly true that Jan Ramsey and her OffBeat editorial staff are dedicated to helping local musicians as best they can. I’d argue though, that the way to accomplish this is not by offering boundless praise for every piece of recorded music that appears on the local scene. If publications like OffBeat and Gambit had nothing but that in mind, why bother to hire and pay reviewers at all? It’s easier and cheaper to just print the liner notes that come with the CDs, many of which, by the way, are written by folks like us, but with a different purpose in mind.

I checked the "insults" heaped by Rob Fontenot on Coco Robicheaux and Kermit Ruffins in the January issue and discover that along with telling me that Coco can do better than some of the material on his latest offering, he also says that Mr. Robicheaux is "one of the blues’ best living songwriters," that "few living musicians do the swamp thing with so much passion," and that a new song by Coco called "Street Connexxxion" "has a clearer take on the drug wars than any recent Presidential administration." In writing about the Kermit Ruffins’ Putumayo release, which is specifically designed to be sold in boutiques rather than record stores, Mr. Fontenot tells me that "the Kermit disc serves as a de facto greatest hits." The minuses, as well as these plusses, are things that a loyal subscriber or Internet reader in Australia or Brazil or Bulgaria needs to know, unless they are rich enough to just buy everything mentioned in every New Orleans publication.

The function of a reviewer, even amateurs like me (never took a lesson and proud of it!), is to keep the public informed and also, as much as possible to keep musicians advised of just when they’re hot and when they’re not-from the viewpoint of at least some of us whose criticism they respect, whether or not Andy Forest is among them. To confine that role primarily to fellow musicians, as Mr. Forest would seem to prefer, is like saying the best people to write about football coaches are other football coaches and the best people to write about movies are Hollywood actors.

It’s worth noting as well that even the toughest negative criticism can sometimes play a positive role. Back in the 1920s, drama critic Robert Benchley hated the play "Abie’s Irish Rose" so much that he wrote a piece panning it almost every week during the show’s historic five year run on Broadway. When it finally did close, the producers, thrilled with all the free publicity they’d received through the years, threw a party in Benchley’s honor to offer up their thanks.

-Steve Steinberg, New Orleans, LA

Although OffBeat reviewer Rob Fontenot did a rather eloquent job of defending himself against the criticism of Andy J. Forest in the last issue of OffBeat, I feel compelled to throw in my two cents, nevertheless.

Hopefully Mr. Forest isn’t naive enough to think that, out of such large numbers, all reviews are going to be good ones.

OffBeat was, indeed, "started with the intent of helping local musicians," and many musicians’ careers have gotten a boost from favorable reviews of their records in the magazine. But, as reviewers, our job is to be honest. Sometimes brutally honest. If we like the record we’re reviewing, it’s up to us to explain why. If we don’t like what we’re reviewing, it’s our equal responsibility to explain what we don’t like about it.

It is not a reviewer’s job to be a cheering section for every CD he or she is assigned to review or for every musician who puts one out. When a piece of artistic work is put out for public review–whether it be a record, a book, a painting or some other creative product-the artist knowingly takes a risk. He or she is hopeful that their product is going to be critically acclaimed but there’s also the possibility that it could be bombed. They know and understand this when they make the decision to put their product out there-or at least they should.

It has been my unpleasant and unwelcome task on occasions, to give some new CD releases not-so-good reviews. And I’ve been taken to task over it. Letters have been written to the magazine implying, in so many words, that I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about. I’ve been denounced on at least one occasion, along with the magazine, in front of a big crowd at the French Quarter Festival. If I write a good review, I get thanked by the musicians and their significant others and I’m told what a great writer I am. If I bomb something, the response is always "You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about."

The majority of musicians, like most creative individuals, have rather thin skins. Criticism, whether constructive or not, is still criticism to them. How well do I know this; I have a tough time with it, myself. It goes with the territory of being creative. I had a book I wrote bombed in the Times-Picayune 15 years ago. And the reviewer was a friend of mine and he still is.

I hope Mr. Forest and other musicians reading this understand what reviewers are all about. And it isn’t just local artists who get not-so-favorable reviews. Internationally renowned recording artists have taken their lumps here, as well. Larry Coryell is one of my favorite guitarists of all time but I had to give one of his CDs a bad grade here a few years ago when I didn’t feel it was up to his customary standard of excellence.

And, even when I do bomb something, I strive to offer some helpful criticism to the artist. If I think a singer has ventured too far above or below his or her comfortable vocal range, I will say so, and I will recommend that they stay in their range in future recordings. Reviewing anything is a very subjective endeavor and I hope Mr. Forest and other musicians understand that. We love good music and the musicians who put it out there. All we ask is that you give us something good to review.

-Dean M. Shapiro, New Orleans, LA

ENTHRALLED BY NEW ORLEANS

I am a lifelong Indiana resident who started making pilgrimages to New Orleans Jazz Fest in 1977, when I was 22. Back then your [Bunny Matthews] comics and writing really hit me in a good spot as I became enthralled with all things New Orleans. It’s nice to see you are still doing such great work.

In 1990 I gave a young friend of mine his first ride to New Orleans and initiated him to Jazz Fest, Rock ‘n’ Bowl, all dat. I have since lost contact with him. I was through New Orleans in early January and it was a cool surprise to see Mike’s [Hurtt] byline on your cover story about Gate. It made me feel like with that Subaru ride in 1990 I helped out the New Orleans scene somehow. He has really turned out to be a great writer.

My Jazz Fest journeys have dwindled as of late due to my workload. That is a crime I hope to solve in the years to come. Maybe I’ll run into you somewhere along the line!

-Jim Manion, Bloomington, IN

THAT NEVILLE MAGIC

Not only have I got my tickets for [the Neville Brothers] London show on Saturday, March 5th, I am also flying over to Dublin the following morning for their Sunday and final show of their European tour. Dublin is my home town so the thought of hearing Aaron singing "Danny Boy" there proved too good to resist. Now, I wondered if through your contacts you would be able to obtain a copy of their itinerary. I know they are in Amsterdam on the Friday before the London show and if I knew when and where they arrive in the UK I would like to greet them at the Airport to welcome them to England. If I could get hold of backstage/access all areas passes for both shows that would be just magic.

-Ed Ievers, Surrey, UK

No problem, your passes are in the mail. Meanwhile, check out Louisiana Music On Tour (page ) for the Nevilles’ tour dates.-Ed.

THE ROCK ISSUE

Are you going to have a "rock" issue this year? Like you did with Supagroup on the cover last year? C’mon! Are the Mystic Knights Of The Mau Mau going to put on another great show this year like they did with Sky Saxon & the Seeds at Rock ‘n’ Bowl? I know you have the contacts to find out all! Give me the info. Your T. Andersson cover last year was hot! Give her a centerfold this year.

-Johnny Madel, Metairie, LA

As for our rock issue, you are holding it in your sweaty little palms. The Ponderosa Stomp #4, presented by the Mystic Knights, returns to Mid-City Lanes on April 26 and 27 with such stars as Link Wray, Blowfly and Archie Bell. And concerning the luscious Ms. Andersson, we hope to further "expose" this talented artist in future issues. Stay tuned.-Ed.