LOVE TO LES
I’m stunned to see Les [Getrex] is finally getting the recognition he deserves, after paying some serious dues in all those Bourbon Street dives. A New Orleans treasure. His presence made my peregrinations through Bourbon Street an always funky experience, from the days he played afternoons at the Jazz Café-Les, are you listening? Blackjack, baby! To those late nights at the R&B Club where he had to oftentimes pander to the “Brown-Eyed Girl” crowd, depriving those who loved his blues/R&B and funk side. Les deserves a spot at Jazz Fest, but this is definitely a step in the right direction. Les, I love you, and can’t wait to see you in April.
-Leni Corwin, via email
NICE MUSIC
We traveled to New Orleans and to Jackson, Mississippi last month. It was our sixth time visiting New Orleans and the first time to Jackson. New Orleans is a very pleasant place anytime and anywhere. We enjoyed Rebirth Brass Band, J.J. Caillier and Marva Wright in New Orleans. ReBirth Brass Band was more powerful than several years ago, and fine zydeco and nice Marva Wright’s show were very exciting. We subscribe to OffBeat Magazine in Tokyo, and it was very helpful for us to check music information during the trip.
We hope we have more trips around the South where they have nice music! Thank you.
-Kei & Hisae Miyazaki, Musashino-City, Tokyo, Japan
MEDICINAL
You neglected to do something in your review column this time and I am hoping that in the next issue you will make amends. You published a review of The Medicine Show Volume 2 and you didn’t put in the address. For people such as myself scattered around the country this is not an easy to get address. I reviewed Volume 1 last year (very good rating) but didn’t keep the address. I knew and liked Tommy very much and would love to do this for his memory.
Please send me the address. I always will buy a copy to review (one of the very few discs I buy, then review).
-Bob Gottlieb, The All Music Guide, Tucson, AZ
The address for purchasing copies of The Medicine Show CDs is Acadiana Arts Council, PO Box 53762, Lafayette, LA 70505.-Ed.
PEASANTRY
Thanks for publishing my letter a couple of months ago!
You said that you’d publish the names and addresses of those politicians who are for or against the heart and soul of N’Awlins so we peasants could write to them accordingly. I’ve been looking, but, I didn’t see the list. (Not an admonishment. I’m just anxious for us folks to get the message to those in political office).
The magazine and the web site are great! Keep up the good work!
-Terrence (Terry) O’Riordan, Amagansett, NY
Write to Mayor Marc Morial and the City Council at 1300 Perdido St., New Orleans, LA 70112 and the N.O. Music &Entertainment Commission at 1515 Poydras St., New Orleans, LA 70112.-Ed.
INVERTED
Many thanks to OffBeat for the beautiful article written by Jonathan Tabak. I am very grateful for the space and opportunity to express myself in your publication. And compliments for the clever inversion of the photograph to fit the “Inside Out” idea.
-Tim Green, New Orleans, LA.
PLEASANTRY
Thank you very much for having put together the great article [“Talkin’ ’bout New Orleans”] which appeared in OffBeat. I have already received numerous reactions about the article, most of which had to do with the youthful appearance of my picture that you used. It has been so long since I have involved in the music industry, many of my friends and relatives found the article to be greatly informative about my past.
You have helped me revisit a pleasant time in early life past and I thank you for it.
-Frank J. Uddo, Metairie, LA
CONFERENCE CALL
If you would please check your facts before you commit your words to print you’d find that the State of Texas hasn’t put one penny of subsidy into the SXSW conference, ever. The most they ever do is buy a discounted booth. Again, verification is truly a virtue and a necessity if one wishes to print the truth. If money means so little to you and the truth does, perhaps you should hire a fact checker.
And aren’t government subsidies corporate welfare? Though I can rationalize the investment by the LMC due to the fact that if Cutting Edge/LMNOP/DigitalMusicForum weren’t doing conferences we’d have to, I still have a problem with dependency on government underwriting.
-Steve Picou, Assistant Director, Louisiana Music Commission
Thou dost protest too much! We never said that the Texas Commission subsidizes the event; but it does support SXSW by buying a booth, ads and other packages. And why, after almost a decade in office hasn’t the LMC created some legacy to demonstrate why the Music Commission exists at all?-Ed.
NEAR PERFECT
I was disturbed and disappointed at David [sic] Shapiro’s unwarranted attack in his review of Chucky C’s new CD. Chucky is a consummate musician with a long history of both comical entertainment and brilliant vocal styles. He has a wonderful falsetto and near perfect pitch.
I would understand if he had said Chucky is better in person, but just to slam him publicly like that seemed vindictive and unfair. New Orleans is the birthplace of many new styles and to hurt someone’s image like that doesn’t seem true to the style of your otherwise upbeat, positive magazine. You ought to fire him… he snarls like a junkyard dog.
-Dawna Rae, New Orleans, LA
Most listeners who have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Chucky “C” live love his voice and stage presence. But even Maria Callas occasionally made bad recordings. Check out the other reviews by Dean and you’ll see that he doesn’t always snarl. Hey, Chucky! You sure are lucky to have such love and loyalty from your fans.-Ed.
