FAME
Last year, at this time, your reporter, Robert Fontenot stated that Tab Benoit was the star of “Baton Rouge Blues Week.” Tab is a great guy and a great musician, but he did not, nor has he ever appeared on “Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame” awards night or during Blues Week.
Also, this year, John Swenson reported that OffBeat editor Jan Ramsey was being presented with the “Quint Davis Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Louisiana Blues Society. This is also incorrect, and I am sure that your fine publication will correct this very unintentional mistake on your part. “Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame,” not the Louisiana Blues Society is giving the award. We highly applaud the “Louisiana Blues Society,” and their very fine work on behalf of Louisiana blues artists. But, the “Louisiana Blues Society” and the “Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame” are two very different organizations.
We appreciate your attention to and concerting this matter. Again, we congratulate Jan Ramsey on winning our highest award.
—J. Monque’d, Inductee and Member of the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame Board of Directors, Baton Rouge, LA
TACKY TACTICS
How could you? I was surprised and disappointed to read the negative article in your last issue [September 2002] regarding Professor Longhair.
I was always of the belief that Fess was a New Orleans legend, an icon of New Orleans music and dearly loved by the people of New Orleans. So it surprised me that someone would write such an uncomplimentary article. Even more disappointing that you would print it. I think it’s disgusting to write an article so negative about a deceased person. Rather tacky!
He [Bunny Matthews] criticized Fess as a composer. Saying everything he wrote sounded like “Tipitina.” I don’t believe Fess gained his fame as a composer. So I find this criticism immaterial.
So many excellent musicians have done tributes to Professor Longhair, even written songs about him. Allen Toussaint, Dr. John and even more recent by Cyril Neville. Could all these great musicians be wrong and this one writer correct? No, in my opinion.
I have subscribed to your magazine for several years. This is the first issue I’ve thrown away.
—Minta Bowers, San Ramon, CA
I guess I’ll have to postpone that treatise on Hitler I was planning to write since it’s “tacky” to say anything “negative about a deceased person.”—Bunny Matthews
SCREWED-UP
I really enjoy your [John Swenson] Blues Hound column in the Beat, it’s always informative and entertaining, not to mention well researched and written! It’s really nice to see that Levon Helm has survived his illness that cost him his American Café here on Decatur Street. God bless him. Loosen up some of the screws in Bunny’s [Matthews] desk chair, so it will match his personality!! Just kidding. Not.
—Ronald Pennison, Terrytown, LA
IMPRESSIVE
I’ve been subscribing to OffBeat for the last two years and look forward to each issue. It was not until visiting New Orleans that I listened to jazz, zydeco and Cajun music.
Since then I’ve had an interest in Louisiana music. Thanks to the CDs you sent and your informative reviews and articles I now listen to and love jazz, zydeco, brass bands, Cajun, etc. I’m currently enrolled as a student at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California and taking a course in Introduction to Jazz.
I took some issues of OffBeat and the CDs to show my instructor and he enjoyed them as well and was impressed by the “Masters of Louisiana Music” article. Keep up the great work and thanks for the CDs. I hope there will be another Best of the Beat CD next year.
—Alice Engelsman, Imperial Beach, CA
FRESH AIR
I love your magazine and your city soooo much!!!
Keep up the great work. You all are a breath of fresh air, in a world full of halitosis.
Since my house is full of pictures of 13 Jazz Fests and dive vacations, I thought I’d unload a couple pics on ya.
—Jim Wolf, Willits, CA
