The sounds of Uncle Tupelo, Banco De Gaia, Tracy Chapman, Wolfgang Mozart, XTC, Sonny Boy Williamson, Iggy Pop and many others come out of my laptop. Life in New Orleans is like being married to music. Here is a look at what musicians have done in the face of Katrina and a discussion on the future of New Orleans music.
Lincoln Center Hurricane Relief Benefit: “Emotions ran high” at last night’s star-studded Lincoln Center Higher Ground hurricane relief benefit concert (good job, Wynton Marsalis!). I’m sure the music was inspiring, but am intrigued by some of the following statements.
Danny Glover – “When the hurricane struck, it did not turn the region into a Third World country … it revealed one.” (A trite, but true, assessment of New Orleans. Now that you’ve said it, are things going to change and how?).
Elvis Costello – a Brit reacts to certain Americans balking at the high cost of post-Katrina rebuilding – “I just hope we keep in our minds that an effort like this can never be too expensive.” (I’m glad I bought your last album, Elvis.)
Irvin Mayfield – “[This rendition of Just A Closer Walk with Thee is dedicated] to my father, who is still missing.” I’m fairly certain that OffBeat reported the Mayfield family as intact, but this is not the case. Irvin Mayfield is jazz trumpeter, US Senate-appointed cultural ambassador for the City of New Orleans and a member of the hot, hot duo, Los Hombres Calientes. That such a man is reduced to looking for his father after a natural disaster is nothing short of shocking. Please hope for his family.
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19th-Century Sousaphone Stolen From New Orleans Evacuee In Houston: Today’s Houston Chronicle reports on the theft of Emile Francis’ minivan from near a Houston Red Cross office on Tuesday, September 13th. In the vehicle was his sousaphone which he took the pains to save from his flooding home. The local police have reported his van as stolen.
Louisiana license plate number: NDC 880 … The unique horn is a solid brass Cerveny sousaphone with four rotary valves. It was made sometime in the 1890s … is packed in a soft, black case.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of the van or sousaphone, please contact Houston police or the article’s author.
Mr. Francis continues to live with the great attitude that “happy is the man whose hobby is his occupation.” Amen.
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Q-Burns’ Message Not So Abstract: My friend, the talented Orlando-based DJ Q-Burns Abstract Message (Michael Donaldson), sends a note of hope for New Orleans. Out of goodwill and activism, not only has he placed my recommended get-the-Katrina-word-out links on his site, but also mailed me some cool, new mixes to cheer me up. What a guy! Michael lived in Louisiana for 15 years before moving to Florida and plans to host a benefit gig for Katrina victims – can’t wait to help out!
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OffBeat Magazine & The Future Of New Orleans Music: New Orleans’s own online music resource, OffBeat, hosts a forum thread on the future of the city’s music scene. The object is to fuel discussion on “what effect will Katrina have on our local record labels, nightclubs and our burgeoning film industry. Can it survive?”
If you’re a music lover and wish to see the city of New Orleans shine again in this regard, please join the forum and make a few useful suggestions, should you have any. Music is our city’s salvation, and we don’t want to see it usurped by an opportunistic few.
Irvin Mayfield’s dad is still missing? I used to be a Los Hombres Calientes groupie when I was at Tulane. I think one of my friends was dating him at the time… I hope the music of New Orleans starts up again, soon.
Last Saturday the community of Gulf Place in Santa Rosa Beach, FL hosted a benefit for Hurrican Katrina relief on their grounds from 12-10 pm with courtesy foods donated by local restaurants and courtesy tickets for evacuees – it was a hot, hot day out there but volunteers galore and residents sat it out in the heat rocking to the music of The Underdogs, Dread Clampitt, Bill Garrett and the Marc Harris Band – some visitors from New Orleans joined in with their fiddles and congas and more – one big moment when Marc Harris and singer Erin took the crowd to big time – their version of GIMME SHELTER was awesome and with that full moon gave all kinds of hope to all the people there! Bravo!!!