The Best Louisiana Albums of 2011 Thursday, Jan 26 2012

In the January 2012 edition of Offbeat magazine, the brilliant music writer, John Swenson, identified “The 40 Best Louisiana Albums of 2011.” Needless to say, I can’t argue with someone of his caliber, in large part because his musical range and expertise is far greater than mine. However, I can laud his “best of” list while identifying some of my favorites that are part of it. And for the most part, I was not disappointed in his selections.

Most of my picks are in the top 20, so I was a little disappointed to see Galactic’s The Other Side of Midnight in the second half of Swenson’s ranking. It is Galactic’s first live album in a decade, and collaborations with New Orleans artists give it great traction. It includes performances by Trombone Shorty, Corey Henry, and the Soul Rebels Brass Band; however, I am most drawn to tracks with the timeless Cyril Neville and singular Big Freedia.

In the top 20, Swenson has American Legacies, a singular smash-up between the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Del McCoury Band. It is a brilliant paring of traditional jazz and blue grass, although some of the tracks do feel a bit contrived and transitions jarring. However, upon further visits, it seems to make more sense. I like it.

When it comes to the Rebirth Brass Band, I have a hard time being objective. Suffice it to say, I was pleased that their Rebirth of New Orleans was at Swenson’s number 10. There is much to like here and let’s admit it, it’s just plain fun. If asked to pick favorites, I’d give a  nod towards the raucous “I Like It Like That,” “A. P. Touro,” and their update of the traditional tune, “Exactly Like You.”  Flea Broussard’s sax on “What Goes Around Comes Around” is worth the price of admission, alone.

At number eight, I love everything about Dr. Michael White’s new album except for the title. When he told me it was called  Adventures in New Orleans Music Part One, I had an unmistakable flashback to music appreciation classes in middle school. But the album is far greater than that. White’s ensemble is superlative, with White’s rich clarinet, Gregg Stafford’s trumpet and vocals, and Lucien Barbarin’s trombone – incomparable musicianship . And White’s arrangements, traditional in idiom, but fresh and modern in application, is stunning. His duet on “House of the Rising Sun” with Detroit Brooks on banjo is haunting and oh so memorable.

At number six, Swenson has Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses. Again, I have a hard time being objective on this one. The first time I saw her playing with the Panorama Jazz Band, I instantly fell in love. The energy, fun, and joy that she puts into her playing the sax is a musical contagion. And that is present throughout this tribute to the great New Orleans clarinet/soprano sax player, Sidney Bechet. The sound level on vocals could be stronger, but the loving treatment of these traditional jazz chestnuts is priceless.

At number one is my number one for the year: Trombone Shorty’s For True. Of all the New Orleans musicians I think have the stuff to make a mark nationally, from Kermit Ruffins to Big Freedia, I think Trombone Shorty is first in line. This album but him on the late night circuit. His “For True” provides the background music for one of Ashton Kutcher’s Canon camera commercials. It is clear that the time is ripe for “supafunkrock.”

So, a great year in 2011. Looking forward to an even better year in 2012. And while you are waiting, get out there an enjoy some great New Orleans music.

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Mardi Gras Indians, St. Joseph’s Day, March 19, 2010. Saturday, Jan 21 2012

In March 2010, after a week of building and rehabbing houses, my students joined me on the streets of Treme to view the Mardi Gras Indians on the night of St. Joseph's Day. Several of the students had a chance to pose with Indians as they processed on St. Bernard Avenue.

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Spring Break in New Orleans Monday, Jan 16 2012

Gutting houses, St. Bernard Parish, March 2006.

The title of this post might suggest youthful drinking and exposing body parts for beads, but since Katrina, thousands of college students have gone to New Orleans during spring break to help rebuild a broken city. While much of the country wonders why the job is not finished, anyone who has been out in the neighborhoods in New Orleans knows the extent of the damage wrought by the flood. And that doesn’t even address the fact that New Orleans was in need of quality, affordable long before anyone had equated the name Katrina with a devastating storm.

Since March 2006, a few months after the waters receded, I have worked with dozens of  young people who have selflessly given their break from school to help others. They have gutted homes, cleared brush, landscaped, framed walls, spackled, scraped, caulked, primed and painted. And in the process of helping Gulf residents, they have learned about others far different from them…and I suspect they have learned a good deal about themselves.

House painting, Gentilly, March 2010.

Since March 2007, I have had the pleasure or working side-by-side with students from the University of New Hampshire. And from that year forward, students in my New Orleans course have been there; initially only a handful, but since 2008 almost every student in the class has made the trip. We have worked in St. Bernard Parish, Waveland, Mississippi, and in neighborhoods throughout New Orleans (Upper Ninth, Faubourg Marigny, Treme, Gentilly, and Carrollton). However, this year is going to be a little different.

We have very happily worked with Operation Helping Hands, a program of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans for the past three years. Alas, they have phased out their volunteer program.  So this year, the students in the the New Orleans course, in conjunction with the UNH-Alternative Break

Cutting soffit for eaves, Upper Ninth Ward, March 2007.

Challenge, will be moving across Lake Pontchartrain to work with Habitat for Humanity. Mind you, we will be a presence in New Orleans, but during the day we will be working with two different Habitat for Humanity  agencies in St. Tammany Parish. Our work will be centered around Slidell and Mandeville, Louisiana. And we’ll be staying at the Peace Mission Center in Slidell.  By the way, the volunteer accommodations and meals come highly recommended.

So on this day, as we celebrate a life of Martin Luther King, Jr., who spent his short time with us peacefully advocating on behalf of others, I look forward to working with another group of students who will generously give their time and creature comforts to move his dream forward.

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Photo of the Week — 1/14/2012 Saturday, Jan 14 2012

This is one of my favorite memories of New Orleans. From March 2007, it features Irma Thomas, the "Soul Queen of New Orleans," at a performance at the House of Blues on Decatur Street. Photograph by Bill Ross.

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End of the Road for a Katrina Relief Agency Sunday, Jan 8 2012

Mazant Street, Upper Ninth Ward, March 2009.

On Friday, January 6, 2012, Operation Helping Hands completed its last post-Katrina home renovation.  Under the auspices of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the agency had been one of the largest organizations established for rehabbing storm-damaged homes in the City, but reduced funding has forced it to phase out it operations.

Set-up in the wake of the 2005 flooding, Operation Helping Hands helped coordinate rebuilding efforts in conjunction with the myriad of volunteers after Katrina. Over the years, they coordinated the work of some 30,000 volunteers, gutted 2,000 homes, and painted/rebuilt about 600 others. The agency intended to shut down months from now, but with dwindling government grants and the high cost of replacing contaminated Chinese drywall used in some renovations, it came sooner.

Dinnertime at St. Raymond's, March 2010.

Students in the New Orleans course began working with Operation Helping Hands in 2009. And we returned to work with them in 2010 and 2011.  The commitment shown by its administrators, staff, and  long-term volunteers had a tremendous impact on student volunteers, as did the chance to work at the street level in a number of New Orleans neighborhoods. The class had been scheduled to work with them again in March; however with the early shutdown, we will be working with a Habitat for Humanity organizations in St. Tammany Parish instead.

Hickory Street, New Orleans, March 2011.

The memories of working with Operation Helping Hands are great and the closing of such a fine program, bittersweet. From Miss Kathy’s fine dinners at St. Ray’s in Gentilly, to the supposedly haunted housing in Marrero, LA, to the reward of getting to know homeowners, their neighbors, neighborhood children, and local pets, students will all look back fondly on the time spent volunteering with Operation Helping Hands. And regardless of the opportunities  and rewards of such service in the future, there will be a hole left where Operation Helping Hands used to be. Thank you!

For more on the closing of Operation Helping Hands, click here.

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Test Testiness Wednesday, Jan 4 2012

In recent years, standardized testing in the United States has come under considerable scrutiny. Since the passage of No Child Left Behind, many have questioned whether it has improved the quality of education or driven teachers to teach to the test.

St. Louis No 1 Cemetery, March 2010.

While assessment scores have improved in New Orleans schools in recent years, there are a few members of the community who are unhappy about how test results are applied. These test takers drive horse drawn carriages, wander through cemeteries, and relay stories of New Orleans’ ghosts and haunts. Clearly, they are not school children; they are New Orleans tour guides.

While the South generally eschews regulation, it is interesting that the City of New Orleans, through the Ground Transportation division city’s Department of Safety and Permits, requires that all guides they pass a test  and submit to background checks and drug tests before receiving a license to operate tours.  Thus the City is pretty careful to make sure that the some 550 tour guides throughout the City know their history, architecture, and culture (or won’t endanger a coach full of tourists while in a drug-induced stupor). For that reason, the City requires that all guides take a comprehensive test that includes New Orleans facts, but also the rules and regulations governing tour guides.

The 70-question exam is largely taken “The Beautiful Crescent: A History of New Orleans,” by Joan B. Garvey and Mary Lou Widmer. According to established guides, “The Beautiful Crescent” should be the source for members of the profession, since it covers most of what tour participants might ask. And the City agrees, since it has been cracking down and increasing enforcement since this past summer. In addition to the test, they are requiring biennial background checks. A number of guides find this rigorous enforcement onerous; however, four guides went further and filed suits that the City’s regulations and the test, in particular, are a violation of their free speech under the First Amendment.

Jackson Square and Decatur Street, March 2010.

Reaction form the City’s guides has been mixed. While many find the City’s application of the regulations to be burdensome, they generally agree that standards lend credibility to their profession. And it is permissible for tour guides to be licensed through exams offered by the Friends of the Cabildo  or through courses offered by Delgado Community College, which are more strict.

Although it is often difficult to predict judicial outcomes, I truly hope that the court supports the rigorous requirements for New Orleans tour guides. Over the years, I have taken part in numerous tours and listened in on countless others. I have been quite impressed with the knowledge these guides display and have learned a considerable amount from them. I’d hate to see the quality of what they offer be watered down. The result would be a disservice to the City and visitors, as well.

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King Cake: “Yeah, there’s an app for that!” Friday, Dec 30 2011

The tradition of serving King Cake as part of the New Orleans carnival season dates back to the 18^th Century. The baked confection, which contains a trinket (often a plastic baby) or dried bean, has been decorated with purple, green, and gold sugar or icing since those colors became a part of Mardi Gras in the 19th Century. It is proper fare anytime from Epiphany (January 6th) through Mardi Gras. And you’d think the tradition could just rest with that, but you would be wrong.

King Cake from Haydel's, Super Bowl Sunday, February 2010.

For years, former New Orleans residents could have a King Cake shipped anywhere from a number of New Orleans area bakeries. The packages usually contain the cake, Mardi Gras beads and trinkets, and perhaps even a music cd. Most of those bakeries have websites where you can order your little piece of Carnival and increasingly, you can find Haydel’s,   various Randazzo bakeries, and others on Facebook.

Randazzo’s Camellia City Bakery has taken taken the King Cake tradition and social media to the next level. This year the bakery has launched an interactive King Cake app — King Me! So, if you feel the need to order a customized King Cake using your smartphone or tablet, you’re in business!

Yes, a new tradition for Carnival!

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When the Arrest of a Young Boy on New Year’s Eve Changed Music History Wednesday, Dec 28 2011

Nearly one hundred years ago, a seemingly minor event took place on the streets of New Orleans. A twelve year-old African-American boy was arrested by police for firing his stepfather’s revolver to celebrate New Years. This is still a common practice in New Orleans, despite the fact that falling bullets can injure or even kill people on the street.

However, in 1913, being black in Jim Crow New Orleans did not leave the young boy much leeway; the authorities removed him from his family and sent him to the New Orleans Home for Colored Waifs. There, it was expected, he would receive the right kind of discipline and training to enable him to reenter society.

The young boy spent several years at the home. As part of his rehabilitation, he received lessons in playing the cornet from Professor Peter Davis who frequently worked at the home at the request of the headmaster. The youngster had been taught to play the horn by ear, but he was in need of more formal training. Davis saw a spark in the the young miscreant, helped refine his playing, and eventually made him the band leader at the home. The young man began to attract attention for his horn playing; the notice would give spark to a noteworthy career.

The boy was released from the Waif’s Home when he was fourteen. Although he was technically returned to his family, he was guided by the musicians who played the local dance halls and brothels. He played in brass band parades and learned from the likes of Bunk Johnson, Buddy Petit, Kid Ory, and Joe “King” Oliver. Eventually, he signed on with Fate Marable’s band, which performed on riverboats up and down the Mississippi River. He referred to this period as his university, as he learned to play from written arrangements.

In 1919, Joe Oliver decided to move to Chicago and resigned from Kid Ory’s band; the young man replaced him and also became second trumpet for the Tuxedo Brass Band. In a couple of years, Joe Oliver, the mentor, summoned the young cornet player to Chicago.

Beginning in Chicago, Louis Armstrong, the young waif, the cornet player, would become the most recognized face of jazz music. In due time, his forceful playing and vocal stylings would change popular American music forever.

And quite possibly, it all stemmed from a young boy firing his stepfather’s gun on New Year’s Eve.

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“A New Orleans Christmas Carol” Monday, Dec 12 2011

This is a very special post, as it allows me to combine two things that I care a great deal about: New Orleans and Christmas music. And clearly, the two are not mutually exclusive. While most would picture traditional jazz, modern jazz, and cajun/zydeco, holiday music reflects the broader spectrum of New Orleans. And while space and propriety might limit this post, there’s plenty of holiday music out there for your enjoyment.

This year’s favorite comes from Ellis Marsalis, the dean of New Orleans jazz. On his updated album, “A New Orleans Christmas Carol,” Marsalis uses his piano to take us on an extensive tour of the season’s music. If you’re looking for a funky beat or New Orleans brass bands this is not your ticket. However, if you like straight-forward, heart-felt jazz, you’ll find a home here.

The playlist includes Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time is Here.” It remains true to the original, but with the added interplay between Marsalis’ piano and his youngest son,  Jason, on vibraphone. And if that classic soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas” strikes your fancy, then there is a lot here that you’ll find appealing. It is truly hard to pick favorites, but other highlights include Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” with Jason Marsalis on drums, a straight-up jazz trio take on “We Three Kings,” and a wonderful celebration of Ellis Marsalis’ piano mastery on Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song.”

Besides Ellis and Jason Marsalis, musicians include: Bill Huntington and Paul Harris on bass; Roman Skakun on vibraphone; and Johnaye Kendrick and Cynthia Liggins Thomas with vocals on “Christmas Joy” and “A Child is Born,” respectively.

This collection might not have the commercial success of a lot of the seasonal dreck that’s out there, but it has quickly risen to the top of the playlist in our household.

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“The normal is strange here; the strange is normal.” Friday, Nov 11 2011

Every spring, I work for several weeks to prepare the students in my New Orleans class for what is akin  to foreign travel. New Orleans: the sights, the vibe, the attitudes are the antithesis of New England and it is a challenge to explain it adequately. And if you go back through these pages, you will see my past attempts to explain the differences.

However, a wonderful post by Brett Will Taylor at nola.com helps do it for me. So, if you are planning a visit, be sure to read the “Newcomers’s top 10 guide for living in New Orleans,” for yourself.  But to sum it up, you might say: “don’t think too much; just go with the flow.”

Taylor’s ten main points are as follows:

Truck cab bar, Mardi Gras Indian Indian parade, March 2011.

1.  Planning.  Abandon all hope of planning ye who enter here. It’s not going to happen.  If you try to plan, you’ll get an ulcer and find yourself constantly making incredulous faces. Just. Let. It. Happen. If you’re meant to hang with someone, Mama NOLA will make it happen.  If not, she’ll send even more fabulous people your way to hang with!

2.  Comfort zone.  Drop yours.  New Orleans is like no place on Earth, so don’t experience it the same way you experience everywhere else.  If you do, you’ll miss her completely.

3.  Costuming. My best friend tells me that he’s never worn a costume in the 7 ½ years he’s lived here. I’ve told him he has until Carnival to change that. Or find a new best friend. You just can’t live in NOLA without costuming. To get started, get yourself a glue gun, spray paint, and a make-up drawer.

4.  Da Saints.  Love them.  Pretend to love them. Or move.

5.  Food.  We eat our food like we live our lives:  rich and over-the-top. And no need to ask what’s good. As someone told me my first week here, “Baby, if a place don’t serve good food, we will shut it down.”  She’s right.  My corner gas station serves some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted.

Kermit Ruffins at the Rock and Bowl, March 2011.

6.  Music.  Lady who?  When it comes to music, there’s New Orleans music … and then, well, why you would want to look beyond New Orleans for music?  There’s a lot to take in here. For a crash course, immerse yourself in OZ. For a master’s course, listen to David Kunian’s “The Kitchen Sink”.

7.  Pronunciation.  It’s Brrr-gun-dy, Charters, Esplan-aid, and Cont-eye.  Don’t worry about Tchoupitoulas (a word that can devour your entire afternoon).  Locals just say “Chop”.  Oh. And the Nine Muses streets? Don’t even try.  Unless you were born here, you’ll never get them right.

8.  Perspective.  Repeat after me:  “The normal is strange here; the strange is normal.”

9.  Bugs.  This morning, I heard frantically scratching child plead, “Mama, when do the mosquitos go away?”  “It’s New Orleans, baby,” she said.  “They never go away.”  True dat.  The bugs in this city were here before you and, just like Cher, they’ll be here after you. And they all have wings (except for the stinging caterpillars that free-fall onto you in the spring). Oh. And our bugs have serious boundary issues.  As in, they all come into your house (you didn’t really want to live alone, did you?).

10.  Politics.  Don’t ask.  This city elected Ray Nagin. Twice.

I could not have summed it up better myself.

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