Continued: New Orleans Notes

The digitization of the jazz holdings of the Louisiana State Museum has been resumed after the disastrous disruption caused by Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of photographs in the museum's massive collection have now been scanned and are available for viewing online at http://louisdl.louislibraries.org. (Click "Collection Name" on left sidebar, scroll down and click on "Louisiana State Museum Jazz Collection," then "Browse items in this collection.") The jazz section of the museum in the Old Mint is still under repair and not open to the public.

The Open Society Institute of New York has created an interesting new website, "Katrina: An Unnatural Disaster" at www.katrinamedia.org. It is a wonderful resource for the post-Katrina New Orleans experience. The research project being conducted by jazz writer Larry Blumenfeld, a fellow of the Institute, can also be accessed at that site.

Author Don Marquis, with the collaboration of owner Nina Buck, is completing what should be a fascinating chronological account of the Palm Court Jazz Caf‚. The publication date of An Illustrated History of the Palm Court has not yet been determined, however.

I mentioned the "Make It Right" project in the Lower Ninth Ward in last month's column. Started by part-time New Orleans residents, actor Brad Pitt and his actress wife Angelina Jolie, the project aims to construct affordable housing in the neighborhood destroyed by Katrina flooding resulting from the nearby levee break. Pitt and Jolie were on hand Dec. 3 to officially inaugurate this impressive undertaking that has received considerable national media attention. Since that time, money has been pouring in from all quarters. As of early January, 70 families had applied for financing from the project, which hopes to break ground in March for the initial 20 of the more than 150 homes being planned for the site. The first homes should be ready for occupancy by late summer. The distinctive pink houses erected to mark the site were visible to the public for about a month before being disassembled because the scaffolding was needed for Mardi Gras construction. The Lastie Family Gospel Choir performed at the tearing-down ceremony. For a full description of the project (and how you can help), see the website www.makeitrightnola.org.

The attractive McKenna Museum of African American Art on Carondelet Street in Central City is hosting a photographic exhibit, "Santiago de Cuba, ReBirth & Congas," that runs until Feb. 23. It focuses on the city that was Cuba's first capital, widely regarded as the home of the conga. Having visited Santiago de Cuba some years ago, I was pleased to join many others at the opening reception on January 5. The ReBirth Brass Band was in Santiago in July 2003 to take part in the city's famous carnival celebration, and they were also on hand to provide music for this occasion.

Comings and Goings

I reported last month that ace reedman Victor Goines, 46, had resigned his post at Juilliard School in New York to resume his career as a performing artist. Well, that was no sooner written than I learned that he had accepted a comparable position at Northwestern University in suburban Chicago. NU's School of Music announced in early December that Goines had been hired as professor of music and director of jazz studies. His hiring was intended to revitalize the jazz program.

Goines led a group of New Orleans musicians (including Troy Andrews, Don Vappie, Jonathan Batiste, Reginald Veal, and Herlin Riley) in concerts at New York's Lincoln Center Jan. 11-12. Billed as "Kings of the Crescent City," the program celebrated the music of Armstrong, Bechet, Morton and Oliver.

New Orleans and the Musicians' Village were recognized in the famous Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on New Year's Day. The Hurricane Katrina Survivors Ride Float featured the music of young trumpeter Shamarr Allen and his band, as well as Cherice Harrison-Nelson, the Counsel Queen of the Guardians of the Flame Mardi Gras Indian Group, in her ritual attire. Both Allen and Harrison-Nelson are residents of Musicians' Village.

Trumpeter Clive Wilson and his New Orleans Serenaders (Butch Thompson, piano; Freddie John, trombone; Dick Cook, clarinet; Peter Ind, bass, and Norman Emberson, drums) feature the music of Ory, Armstrong and Morton. The band will be on a concert tour in the U. K. between March 16 and March 30. For more information about the tour, see www.terrydash.co.uk. Incidentally, the band's second CD, Heart Full of Rhythm, is just out (GHB-465).

Among December visitors to the city were Francois Debrosses, president of the venerable Hot Club of France and publisher of the Bulletin du HCF. We spent a pleasant evening together listening to Lars Edegran's Triolian String Band at the Palm Court Cafe.

A January visitor was RAG colleague Dave Robinson, director of the Traditional Jazz Curriculum Project and author of the TJEN column. He was here for a week to meet with jazz educators in the city and promote his prototype teaching kit. While here, he sat in on trumpet with Ryan Burrage's combo at Fritzel's.

Drummer Ronnie Magri, who had returned home to New York City after Katrina, is back in town for a few months to take part in Mardi Gras, French Quarter Fest and Jazzfest. He plans to return to the Big Apple about June 1. Incidentally, he urges his friends living outside Louisiana to "please come down and visit, and help support and rebuild this great city. She still needs our help." To this, I can only add an amen.

A note from guitarist/banjoist Steve Blailock, who now lives with his wife, Jing, in Houston, names other New Orleanians living there. The list includes the wonderful singer Kim Prevost and her guitarist husband Bill Solley, and pianists Matt Lemmler and Darrell Lavigne.

Finally, congratulations to our leader, Leslie, on the splendid job that she and her collaborators did in transforming the RAG over the past holiday season. I hope that those of you who have written asking about the status and future of the publication are pleased with the results.

Until next time. twj@tulane.edu.

February 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

P.O. Box 19068, Minneapolis, MN 55419.