What about the Musicians? What about the Music?

[dbt]

What happened to the old men at Preservation Hall, especially that gentleman who had to be helped onto the stage by his grandson. I refer here to the grandfather who could barely sit in his chair EXCEPT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR HIS PART, at which time he demonstrated to one and all that spontaneous human combustion was a Good Thing--and you could survive it if your soul was pure.

There was this woman about a block off Jackson Square who re-wrote the book about every five minutes with her clarinet and, at most, two guys on backup. Damn, I cannot remember her name, but I will NEVER forget the voodoo than came out her lips!

Then there were these four young brothers who would tapdance like they ass was ON FIRE down in Jackson Square. They made the Rockettes look like quadraplegics. I wonder if bu$hler's flood waters left them alone? Nah, they was just more Niggers what voted wrong.

Remember New Orleans.

[CascadeTide]

1. I think everyone at Preservation Hall was OK

The music scene will definitely suffer and it's sad. Hopefully things will get back to normal quickly so all of the musicians can get back to business. They'll definitely be the foundation for the rebuilding of life there.

Here's a good post about the future of NOLA music:
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/09/report_from_wwo.html

[VPStoltz]

2. I hear ya!

I know the clarinetist you talking about. It's Donna something. A friend of a friend is related to her somehow and he sent me some of her CDs. I guess she used to play in the symphony orchestra but gave it up for jazz. She's a mind blower. There also is a duo, one younger (singer/guitarist) and one older (singer/harmonica) bluemen who are completely rivetting. I have seen the boys tappin' sometimes covered with silver makeup. I totally admire Mayor Nagin for the strong performance he has shown through this mess (take a lesson Chimp) - but - when he first came into office, he had the idea of cleaning up the street of the FQ which meant getting rid of some of the street musicians. That idea didn't last long.

[markus]

3. Visit wwoz.org

They have lists of musicians who are OK, are back online streaming from New Jersey, and planning to rebuild.

The Presevation Hall site also has a foundation to directly aid musicians.

I just saw the hottest traditional quartet of my life in Fargo, ND, brought in my a professor at NDSU to a Red Cross benefit. Mark Braud some of the hottest guys I've heard in a long while.

I haven't feel this good in two weeks.

[kskiska]

4. There aren't really any authentic old guys left at Preservation Hall

I lived down in NOLA in 1987 or so and hung out with the Preservation Hall group, giving musicians rides to gigs and sitting through the shows. I was about to be approached about traveling with them, but decided to return home to Connecticut because earning a living in NOLA was more difficult than I expected. There were still some old guys back then, but most have passed on, replaced by younger ones who play in the old style, keeping New Orleans jazz alive. They'll survive because they're on the road a lot.