The phrase in the subhead is taken from a song byHarry Connick, Jr. (recorded on a recent New Orleans benefit album, but written in 1995), and I like it: it's got a romantic, Atlantis-style allusion; it's ironic, and it's factual.
We have been to Jazzfest, and I can report: it lives. New Orleans, too, though there was considerable anxiety about what comes afterwards (a slow season for tourism, with the threat of hurricanes and knowledge the city is not yet protected from them).
I would say there was unanimity on one thing--to welcome people back to the city, whether they are evacuees returning or visitors. There was much less unanimity on what was to be done--appropriately, with the city in the middle of a closely-contested election--but the main themes were the following:
1) lack of affordable housing--the logjam is taking many forms, from lack of construction supplies, to the bureaucratic obstacles to rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward, to exorbitant rents for substandard conditions, to the empty mansions of absentee landlords. One of the more interesting ideas was utilizing ship containers as temporary housing in rebuilding areas. The rebuilding process is going to be very slow; whoever wins as mayor will likely move to implement an organic process to determine whether to renew neighborhoods on a block-by-block basis as they gain critical mass of returning residents (or don't).
2) lack of service workers--just another effect of the housing shortage, probably. They can't staff restaurants, stores, and can't keep up with the garbage collection. There is much to be done.
The deepest concern at this point is that a recurrence of bowl-filling in the near future could kill the existing momentum and the potential for greater progress.
This threat, recognized by all, resonates with my own childhood experience. Our home was badly flooded in 1969--the remnants of Hurricane Camille dumped on the Blue Ridge. We were evacuated out the front door of our split-level house with eight feet of water already in the downstairs section. The peril for our lives was not great with a bit of caution and luck, though over the mountain mudslides buried or swept away dozens. The most enduring memory, though, was the mud left behind afterwards (New Orleans may have been less unfortunate in this regard: color photos from Katrina show the floodwater, most coming from the lake not the river, was somewhat clear--though, invisibly, often toxic.) The real problem we had was that, after that first one, the river's tendency to flood was much greater.
One can only hope that the goddess of hurricanes doesn't take a shine to the path that leads to that part of the Gulf Coast anytime soon.
Now, for review notes from the food and drink of the weekend:
Thursday 4/27--OK, we were to meet some friends at "Felix's, on Prytania"--vaguely uptown. I didn't check, but just passed it on to the taxi driver (Asian subcontinent, recent). We ended up at "Feelings" Cafe (downtown). Patched it up with our friends later. Not bad; it's still hard to find a bad meal without making a special effort. Gumbo--B+; Crawfish Etouffe--B.
Friday, 4/28
(Ratings are an attempt to judge how successful the performer was at whatever it was trying to do, not how much I like their style selection).
Loyola University Jazz Ensemble: basically all white, heavily-scored classics. I have to admit I was a bit worried if this was going to be indicative of the New New Orleans. It wasn't. Grade: C
Coolbone Brass Band--the new variety, brass band with rap. Grade: B-
Anders Osborne--I'm not familiar with his story, but he had the appearance of a session man coming out into the spotlight. I have to agree with JDK who noted the resemblance in appearance and musical style to '80's-vintage E.C. (Clapton, that is, see Costello below). B
Keb' Mo'--an acoustic set with one accompanist, on the big stage. Excellent. A
Bob Dylan--One thing I figured out during his performance, the first I'd seen him live since Rolling Thunder in '76: the twisted arrangements and vocal deliveries would seem to be designed expressly to prevent the audience's singing along and getting involved. My guess, Dylan is willing to entertain us with one pre-eminent condition: the entertainers are on this side, the audience on that side. Wise, given the Hinckleys and Mark David Chapmans out there (I should say out here).
This tour, the gimmick seems to be Dylan as The Gaunt Cowboy. White hat, white pants and top poorly filled, big head, teeth, pencil mustache. The main musician he was communing with was well-framed in the camera shot; this young fellow played mostly pedal steel, but also banjo, guitar, violin. (Have to get the name, and confirm the playlist from bobdylan.com)
The mix of old and new songs was pretty impeccable. As far as the new stuff, the emphasis on Love and Theft (the last--2001-- and most highly-rated of his recent cycle of three albums, represented with Summer Days, Lonesome Day Blues, and--I'm not kidding--High Water) is understandable, though I wish he'd played Cold Irons Bound, from the penult, Time Out of Mind. I'd rate that as his best song of the last 25 years or so. B+
Lunch: Crawfish Monica--One size only, now (the small), price up to $5. Jama Jama--spicy, sauteed spinach. Monica--C+; Jama--A-. The vendor turnout was very good--about 90% of what you'd remember and love from recent past years was represented.
Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra--an emotional performance, with some original compositions by the conductor (I believe), who keeps time for his charges by bobbing his head in time with the main beat. The musicians are spread all over for now; many were flown in for the weekend. Lots of guest stars, including Donald Harrison, Kermit Ruffins, Trombone Shorty. A
Friday Night
Dinner: Marigny Brasserie--Faubourg Marigny was getting so hot before Katrina. It's cooled off just a bit. This restaurant is a bit too classy for the nabe, but continues to measure up from quality and value standpoints. Gumbo (always gotta try it)--B; Soft Shell crabs (with pecan, blue cheese, green beans)--A.
Snug Harbor All-Stars: All of them were referred to by the club's owner in his introduction as band leaders whose bands were not in the lineup for Jazz Fest. Our companion that evening, Evan Mendelson, listed them for me in her epic email, "Bear Witness to the Healing Power of Music!", as follows: "Henry Butler and David Torkanowsky (piano/organ), Wes Anderson and Ed Peterson (sax), Shannon Powell (drums), Jason Stewart (bass), and a young guy who came in to play organ for a song or two --Devon Crawford, who had me in tears."
Tork used to be everywhere in town for the two weeks of Jazzfest; he seems to be slowing down and much more laid back (he plays everything, improvises with grace). Henry Butler had another gig, crosstown, scheduled at the same time! He played like he was in a hurry (metronome at 160, lots of chord runs and flourishes, a la McCoy Tyner), then left after 45 minutes to give way to the young Crawford, who killed with his version of the old Leon Russell song (...and when my life is over... look it up!)
The talents of Petersen (a featured soloist in Irvin Mayfield's show earlier that day) match up well with Torkanowsky's, but both are letting go a bit and it's showing up in their waistlines, if you know what I mean? Alto sax Anderson and drummer Powell paid tribute to both tradition and whimsy: how many times do you see a drummer come out in a suit? Young Jason Stewart on the upright bass handled all the changes in personnel, tempo, style without a hint of trouble. He looks to be a formidable fixture for future 'fests. All-Stars-- A+.
Saturday, 4/29
That Friday was a real workout. We didn't make it to Jazzfest Saturday until about 1:30. We found that the greater-than-usual disorganization getting in the gate Friday--unexpectedly large crowds!--had been remedied. We fought the winds and dust and roamed, most of the day. Some quick hits on acts we dropped by on:
World Leader Pretend--emo, young. JDK: like Coldplay. B
Clarence "Frogman" Henry--blues with pop styling. Crowd-friendly. B
Galactic--Deep grooves. B-
Tony Green--Gypsy guitar jazz (after Django Reinhart). B
Iguanas--Very danceable, with Latin influence and good use of horns. B+
Herbie Hancock Quartet--As the Times-Picayune music reviewer pointed out, too popular to be in the Jazz Tent. Not to denigrate, just a question of space and crowd. If he played it, I missed Rock It, which is an all-time favorite and would've suited his band's style perfectly. A-
Hugh Masakela--in Louisiana Rebirth Congo Square (as it's been re-christened, so to speak. Wynton Marsalis gave an endorsement to the stage; well , at least that's something. ) In the African big-band style, layered and rich. B+
Eddie Bo--at Fais Do-do. Funky piano in the down-home Louisiana style. Very popular. B+
Dinner--Felix's, on Prytania. We made it, this time. They ran out of fresh oysters, their principal specialty (serious shortage of shuckers). The cooked ones were good. B-
Rain and gale-force winds as we waited for our taxi. This is the way it should be, we thought: gluing the loose, sandy soil down. Wading through puddles and mud on Sunday. But no rain during the shows themselves.
Sunday, 4/30
Rambling early day, then some serious burrowing into the Acura Stage crowd. We followed the muddy ditch from the "road" at the back, into the heart of the crowd. Then, we found the quick way in and out: it's straight out to the track, over near the stage entrance.
Little Queenie--Classic rouser. Stayed around after her show to meet individually with her devoted followers. B+
DL Menard--About as red as they come; also as authentic. Sings in Cajun. B-
Christian Scott--Next-generation jazzman with college buddies. Style is late-Miles electric. C+
Soul Rebels Brass Band--Representative of the new style in brass bands, with heavy hip-hop augmentation. This band's from Houston. B
Walter "Wolfman" Washington and the Roadmasters--Congo Square, the distant lawn (a relative high point, away from the swamp by the stage, and we managed to score a direct view through the scaffolding). P-funkadelic R&B with suave vocals. Wolfman lives about two blocks from the Fairgrounds, alongside one of the main pedestrian entry roads. He had a little sign up outside his home, happened to come out for an errand as we walked by that evening. We gave him a quick rave--he gave us a big smile. Got to check and see if he's on Amazon. A
Allen Toussaint with Elvis Costello--"Mr. Music" was being the elegant host; Elvis looked psyched and happy to be a rebel; his new music--River in Reverse-- sounds promising. The lyrics seem a bit more politically pointed than usual, rather than just a vague disaffectation (key tag line from the title track: "Wake me up"), but we'll have to await the close examination to be sure it's not just another costume. Allen and a guest performer did "Land of 1000 Dances" in honor of Wilson Pickett? A
Mighty Chariots of Fire--Hot gospel. Roaming around the track a bit between shows. A
Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band--I bought into the presentation, especially at first. Workingman's folk songs, delivered with conviction. An outstanding band, laying down a nice thick line. Good fiddle action; wife Patty providing some continuity and conviction. I didn't even object to the introduction of the banjo as the lead solo instrument. After awhile, though (I'd mark it from Jesse James, about the fifth song, through the "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" tune with some different lyrics), it got to be a bit too shit-kicker for me. B
Dinner
Mona's Cafe--back in the Marigny (Frenchman, near Chartres). Eastern Mediterranean food; delicious and cheap, service and ambience casual in the extreme. Meat Grape Leaves Plate--B; Gyro Plate--A+; Lebanese Iced Tea (w/rosewater and pignoli)--B.
B&B: The House on Bayou Road. The grounds are in beautiful shape; I've been told much of the work was done by people staying there, in lieu of rent. Anyway, the special Jazzfest rates have been restored just in time for the event. The cooking school there has re-opened, but the restaurant, Indigo, has not yet done so. Breakfast outside the pool was heavily attended by flies. The location could not be beat for Jazzfest attendance purposes. Overall rating--B.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment