New Orleans is Alive and...
Well... there's still a lot of progress to be made. Those who know me are aware of my deep affection for NOLA. We made it down for Jazzfest this past April/May and again for the first week of August. I'm starting to upload some pictures to Mac.com's new web gallery site and have now finally documented the latest Jazzfest trip. Check out those pics and others here.
These trips reaffirmed for me that New Orleans is indeed, alive. Work is being done, albeit slower and less efficient than ideal. There is an amazing resiliency amongst the locals. While acknowledging the great tragedy and disaster in which they have suffered, they'll make clear their complete faith in recovery. The people I spoke with aren't waiting for the government or volunteers or handouts to get it done. People are working. Whether it's busing tables, filling drinks, playing for tips, driving a cab, or cleaning the streets, New Orleans is working. New Orleans is alive.
New Music
Gov't Majik
A new incarnation of a band who didn't survive the storm, this 12-piece ensemble is self-dubbed "The Dirty South Afro-Beat Arkestra." New CD entitled Reality (It Hits You...) available for download here or purchase here.
Gov't Majik (bass player/bandleader Bru Bruser missing)
Non-Static
I just discovered this band last week on the internet, so admittedly, I know very little except what can be read and heard on their myspace page. Though they appear to be primarily based out of Brooklyn, most band members have strong ties to New Orleans, either splitting time there currently or having lived and worked there in the past. Project is lead by Mitch Paone, a keyboardist with whom I am not familiar; however, I do recognize the excellent cast of musicians he's managed to enlist around him. They include John Ellis (sax), Cocheme'a Gastelum (sax), Matty Williams (bass), Eric Kalb (drums), and Simon Lott (drums). Debut record is set to be released this October and is tentatively titled Nuyorkleanians. Samples on myspace sound good, but I have a feeling this will be music best heard in a live setting. Then again, the best music always is...
Recent Reporting
Washington Post Article, Still Singing Those Post-Katrina Blues
This is a nice, long piece on the struggles New Orleans' musicians are facing earning a living after the storm. There are also links to photos and a short video of Troy Andrews driving through the 9th Ward discussing his return to the city.
Offbeat Interview with Louisiana Lieutenant-Governor Mitch Landrieu
This is an interesting discussion on the balance of art and commerce, with a focus on New Orleans and how to "sell" the music and art without losing authenticity. It's a discussion I've had personally with close friends many times and an issue I still struggle with today. The balance of staying true to your art and yet trying to make a living off of it at the same time... it's difficult. New Orleans artists love their City and their culture, but they deserve to enjoy some commercial success, a reality that has become increasingly difficult in the aftermath of Katrina (as detailed in the Washington Post article). Lieutenant-Governor Mitch Landrieu expresses the necessity of accepting business with art and yet seems to respect the balance between the two that should be maintained.
