Minor Wisdom

24 years ago on the New Orleans riverfront

In 1984, New Orleans hosted the World’s Fair. In the short term, it was a financial flop. But in the long term, it gave us the Convention Center and sparked the renewal of the Warehouse District. And for locals, it was a lot of fun. Suzanne and I got season passes and went there just about every weekend. Except for the gondola across the river, the rides were nothing special. But the fair had plenty of what any Orleanian needs to have fun: good food, good music, cold beer, and lots of people. I miss it.

A few days ago, while going through some old negatives, I came across some pictures that we took on one of our World’s Fair visits (including probably a few too many of the (in)famous mermaids at the main entrance). If you’d like to have a look, to recall old times or maybe just to see what the fair looked like, here they are.

The dog days of summer

They say that the phrase “dog days of summer” has something to do with the conjunction of Sirius and the sun. Me, I define the onset of the dog days as the first day I take a shower without touching the hot-water handle. The so-called “cold water”—which fluctuates between cool and lukewarm this time of year—feels more refreshing than anything mixed with hot water. By my definition, the dog days began today. I won’t need the hot-water handle until sometime in late September. (Photo credit: My Pet Haven.)

“They all axed for you”

Why do New Orleanians sometimes pronounce ask as ax, as in the Meters’ song, They All Axed Fer You? The answer may surprise you. According to grammar maven Patricia O'Conner, the pronunciation dates back to the 8th century, when the predecessor of ask had two forms: ascian and acsian. In 1386, Chaucer wrote of “a man that ... cometh for to axe him of mercy.” And a 1536 translation of the Bible includes lines like “Axe and it shal be giuen you.” It was not until the 17th century that ask supplanted ax.

So if you say ax instead of ask, you’re just a stickler for tradition. Really old tradition.

Get your FYYFF t-shirt right here

If you want an FYYFF t-shirt (you know you do!) but can’t make it to Dirty Coast’s store on Magazine Street to buy one, fear not: you can buy one (or several) on line at Dirty Coast’s web site. While there, check out the photos of Hana Morris and some NOLA bloggers modeling these coolest of t-shirts. (All proceeds from the sale of these shirts go to Hana and kids.)

While you’re visiting Dirty Coast, check out some of their other offerings. My wife, for instance, just bought a Geauxbama shirt (I’m so envious!), and my t-shirt drawer includes NOLA Gothic. Next on my Dirty Coast wish-list is their NOS&WB welcome mat.

I got mine

The Ashley Morris memorial t-shirts just arrived at Dirty Coast on Magazine Street. Go get yours. You’ll look cool, and you’ll be helping Ashley’s family.

For the signification of “FYYFF,” read this classic by Ashley.

After all, it is the Jazz Fest

I didn’t go to the Fair Grounds today planning to see mostly jazz. But as usual, the best moments at Jazz Fest are unplanned.

On arriving at around 11:30 or so, I headed for the Jazz Tent and caught most of Lillian Boutté’s set. She is a wonderful jazz singer with great stage presence. Something I noticed about the Jazz Tent: the amplifiers were not all set at 11. Most of them seemed to be set at 9. You could hear the music fine, but your ears weren’t bleeding. Something else I noticed: the audience dug the music. I suppose that’s typical of a jazz audience.

After Lillian’s set, I headed over to the Economy Hall tent and caught the last part of the Treme Brass Band’s set. They’re a traditional New Orleans street-music band. This means their style is as traditional as New Orleans itself, and as up to date as the music currently bubbling up from the streets.

I then went to Congo Square, to listen to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and to contemplate the day’s most difficult choice: remain at Congo Square for the Dirty Dozen’s entire set or head to the Gentilly Stage for Henry Butler. The Dirty Dozen did everything they could to make the choice even more difficult. They hit the stage playing their asses off and never let up for the 20 minutes or so that I was there.

As hard as it was to leave, I knew that I had to see Henry Butler. So after the Dirty Dozen’s second number, I tore myself away. It was the right choice. I’ve heard some great piano players at Jazz Fest, including Dr. John, Marcia Ball, and (most recently) Eddie Bo, Billy Joel, and Stevie Wonder. Outside of Jazz Fest, I’ve heard Fats Domino and Allen Toussaint live. But Henry Butler is special. The best way I can describe him is this: Years from now, when he’s passed on, those who survive him will talk about how they once heard Henry Butler play, the same way that folks today talk about how they once heard Professor Longhair play.

After Henry Butler, it was either Marcia Ball at Gentilly or John Mooney in the Blues Tent. The tie breaker was that I’ve seen Marcia many times, but had never seen John Mooney. So I decided to see him.

When I listen to John Mooney, I’m reminded of Son House. You can tell that he spent years absorbing the likes of Son House and Robert Johnson, to the point that they altered his DNA. Today, John Mooney does not imitate the old masters. He plays in his own style, but his style reminds you of the old masters. Anyway, John and his band, Bluesiana, played one hell of a set.

I decided to end the day in the same venue that I started: the Jazz Tent, where Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra were performing. Irvin Mayfield is probably the premier trumpet player in New Orleans. But for this set, he functioned mainly as the leader of a band full of virtuosos (though he did take a couple of solos). They put on a great show.

A few words about today’s eats: beignets and iced cafe au lait, crabmeat po boy, file gumbo, and barbecued turkey wing with white beans and cole slaw.

I hope that some folks outside New Orleans who’ve been reading these posts and who love music will consider spending their 2009 vacation at Jazz Fest. Imagine spending 10 days away from the ordinary grind, immersing yourself in great music and great food.

Raindrops keep falling on my head

So how was Stevie Wonder’s performance yesterday at Jazz Fest? I was going to say it was worth seeing, even though it bogged down in the middle. But Times-Picayune music writer Keith Spera says it better than I can. On top of that, you had to endure the rain, the mud, and the multitude. But it was worth it to hear Stevie live, performing “Love’s in Need of Love Today,” “Too High,” “Living for the City,” “Golden Lady,” “Higher Ground,” “Sir Duke,” “Isn’t She Lovely,” “Boogie On, Reggae Woman,” “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” and “Superstition.”

The best set I saw yesterday was by Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue. Their music is somewhere between funky jazz and jazzy funk. They are a high-energy group bent on pleasing the crowd, and they did.

Also seen yesterday: the Gospel Inspiration of Boutte, 007, Theryl “Houseman” deClouet, and D.L. Menard and the Louisiana Aces. For the hungries, I had the duck po boy, some crawfish bread, and some meaty white beans. The duck po boy was delicious, but in my book, the cochon de lait po boy is still the champ—and $3 cheaper ($8 for the duck; $5 for the cochon de lait).

Today will be an adventure. As Suzanne and I were waking up, the rain outside was pouring, and the thunder was loud. Right now (10:23 a.m.), the rain has slacked off. The track at the Fair Grounds is surely muddy, and the infield muddier. But then, today’s lineup includes these folks:

• The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (1:50, Congo Square)
• Henry Butler (2:15, Gentilly)
• Aaron Neville’s Gospel Soul (3:25, Gospel Tent)
• Spencer Bohren (3:35, Allison Miner)
• the subdudes (3:35, Acura)
• John Mooney (3:45, Blues Tent)
• Marcia Ball (3:45, Gentilly)
• Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea (3:45, Jazz Tent)
• Jimmy Buffett (5:30, Acura)
• Kenny Wayne Shepherd (5:30, Blues Tent)
• Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (5:35, Jazz Tent)
• Joe Krown (6:00, Allison Miner)

An ordinary Thursday at Jazz Fest

Today was the first Jazz Fest Thursday since Katrina. Thursdays were relatively low-key days. Today seemed to fit that mold. Here’s a short account of one attendee’s low-key day:

• Arrive some time after 11:00 a.m. Go first to the Gospel Tent to sit down and apply sun screen. While there, be treated to an uplifting performance by Charles Jackson & the Jackson Travelers.
• After the Jackson Travelers set, stock up the carry-around cooler with beer and snag some lunch: today, boiled crawfish. Go back to the Gospel Tent to suck the heads, pinch the tails, and listen to another uplifting performance, this one by the Melody Clouds.
• After the Melody Clouds finish, catch a little bit of the TBC Brass Band at the Jazz & Heritage Stage before heading to the Acura stage for Bonerama.
• See kick-ass one-hour set by Bonerama.
• After Bonerama, walk to the Gentilly Stage at the other end of the Fair Grounds, and arrive just in time for the start of Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers. On the way, pick up a Creole stuffed bread.
• As Kermit finished, be unaware that the best was yet to come. Go get a quick bite of food, then return to the Gentilly Stage for Randy Newman.
• Listen to Randy Newman deliver perhaps his finest performance ever at the Jazz Fest. The highlight of the day.
• Go home relatively early (6:00). On the way out, catch a little bit of Widespread Panic’s cover of Earl King’s classic “Big Chief.”

Of course Randy Newman did “Louisiana 1927,” and of course it drew some tears. Here’s a video of Randy doing the same song in Stuttgart.

Take a vacation

One of my chronic failings is failing to take a real vacation. Since passing the bar and beginning my legal career, I’ve never spent a solid two weeks away from work. And I’ve never traveled for pleasure—to me, “travel” and “pleasure” are opposites. I don’t mind being someplace else, but the process of getting there is so much of a pain that, to me, it’s a barrier.

And then I look around at where I am—my New Orleans—and think why go someplace else when there’s so much sensuousness here? Where else can you have your senses of sight, smell, taste, and hearing as gratified as in New Orleans?

Still, time off is a good thing, I discovered last weekend. I had been to Jazz Fest many times before, but that was the first time I spent three solid consecutive days there: three days devoted solely to eating, sleeping, and going to Jazz Fest. A vacation without travel. It did my mental health a world of good.

Starting tomorrow, I get to do it again: Thursday through Saturday will be devoted to Jazz Fest. (Can’t go on Sunday, unfortunately.) So here’s the tentative plan.

Thursday has three acts in the middle of the afternoon that I hope to see: Bonerama (rock-and-roll trombones!) at 1:25, Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers at 2:35, and Randy Newman at 4:00. Before 1:25 and after 4:00, I’ll play it by ear.

On Friday, Stevie Wonder is scheduled for 5:15. Before that, I’ve circled D.L. Menard and the Louisiana Aces (2:10, Fais Do Do) and Trombone Shorty (3:50, Congo Square). The rest of the day, again, I will play by ear.

Saturday presents some difficult choices. Early in the afternoon, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band (1:50, Congo Square) competes with Henry Butler (2:15, Gentilly). Later in the afternoon, at 3:25, Aaron Neville is doing a gospel set in the Gospel Tent. He’ll be competing with Spencer Bohren (3:35, Lagniappe Stage), Marcia Ball (3:45, Gentilly), and John Mooney (3:45, Blues Tent). To close out the day, I’ll probably catch Kenny Wayne Shepherd in the Blues Tent. Other folks playing at the same time as Kenny include Jimmy Buffett, Diana Krall, and Irvin Mayfield.

One dilemma solved

Jazz Fest can pose some difficult choices. Case in point: This Saturday, Marcia Ball is playing the Gentilly Stage at 3:45, while John Mooney is playing the Blues Tent, also at 3:45. What to do?

This dilemma has an easy solution: Catch Marcia Ball this Wednesday evening in Lafayette Square; she’ll probably take the stage around 6:00. Then on Saturday, see John Mooney at Jazz Fest.