Mitch Woods played an outstanding set Saturday at the Pavilion, cajoling and joking with the crowd and playing a hotwired set of jump blues and boogie woogie, featuring music from his new album, several of his older records and a number of hot covers, including "Rocket 88," "I Want You To Be My Baby" and "Crawfishin'." Woods is perfectly suited to this event, putting on a show that featured some hard driving New Orleans piano and plenty of crowd-pleasing banter. "These crawfish are tough," he joked, "they had to swim up the Delaware river!" Later, when delivering a pitch about the Delta Music Experience tours, he got sassy with the crowd. "People, do yourself a favor and get out of New Jersey once in a while," he told them.
The funky Meters played with guitarist Eric Krasno from Soulive sitting in and played a set that they enjoyed to the full. Their show included a lot of extended jamming on familiar themes like "Fiyo On the Bayou," "Iko Iko" and "Big Chief."
Keith Frank played a hard charging zydeco set with several members of his family including a young girl who tap danced as part of the rhythm section. Food highlights outside of the crawish included the Gumbo and Jambalaya and the fruit cups and smoothies.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Crawfish fest off with a bang
Hundreds of music fans set up camp at the Sussex county fairgrounds in western New Jersey Friday and gathered in the Delta Music Experience Pavilion for the festival's firt Friday night show. The Radiators closed it out with a spectacular two-hour plus set that had the band firing on all sparkplugs. Dave Malone and Camile Baudoin exchanged crowd-thrilling guitar solos throughout, with Camile striking high notes on "Sitting On Top of the World" and "The Bottom Line." High points rang out early ("Law of the Fish") and late ("Never Let Your Fire Go Out," "Doctor Doctor"), Reggie Scanlon played a bass solo, Frank Bua was so good that Malone revisited an old theme by claiming it was the drummer's birthday, and Ed Volker revealed he'd be willing to be president for about a day and a half. The crowd demanded an encore and got an ecstatic version of "Magic Bus." This all took place over the course of a beautiful evening that seemed to add something to the musical fire. Oh yeah, the crawfish were big and spicy, Jay's silkscreened t-shirts are the best this festival has ever seen, and there are two more afternoons to go.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Rads kick off Crawfishfest
It is counter intuitive to think that a rock band might be playing its best music and enjoying newfound popularity with a young audience 30 years into its career, but that's exactly what's happening with the Radiators right now. The band, which headlines tonight's opening night bill at the Crawfishfest in western New Jersey, has never sounded better and audiencea are taking note.
Even though the big story at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was the return of the Neville Brothers, the Radiators played opposite the Nevilles on the last day of the fest and packed out the Gentilly stage. The crowd there was packed to the exits that afternoon and the fans didn't budge an inch after a sharp set from the Raconteurs ended. The young crowd waited around to hear the Radiators and a lot of them left the Fair Grounds as newly-spawned fishheads after a white-hot performance that featured guest members Mark Mullins on trombone and Michael Skinkus on percussion.
Skinkus added a layer of voodoo cross rhythms to Frank Bua's rolling marchstep of a backbeat, giving a lurch and roll to the band's dance oriented pulse on dionysian excursions like "Let the Red Wine Flow." Mullins, whose band, Bonerama, is also playing Crawfishfest, has such a strong intuition for building arrangements that he erected a new harmonic structure on "Ring of Fire," a platform that enabled Camile Baudoin to launch a multi chorus guitar solo that seemed to lift the stage off its moorings and had the electrified crowd raging for more. Baudoin had warmed up earlier by participating in a Mardi Gras Indians circle dance inside the Fair Grounds grandstand as Charlie Miller played along on trumpet. Mullins also played several spectacular wah-wah trombone solos. The highlight of the set came when keyboardist Ed Volker combined "Lonely Avenue," "Serve You Write To Suffer" and "Western Plain" in the encore. The man was stoked, pumping his fist in the air as he screamed more than sang the lyrics, turning "...Suffer" inside out in the process.
Even though the big story at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was the return of the Neville Brothers, the Radiators played opposite the Nevilles on the last day of the fest and packed out the Gentilly stage. The crowd there was packed to the exits that afternoon and the fans didn't budge an inch after a sharp set from the Raconteurs ended. The young crowd waited around to hear the Radiators and a lot of them left the Fair Grounds as newly-spawned fishheads after a white-hot performance that featured guest members Mark Mullins on trombone and Michael Skinkus on percussion.
Skinkus added a layer of voodoo cross rhythms to Frank Bua's rolling marchstep of a backbeat, giving a lurch and roll to the band's dance oriented pulse on dionysian excursions like "Let the Red Wine Flow." Mullins, whose band, Bonerama, is also playing Crawfishfest, has such a strong intuition for building arrangements that he erected a new harmonic structure on "Ring of Fire," a platform that enabled Camile Baudoin to launch a multi chorus guitar solo that seemed to lift the stage off its moorings and had the electrified crowd raging for more. Baudoin had warmed up earlier by participating in a Mardi Gras Indians circle dance inside the Fair Grounds grandstand as Charlie Miller played along on trumpet. Mullins also played several spectacular wah-wah trombone solos. The highlight of the set came when keyboardist Ed Volker combined "Lonely Avenue," "Serve You Write To Suffer" and "Western Plain" in the encore. The man was stoked, pumping his fist in the air as he screamed more than sang the lyrics, turning "...Suffer" inside out in the process.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
"Chazfest" offers New Orleans alternative
Though hundreds of thousands of tourists flocked to New Orleans a month ago for the Jazz and Heritage Festival, a group of determined locals held an alternative festival called "Chazfest" after local musician Washboard Chaz. Part of this piece ran in OffBeat, but I wanted readers of my blog to be able to read the whole thing.
When "saving" Jazzfest becomes a matter of surrendering its identity to corporate interests neighborhood gatherings such as Chazfest take on added significance. It's more than just a blow against the empire but a way toward self-determination.
It's a no-brainer in post-Katrina New Orleans to be organizing your own community because anybody on the ground can see that the corporate and political institutions around here have left all but the tourist areas for dead. Whatever recovery is happening is the work of individuals and private charities. The big money has all disappeared somewhere else.
Alex McMurray put the festival together three years ago to provide an alternative venue for local bands but now he's got himself a rallying point for the people who actually live in the city. The Truck Farm, where McMurray and other musicians live, has a large but fairly typical Bywater back yard, an offstreet oasis of subtropical plants and perfumed flower gardens intermingled with broken down sheds, stables and rusty garden furniture. It's a beautiful shipwreck of a place festooned with large scale works of art. A chicken coop in the back corner is a reminder of the days when people grew much of the food they ate and kept farm animals out back.
McMurray might not make a profit in this rustic setting but he did prove that New Orleans musicians don't have to be held hostage by Shell oil in order to work and locals don't have to pay tourist prices to go to a festival. There's a delicious irony at work here because Jazzfest sponsor Miller beer has no greater hotbed of support than right here in Bywater, where Miller High Life is the drop dead drink of choice. There were no Miller signs, hospitality tents or "brought to you by..." announcements, but everyone was drinking $2 cans of Miller High Life. And then some, until there was no more left.
The icon of Washboard Chaz, slyly drawn to resemble the Professor Longhair logo hanging over the stage at Tipitina's (and, once upon a time, at the 'Fess stage at Jazzfest), is a powerful symbol, at once a reminder of how much Jazzfest is moving away from its traditional ties to Longhair and how Chaz himself represents the new generation of New Orleans musicians clustered just over the railroad tracks in Bywater. Chaz doesn't loom over this group musically the way Longhair influenced his generation, but he represents his musical peers and provides the loosest kind of conceptual continuity to this genre -- if Chaz can play his washboard with whatever music it is you play, you're automatically part of the scene. Along with his own group, Chaz plays with Chazfest regulars the Tin Men and the Valparaiso Men's chorus, both groups put together by McMurray and sousaphone virtuoso Matt Perrine. And there was Chaz playing with the Happy Talk Band later in the day. Then there was Chaz joining in with headliners Morning 40 Federation for raucous neighborhood tributes like "A&P," which references the PNT Market up the block, and "Chili Cheese Fries," the story of a late night at the Clover Grill.
When Morning 40 Federation finished the last notes of its set, an enormous barking sound eminated from just over the hedges. The otherwordly cheering (or vocal disapproval) was coming from thousands of Bywater frogs who were an unintended part of the Chazfest audience. Everybody wants to get into the act.
When "saving" Jazzfest becomes a matter of surrendering its identity to corporate interests neighborhood gatherings such as Chazfest take on added significance. It's more than just a blow against the empire but a way toward self-determination.
It's a no-brainer in post-Katrina New Orleans to be organizing your own community because anybody on the ground can see that the corporate and political institutions around here have left all but the tourist areas for dead. Whatever recovery is happening is the work of individuals and private charities. The big money has all disappeared somewhere else.
Alex McMurray put the festival together three years ago to provide an alternative venue for local bands but now he's got himself a rallying point for the people who actually live in the city. The Truck Farm, where McMurray and other musicians live, has a large but fairly typical Bywater back yard, an offstreet oasis of subtropical plants and perfumed flower gardens intermingled with broken down sheds, stables and rusty garden furniture. It's a beautiful shipwreck of a place festooned with large scale works of art. A chicken coop in the back corner is a reminder of the days when people grew much of the food they ate and kept farm animals out back.
McMurray might not make a profit in this rustic setting but he did prove that New Orleans musicians don't have to be held hostage by Shell oil in order to work and locals don't have to pay tourist prices to go to a festival. There's a delicious irony at work here because Jazzfest sponsor Miller beer has no greater hotbed of support than right here in Bywater, where Miller High Life is the drop dead drink of choice. There were no Miller signs, hospitality tents or "brought to you by..." announcements, but everyone was drinking $2 cans of Miller High Life. And then some, until there was no more left.
The icon of Washboard Chaz, slyly drawn to resemble the Professor Longhair logo hanging over the stage at Tipitina's (and, once upon a time, at the 'Fess stage at Jazzfest), is a powerful symbol, at once a reminder of how much Jazzfest is moving away from its traditional ties to Longhair and how Chaz himself represents the new generation of New Orleans musicians clustered just over the railroad tracks in Bywater. Chaz doesn't loom over this group musically the way Longhair influenced his generation, but he represents his musical peers and provides the loosest kind of conceptual continuity to this genre -- if Chaz can play his washboard with whatever music it is you play, you're automatically part of the scene. Along with his own group, Chaz plays with Chazfest regulars the Tin Men and the Valparaiso Men's chorus, both groups put together by McMurray and sousaphone virtuoso Matt Perrine. And there was Chaz playing with the Happy Talk Band later in the day. Then there was Chaz joining in with headliners Morning 40 Federation for raucous neighborhood tributes like "A&P," which references the PNT Market up the block, and "Chili Cheese Fries," the story of a late night at the Clover Grill.
When Morning 40 Federation finished the last notes of its set, an enormous barking sound eminated from just over the hedges. The otherwordly cheering (or vocal disapproval) was coming from thousands of Bywater frogs who were an unintended part of the Chazfest audience. Everybody wants to get into the act.
Railroad Earth's "Amen Corner"
Railroad Earth, one of the featured bands at Michael Arnone's Crawfish Festival this weekend, took some time off from its tour schedule earlier this year to make a new record, "Amen Corner." I think it's their best record yet, a strong set of songs that will provide the blueprint for some great live performances. Like many memorable albums of the past, Amen Corner opens with a trio of songs that create a dramatic flow to the record in the way they're sequenced. The beautiful, reflective "Been Down This Road" opens the record on a tuneful note that balances the band's old-timey string-driven sound with its roots rock rhythm section. "Hard Livin'" ratchets up the energy for a hook laden delight of a tune that it sure to open up into a superior jamming forum in live performance. But Railroad Earth shifts into yet another gear for the high flying mountain hoedown "Bringin' My Baby Back Home," a kissin' cousin to the classic "Rollin In My Sweet Baby's Arms." After that happy trio of songs get the show on the road the record moves toward particulars like the easy acoustic picking frontman Todd Sheaffer uses to settle into "The Forecast." Sheaffer's songwriting skills continue to carry the album through "Right In Tune," the happy-picking "Waggin' the Dog," "Little Bit O' Me" and the sprightly instrumental "Lonecroft Ramble." After a couple of co-writes from Sheaffer and John Skehan, the great road song "Crossing the Gap" and the wistful ballad "All Alone," two more Sheaffer-penned songs close the album, the clever shuffle of "You Never Know," which sounds very much like a number of Jerry Garcia signature pieces, and the inspirational signoff "Lovin' You." All in all, a very good album from a band that is really coming into its own.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Big Brown recovers from hoof injury
Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown responded well to treatment for a hoof injury and returned to light training over the Belmont track Tuesday morning. The undefeated 3-year-old colt jogged 1 1-2 miles under exercise rider Michelle Nevin.
Big Brown's hoof was repaired with steel sutures Monday morning and by Tuesday trainer Rick Dutrow was able to take him back to the track.
“I felt the horse going to the track was not only good for his conditioning but also good for his mind,” said Dutrow. “He’s been kind of aggravated. He doesn’t know why he’s not going to the track. He just doesn’t understand why he’s not doing it. We can’t explain it to him and we just let him go out there today and take the edge off him. He’s getting too rough around the barn.”
Big Brown's hoof was repaired with steel sutures Monday morning and by Tuesday trainer Rick Dutrow was able to take him back to the track.
“I felt the horse going to the track was not only good for his conditioning but also good for his mind,” said Dutrow. “He’s been kind of aggravated. He doesn’t know why he’s not going to the track. He just doesn’t understand why he’s not doing it. We can’t explain it to him and we just let him go out there today and take the edge off him. He’s getting too rough around the barn.”
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Big Brown treated for hoof injury
The Triple Crown drama took a turn worthy of a Dick Francis novel over the weekend when Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner Big Brown developed a quarter-crack in his left front hoof. In two weeks Big Brown is scheduled to run in the Belmont Stakes. If he wins he'll become the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years. But winning the Triple Crown, three races in five weeks for 3-year-olds starting with the Kentucky Derby, continuing with the Preakness and ending with the Belmont Stakes, remains among the most difficult accomplishments in the sports world.
The Belmont Stakes always has built-in dramatic interest because it's the last remaining measure of the soundness of the best racehorses in the United States. The Belmont is contested at the demanding distance of 1 1/2 miles, a route which was once considered the "classic" length that seperated the champions, prized for their durability and strength, from the lesser horses who could run quickly over shorter races but tired when asked to stay a distance of ground. It is unlikely that any of the horses who compete in the Belmont will ever be asked to run at this distance again.
Thoroughbred racing in the United States has changed since the 1970s, emphasizing speed over stamina in the breed and allowing medications on race day to ease pain and help breathing that were once outlawed. Many have argued that these practices have produced crops of thoroughbreds with increasing genetic defects that make them prone to breaking down and suffering career or life threatening injuries. Big Brown himself has a history of foot problems that have limited his ability to race in his short but brilliant career.
If he were not competing for the Triple Crown Big Brown's injury might well have sidelined him for a considerable time while the hoof is allowed to heal completely. As it is, the crack, described as "slight" in a Belmont Park press release this morning, could respond to treatment in time for the horse to be at his best in the Belmont, no more serious than a split toenail might be to a runner. Or it could become worse. The worst-case scenario with a quarter crack is that it could develop into a case of laminitis, a hoof condition which can be fatal.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. has guided Big Brown successfully through his previous foot problems and expressed confidence that the colt would be “100 percent” on June 7., when the 140th edition of the Belmont will be contested.
“We didn’t know until Saturday that it was a quarter-crack,” said Dutrow, who said he first noticed an issue with the colt’s hoof Friday afternoon. “It scares us this happened, but this has nothing to do with his ability to finish what he started.
“It’s bad it happened, but it’s good it happened now. He’s going to be OK.”
Big Brown remained in his barn Saturday and Sunday under the care of hoof specialist Ian McKinlay.
“This is a very, very minor crack,” said McKinlay, who said the crack was about five-eighths of an inch long. “We will put a set of wires in and patch it up.”
McKinlay is treating Big Brown’s hoof with a solution of iodine and alcohol and will patch the hoof Monday with a set of wires and mesh.
“The horse is doing fine, he’s eating up, he’s walking the shedrow two times a day,” said Dutrow. “If the race was today, or yesterday, or tomorrow, it would not be an issue. Because we have the time we’ve addressed the issue the right way.”
Dutrow said plans were going forward for Big Brown to breeze Saturday as he prepares for his attempt to become the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown.
“Ian keeps telling me it’s nothing and he’ll be fine in a couple of days, that he will be able to fix it up by Thursday,” said Dutrow. “I am sure he will be 100 percent, yes. If we get to breeze him Tuesday or Belmont week, or even Wednesday, we can live with that. Monday would be great, as long as Ian can get it done the right way.”
The Belmont Stakes always has built-in dramatic interest because it's the last remaining measure of the soundness of the best racehorses in the United States. The Belmont is contested at the demanding distance of 1 1/2 miles, a route which was once considered the "classic" length that seperated the champions, prized for their durability and strength, from the lesser horses who could run quickly over shorter races but tired when asked to stay a distance of ground. It is unlikely that any of the horses who compete in the Belmont will ever be asked to run at this distance again.
Thoroughbred racing in the United States has changed since the 1970s, emphasizing speed over stamina in the breed and allowing medications on race day to ease pain and help breathing that were once outlawed. Many have argued that these practices have produced crops of thoroughbreds with increasing genetic defects that make them prone to breaking down and suffering career or life threatening injuries. Big Brown himself has a history of foot problems that have limited his ability to race in his short but brilliant career.
If he were not competing for the Triple Crown Big Brown's injury might well have sidelined him for a considerable time while the hoof is allowed to heal completely. As it is, the crack, described as "slight" in a Belmont Park press release this morning, could respond to treatment in time for the horse to be at his best in the Belmont, no more serious than a split toenail might be to a runner. Or it could become worse. The worst-case scenario with a quarter crack is that it could develop into a case of laminitis, a hoof condition which can be fatal.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. has guided Big Brown successfully through his previous foot problems and expressed confidence that the colt would be “100 percent” on June 7., when the 140th edition of the Belmont will be contested.
“We didn’t know until Saturday that it was a quarter-crack,” said Dutrow, who said he first noticed an issue with the colt’s hoof Friday afternoon. “It scares us this happened, but this has nothing to do with his ability to finish what he started.
“It’s bad it happened, but it’s good it happened now. He’s going to be OK.”
Big Brown remained in his barn Saturday and Sunday under the care of hoof specialist Ian McKinlay.
“This is a very, very minor crack,” said McKinlay, who said the crack was about five-eighths of an inch long. “We will put a set of wires in and patch it up.”
McKinlay is treating Big Brown’s hoof with a solution of iodine and alcohol and will patch the hoof Monday with a set of wires and mesh.
“The horse is doing fine, he’s eating up, he’s walking the shedrow two times a day,” said Dutrow. “If the race was today, or yesterday, or tomorrow, it would not be an issue. Because we have the time we’ve addressed the issue the right way.”
Dutrow said plans were going forward for Big Brown to breeze Saturday as he prepares for his attempt to become the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown.
“Ian keeps telling me it’s nothing and he’ll be fine in a couple of days, that he will be able to fix it up by Thursday,” said Dutrow. “I am sure he will be 100 percent, yes. If we get to breeze him Tuesday or Belmont week, or even Wednesday, we can live with that. Monday would be great, as long as Ian can get it done the right way.”
Friday, May 23, 2008
Mitch Woods takes a drive to Crawfishfest
"Suddenly a saucer comes out of the sky..."
Mitch Woods, "Jukebox Drive"
The great neo-boogie woogie pianist Mitch Woods will commence the proceedings next Friday at this year's Crawfishfest. Don't be late because Woods is a living joy to hear, a perfect start to this tribute to the music of Louisiana and American roots. "Jukebox Drive," a clever variation on the car song tradition of "Rocket 88" and "Hot Rod Lincoln," is the title song on Woods' latest album. Mitch expands his version of the story to include alien abduction, but he's the one who's going to be transporting the crowd when the flag falls on this year's Crawfest. In addition to six Woods originals (including "Boppin' the Boogie," "Boogie Woogie Bar-B-Q" and "Mitch's Boogie" -- you get the idea) he covers a couple of Jimmy Liggins tunes (including "Saturday Night Boogie Woogie Man"), John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom," Mose Allison's "Parchman Farm" and tops it all off with a spirited reading of the Professor Longhair classic "Tipitina." Copies should be available at the fest, but you can also order it at amazon.com and at www.eltororecords.com.
Mitch Woods, "Jukebox Drive"
The great neo-boogie woogie pianist Mitch Woods will commence the proceedings next Friday at this year's Crawfishfest. Don't be late because Woods is a living joy to hear, a perfect start to this tribute to the music of Louisiana and American roots. "Jukebox Drive," a clever variation on the car song tradition of "Rocket 88" and "Hot Rod Lincoln," is the title song on Woods' latest album. Mitch expands his version of the story to include alien abduction, but he's the one who's going to be transporting the crowd when the flag falls on this year's Crawfest. In addition to six Woods originals (including "Boppin' the Boogie," "Boogie Woogie Bar-B-Q" and "Mitch's Boogie" -- you get the idea) he covers a couple of Jimmy Liggins tunes (including "Saturday Night Boogie Woogie Man"), John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom," Mose Allison's "Parchman Farm" and tops it all off with a spirited reading of the Professor Longhair classic "Tipitina." Copies should be available at the fest, but you can also order it at amazon.com and at www.eltororecords.com.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
From Jazzfest to Crawfishfest
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is still an echoing memory as the countdown begins to its junior counterpart, Michael Arnone's Crawfishfest. The countdown to Crawfest is underway -- in nine days the sounds, sights, tastes and aromas of Louisiana will inundate the green mountans of western New Jersey.
The Radiators will headline Friday night's show after warming up with a pair of gigs this weekend at the venerable Maple Leaf in New Orleans. Fans of this extraordinary band know how special the Rads have been over 30 years of history. Over that time no two sets have been the same as principal songwriter Ed Volker has penned literally thousands of songs while he, frontman Dave Malone and the rest of the band have mined the history of New Orleans music dating back to Jelly Roll Morton and worked up arrangements of traditional folk, country and classic rock songs that allow them to classify all their material as "fish head music."
The Radiators own an important footnote in rock history -- this is the the only rock group to have toured consistently under the same name over the last 30 years with all of its original members. During this time the Rads have been on the road nonstop, taking a brief break from their rigorous touring schedule only to record. This work ethic, and the band's sense of carrying the flag for the musical heritage of Louisiana's music, has kept the Radiators' sound fresh through all the myriad changes the world at large and the strange universe of popular music has experienced over that time. Though they have been together longer than a lot of bands that are stuck in an "oldies" rut the Rads will never rest on laurels but are always willing to stake their collective reputation on how good their next set is going to be. That's a standard every artist should aspire to.
The Radiators will headline Friday night's show after warming up with a pair of gigs this weekend at the venerable Maple Leaf in New Orleans. Fans of this extraordinary band know how special the Rads have been over 30 years of history. Over that time no two sets have been the same as principal songwriter Ed Volker has penned literally thousands of songs while he, frontman Dave Malone and the rest of the band have mined the history of New Orleans music dating back to Jelly Roll Morton and worked up arrangements of traditional folk, country and classic rock songs that allow them to classify all their material as "fish head music."
The Radiators own an important footnote in rock history -- this is the the only rock group to have toured consistently under the same name over the last 30 years with all of its original members. During this time the Rads have been on the road nonstop, taking a brief break from their rigorous touring schedule only to record. This work ethic, and the band's sense of carrying the flag for the musical heritage of Louisiana's music, has kept the Radiators' sound fresh through all the myriad changes the world at large and the strange universe of popular music has experienced over that time. Though they have been together longer than a lot of bands that are stuck in an "oldies" rut the Rads will never rest on laurels but are always willing to stake their collective reputation on how good their next set is going to be. That's a standard every artist should aspire to.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Go Big Brown!
There are no sure things in horseracing but I sure am rooting for Big Brown to win the Preakness tomorrow and set up an exciting Triple Crown shot in the Belmont Stakes. You can't really bet him and it's hard to bet against him unless you think the prospects of an off track may move another horse up.
It's interesting to see how the tragic death of Eight Belles after the Kentucky Derby has focussed attention on what are almost certainly necessary changes in the sport. The initial reaction of blaming the jockey and the trainer for her death betrayed an ignorance of the facts. Clamoring for synthetic tracks is also not a panacea -- numerous horses broke down on the synthetic surfaces in California. The track at Del Mar supposedly melted at one point. Horses are breaking down because soundness has been bred out of them. The owners and breeders are to blame for the fragility of the breed, and fortunately that observation has taken hold. Joe Drape wrote an exceptionally fine piece on the subject in the New York Times, and the Times followed up with some great quotes from trainer Nick Zito. Horseracing's management has held a plantation mentality about the sport for far too long as the public has opted for other forms of wagering. Let's hope they see the light before it's too late.
It's interesting to see how the tragic death of Eight Belles after the Kentucky Derby has focussed attention on what are almost certainly necessary changes in the sport. The initial reaction of blaming the jockey and the trainer for her death betrayed an ignorance of the facts. Clamoring for synthetic tracks is also not a panacea -- numerous horses broke down on the synthetic surfaces in California. The track at Del Mar supposedly melted at one point. Horses are breaking down because soundness has been bred out of them. The owners and breeders are to blame for the fragility of the breed, and fortunately that observation has taken hold. Joe Drape wrote an exceptionally fine piece on the subject in the New York Times, and the Times followed up with some great quotes from trainer Nick Zito. Horseracing's management has held a plantation mentality about the sport for far too long as the public has opted for other forms of wagering. Let's hope they see the light before it's too late.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Jazzfest redux Part 1
I'm exhausted after Jazzfest and have so many competing thoughts I'm going to wait a bit to write about a number of subjects including Stevie Wonder, Art Neville, Widespread Panic and Sunday's finale, as well as some of the extra curricular activities, notably Chazfest. Here's an account of Saturday's highlights. I might add that James Andrews put on a typically great New Orleans revue show at the end of the day. Andrews, the older brother of one of the city's fastest rising stars, Trombone Shorty, always delivers at the big events.
Saturday at Jazzfest started out in a sea of slop but the sun soon came out and baked the crowd relentlessly. The Gentilly stage was a mini-piano night, with people set up on blankets and in chairs to the edge of the grass but with plenty of room to move around in the spongy mud in front of the stage. After a dazzling set from Henry Butler Ms. Marcia Ball capped off a spectacular week of performances with a great set, augmenting her regular band with local keyboardist Joe Krown on organ. Her ode to the New Orleans party ethic, "That's Enough of that Stuff" moved through a sprightly second line rhythm and featured the updated lyric: "down in the city that Bush forgot." She played some new material from her best album since Sing It!, Peace Love and Barbecue, and got great response from a song she wrote with Tracy Nelson, "Where Do You Go When You Can't Go Home?" Diana Krall followed with a mellow set of easy listening jazz that was pretty low on the dance quotient but satisfied the festgoers who basked in the late afternoon sun.
But the day belonged to Jimmy Buffet, who was introduced by Quint Davis as "the captain of the ship." Fair Grounds was packed stem to stern with Parrotheads, an interesting demographic that transcends age groups. There were Parrotheads from the old days, card-carrying AARP members who delighted to hear Buffet play old tunes like "I Wish I had a Pencil Thin Moustache" and there were groups of young girls wearing Margarita-glass hats who appeared barely old enough to be served. Buffet's popularity runs across sex and age if not color lines and his timeless appeal to lovers of sandy beaches, tiki bars and permanent vacations of the mind was evidenced by the number of resort t-shirts from Key West and Cozumel in the crowd.
Just before Buffet's set Quint Davis told the crowd at the Acura stage "150,000 people are at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby. You are now the second largest crowd in the world watching the fastest two minutes in sports!" The giant screen switched to Churchill Downs and the crowd started buzzing like the racetrack crowd. There's a new star in the sports world, an undefeated colt with the easy to remember name of Big Brown, and his name was on the lips of the fans. It was interesting to see how the crowd, which had been milling around seconds before, suddenly became riveted to the action on the screen. As the horses were being loaded into the gate people in the crowd were making proposition bets, just looking for action. "I'll give you 2-1 on Big Brown," said the guy next to me. When the gates opened and 20 horses came charging across the screen the crowd shouted in excitement, and cries of "Big Brown," and "Go, Big Brown" rang out as he settled just off the early leaders going into the first turn and stayed in that position down the backstretch. As the field approached the stretch announcer Tom Durkin cried "and here comes Big Brown" and the crowd roared as Big Brown surged past the leaders and hit the front, extending his lead through the stretch. Fans called out his name as Big Brown crossed the line. Horse racing has fallen on hard times in recent years, but the continuing appeal of the sport was very apparent on this sunny afternoon in New Orleans. Many thanks to that irascible interlocutor known as the Colonel for describing Big Brown as "unopposable" to the readers of this blog Friday, giving them time to get a bet down on Big Brown in the Derby.
The broadcast cut off right after the first few finishers passed the finish line, so none of the viewers at Jazzfest were aware that the second place finisher, the filly Eight Belles, broke down while galloping out after the race and had to be euthanized on the track. Just as a magic horse appeared on the scene to capture the public's imagination a horrible tragedy occured that brings home the fact that these animals destroy themselves for our pleasure. Plenty of lip service is given to bromides like "that's horseracing" and "bad things happen" but the truth is the throughbred strain in the United States has been inbred for generations to favor horses who can run faster at a younger age. Soundness and distance ability, factors that would keep the breed much healthier, have purposely been bred out of young horses in order to maximize the return on the investment. It's about time the wealthiest people in the game -- the owners and breeders -- were held responsible for this purposeful cruelty to these magnificent creatures.
Saturday at Jazzfest started out in a sea of slop but the sun soon came out and baked the crowd relentlessly. The Gentilly stage was a mini-piano night, with people set up on blankets and in chairs to the edge of the grass but with plenty of room to move around in the spongy mud in front of the stage. After a dazzling set from Henry Butler Ms. Marcia Ball capped off a spectacular week of performances with a great set, augmenting her regular band with local keyboardist Joe Krown on organ. Her ode to the New Orleans party ethic, "That's Enough of that Stuff" moved through a sprightly second line rhythm and featured the updated lyric: "down in the city that Bush forgot." She played some new material from her best album since Sing It!, Peace Love and Barbecue, and got great response from a song she wrote with Tracy Nelson, "Where Do You Go When You Can't Go Home?" Diana Krall followed with a mellow set of easy listening jazz that was pretty low on the dance quotient but satisfied the festgoers who basked in the late afternoon sun.
But the day belonged to Jimmy Buffet, who was introduced by Quint Davis as "the captain of the ship." Fair Grounds was packed stem to stern with Parrotheads, an interesting demographic that transcends age groups. There were Parrotheads from the old days, card-carrying AARP members who delighted to hear Buffet play old tunes like "I Wish I had a Pencil Thin Moustache" and there were groups of young girls wearing Margarita-glass hats who appeared barely old enough to be served. Buffet's popularity runs across sex and age if not color lines and his timeless appeal to lovers of sandy beaches, tiki bars and permanent vacations of the mind was evidenced by the number of resort t-shirts from Key West and Cozumel in the crowd.
Just before Buffet's set Quint Davis told the crowd at the Acura stage "150,000 people are at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby. You are now the second largest crowd in the world watching the fastest two minutes in sports!" The giant screen switched to Churchill Downs and the crowd started buzzing like the racetrack crowd. There's a new star in the sports world, an undefeated colt with the easy to remember name of Big Brown, and his name was on the lips of the fans. It was interesting to see how the crowd, which had been milling around seconds before, suddenly became riveted to the action on the screen. As the horses were being loaded into the gate people in the crowd were making proposition bets, just looking for action. "I'll give you 2-1 on Big Brown," said the guy next to me. When the gates opened and 20 horses came charging across the screen the crowd shouted in excitement, and cries of "Big Brown," and "Go, Big Brown" rang out as he settled just off the early leaders going into the first turn and stayed in that position down the backstretch. As the field approached the stretch announcer Tom Durkin cried "and here comes Big Brown" and the crowd roared as Big Brown surged past the leaders and hit the front, extending his lead through the stretch. Fans called out his name as Big Brown crossed the line. Horse racing has fallen on hard times in recent years, but the continuing appeal of the sport was very apparent on this sunny afternoon in New Orleans. Many thanks to that irascible interlocutor known as the Colonel for describing Big Brown as "unopposable" to the readers of this blog Friday, giving them time to get a bet down on Big Brown in the Derby.
The broadcast cut off right after the first few finishers passed the finish line, so none of the viewers at Jazzfest were aware that the second place finisher, the filly Eight Belles, broke down while galloping out after the race and had to be euthanized on the track. Just as a magic horse appeared on the scene to capture the public's imagination a horrible tragedy occured that brings home the fact that these animals destroy themselves for our pleasure. Plenty of lip service is given to bromides like "that's horseracing" and "bad things happen" but the truth is the throughbred strain in the United States has been inbred for generations to favor horses who can run faster at a younger age. Soundness and distance ability, factors that would keep the breed much healthier, have purposely been bred out of young horses in order to maximize the return on the investment. It's about time the wealthiest people in the game -- the owners and breeders -- were held responsible for this purposeful cruelty to these magnificent creatures.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Jazzfest Day 7
The Jazzfest marathon wraps up Sunday with a blockbuster lineup headed by Galactic, with its great album From the Corner to the Block, Rebirth Brass Brass celebrating its 25th anniversary, and the toughest choice of all to close out the festival. How do you choose between the return of the Neville Brothers, the 30th anniversary celebration of New Orleans legends the Radiators, the Tribute to Tuba Fats, the Derek Trucks Band and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly? I'm going to split the difference between the Rads and the Nevilles, starting at the Rads set and finishing up with the Nevilles. I have a hunch the Nevilles show will run well past its scheduled 6:55 closing time. I also have a hunch that Santana, who is on the Acura stage before them, will stick around to jam on "My Blood."
MOMM Sunday Jazzfest Picks
11:25-12:25 -- Guitar Slim Jr. (Blues)
12:30-1:05 -- Black Eagles Mardi Gras Indians (Jazz & Heritage)
1:10-1:55 -- Jonathan Batiste (Jazz)
2:00-2:55 -- Galactic (Gentilly)
3:00-3:25 -- Tribute to Mahalia Jackson (Gospel)
3:20-3:55 -- George French (Economy Hall)
4:00-4:30 -- Rebirth Brass Band (Congo Square)
4:35-5:15 -- Big Chief Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolias (Jazz & Heritage)
5:35-6:30 -- The Radiators (Gentilly)
6:35-7:10 -- The Neville Brothers (Acura)
MOMM Sunday Jazzfest Picks
11:25-12:25 -- Guitar Slim Jr. (Blues)
12:30-1:05 -- Black Eagles Mardi Gras Indians (Jazz & Heritage)
1:10-1:55 -- Jonathan Batiste (Jazz)
2:00-2:55 -- Galactic (Gentilly)
3:00-3:25 -- Tribute to Mahalia Jackson (Gospel)
3:20-3:55 -- George French (Economy Hall)
4:00-4:30 -- Rebirth Brass Band (Congo Square)
4:35-5:15 -- Big Chief Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolias (Jazz & Heritage)
5:35-6:30 -- The Radiators (Gentilly)
6:35-7:10 -- The Neville Brothers (Acura)
Friday, May 2, 2008
Jazzfest Day 6
Stevie Wonder played hands down the greatest Jazzfest set ever by a non-Louisiana artist Friday. He intended to bring the religious intensity of his best work to bear on the very ground he stood on, and New Orleans was more than ready for it. The
first of several downpours during his set elicited a new set of lyrics for "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," delivered with full verse and chorus. One can only hope today continues where he left off.
Marcia Ball has been at the top of her game during Jazzfest '08. She wowed 'em at piano night, turned out the house for the Wednesday evening free concert at Lafayette Square and was spectacular Later that night in a piano trifecta with Tom McDermott and Joe Krown at Snug Harbor. The songs on her great new record are anchoring her strong performances, and she is not to be missed today.
On the subject of one of my other passions, horseracing, the Kentucky Derby takes place this afternoon at Churchill Downs.
Yesterday I spotted a Fair Grounds regular who goes by the nickname the Colonel in the grandstand area fretting about Jazzfest hampering his Kentucky Derby wagering options.
"You understand how much I love the Fair Grounds shippers when they head north," he said with a knowing wink. "But it looks to me like Pyro left everything he had on the racing surface you're looking at. His eagerness to continue running when others are gasping will make him a formidable candidate for the Belmont and Travers stakes later in the season. But as they say, 'bread in old Kentucky, just a crumb out here.' Big Brown appears unopposable but I'm not one of these characters that will guarantee your bet. The trainer Dutrow is going to bet six figures on the nose. That's the kind of information people pay big money for on other Saturdays, so follow Mr. Dutrow to the window, and make sure to fill out your exactas with Santa Anita Derby winner Colonel John.
MOMM Kentucky Derby pick:
1-Big Brown
2-Colonel John
MOMM Saturday Jazzfest Picks
11:30-12:35 -- Lillian Boutte (Jazz)
12:40-1:15 -- Treme Brass Band (Economy Hall)
1:20-1:45 -- Pine Leaf Boys (Fais Do-Do)
1:50-2:50 -- Dirty Dozen Brass Band (Congo Square)
2:55-3:15 -- Henry Butler (Gentilly)
3:20-3:40 -- Pinstripe Brass band
3:45-4:45 -- Marcia Ball (Gentilly)
4:50-5:20 -- Dr. Michael White (Economy Hall)
5:45-6:45 -- Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas (Fais Do-Do)
first of several downpours during his set elicited a new set of lyrics for "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," delivered with full verse and chorus. One can only hope today continues where he left off.
Marcia Ball has been at the top of her game during Jazzfest '08. She wowed 'em at piano night, turned out the house for the Wednesday evening free concert at Lafayette Square and was spectacular Later that night in a piano trifecta with Tom McDermott and Joe Krown at Snug Harbor. The songs on her great new record are anchoring her strong performances, and she is not to be missed today.
On the subject of one of my other passions, horseracing, the Kentucky Derby takes place this afternoon at Churchill Downs.
Yesterday I spotted a Fair Grounds regular who goes by the nickname the Colonel in the grandstand area fretting about Jazzfest hampering his Kentucky Derby wagering options.
"You understand how much I love the Fair Grounds shippers when they head north," he said with a knowing wink. "But it looks to me like Pyro left everything he had on the racing surface you're looking at. His eagerness to continue running when others are gasping will make him a formidable candidate for the Belmont and Travers stakes later in the season. But as they say, 'bread in old Kentucky, just a crumb out here.' Big Brown appears unopposable but I'm not one of these characters that will guarantee your bet. The trainer Dutrow is going to bet six figures on the nose. That's the kind of information people pay big money for on other Saturdays, so follow Mr. Dutrow to the window, and make sure to fill out your exactas with Santa Anita Derby winner Colonel John.
MOMM Kentucky Derby pick:
1-Big Brown
2-Colonel John
MOMM Saturday Jazzfest Picks
11:30-12:35 -- Lillian Boutte (Jazz)
12:40-1:15 -- Treme Brass Band (Economy Hall)
1:20-1:45 -- Pine Leaf Boys (Fais Do-Do)
1:50-2:50 -- Dirty Dozen Brass Band (Congo Square)
2:55-3:15 -- Henry Butler (Gentilly)
3:20-3:40 -- Pinstripe Brass band
3:45-4:45 -- Marcia Ball (Gentilly)
4:50-5:20 -- Dr. Michael White (Economy Hall)
5:45-6:45 -- Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas (Fais Do-Do)
Jazzfest Day 5
There's a lot to choose from on the final Friday of Jazzfest, but two shows stand out -- Art Neville's first performance outside of the Meters or Neville Brothers, and Stevie Wonder's first Jazzfest set. Both should be history making.
MOMM Friday Jazzfest Picks
11:20-12:20 -- The Bluerunners (Fais Do-Do)
12:25-1:35 -- Tuba Woodshed feat. Kirk Joseph, Jules McKee and Matt Perrine (Jazz)
1:35-2:00 -- Glen David Andrews (Jazz and Heirtage)
2:00-3:00 -- John Boutte (Jazz)
3:00-3:20 -- The Lee Boys (Gospel)
3:25-4:25 -- Art Neville (Acura)
4:30-4:55 -- Trombone Shorty (Congo Square)
5:00-5:10 -- Fi Yi Yi & the Mandingo Warriors (Jazz and Heritage)
5:15-645 -- Stevie Wonder (Acura)
MOMM Friday Jazzfest Picks
11:20-12:20 -- The Bluerunners (Fais Do-Do)
12:25-1:35 -- Tuba Woodshed feat. Kirk Joseph, Jules McKee and Matt Perrine (Jazz)
1:35-2:00 -- Glen David Andrews (Jazz and Heirtage)
2:00-3:00 -- John Boutte (Jazz)
3:00-3:20 -- The Lee Boys (Gospel)
3:25-4:25 -- Art Neville (Acura)
4:30-4:55 -- Trombone Shorty (Congo Square)
5:00-5:10 -- Fi Yi Yi & the Mandingo Warriors (Jazz and Heritage)
5:15-645 -- Stevie Wonder (Acura)
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Jazzfest Day 4
The second run of Jazzfest 2008 begins today and runs through Sunday. Rain is forecast once again for Friday and Saturday. Suggest you invest in some shrimp boots!
MOMM Thursday Jazzfest Picks
11:15-12:00 -- Mem Shannon and the Membership (Blues)
12:15-1:05 -- John Ellis and Doublewide (Jazz)
1:10-1:30 -- Creole Zydeco Farmers (Fais Do-Do)
1:35-2:20 -- Bonerama (Acura)
2:30-3:30 -- Kenny Bill Stinson & the ARK-LA-Mystics (Fais DO-DO)
3:35-4:10 -- Carolina Chocolate Drops (Blues)
4:15-5:00 -- Randy Newman (Gentilly)
5:05-5:35 -- New Orleans Nightcrawlers (Jazz & Heritage)
5:40-7:00 -- Donald Harrison (Jazz)
MOMM Thursday Jazzfest Picks
11:15-12:00 -- Mem Shannon and the Membership (Blues)
12:15-1:05 -- John Ellis and Doublewide (Jazz)
1:10-1:30 -- Creole Zydeco Farmers (Fais Do-Do)
1:35-2:20 -- Bonerama (Acura)
2:30-3:30 -- Kenny Bill Stinson & the ARK-LA-Mystics (Fais DO-DO)
3:35-4:10 -- Carolina Chocolate Drops (Blues)
4:15-5:00 -- Randy Newman (Gentilly)
5:05-5:35 -- New Orleans Nightcrawlers (Jazz & Heritage)
5:40-7:00 -- Donald Harrison (Jazz)
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