Author Archives

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A Musical Prelude to the Celebration of Easter, Free Public Concerts…

…Concludes With
A Performance by Cynthia Cheri-Woolridge & Friends
At Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in the Vieux Carre

NEW ORLEANS, LA—On April 10, 2014 the sixth and final of Bishop Perry’s Center’s series of free, public concerts will take place at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1116 Chartres St. at 6 p.m. Stars of this concert will be Cynthia Cheri-Woolridge and Friends, a gifted group of gospel and spiritual singers and musicians. Among friends expected to join Cynthia in the performance on Thursday is Dr. Michael White, the renowned jazz musician, jazz historian, and teacher.
Others joining Ms. Cheri-Woolridge will be Desmian Barnes and Percy Williams on trumpet; Arthur Mitchell on Saxaphone; Robino Barnes on Bass; and Jarvis McCelos on drums. Singers will include Jerrydette Joseph, Sylvia Thomas, Anicia Cheri, Gary Foster, and William Wiloughby, along with the Bishop Perry Center “Heavenly Notes.”

The series—A Musical Prelude to the Celebration of Easter—features music ranging from classical favorites of the great gothic and baroque cathedrals of the world to Broadway to New Orleans jazz, spirituals, and gospel. The concerts take place in the architecturally and historically significant Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, part of the old Ursuline Convent Complex, located in the French Quarter.

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Violence, alcohol abuse, racism, sex, extreme weather, and finally, a sort of liberalism: An interview with Nancy Dixon on her anthology of 200 years of New Orleans literature | Press Street

Two of my favorite writers/people discussing Dixon’s new book:

Violence, alcohol abuse, racism, sex, extreme weather, and finally, a sort of liberalism: An interview with Nancy Dixon on her anthology of 200 years of New Orleans literature | Press Street.

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French Quarter Festival 2014

I remember the few little tents and one stage of the first years of this festival; I love how it has grown and that it is so well run. A good example of how to utilize our city center for our culture without taking the fun (or life!) out of it.

Dr. John’s first performance at French Quarter Festival since 1987

Dr. John embodies the best of New Orleans’ rich musical heritage, and in 2014, he returns to French Quarter Festival for the first time since 1987. This will be his ONLY appearance at a major spring festival in New Orleans in 2014. Dr. John and the Nite Trippers will perform on the riverfront Abita Stage Friday, April 11th at 4:30 p.m. In what promises to be an incredible musical evening, Dr. John will be followed by the Roots of Music with very special guests, and Grammy award-winning Rebirth Brass Band. Longtime Festival supporter, vendor, and friend – Tropical Isle – has generously provided the support to bring Dr. John back to French Quarter Festival. Enter to win the Dr. John VIP experience for a chance to join Tropical Isle for ring access to the show: https://apps.facebook.com/my-contests/aqesyl

Riverfront construction ends and brings the launch of a new music stage:
GE Capital/New Orleans Tech Big River Stage

Year after year, French Quarter Festival is voted ‘locals’ favorite’ while also attracting a tremendous out-of-town audience. A huge part of the appeal is that it provides a true and authentic New Orleans experience – a broad range of Louisiana artists and a diverse variety of musical styles and genres. Since 1984, French Quarter Festival has been committed to featuring New Orleans’ finest artists every day of the festival, on stages all over the French Quarter. The tradition continues in 2014, when FQFI unveils the Big River Stage with new partners GE Capital/New Orleans Tech. The stage has a diverse mix of talented artists that includes Davell Crawford, Paul Sanchez and the Minimum Rage, Glen David Andrews, Jeremy Davenport, New Birth Brass Band, Eric Lindell, Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Flow Tribe, Diablo’s Horns, George Porter, Jr. and Runnin’ Pardners, Lynn Drury, Russell Batiste & Friends with The Wild Tchoupitoulas featuring Jason Neville, Egg Yolk Jubilee, Big Chief Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolias, Casa Samba Extravaganza, The New Orleans Suspects, the Iguanas, and more. The Big River Stage will feature music daily, on April 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th.

Brass bands are moving from the Riverside Legacy Stage (formerly located on the riverfront) to the new Popeyes Brass Band Jam with OffBeat at the Old U.S. Mint. Barracks Street will be closed to traffic, adding more to the ‘pedestrian playground’ and street party feel of the Festival. The stage will feature Leroy Jones’ Original Hurricane Brass Band, Hot 8 Brass Band, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, Treme Brass Band, Audacity Brass Band, Lagniappe Brass Band, Onward Brass Band, Corey Henry’s Treme Funktet, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, Andrew Hall’s Society Brass Band, Orleans Brass Band, and more. Popeyes Brass Band Jam with OffBeat will run April 11th, 12th, and 13th.

The Chevron Cajun Zydeco Showcase launched in 2013 at the Bienville Triangle (North Peters near St. Louis Street). It was such a hit with festival fans, that it will return for 2014. One of the most popular stages at Festival, the 2014 lineup includes: Big Easy Playboys, Waylon Thibodeaux Band, Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet, Corey Ledet, Brandon Moreau & his Cajungrass, Bruce Daigrepoint Cajun Band, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Amada Shaw, Feufollet, Babineaux Sisters Band, Rusty Metoyer and the Zydeco Krush, Sean Ardoin-n-Zydekool, Les Freres Michot, Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots, the Lost Bayou Ramblers, and more.

New site for the Film Festival at French Quarter Festival: Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré

French Quarter Festivals, Inc. continues its partnership with Timecode:nola – a non-profit 501(c)3 organization made up of filmmakers who promote local filmmaking. Because of its incredible popularity at the 2013 French Quarter Festival, the 2014 Film Festival (free and open to the public) will move to Le Petit Théâtre, with more room for fans. Movies and shorts will focus on New Orleans music, neighborhoods and culture (click here for full schedule). Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, originally organized in 1916 as the New Orleans Chapter of the Drama League of America and one year later as the Drawing Room Players, is one of the oldest community theatres in the country. Since moving into its current home in 1922, the “Little Theatre” has entertained thousands of audience members in a wide array of dramas, comedies, and musicals.

Exciting new additions to Festival food and beverages

The World’s Largest Jazz Brunch will include a new dining area. Over 60 food vendors make up ‘The World’s Largest Jazz Brunch’ at French Quarter Festival, featuring classic New Orleans dishes as well as cuisine from the best restaurants in the region. A number of restaurants have been with the festival since its beginning in 1984, and have been great partners for 30 years: Pat O’Brien’s, Ristorante Carmelo, Trey Yuen, Tujague’s, Vaucresson Sausage, Desire Oyster Bar, and Court of Two Sisters. Other festival favorites return for 2014, including Galatoire’s, Muriel’s, Antoine’s, Praline Connection, Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House, Restaurant R’evolution, Desire Oyster Bar, Bennachin, Love at First Bite, Crescent Pie and Sausage, Boucherie, GW Fins, House of Blues, Jacques-Imo’s, K-Paul’s, Mrs. Wheat’s, Lasyone’s Meat Pies, and more. New vendors include Café Reconcile, Loretta’s Pralines, Ninja Restaurant, Rib Room, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza.
Go online and check out their website and download their free app too:

FQFest

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Panel on New Orleans book, “Unfathomable City”

Friday panel at Tennessee Williams Festival:
Rebecca Snedecker
Garnette Cadogan
Shirley Thompson
Joshua Jelly-Shapiro

RS: it’s true that all 50 writers/researchers had their own experience about working on the book. Can the panelists describe their own experience?

ST: had little idea of what the final book would be. ..pleasantly surprised when it arrived in the mail…
The book invites readers to follow on their own path.
New Orleans has consciously used its place itself as a way to entice others to it, especially after the Civil War. This book chips away at that tourist narrative…

GC: shape of his essay was meant to resemble the shape of the city…

ST: tried to capture the paradox of diametrically opposed ideas. Sugar as a topic is a delightful treat and a commodity.

JJS: what’s interesting is that maps are stories-even narratives-and stories really contain maps. Combining the two is natural.

GC: an essay is a personal voice, a snapshot and is never really finished. Wanted the essay to contain the same sort of reactions (“write it as it felt”) as there is to the subject matter (bounce): joyful and disdainful at the same time, infectious feeling but also to contain the ambivalence that also exists.
(Tried to not use the word infectious, but ended up with it in there anyway.)
An intensely local subject but international at the same time, just like the city itself.
RS: it was important to remember that visuals and text shouldn’t be redundant, just like in cinema.
GC: there are 2 kinds of writers: those who hand in their work and those who have it pulled from their grasp. This project reduced the anxiety of attempting to contain the multitude-ness of the subject since the maps had their own story. It’s like the person who only listens to reggae music doesn’t know reggae music.
And I remembered New Orleans was here before me and will be here after me.
RS: what’s interesting is that the history of bounce music in New Orleans is partly the history of the projects (aka project music) and therefore is really about pre-K New Orleans. the map is one of those that does not physically exist any longer.
ST: Some maps have collapsed history, sugar for example is both the history and the contemporary story of sugar.
ST: I am usually skeptical of mapping. It’s really an act of conquest. Also because they impose a new set of claims on a place and attempt to define every site. Resistance itself is often about not being mapped, about resisting being named in a colonial way.
I bought (editor) Solnit’s SF map book Infinite City and saw that it showed creative resistance and had deep respect and humility for its subjects.
JJS: I also liked how the footprint of the city varies a good deal in the maps and essays.

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Killer Poboys-811 Conti

Just named to The Guardian’s Top 10 Budget Restaurants in New Orleans. I love their version of the shrimp poor boy:
http://killerpoboys.blogspot.com

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St. Joseph’s Day Altars

St. Joseph altars, representing the Holy Trinity, are divided into three sections with a statue of St. Joseph at the head. The devout place candles, figurines, flowers, medals and other items around the altar creating a beautiful, lush and overflowing effect. Since the altars thank St. Joseph for relieving hunger, offerings of food are essential.

List of altars

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The Irish and Italians are at it again…

Friday, March 14, 2014
Molly’s at the Market Irish Parade -6:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 15, 2014
Irish Channel Parade – 1 p.m.

Saturday, March 15, 2014
Italian-American St.Joseph’s Parade – 6 p.m.

Sunday, March 16, 2014
St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Metairie Rd. – 12 Noon

Monday, March 17, 2014
Downtown Irish Club Parade – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 23, 2014
Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade (Metairie) – 12 Noon

Sunday, April 6, 2014
St.Bernard Irish-Italian Islenos Parade – 11 a.m.

so you probably know about St. Pat’s but may not know about New Orleans’ connection with St. Joseph’s Day:
March 19th marks the Catholic celebration of St. Josephs Day where Catholic New Orleanians construct elaborate altars in honor of this saint. The tradition, commemorating the relief St. Joseph provided during a famine in Sicily, began in the late 1800’s when Sicilian immigrants settled in New Orleans. Today, St. Joseph’s day is not just for Italian-Americans. Every year, this celebration offers New Orleans natives and visitors a chance to share food with others and for believers, a way to express gratitude for any sort of fortune in their lives.
St. Joseph altars, representing the Holy Trinity, are divided into three sections with a statue of St. Joseph at the head. The devout place candles, figurines, flowers, medals and other items around the alter creating a beautiful, lush and overflowing effect. Since the altars thank St. Joseph for relieving hunger, offerings of food are essential.

2014 parade routes
Here is the 2013 Times Picayune altar list which will be similar for 2014. However, do check online at nola.com for the updated list before heading out!

Italian-American Marching Club presents its queen ahead of parade.