SMOKE FREE Although I’m thrilled with the new movement in town to ban smoking at more clubs (“A Breath of Fresh Air”—February 2011) and enjoyed the article about this in OffBeat, I take issue with the statement that “While the decision to go smoke-free doesn’t necessarily make a profit….” Simply stated, there are many people [...]
PRIDE ON BOURBON I have lived in New Orleans for about two years and some of the first gigs I got were on Bourbon Street. At that time, the fare was schlock rock and the goal was to get tips from tourists. Fortunately, after taking a break from Bourbon Street for about a year, I [...]
WALTER PAYTON Regarding the letter from Barry Wratten published in the January 2011 issue. The correct name of the city is Bonn. I remember the N.O.R.O. concert very well. Not only because I was the organizer, but also for the following: the band played the city’s Market Place in front of a movie theater, showing [...]
KID ORY The Kid Ory article in December’s issue features major factual errors. The caption to the main photo with the piece is identified as “Louis Armstrong’s band,” featuring Kid Ory on trombone. It is in fact a picture of King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band with Honore Dutry on trombone. The story also incorrectly names [...]
TALES OF THE OFFBEAT As a fan of old pulps and EC Comics, I am quite captivated by the cover of your Halloween issue. Great job. —Randy Haecker, New York, NY Congrats on the November cover “Tales of the OffBeat.” It looks great. Every time I pass one, it catches my eye. You guys did [...]
NOT JUST MUSIC Just a note to tell you how much I enjoyed the current issue. I think that there has been a subtle transformation at OffBeat to include all aspects of New Orleans culture, not just music. The piece on Susan Spicer was first rate. —Bob Porter, Bergenfield, NJ RAISON D’ETRE There are many [...]
SCHOOLED BY NEW ORLEANS Great article on the great soul known as Ed Blackwell. I first heard Blackwell play in New York City in the late ’70s and not knowing his background, my first thought was that he sounded like a “Caribbean street parade.” It wasn’t until 25 years later when I finally got to [...]
PLAY ON THE STREETS I once was a street musician before and when you could buy a permit. I remember meeting John Phillips of the Mama and Papas, and he told me that he played on the streets of New Orleans in the early ’50s with Chuck Berry. Everyone should have a t-shirt that says [...]
Sense of History Bravo and congratulations to Jason Marsalis for his frank and insightful piece in the July 2010 issue of OffBeat. His emphasis on the importance of a sense of history and “the jazz tradition” is right on. My only comment would be that, as a member of the generation of Jason’s distinguished father [...]
BUNK’S SAINTS Hank Cherry’s piece on Bunk Johnson in your June 2010 edition is quite interesting and to the best of my knowledge completely accurate, but it leaves out one important historical fact. It was Bunk’s recordings and regular playing of “When the Saints Go Marching In” that turned it into the musical icon that [...]
