OPEN LETTER TO THE NEW ORLEANS AND LOUISIANA MUSIC COMMUNITY
By Jan Ramsey
As many of our readers and WWOZ listeners have noticed, the WWOZ Newsletter, which OffBeat began publishing in 1993, no longer runs in the magazine. Likewise, the WWOZ/OffBeat Live Wire, a daily rundown of live local music performances culled primarily from the daily listings of OffBeat, is no longer broadcast by the station.
This was not a decision implemented by OffBeat. OffBeat continues to support WWOZ, its hard-working volunteers and the station’s most valuable resource: the music and musicians of Louisiana.
WWOZ station manager David Freedman is the person responsible for severing all of WWOZ’s ties with OffBeat. In a recent meeting between myself, David Freedman and Dwayne Breashears, WWOZ’s Program Manager, Freedman characterized OffBeat as “not a friend of WWOZ,” not caring about the local music community”—assertions we found troubling and hurtful—and publishing a magazine with the sole interest of “making money,” a statement we find absurd and ultimately, laughable.
Every single issue of OffBeat is dedicated to Louisiana’s musicians. We are, in essence, the print equivalent of WWOZ. In fact, OffBeat strives to cover and support the entire spectrum of local music, including rock and hip-hop, which WWOZ has pointedly chosen not to air. Apparently the “new” music created by the local music community is not worthy of coverage by the Jazz & Heritage station. OffBeat has consistently supported all musicians’ efforts, local music clubs and retailers, as well as the education and training of musicians and music enterprises in business techniques that will insure that they can survive in a city and state that are not yet geared to a real appreciation of music’s economic importance. If promoting business sense in the local music community is a crime, then we stand accused!
OffBeat has managed over the past 17 years to accomplish our mission of promoting regional music without WWOZ’s non-profit status, or its legion of volunteers, its fundraising efforts and substantial membership revenues (please see www.guidestar.org and check “Friends of WWOZ” for the station’s most recent financial statement on file, wherein WWOZ’s profit for the year ending 2002 was almost $100,000, an amount that has never been achieved—not even closely—by OffBeat in its 17 years of existence). We answer to our readers—the music community and many others in the city and around the world who love our great music—and to our advertisers, many of whom are local musicians, music clubs and music businesses, who support the magazine you hold in your hands.
No one is getting rich working at OffBeat. If the pursuit of material wealth were our main concern, we would not be publishing a music magazine in a relatively small, economically distressed city such as New Orleans. Obviously, our commitment to and love for the music and culture of Louisiana is at least as great as that of WWOZ’s staff and volunteers. To be deprecated for maintaining a for-profit business whose primary goal is to benefit the music community—and hopefully to make a profit—is puzzling and ultimately insulting, to say the least.
We answer to our readers and advertisers. Mr. Freedman, on the other hand, answers to no one. Cloaked in the robe of “community,” Mr. Freedman has run the station as if the province of New Orleans music is his personal kingdom. This is far from the spirit with which the station was founded. Does the station’s Governance Board (whose members are also on the board of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation) have an impact on WWOZ policy and operation? Does the Governance Board care about why WWOZ staff and volunteers work in a tiny office and studio, which supposedly costs the station $38,000 per year in “occupancy costs”? Or $42,000 in “equipment maintenance”?
Apparently, according to Mr. Freedman’s perception, any critique of any of WWOZ’s policies and actions, which are banned from public scrutiny on WWOZ’s censored message board (but not banned on OfffBeat’s message board), are “attacks” on WWOZ and the music of New Orleans. This is a ridiculous idea, especially to those of us who have spent our entire lives in New Orleans supporting local music. Moreover, constructive criticism is healthy and positive in a free society. OffBeat is open to criticism. We regularly publish letters in the magazine that praise us, criticize us, “blast us” and offer suggestions for change. Apparently, in Mr. Freedman’s view, WWOZ is so beloved by its listeners that it is a sacrosanct institution, untouchable in its financial dealings, and impervious to any criticism from its audience in a public forum or even from its unpaid volunteer on-air talent.
After 11 years, Mr. Freedman summarily dumped OffBeat’s support of the Live Wire (and the WWOZ Newsletter) without even the courtesy of a phone call to ask if we were interested in retaining the sponsorship. It literally took us three months to arrange a meeting with Mr. Freedman where he informed us that “OffBeat was not a friend to WWOZ.” The Live Wire has been sold to the highest bidder, without regard to a long-term relationship that we at OffBeat have worked very hard to live up to for over a decade. If anyone can be accused of being “in it for the money,” then it’s David Freedman, who as general manager, is the ultimate decision-maker at WWOZ.
OffBeat has consistently praised WWOZ, presented it with numerous well-deserved awards, and for well over a decade has officially supported and will continue to support the station. But we believe that WWOZ and its current management are not inseparable. We believe that WWOZ deserves an unbiased station manager, an individual who’s able to manage the station with a straightforward, transparent administration (both managerial and financial); one who does not alienate, but rather unites, lovers and supporters of Louisiana music for the good of the music community.WWOZ members and listeners and the WWOZ Governance Board should demand nothing less.
We wish WWOZ nothing but good in its future endeavors. We are hopeful that the Governance Board of WWOZ, as well as the new management at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, will evaluate the financial situation at WWOZ, its policies and practices, and see a new beginning for not only the Jazz Fest, but for one of the Foundation’s jewels, our radio station, WWOZ.
A PROBLEM WITH JAZZ FEST
Hi! My name is Ricky Sebastian. I’m a Louisiana native and have been playing in the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for over 20 years. I moved to New York City in 1983 and spent 16 years there. During that time, I performed at Jazz Fest with Tania Maria, Herbie Mann, and a couple of other world renowned artists.
I moved back to New Orleans in 1998 for quality of life reasons for my wife and daughter. I performed at Jazz Fest with my own group, Willie Tee, Topsy Chapman, and Steve Masakowski over the last four years.
I want to say that I’m appalled at the difference in treatment that the local artists are given as opposed to out-of-town “stars”! When I was living in New York and would come down to play with one of these stars, the red carpet was rolled out, there was no problem with tickets or (especially) parking passes or amenities in the dressing room. Not the same if you perform with a local act. In my experience performing at Jazz Fest with my band as well as other “local” acts, there were problems with tickets, not enough parking passes (how do you expect to get a seven-piece band which includes a percussionist into the Fair Grounds with three parking passes?) although I never saw a lack of parking space the whole time that I was back in New Orleans. And the amenities given to the local acts were far different than with the stars.
I realize that Jazz Fest must get big names to be successful and I don’t have a problem with that at all! What I do have a problem with is the difference in treatment given to local acts. Without these acts, Jazz Fest wouldn’t be what it truly is supposed to be: a Louisiana Heritage festival.
I’m not targeting Quint Davis personally (Quint and I have been personal friends for over twenty years. In fact, I even finished sheetrock in his home back in the day when I was just getting started in New Orleans.) This letter is meant for Festival Productions in general. New Orleans, wake up! The local artists are what truly makes this festival unique and, in my opinion, the best music festival in the United States and I’ve performed at all of them.
New Orleans gave me so much culturally and musically when I was young and one of the reasons that I returned was to give something back to the community by teaching at the University of New Orleans and inspiring young musicians by hiring them in my various bands and also by teaching drum lessons out of my home studio.
Also, in a city that has so much musical talent, it’s truly unfortunate that there is not a true “music industry” with a pipeline to cities such as “the big three,” New York City, Los Angeles, and Nashville, where up and coming New Orleans bands can send their music to A&R people on major and indie labels. The other sad thing is the lack of managers and agents that have connections to other managers and agents in these three cities. That’s why so many great musicians leave New Orleans for greener musical pastures! After six years being back in New Orleans, that’s the reason that I am now back in New York.
It is my true wish that New Orleans gets it together in these areas. I’ve been on “both sides of the fence,” so to speak, and I know what I’m talking about after a 16-year career in New York dealing with “professionals” in the music business! I believe that I did all that I could do to improve this situation over the past six years that I lived in New Orleans (for the second time) and would be more than happy to do whatever I can to improve it in the future because the musicians and artists deserve it. But the musicians have to become more professional themselves. Attend the meetings that that the local government is providing (I did, and I didn’t see many musicians at these meetings except for the first “Town Hall Meeting” at Rock ‘n’ Bowl). Be on time for rehearsals. For that matter, rehearse your band instead of just showing up at the gig and just playing the same old bullshit that everyone knows. Be on time for gigs. Take it upon yourself to educate yourself about the music business and your profession will change dramatically, I promise you!
While I was there, my band members were always on time for rehearsals and gigs because I was up front about the consequences if they were late. Of course, emergencies happen but you can still make a phone call and tell the rest of the group what’s happening so you’re not wasting their time. BE PROFFESIONAL!!!!
—Ricky Sebastian, New York, NY
THE STATE OF AL
Being a habitual OffBeat reader, may I say that your [Bunny Matthews] interview with Al Green was one of the best I’ve ever read. The transcribing of his vernacular, which is so often lame and flat, spoke to his ever musical way of talking. It gave significant insight into his present state as well; optimistic, but definitely aged and more realistic about what people want to hear—frankly, not gospel. At least not from Al Green.
—Savannah Strachan, New Orleans, LA
THE STATE OF FATS
Thank you for the informative interview with Fats Domino. As a lifelong fan I can’t understand why he is just about the only recording artist in history without a single biography published. Last year we had a BBC radio documentary on Fats which had a significant contribution from Rick Coleman who announced that his biography on Fats was to be published in 2004. Does anyone have any information on this?
—Ed Ievers, Surrey, England
LAST CHANCE!
I read your [Michael Hurtt] article, Allen Collay’s “Last Chance,” in the June issue of OffBeat. This started me thinking about my youth in the 1960s. I played drums with numerous bands, including the Better Half (or Better Half-Dozen) and the Zoofs. I’ve been trying to find some of the old records listed below.
1. Zoofs (production Allen Toussaint): “Get to Know Yourself” / “Not So Near”
2. Yesterday’s Children: “Go Elsewhere” / “Tobacco Road”
3. Yesterday’s Children: “Take Your Time” / “Last Clean Shirt”
4. Palace Guards: four or five different realses
5. Better Half Dozen: “I’m Gonna Leave You” / “I Could Have Love Her”
—Richard Moore, Metairie, LA
We checked with rare record dealer Jim Russell and learned that several of the Palace Guards records are stocked in his vaults. As for the other releases, perhaps an excursion into the realm of ebay is in order.—Ed.
BARELY THERESA
With interest, I have been reading the ongoing Theresa Anderson “bares all” debate. This was a topic of discussion at the last meeting of the Abita Springs Opry board. Maybe we have all been living in New Orleans too long, but I didn’t hear one word against her or the photo, and it didn’t stop us from putting her on our list of performers for the fall season.
—Beth Sager, Board Member, Abita Springs Opry, Publisher, Tambalaya Magazine, Covington, LA
KID STORIES
I wanted to drop you [Bunny Matthews and Brenda Lee] a note to thank you for the nice write-up you gave me in the May, 2004 “Jazz Fest Bible” issue of OffBeat. I appreciate your kind words. I love my job and feel very blessed to be able to share my stories with kids everywhere.
—Dianne de Las Casas, Harvey, LA
LEFT OUT
How could you leave out Odetta and Etta James? They were fantastic!
—Zina Albano, New Orleans, LA
UPLIFTING
Thank you for a great May Jazz Fest issue. Your magazine continues to go from strength to strength jam-packed full of high quality CD reviews, interviews and Bunny Matthews wicked cartoon/drawings!
The Dr. John Goes Home cover really blew me away. I found it uplifting and inspiring.
Dr. John was performing in Wellington early last month. Unfortunately I just could not go to his show owing to the number of overseas bands in town the same month and having seen Dr. John numerous times at Jazz Fest 1995-1999. I just had to save my pennies for Toots and the Maytals, Burning Spear, Taj Mahal and Steve Earle! Maximum respects y’all.
—Leonora Boyack, Wellington, New Zealand
EXCELLENCE
I was checking the OffBeat web site to see if the A to Z listings were up yet, saw your email address [Bunny Matthews] and couldn’t resist dropping you a note.
I enjoy both your articles and artwork immensely. From the walks in the Quarter to the importance of Mardi Gras, you capture the essence of New Orleans. My best friend from my Tulane days framed your “Going to Jazz Fest / Not Going to Jazz Fest” two page spread and keeps it in an prominent spot wherever his State Department assignment takes him. One of these days I’m going to locate a copy of the Vic and Nat’ly collection during one of our annual Jazz Fest pilgrimages and life will seem complete.
Anyway, keep up the excellence.
—Richard Koch, St. Louis, MO