MAKING A DIFFERENCE
My wife and I would like to thank y’all for an absolutely amazing time at the Best of the Beat Awards.
Took us a few years to make it and man what a year to finally do so. We both are quite proud to count ourselves as members of the Threadheads and to be able to be there and to even get up on the stage when the Heartbeat Award was given was an experience we and I’m sure all the THs that were there will never forget.
The food was fantastic, the music amazing. Shamarr Allen and the Underdawgs absolutely killed. He got us all up and jumping and really had us all ready for the Saints to whip some purple butt. Can’t imagine why he wasn’t on the main stage instead of the Parish.
Galactic just shined, having the extra two horns really rounds out their sound, Anders is playing like he can and should all the time, and them Bones—what can we say about them? Rocked the house ’til closing, man what a grin on our faces when we finally left. A night of music, friends and food we won’t soon forget.
The THs love for everything New Orleans drives us to try and make a difference. From the humble beginnings of The Patry turning into a charity event to benefit the New Orleans Musicians Clinic to volunteering hundreds and hundreds of man/woman hours to the Zulu Diamondcutters to man their beer tent at Fest, to donating money and construction equipment to the Arabi Wrecking Krewe, to donating money and instruments to the Silence is Violence Kids Music Clinic, to starting Fest4Kidz to help send local students to the Fest to two collaborative cookbooks to raise monies for charity. There’s more I’m sure I’m forgetting to mention, but you get the idea. The Threadheads love New Orleans and all that comes with it, and we won’t stop trying to help make a difference.
—Barry and Nancy Birnbaum, New York, NY
WHO DAT
I’m an OffBeat lifetime subscriber, living in London, now retired, have visited Nawlins ten times between ’92 and ’04, nine of those occasions being Jazz Fest. I just have to say well done to the Saints! At last! And didn’t they win in a manner befitting the city—with style, color and character!
—Patrick Stroudley, London, UK
DEBUT TRIP
I made my debut trip to New Orleans this Christmas—loved it. I stayed at the Monteleone and used your Web site as a guide. Went to d.b.a. and caught Kermit Ruffins at House of Blues holiday benefit. I’m still in a New Orleans state of mind, reading New Orleans, Mon Amour, wearing fleur-de-lis cufflinks, and rooting for the Saints and the city and people of New Orleans.
—Ira S. Leibin, Oakland, CA
SECOND LINE
As I read your story about “Second Line” (the song) I figured you as the media’s voice of New Orleans music should know, the original traditional piece is called “Joe Avery’s Blues” but most importantly, Stop Inc. was not from Baton Rouge! The group was formed in the 7th Ward by Cyrille Salvant on cornet, Richard Carter on alto sax and myself on guitar in 1968. The other founding fathers were Bruce Derbigny, piano, Bobby Jordan, drums, Freddie Charbonet, tenor sax, Donald Mack, bass and Juanita Davis, vocal. Kenneth Scott was added on trumpet and Don Matthews became manager. As we graduated from our respective high schools, personnel changed one by one until no original members were left. Under the leadership of Brian and Clyde Toval the recording was made. A retraction is not necessary, just FYI.
—Carl Le Blanc, New Orleans, LA
