NYTimes reports on the Army Corps of Engineers opening the Morganza Spillway and flooding the Atchafalaya Basin. The spillways hasn’t been opened since 1973. Similar to when Hurricane Katrina hit many asked, why return to an area where floods are a looming threat?
An 81 year old Floyd Harrington, a resident of Cajun country, puts the NYTimes reporter in his place: “It snows up there in New York City, doesn’t it? How come all those people don’t move?”
Relocation for an unknown period of time: $$
Rebuilding and repairing a flood damaged home: $$$$
An old Cajun man putting that awful and discriminating question to rest: priceless
New Orleans funky favorites are on tour again. The band brought the New Orleans original brass band sound to Brooklyn April 7th. I’m sure the NYC crowd danced like they were in NOLA second line. With Rebirth playing, how could anyone not?
They are also promoting “A Night in the Treme,” on their tour. It is a concert kicking off the second season of HBO’s Treme. I will be watching season two and sincerely hoping the plot moves faster than the slow-as-molasses first season. I love the show, but I want people who have never been to New Orleans to love it as well. Come on David Simon, step it up!
A little history of the band; Rebirth was founded in 1982 by tuba/sousaphone player Philip Frazier; his brother, bass drummer, Keith Frazier and trumpeter Kermit Ruffins. They play a style of music that is a combination of Jazz and Funk or “Junk music.”
When people come to visit New Orleans, taking them to see a live brass band is top of my hostess list. One can’t do much better than a Rebirth show. Low brass is king in New Orleans and it is a sound that will knock the unindoctrinated off their feet - in a good way.
As any New Orleanian knows, you can find them (when they’re not on tour), Tuesday nights at the Maple Leaf Uptown.
