 by Tom Hallett
*RTD extends our deepest sympathies to the victims of Hurricane Katrina & their loved ones this week- let's hope, as a country, we never forget the rich cultural and artistic heritage we owe the city of New Orleans, the rest of the affected areas and the people who populate them.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “It's gotten to the point where I can't listen to anything; it's trashy. It's just a hundred channels of garbage all over. It's almost like a global effort to knock the sense out of you ...” — Jeff Beck
SONG OF THE WEEK: “If New Orleans Is Beat” — The Tragically Hip
FIVE GREAT SONGS ABOUT NEW ORLEANS:
1) “Walking To New Orleans” – Fats Domino
2) “The Battle Of New Orleans”– Johnny Horton
3) “The House Of The Rising Sun”– Frijid Pink
4) “The City Of New Orleans”– Arlo Guthrie
5) “New Orleans Is Sinking”– The Tragically Hip
 The
Classic Louisiana Recordings
Cajun & Creole Music 2
1934-1937
Rounder Records
1999
To ken a deeper understanding of the musical history, stylistic evolution and
mental/emotional/spiritual underpinnings of the real music of Louisiana, try
this fascinating collection of Cajun ballads, laments, drinking songs, and Zydeco,
Jure’, and blues. You won’t find any sly, jazz-inflected city winks
here, folks. No blatting, bleating street-corner horn-blowers, no painted ladies,
no Dixieland marching bands. This batch of raw, from-the-gut music comes from
the John and Alan Lomax collection and contains offerings from the raucous (Lanese
Vincent and Sydney Richards’ “Madame Gallien”) to the passionate
(Davous Berard’s wonderful “Les Amours Sont Courts”) to the
downright heartbreaking (Edier Segura’s pain-wracked lament “Les
Pays Des Etrangers”), many sung a capella and all as fresh and urgent
as the day they were recorded.
Though they’re virtually all delivered in Cajun and French, the pure joy,
pain and exuberance with which these tracks were performed shines through and
reveals the incredible inner strength and faith at the core of some of America’s
most important and influential music. It’s also interesting to note that
citizens of today’s Louisiana continue to deal with many of the same issues
that consumed the original authors of these songs—some of them literally
written over a hundred years ago. The recent, shameful treatment of the (mostly
poor and black) victims of Hurricane Katrina by the federal, state and local
governments could have inspired many of the laments recorded back in the mid-’30s
by musicologists John and Alan Lomax—inherent racism, poverty and human
suffering are seemingly as big a part of the New South as they were the Old.
This album not only preserves the rich, complex roots of Cajun & Zydeco,
but also serves as a poignant reminder that this country has a long way to go
before it can even begin to call itself civilized. Highly recommended. Order
your copy today at Rounder.com.
To check on the status of loved ones in the disaster area, or to volunteer ground
support or shelter, surf to KatrinaUpdate.com
or call 1-800-869-5540.
 GIG
OF THE WEEK:
Don’t miss the kick-off of what’s sure to be a popular local music
night as fall wears into winter this year. ACOUSTIC CRASH makes its Sunday evening
debut this week on Sep. 9 at the 331 Club. Already a popular hangout with the
post-Turf crowd, the 331 will host this musician-friendly, homestyle event for
the foreseeable future. This week’s talent includes: Beight, Bernie King,
Andrew Lynch, JoAnna James, Brian Just, Zach Norton, The Humbugs and Randy Gerghaty.
Check it out on the web at 331Club.com.
That’s about all the fun we can muster here at the ‘Dial this week,
brothas an’ sistas. Tune in again next time for CD/DVD reviews and more
music news. Until we meet again—make yer own damn news.
If you have local music news/gigs/events/CDs you’d
like to see mentioned in this space, send replies to: Tmygunn777@peoplepc.com.
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