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Howard Mandel's Urban Improvisation

Mardi Gras’ lewd Krewe, Marc Pokempner’s photos

February 22, 2020 by Howard Mandel

Krewe du Vieux Carré puts on the most satirical and scatalogical of New Orlean’s pre-Mari Gras parades, says photo-journalist Marc PoKempner, whose images © here provide convincing evidence.

PoKempner writes: “Our dysfunctional evil-clown-in-chief figured prominently in this years’ Krewe du Vieux parade and the immediately following krewedelusion — an annual outpouring of satirical, political, scatological and outrageous imagery that can always be counted on to top the charts of the crude, lewd and rude. At once the most topical and most traditional (no tractors, handmade floats, throws and costumes) of processions, and the only large parade still allowed in the French Quarter, it epitomizes the participatory creativity that distinguishes New Orleans from . . . well, anywhere.”   

“Not incidentally,” he continues, “each sub Krewe was accompanied by its own band – only live music is allowed – and the brass bands were rockin’, fueled by the exuberant energy of the marchers and the wildly enthusiastic crowd. 

“I had foolishly avoided Mardi Gras for years after experiencing frat-boy gridlock in the Quarter early on – before discovering the community based downtown action,” says PoKempner.

Such spirited ridicule could become a regular feature of protest marches across the land, should they proliferate as the political season continues.

On the other hand, we needn’t dress up funny or roll out a float to VOTE.

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Filed Under: main Tagged With: Howard Mandel, jazz, jazz beyond jazz, Krewe du Vieux, Krewe du Vieux Carré, Marc PoKempner, Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras parade photos, New Orleans, parade photos

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Howard Mandel

I'm a Chicago-born (and after 32 years in NYC, recently repatriated) writer, editor, author, arts reporter for National Public Radio, consultant and nascent videographer -- a veteran freelance journalist working on newspapers, magazines and websites, appearing on tv and radio, teaching at New York University and elsewhere, consulting on media, publishing and jazz-related issues. I'm president of the Jazz Journalists Association, a non-profit membership organization devoted to using all media to disseminate news and views about all kinds of jazz.
My books are Future Jazz (Oxford U Press, 1999) and Miles Ornette Cecil - Jazz Beyond Jazz (Routledge, 2008). I was general editor of the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz and Blues (Flame Tree 2005/Billboard Books 2006). Of course I'm working on something new. . . Read More…

About Jazz Beyond Jazz

What if there's more to jazz than you suppose? What if jazz demolishes suppositions and breaks all bounds? What if jazz - and the jazz beyond, behind, under and around jazz - could enrich your life? What if jazz is the subtle, insightful, stylish, … [Read More...]

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