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Jazz Beyond Jazz

Howard Mandel's Urban Improvisation

Mardi Gras’ lewd Krewe, Marc Pokempner’s photos

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.

Great new jazz photography: Marc PoKempner portfolio from New Orleans

Photos of musicians making music — visualizations stirred in the photographers by watching sounds manifest — are exciting, and as different in style as the photographers and musicians themselves. Marc PoKempner ‘s portfolio from New Orleans of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Cuban drummers at the Music Box Village, a non-profit community arts garden, is the first of a series of great new jazz photos I’ll post over the next few days.

Ronell Johnson (trombone), Branden Lewis (trumpet)

Alexey Marti (drum), Ronell Johnson (trombone), Shannon Powell (drum), Damas “Fanfan” Louis (drum), Tanio Hingle (bass drum), Kyle Roussel (melodica), Kerry “Fatman” Hunter (snare drum), Ben Jaffe (tuba)



Clint Maedgen (sax)

Kerry “Fatman” Hunter (snare drum), Kyle Roussel (percussion), Shannon Powell (drum), Damas “Fanfan” Louis (drum), Charlie Gabriel (sax), Ben Jaffe (tuba)

Ronell Johnson (trombone), Tanio Hingle (bass drum) Charlie Gabriel (sax), Kerry “Fatman” Hunter (snare drum) Ben Jaffe (tuba)

Check back for photos by Lauren Deutsch, Dee Kalea, Sánta István Csaba, Michael Jackson and we’ll see who else. . .

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Hurray for Treme

“Do Watcha Wanna,” the season finale of Treme, had everything I watch the series for:

  • Compelling characters embodied by terrific actors;
  • plausible and suspenseful quick-cutting across and interweaving of plot strands;
  • confident command of realities afflicting post-Katrina/pre-Gulf oil spill New Orleans, and
  • the extraordinary depiction of living, breathing, hugely enjoyable music as a central factor in peoples’ lives, whether or not they’re professionally involved.

[Read more…]

Tremé, the musical

Lovers of jazz, jazz beyond jazz, jazz before jazz are all watching Treme, right? The HBO series about New Orleans three months after Katrina sets a new standard for celebrating America’s roots music where this should happen — on tv.

[Read more…]

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…

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