FoodMusicJustice.com

From: http://www.kreweduvieux.org/

The Krewe du Vieux is a non-profit organization dedicated to the historical and traditional concept of a Mardi Gras parade as a venue for individual creative expression and satirical comment. It is unique among all Mardi Gras parades in the city because it alone carries on the old traditions of Carnival celebrations, using decorated, hand or mule-drawn floats with satirical themes, accompanied by costumed revelers dancing in the streets to the sounds of jazzy street musicians. We believe in exposing the world to the true nature of Mardi Gras - and in exposing ourselves to the world.

‘NOTE: new parade starting time: 6:30 PM. Please start your drinking early.’

Bands that accompanied this year’s Krew de Vieux parade:

• Kirk Joseph
• Trombone Shorty
• Treme Brass Band
• Paulin Brothers Brass Band
• TBC
• Stooges Brass Band
• Free Agents Brass Band
• Hot 8 Brass Band
• James “12″ Andrews
• Da Truth Brass Band
• Rebirth Brass Band
• Panorama Brass Band
• The Jazzmen
• Charles Joseph
• Down N Dirty Jazz Band
• The Soul Rebels
• New Birth Brass Band
• Bone Tone Brass Band

Hitching the mules to the floats.

Heading back to New Orleans this morning to catch Carnival season.

Hudson Valley project to help the music culture of New Orleans rebuild.

Pianos for New Orleans.

I found a good collection of articles by Larry Blumenfeld (including an audio piece.)

Larry’s doing a super job of documenting the post-Katrina music scene in New Orleans.

Will the music survive?

This should be THE question of our time for everyone who cares about the future of music and culture in America.

Click here for the collection

The Open Society Institute, a project of George Soros, has funded the creation a very worthwhile web site.

Articles, audios, videos about the unnatural disaster - it wasn’t Katrina - that destroyed 80% of one of America’s great cities and the heroic rescue and rebuilding efforts of the people of New Orleans.

Visit: www.katrinamedia.org.

Larry Blumenfeld is in Toronto today telling the annual conference of international jazz educators what’s going on with the music in New Orleans.

Here’s a rough cut of some of David Aman’s video work that Larry will be sharing with the audience:

Larry Blumenfeld will be presenting this week in Toronto at the annual conference of jazz educators.

His topic: New Orleans.

FoodMusicJustice hooked Larry up with New Orleans videomaker David Aman who produced the video segments Larry will be showing at the conference:

For all those attending the 35th Annual International Association of Jazz Educators Conference, from January 9-12, 2008 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Please attend

“In That Number: Can New Orleans Come Marching Back?”

A report from the front by Jazziz editor-at-large Larry Blumenfeld, based on his work as a Katrina Media Fellow for the Open Society Institute

Including filmed segments and interviews with:

Clarinetist Dr. Michael White
Saxophonist and Mardi Gras Indian Chief Donald Harrison
Trumpeter Shamarr Allen

Jordan Hirsch, Sweet Home New Orleans
Aimee Bussells, Renew Our Music Fund
Scott Aiges, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation

Friday, January 11th at noon

Industry 2 E. Meeting Room 206
Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
255 Front Street West,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 2W6
416-585-8000

January 6…12th Night…Feast of the Epiphany…whatever you call it, this is the day Carnival in New Orleans begins.

The multi-week region-wide festival is by far the biggest and most ambitious festival in North America and culminates on Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, which this year falls very early, February 4th, the earliest Mardi Gras in many decades.

National media attention on the event will be significantly diluted by the US Presidential Primary which has its “Super Tuesday” the same day. The Super Bowl will be held the Sunday before.

This is unfortunate because the only two times a year the media pays attention to the still unhealed condition of New Orleans is on the anniversary of the flood and on Mardi Gras.