Hey there one of the few people that are actually reading this. I haven't posted in a while, but it was for the sole reason of my trip to Disney that I got back form last night. I had a blast, and did not make any concerted effort to write anything at all. The trip was great, and i'll miss the annual chorus trip, seeing as I graduate in 51 days. But really, who's counting.
The trip there was miserable, but there were ways to bear it. We left at 8 an drove through the night, so I at least got the chance to sleep a little bit. The trip back was the killer. Nothing to do but stare at kids you've already spent way too much time with, and look out the window. I would like to personally thank the man who stuck DVD players in charter buses, because without them, trips like mine would probably have a death tole. The first movie we popped in the player was Disney's new attempt at their old 2-D selves, The Princess And The Frog. It was a pretty good movie, with a solid story and enough grown laughs to entertain a bunch of sun-burnt, exhausted teenagers. I gotta admit, Disney is pretty white, and when they want to go way down to New Orleans for a movie, they go all out. The film was as racist as Blazing Saddles, and that was easily what made it so funny to me.
One of the things that they did get pretty spot on was the huge amount of music in the movie. Every scene had more than just background music. Almost every character played an instrument, and they tacked on a southern jazz charm you would expect in 1940's Bourbon Street. Now, the whole movie was a little bit more special than it would be to others, because of my new found love for jazz, channelled through The Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Before I can tell you about The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, I've gotta tell you about the Hall itself. The building went up in 1750 and has not been changed since its inception. First serving as an private residence. the hall has had many masks in its days. It has been a tavern, an inn, a photo studio, and finally (sort of) an art gallery. The hall of music officially opened as what is is now in 1960 by owners Allan and Sandra Jaffe. The hall is used on most nights as a club for musicians of all ages to come and enjoy real down-home jazz music in a very special environment. If you're ever in New Orleans, check it out one night. For $10 you can hang out and soak in the music for yourself.
The hall has band that has somewhat been the king of the hill for the last 40 years. The band has travelled the globe, changed line-ups numerous times, and played with many famous guest artists including Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, and Bunk Johnson. These artist are preserving a genre of music that has fallen from grace in the South. In 2005, the hall shut down for the fall and winter season due to Katrina, but the band still toured, spreading their music, and pain, with whoever would listen. The band and the hall of fared many obstacles through their time, and both continue to be instrumental in Dixie-land Jazz today.
In order to keep the place going, Preservation Hall has released an album chocked full with guest artists; 29 to be exact. Every song packs a trombone punch that you don't hear ever any more. One of the greatest tracks on the album is the rollicking "Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing", performed by the ever grumbly Tom Waits. The funky swing is very pre-mordial compared to other songs on the album, but this music is all about invoking some personality, and this musically describes itself as well as any other. the original was the first Mardi Gras song ever recorded, and Waits finds these roots and timelessly exposes them once again.
Later on in the album, The Blind Boys Of Alabama show up and record the beautiful organ driven "There Is A Light". The song is more of a soulful hymn than a Mardi Gras jam, but when the band enters in, the jazzy feel adds a little somethin' special to the song. I think the real genius in the song is how simple it is. You could hear it any other sunday in very spiritual church, but I don't. The song ends twice as fast as it started, with the Blind Boys rambling on the good news as if there was shoes were filled with napalm. It's frenetic, it's soulful, and it's real.
There's plenty more to choose from on this star studded album. Wether it be the sultry "C'est Si Bon", the bluesy "Some Cold Rainy Day", or the surprisingly cheery "Corrine Died On The Battlefield", Louisiana proudly shine on this fantastic collection of musical stories, played out on one of the funkiest stages of all time; The Preservation Hall, open seven days a week, visitors very welcome.
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