A full-throttle Thanksgiving leads to music, food and plenty to think about
NEW ORLEANS | I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I woke up hung over from the night before and cooked my first turkey ever. The weather was cool and the streets were empty. You could tell that everyone was in their homes sampling some delicious southern Thanksgiving cooking because there weren’t that many cars on the road.
The Wednesday night prior, I attended Irvin Mayfield’s Project 2010: Creating the Cultural Renaissance at the House of Blues. The performance was a community rally to benefit local musicians Marva Wright, Bo Dollis, Lady BJ, Humberto “Pupi” Mendez & JD Hill through the Congo Square Foundation. After doing a little research I realized that Project 2010 has a lot less to do with music than I originally thought.
• See pics from the Project 2010 show!
Project 2010 is a political action committee that was established in 2008. The goal of Project 2010 (according to the press info I received) is to use research, public opinion and thought leadership to help shape the future of the city. The committee was organized against a backdrop of a concern about issues such as crime, the continuing post-Katrina recovery, a sagging level of trust on the part of citizens of local government and the appearance of corruption in local politics, coupled with a national economic crisis.
Members are a diverse group of local business leaders drawn from every segment of the community and are committed to presenting the issues that will define the next set of local elections in 2010 to the citizens of N.O. I am looking forward to the elections and there are some great candidates running, such as John Georges. He seems honest enough. In the end however, it will be everyone’s decision to come up with whom they want to vote for and who supports their issues.
I am not a political person, but I love the music and that is how I ended up at the Project 2010 event. The music drew me in. If every politician had an awesome band at their rallies I think more people would come out to support them. Just my opinion!
Musicians came from every corner of New Orleans to support these amazing artists who are in need. I remember when I first came to New Orleans my cousin Laura introduced me to Marva Wright and I fell in love with her voice and lyrics. Pupi, who is also ill, played with Freddy Omar and has been a fixture on stages all around New Orleans. There are a lot of ailing musicians who cannot pay their bills if they are not gigging and fundraisers such as these help them out in a big way. I can’t imagine life in New Orleans without Marva though. I love her and I love her music. New Orleans will not be the same if Marva does not get well and on stage soon.
Art Neville, George Porter, June Gardner & Alfred “Uganda” Roberts were jamming on stage when I arrived Wednesday evening. Prior to that, the Pinettes Brass Band and The Wild Magnolias had gone on. The jam session also included Jon Cleary, Shamarr Allen, Amanda Shaw, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbeque Swingers, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and Glen David Andrews who blew my mind when he started blowing his horn and singing the Saints Go Marching In. Gives me goose bumps!
I need to mention that Amanda Shaw wore this beautiful silver dress with black heels and was looking really hot. She is such a lady! You guys know I love fashion.
I also missed political guru James Carville’s speech. Actor and activist Harry Shearer came on and spoke about how New Orleans is a grass roots cultural community, followed by Dan Packer of the N.O. Aviation Board, who introduced Irvin Mayfield. Other speakers included Stephen Perry with N.O. Visitor & Convention Bureau, Jay Weigel with the CAC and Luther Gray with the Congo Square Foundation.
Mayfield, a cultural ambassador for New Orleans, says that Project 2010 is a way to give back to the city. He spoke about creating jobs, cleaning up the city, education and a few other topics. I felt as if though I was at a political rally for a moment. Is Mayfield running for mayor? He did not announce that he was, but from the way he was speaking it felt as if though that is what was on his mind.
Once Mayfield got off the stage the Hot 8 Brass Band came on and the house was rocking. There is no way that one can be in the same room while these cats are playing and not start dancing. You can almost feel the notes on your skin. Bamboula 2000 closed down the house and by this time the crowd was thinning out. I made my way upstairs to the Foundation Room for one more Cosmo cocktail. Wow! What a night! Thanks HOB, Irving Mayfield and all of the awesome talent that was there. I had a blast.
On Thursday night, Rebirth Brass Band and Papa Grows Funk lit up the stage at the Howling Wolf and on the same night the Mardi Gras Indians Orchestra played at the Hi Ho Lounge. This was a shocker but not too many Indians came out to perform at this event. Maybe they were all stuffed from eating all that good New Orleans food? On Saturday the New Orleans Bingo! Show played at Tips and as usual gave a great performance. I missed Deacon John at the Rock n Bowl on Saturday, but I am sure it was a great show. I love Deacon John and can’t wait to get guitar lessons from him.
On Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., there will be a World’s Aids Day event called HAMP (HIV Awareness Music Project) at the Howling Wolf benefiting NOLA HIV agencies. The HAMP project was created by Tulane Physician Dr. Mark Alan Dery to promote HIV awareness and empowerment. Dr. Dery is an HIV Physician. Performers include Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Kermit Ruffins, Soul Rebels and the Rebirth Brass Band. Other performers include Fleur De Tease Burlesque Revue, 5th Ward Weebie, Dee-1 The Show and more. There will also be a silent auction.
On a more somber note, I received a call from my friend and local musician Lani Ramos informing me that a friend of ours, Donald Schrek was found dead and there was no apparent cause for his death. I did not get the exact date he was found but his body was cremated faster then you can say “cream.” Donald was a music lover like myself and many other people in the New Orleans area. I would see him out at all the concerts and I always knew he was around because from miles away I can hear him calling “Carooolina.” He was funny that way.
There was a second line for him Uptown. It’s kind of weird to think that someone you just saw healthy, alive and kicking is now just ash. Ash?!
There will be no viewing of the body. It all seems so sad and such a waste. My request for when my turn comes is to be cremated, I will ask to give my friends and family a chance to view my body -- that is if I don’t outlive everyone I know. Heck, my grandmother is 94 years old and has been living in the same house she bought over 50 years ago in Boston.
Rest in peace Donald. We will miss you.
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