The Information Super-Frog

The "New Democracy Rising" March on the 2nd anniversary on the start of Dear Leader Bush II's Iraq war was a good event. Much smaller than the Inauguration Day "Jazz Funeral for Democracy", but was much less publicized. Only some 300 - 400 people, I think, but a nice group of people, good march, good band, good speakers.

photo album

pic of yours Frogly with the band

I hadn't been playing open horn in the street since Mardi Gras; mostly I've been playing indoors using a mute. I had a bit of problem getting a good marching band tone at first, having neglected to practice that recently, but otherwise the band went well. The banner carriers at the front of the band for some reason turned from Canal Street into the French Quarter one street too soon, taking us the wrong way up a one way street, but we all got there, ending with a rally at the Supreme Court Building.

After the protest event, a few other musicians and I went to the Moon Walk (boardwalk along the Mississippi River front) and played a little. A group of teens with a couple of adult supervisors in identical yellow shirts were handing out some sort of evangelical flyers. As usual, the kids looked like they were having no fun. One covered his ears against the sounds of sin with one hand and a sholder while holding out a flyer towards the trumpeter then to me while we were playing. Two of the yellow-shirts had guitars, and we tried to get them to join us on "Over In The Gloryland", an old spiritual that is a trad jazz standard. Some of the kids started clapping along (they were clearly from up north), but the adults continued to look disaproving dispite the spiritual lyrics. Not demominationally compatable, apparently. The guitar player said they play only "praise music". We urged them to learn some spirtuals before their next visit to New Orleans. Some of the group were handing out bottles of water (wrapped in a pamphlet, of course) to passers by. The water bottles had been out in the hot sun. I took a water bottle offered, and held it up towards the sky and asked Jesus to chill it for me. As no miracle occured, I shrugged and told them he had his chance, but I wouldn't be converting to their religion today.

My musician friends then went down to the Jazz Park building to catch a good newly-formed all female trad jazz band, which doesn't yet have a name (though the banjoist told me they were considering "Estrogen"). Doreen Ketchens on clarinet; a good young trombonist who moved here from Finland; Mari Wantanabe, piano; Amy Sharpe, banjo; I didn't catch the name of the bass player who was good despite playing electric; Miyume on drums.

After I went back uptown. For the first time I went to the "Art on Oak" in my Carrollton part of town. I think this is their third one, but they hadn't publicised it much, and it's just getting started, but looks like a promising event. Shops and galleries are open 4-8pm with wine & cheese & such, two places had music. They plan to have "Art on Oak" henceforth monthly the last Saturday of the month, not to conflict with the bigger openings/open shops parties on Julia and Magazine streets on the first Saturdays.