tallcal101
Veteran Expediter
Truth be known, New Oreleans is almost my second home,if such a phrase is acurate.
I have been going to New Oreleans since 1990 for business,sometimes once a month. My biggest mining account was headquartered there until last year,when they moved most of corproate heads to Phoenix as part of a aquisition of another mining company.
I have followed the local politics for many years,including the debacle on the state level.
Non of this is really note worthy as the state has a history of crooked government as long as there have been bribes, bribers. and bribe takers.
What is noteworthy is NOLA. It is the birth place of the only true American music,jazz, growing from blues that grew from the songs of the slaves . It was music of their native land, West Africa, primarly what is now Mali ,and other sub Sahara countries.
On my first trip to Mali,I basked in the local clubs scene in Bamako. The local music was rife with classic delta licks and wailing songs of dispair.We would not be able to call this collective and important piece of our national treasure ours if it were not for New Orleans : the musical melting pot of our country.What a shame that would be.
I fully understand that many on this site would tell me to go pound sand,it's really Dollylworld that is the center of our cultural world. Good old Branson baby, you just can't beat it for music and fried food. This post is not written with them in mind.Please,go have a Dolly of a good time.
Over the years I have spent in NOLA,I've sat in with many of the local musicians that play for the tourists. They come from all over the world to visiit one of the most important cities in our country,a mecca for many from outside our borders. Crime is real,and they need to be careful,as in all of our communities,unfortunantly.
Having made close friends with many black residents through music,I was always welcomed to their homes in the Lower 9th Ward for dinner,barbques and jam sessions. I was always treated by all in attendence as a friend,not a white friend,a fellow musician and friend. These relationships went on for 15 years until Katrina took out their part of the city.
My good friends Florida and Philip Dreaeur lost everything,including a grand child and a daughter. Philip was a bus driver in NOLA for 35 years and Florida drove a cab. Philip was also a sax player par excellance.They became part of my family and me theirs.I have never had closer friends, people I trusted more,or were more honest and full of love in their hearts,and hard working.
The morning of Katrina,I was leaving for 3 weeks in Europe for a much needed vacation.It was at the height of the ugliest of the ugly time of dubyas failed monarchy.
When I arrived in Paris,the only thing on Parisians minds was the hurricane and their beloved sister city. When they realized I was American,all the French haudiness was gone,they remembered how to speak english.Their genuine concern about NOLA was expressed with tears at times.I told them to celebrate with music and prey for those living in the squaller of post Katrina (well documanted on European TV) as a result of Bush's policy towards less fortunate Americans.Unfortunanly, his complete bumbling cost us even more disgrace oversea's then the joke of Iraq.
My point is,if you never leave America,it's easy to make value judgements based on Fox looped BS and local politicians in NOLA, But there's a bigger picture folks. A much bigger picture,which explains why Americans go to Branson by the bus loads and europeans and Japanese(true lovers of American jazz) flock to NOLA. It's importance transcends anything any other major city in our country (except San Fran ofcourse) has to offer of any real value.It's why when I go to NOLA it's always a pilgrimage,even after probably 50 or 60 visits.
Philip and Florida relocated to Baton Rouge,and have retired.However,they always send me Chistmas cards and we talk regularly.We have treasures in this country that count,it's why NOLA ,even if it' is someday reduced to a muddy pit,has more signifigance and historical value in that mud then Dollylworld ,Vegas and Dizzyworld well ever dream of having.
I have been going to New Oreleans since 1990 for business,sometimes once a month. My biggest mining account was headquartered there until last year,when they moved most of corproate heads to Phoenix as part of a aquisition of another mining company.
I have followed the local politics for many years,including the debacle on the state level.
Non of this is really note worthy as the state has a history of crooked government as long as there have been bribes, bribers. and bribe takers.
What is noteworthy is NOLA. It is the birth place of the only true American music,jazz, growing from blues that grew from the songs of the slaves . It was music of their native land, West Africa, primarly what is now Mali ,and other sub Sahara countries.
On my first trip to Mali,I basked in the local clubs scene in Bamako. The local music was rife with classic delta licks and wailing songs of dispair.We would not be able to call this collective and important piece of our national treasure ours if it were not for New Orleans : the musical melting pot of our country.What a shame that would be.
I fully understand that many on this site would tell me to go pound sand,it's really Dollylworld that is the center of our cultural world. Good old Branson baby, you just can't beat it for music and fried food. This post is not written with them in mind.Please,go have a Dolly of a good time.
Over the years I have spent in NOLA,I've sat in with many of the local musicians that play for the tourists. They come from all over the world to visiit one of the most important cities in our country,a mecca for many from outside our borders. Crime is real,and they need to be careful,as in all of our communities,unfortunantly.
Having made close friends with many black residents through music,I was always welcomed to their homes in the Lower 9th Ward for dinner,barbques and jam sessions. I was always treated by all in attendence as a friend,not a white friend,a fellow musician and friend. These relationships went on for 15 years until Katrina took out their part of the city.
My good friends Florida and Philip Dreaeur lost everything,including a grand child and a daughter. Philip was a bus driver in NOLA for 35 years and Florida drove a cab. Philip was also a sax player par excellance.They became part of my family and me theirs.I have never had closer friends, people I trusted more,or were more honest and full of love in their hearts,and hard working.
The morning of Katrina,I was leaving for 3 weeks in Europe for a much needed vacation.It was at the height of the ugliest of the ugly time of dubyas failed monarchy.
When I arrived in Paris,the only thing on Parisians minds was the hurricane and their beloved sister city. When they realized I was American,all the French haudiness was gone,they remembered how to speak english.Their genuine concern about NOLA was expressed with tears at times.I told them to celebrate with music and prey for those living in the squaller of post Katrina (well documanted on European TV) as a result of Bush's policy towards less fortunate Americans.Unfortunanly, his complete bumbling cost us even more disgrace oversea's then the joke of Iraq.
My point is,if you never leave America,it's easy to make value judgements based on Fox looped BS and local politicians in NOLA, But there's a bigger picture folks. A much bigger picture,which explains why Americans go to Branson by the bus loads and europeans and Japanese(true lovers of American jazz) flock to NOLA. It's importance transcends anything any other major city in our country (except San Fran ofcourse) has to offer of any real value.It's why when I go to NOLA it's always a pilgrimage,even after probably 50 or 60 visits.
Philip and Florida relocated to Baton Rouge,and have retired.However,they always send me Chistmas cards and we talk regularly.We have treasures in this country that count,it's why NOLA ,even if it' is someday reduced to a muddy pit,has more signifigance and historical value in that mud then Dollylworld ,Vegas and Dizzyworld well ever dream of having.
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