Vol II issue 3

THE EYESVol. OFII, issue JAZZFEST 3 1 Photo Michael P. Smith Where is Beat Street?

There is a place in New Orleans, a fi gurative address that is home to all that is real. New Orleans Beat Street is the home of jazz. It is also the residence of funk and the blues; R&B and rock ‘n’ roll live here, too. When zydeco and Cajun music come to town, Beat Street is their local address. Beat Street has intersections all over town: from Uptown to Treme, from the Ninth Ward to the French Quarter, from Bywater to the Irish Channel, weaving its way through Mid-City and all points Back o’ Town. Beat Street is the Main Street in our musical village. It is where we gather to dine and to groove to live music in settings both upscale and downhome. Beat Street is where we meet to celebrate life in New Orleans with second line parades, festivals and concerts in the park. Beat Street is lined with music clubs, restaurants, art galleries, recording studios, clothing shops, coff ee emporiums and so much more. New Orleans Beat Street is a mythical street in New Orleans surrounded by water and fl ooded with music.

Publisher Stephen Novak Writers Warren America Editor Jay Mazza Karl Bremer Jerry Brock Account Executive Katie Smith Robyn Loda Jay Mazza Art Director Andy Schulz Spike Perkins Rob Rudner 8403 Willow Street Photo Editor New Orleans, La. 70118 Bob Compton Joan Wade 504.314.0710 Cover Art [email protected] Mike Williamson Beat Street Logo Mike Williamson

2 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 3 Photo Michael P. Smith In This Issue... We celebrate Jazz Fest with a look at the gospel music traditions and photographer Michael P. Smith! Jerry Brock talks about the greatest gospel singer ever and discusses essential gospel recordings. Joan Wade, Robert Rudner and Robyn Loda discuss the local gospel scene. Spike Perkins explores other Christian musical traditions and takes a closer look at Sherman Washington and the Zion Harmonizers.

Turning our attention to Michael P. Smith, Jazz Fest’s official “unofficial” photographer- Karl Bremer reflects on his legacy. Jerry Brock looks back on his friendship with the man and Spike Perkins explores the details of the award-winning photographer’s life.

Finally, in celebration of 10 years of South African Independence, Jay Mazza looks at the long history of music in that country. contents Mahalia Jackson: The World’s Greatest Gospel Singer Jerry Brock 6

The Birth of Cool Gospel with Jo ‘Cool’ Davis Robyn Loda 12

Classical Music In New Orleans Churches Spike Perkins 16

Quartets Pictorial 20

Mama Rebirth: Gospel Is Where it All Began Joan M. Wade 22

Marva Wright’s Amazing Journey Robert V. Rudner 24

New Orleans Gospel Today Jerry Brock 28

Who Is Daddy Cotton? Joan M. Wade 36

Essential New Orleans Gospel Recordings Jerry Brock 38

A Photographer’s Photographer Karl Bremer 40

Michael P. Smith - A Musician’s Perspective Spike Perkins 44

Michael P. & Me Jerry Brock 50

Michael P. Smith: 40 years documenting New Orleans Pictorial 52

Steeped in Lasting Rapture- the Music of South Africa Jay Mazza 55

MP3 Confidential Warren America 58

4 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 5 Mahalia Jackson The World’s Greatest Gospel Singer By Jerry Brock Photos courtesy Bill Russell and Historic New Orleans Collection.

Mahalia Jackson’s “joyful noise” told Bill “a fi shmonger taught me one touched millions the world over. of my fi rst hymns ‘Oh Pal, Oh God.’ Growing up in repressed and poor Not yet 10 she became a soloist in the conditions she spread hope and praise choir at Mount Moriah Missionary to people in need for decades. Baptist Church on Milaudon.

Over the past century New Orleanians This church has a long history of have been at the forefront of American Civil Rights activities. At an early age music. Louis Armstrong the King Mahalia became active in the cause for of jazz; Fats Domino King of rock equal rights and justice. and roll; CBS Records simply called Mahalia “The World’s Greatest Gospel Mount Moriah held an annual parade Singer.” Truth is, they were more with brass band from c. 1890 to 1987. than that. They were leaders in race Pastor S. L. Harvey was President of relations in the U.S. the Southern Christian Leadership Council in the 60s and worked with Mahalia Jackson was born in New King and other leaders. In 1985 Orleans on October 26, 1912. On the he explained, “The parade is an bank of the Mississippi on Waterfront opportunity so that the church can go Street at the uptown bend in the river. out and see the community and in turn One block off River Road at Audubon so that the people of the community Park, just past the corner of Constance can see the people of the church.” and Leake, towards the railroad tracks built when she was young. She attended McDonogh #24 public school on Adams St. near Dominican. To many Bill Russell was the lanky Her neighborhood was full of life and white hair man at Preservation Hall, music but not money. At 13 she left To some he was an intellectual artistic school in eighth grade and went to giant. Mahalia and Bill met in Chicago work as a washerwoman and cook. circa 1944 and became close in 54. For two years he worked as her unoffi cial Aunt Duke was a very religious woman and unpaid personal assistant. They and didn’t allow Mahalia to listen remained friends for life. to secular music. “All around me in New Orleans were the deep moving The following draws quotes in part hymns – the swelling, rocking spiritual from the Bill Russell Collection of and gospel songs. I loved the hymns “Mahalia Jackson Papers” at the and gospel songs but I disobeyed my Williams Research Center. parents and listened to the blues, the sorrow songs of my people. I heard the Mahalia knew poor but she also knew rich throbbing voices of Ma Rainey, love and respect, was taught religion Ethel Waters and Bessie Smith” and picked up singing. She was the third of 6 children. Her father was “There was other music – the haunting Johnny Jackson, longshoreman, barber, rhythms of the work songs chanted and on Sunday’s a clergyman. Her by the Negro men as they sweated mother passed away when Mahalia was and strained, laying the railroad ties 6 and Aunt Duke took her in. They … the wail of the blues, church music lived at 7465 Pitt Street. all got mixed up together in my brain” Mahalia wrote in 1954. She brought her to Plymouth Rock Missionary Baptist Church. Here she In 1928 at 16 Mahalia moved to began to sing in the church. Mahalia Chicago to live with another aunt and

6 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 7 worked in hotels, laundries and private In 1954 Mahalia explained, “Not appreciative audience sounding and behind them. But they express another homes. “There was no money for everyone knows of the bitter fight it resounding in her ear in the concert kind of slavery from which we want to lessons and I saved to buy phonograph took to win that acceptance. When I hall of the world, Carnegie Hall” she escape’” she told Russell. records of Grace Moore, Mariam was a teenage girl I sang in Chicago said. Anderson and Paul Robeson. From churches literally for my supper. Mahalia worked hard for people’s them I To earn five dollars was to be very By the late 1940s her popularity was rights and to offer hope and relieve learned successful. I sang on the street corner immense. In 1948 she performed for suffering. In 1963 Dr. Martin Luther diction and of cities all over the world, sang the King Jr. asked her to sing prior to breathing. gospel music written by such wonderful his “I Have A Dream” speech at the I learned composers as Prof. Thomas Dorsey.” Lincoln Memorial in Washington, style by D.C. At his request she sang “Buked listening “We were pioneering then, Professor and Scorned.” to Bessie Dorsey and I and everyone else who “I been buked and I been scorned / Smith’s was singing the then ‘new’ gospel I’m going to tell my Lord / When I records. music. We were lonely because the get home / Just how long you’ve been She always great Baptist connection to which treating me wrong.” meant we belonged frowned on our style She performed at tent revivals here with Reverend A. A. of singing. Gospel music – the way Childs, at the corner of 3rd and Giles, in Chicago the most Mahalia sang at President John F. we sang it – was the same old church to me,” 21,000 at the Ponce de Leon Park in Kennedy’s inauguration. She sang at music, but with a little bounce. Sunday Visiting New Orleans, 1960 Mahalia Atlanta, GA. In Dayton, Ohio over prisons, children’s homes, hospitals after Sunday, the finest preachers in said. 50,000 people lined the streets to and for “dope fiends.” Harry Belafonte the connection railed and stormed at welcome Mahalia Jackson. said of her “the single most powerful She sang in the Salem Baptist Church us from their pulpits, accusing us of black women in the United States, the Choir, joined the Johnson Gospel bringing jazz into the church.” On October 4, 1950 she packed woman power for the grass roots.” He Singers and then traveled with Prof. the house at Carnegie Hall. When In 1934 she traveled to New York with said that there was not “a single field Thomas Dorsey’s Choir performing she returned on October 7, 1951 Elder Brodie for a ten-day revival at hand, a single black worker, a single in what she described as “Storefront they put 300 chairs on the stage to the Golden Gate Theatre. This led black intellectual who did not respond Churches.” She performed at tent accommodate the crowd. Over 3,500 to her contract with Apollo records. to her civil rights message.” revivals with Rev. A. A. Childs and people were turned away at the door. She received $25.00 to make her first with Rev. J. C. Austin and Rev. Seal of Busloads of people coming from For several months in 1955 Russell record “God’s Gonna Separate the the Pilgrim Baptist Church she sang Massachusetts were turned away by the documented Mahalia’s daily Wheat From the Tares.” By 1951 at services, jails, reform schools and state police. professional life in a journal. In her recording of “Move On Up A hospitals. some he went into great detail. Every Little Higher” sold over two million In 1954 she signed with Columbia couple of weeks the only entry would It is hard to imagine today but Mahalia copies. “It was a song I sing that really Records. A letter from George Avakian be “Gumbo Dinner,” evidently an and her contemporaries were criticized launched me with the public.” to Russell stated, “For Mahalia’s first important event. in the church for adding bounce to album, I told her “Who would have thought that a the music. Bounce is the term used she should record In 1955 she little barefooted girl from Louisiana by rappers today to define the New what she wants to performed weekly on who played ball along the levee by Orleans sound. Bounce was the word record. That, she the TV program “In the Mississippi River would someday Mahalia used to describe her style of said would be a Town Tonight” on stand on the stage at Carnegie Hall gospel. collection of true channel 2 WBBM with it’s thunderous ovation from an gospel songs. I think TV in Chicago. She she should begin had a weekly half- preparing a group hour radio program of them (about 36 broadcast on CBS minutes of music in Radio. all) for a 12” Lp.” April 1, 1955 Russell wrote, “I Her Columbia albums are “Mahalia got to Mahalia about 6:45 and asked at Jackson,” “Bless This House,” “I once if Mahalia was to be on TV at 10: Believe,” and “Newport 1958.” In 1955 15 (In Town Tonight) but she wasn’t. she also recorded a Christmas album They had wanted her for the program titled “O Come All Ye Faithful.” but she’d told them she couldn’t take it because of the concert [in East “They’re not spirituals because they Chicago] previously scheduled. When don’t have the tradition of slavery she saw the ad in the morning paper

New Orleans; 1714 Joliet Street, 1960

8 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 Photo / Michael P. Smith9 sings the Gospel message of freedom, and will not cease to do so.”

Mrs. Coretta King said “the causes of justice, freedom and brotherhood have lost a real champion whose dedication and commitment knew no midnight.”

Mahalia was laid to rest at Providence Memorial Park cemetery following a hugely attended service in Chicago and an enormous funeral service in New Orleans. At her death her estate was valued at 4 million dollars.

“Gospel singing is the only thing that expresses the soul of an individual and his hopes, dreams, and faith in God. India and Europe. In India she sang to No if’s, and’s, or buts about it, I believe a large audience that included Prime in what I sing. My faith in God and Minister Indira Gandhi to whom she my songs are the only thing that have dedicated, “We Shall Overcome.” helped me.” On January 27, 1972 Mahalia died of “People should come out of a gospel a heart seizure at the Little Company she called up Lewellyn to ask why he especially by a Rev. (Freeman) I concert uplifted. All people need their of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, hadn’t made it clear that she couldn’t believe, whose brother is a good souls fed. There are plenty of people Illinois. be there.” doctor. Wills told of remarkable cures around who can entertain and make of crippled children etc.” people have fun. That’s not for me. “Wills Jones, Ralph, Mildred and President Nixon in a White House I’m not trying to be a Sarah Vaughan. Princess were at Mahalia’s when I got “She said she’d made that trip so statement said, “America and the there. They were interested in Rev. J. many times the last 28 years and got to H. Jackon’s TV talking about interview at the 5 cent 7 on a news and 10 cent broadcast concerts. in which he Some friend told about from Buffalo his invitation (probably to speak Mrs. Pratt) in Russia. had recently (Evidently he found some had accepted). 5 cent Mahalia said tickets and if from now [on] Mahalia ever everybody (in gets on ‘This U.S.) is going Is Your Life’ Birthplace of Mahalia Jackson to watch him, she wants world, black people and all people to see if he is that woman mourn the passing of Mahalia Jackson. I’m a gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson.” She was a noble woman, an artist a communist on just to A National Historical Marker should without peer, a magnetic ambassador etc.” prove that be placed at the spot Mahalia Jackson of goodwill for the United States in she really did was born. Accessibility is there and it is “Mahalia had other lands, an exemplary servant of give 5 cent close to the zoo. School children could Ralph drive concerts.” her God.” over on Route visit it on field trips to see the place 41 (after going through Washington In 1964 she began to experience health “All her years she poured out her soul where that little barefoot girl played ball Park. When they went past Billings problems but wouldn’t slow down. She in song and her heart in service to her along the levee, an important place in Hospital … both Mahalia and Wills performed in almost every major city people. Millions of ears will miss the American history. talked a lot about it, and faith healing, in Europe. In 1971 she toured Japan, sound of the great rich voice ‘making a joyful noise unto the Lord,’ as she liked to call her work – yet her life story itself

10 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 11 says. “Even Elvis wanted to be a of his career. He traveled regionally gospel singer.” and sang with Sherman Washington and the Zion Harmonizers and The Birth of Cool Gospel Other male singers he cites include later Harold Lewis and the Rocks Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Al of Harmony. “We’d go to little Green, Smokey Robinson, Bobby country towns and sing in the black with Jo ‘Cool’ Davis “Blue” Bland and Jerry Butler. By Robyn Loda churches,” he remembers. “We All were important influences on were well received. Of course, there Davis. “I’ve been compared to Sam were few integrated audiences until Jo “Cool” Davis makes no Cooke,” he says with a big smile. the 1980s.” apologies for his name, He pays homage to this icon on his god, his music. It’s all- his most recent release, 40 Years In 1980, when Davis was 27, the powerful and all-cool. of Gospel Plus a Tribute to Sam then-manager of Tipitina’s Nick Cooke, released in 2003 on his Tryvacosta told him he needed a “‘Cool’ is very powerful,” own record label, Jo Cool Davis doorman and hired him on the he says from a comfy Productions. spot. When an opening act for the brown armchair in his Neville Brothers cancelled one Central City apartment If Clara Ward opened Davis’ eyes, night, Davis offered to replace living room. His bright his congregation organist Mildred them. “I saw the opportunity and yellow T-shirt reiterates Lyons, who is now 80, taught him I had to take it,” he says. “With this in big, black letters: to see. “She worked with me and me that night were the late Sammy “Jo * Cool”. “It’s a hard helped me so much,” he says. “I Berfect on organ; Oliver Corney on name for most people to was nine when I started singing. bass; Gable Watkins on piano; and handle. People hear it and I started incorporating that new Paula (Rangell) of Paula and the expect Big Al Carson or direction and began recording at Pontiacs on sax. It was incredible.” Isaac Hayes, but mine is a age 16. I had always dreamed of smooth sound.” becoming a recording artist.” His career at Tip’s has endured for 21 years, making Davis its longest- A smooth N’awlins sound, Davis remembers being popular running employee. “Working at he means. Born and raised as a kid singing gospel. His first Tip’s gave me an informal yet here, Davis is well aware recording, “I’m Happy with Jesus important education in music that’s that his brand of gospel Alone”, included the late, great been invaluable,” he explains. is a direct product of this New Orleans pianist Ophelia While he still handles security, culture. But his work was ever mentioned. Rev. Landem also Bloson of the Guiding Light Baptist he also emcees there…except on never simply about the status quo. came out of one of the best gospel Church. “She was great. And Dr. Saturday nights. He’s been hosting choirs. Then when Lawrence Daddy-O pushed my record on the House of Blues’ Sunday Gospel During Davis’ childhood, the WYLD.” gospel apocalypse raging within Welk pioneered gospel music on Brunch each week with Paulette his show with Clara Ward and the Wright since the venue opened in the church finally smoldered to While his family and friends were Ward Singers, it was incredible. 1995. Davis is also a regular at the an end in the late 1950s. “The proud of his talent, Davis had to They were taking gospel to a whole Gospel Tent during Jazz Fest. church really only had songs that quietly rail against their belief that if new place. It was a surprise that were anthems and hymns before. a singer wasn’t a huge commercial Lawrence Welk would have gospel None of this would have happened It strongly resisted gospel,” he success, there was no success at all. on there in the first place, but he without his faith. Opening to explains. “I was always an artist, But Davis says he’s always made his ended up featuring Clara as a guest divinity and letting the magic of not a gospel singer per se, but the money through gospel and is proud being its vessel happens each and church did have a huge impact fairly regularly. He also had (Sister) on me. I always wanted gospel Rosetta Tharpe on there, who was respected as music, not just as out of New Orleans, but she was church music.” doing more traditional, commercial gospel, not going in that new Fortunately, Davis came up direction.” through New Covenant Baptist Voted best Church led by Rev. Louis Landem. Davis believes that the genre speaks to something deep, particularly for meeting place on Soon he encountered an angel in Frenchmen St. Clara Ward. “Rev. Landem was Southerners, and particularly for a musician like Chicago’s Rev. male singers in the South. “Being by the Beat Street staff Thomas Dorsey, who was the a Southern boy meant going to grandfather of gospel but is rarely church and hearing gospel,” he Joe Krown Organ Combo tuesday 4/27

12 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE (504) 942-3731 618 frenchmenVol. II, issue street 3 www.drinkgoodstuff.com 13 every time he takes the stage. “God Equally important for him, is always there. Always. I feel him though, is passing on the hard-won when I sing. He gave me this voice. business knowledge that can help Only him. When I sing, it’s like younger New Orleans artists help an offering to him, every time. But themselves. “I’ve had a number he’s always there. And he’s real. of rappers come and ask how to God is very real, all around us, all promote themselves actually, not the time.” gospel singers, but, like gospel was before, rap has been a new, Given this kind of faith, it’s no emerging art form,” he explains. wonder Davis is proud to have “These young people thought you always made his living through needed a million dollars to record, gospel. “I’ve always made my but not at all, especially these days. money this way, and it’s my money, I’ve helped them understand how to do what I want with it. That feels to produce their own records and great. A lot of people dropped even have their own recording out of gospel because they feared companies.” there would be no living in it. It’s a business.” He’s also big on helping the gospel community in New Orleans Davis has a special relationship with host events each year, as well as Tipitina’s, which he considers to mentoring kids through library have been a sorely needed neutral programs. ground between blacks and whites during integration. “It was the only So he’s big, strong, kind, music club where gospel could have perseverant, savvy and has a come out of the churches in New voice that’s clearly a blessing. But Orleans because it was always about why “Cool”? “I had a group that the local music. Sonny, who used included three members of the to book Tip’s, is from here. He got Bates family in 1970 called Cool it.” Enterprise,” he reveals, “and they dubbed me ‘Jo Cool’. It stuck, Acting as a confluence between and like I said, ‘Cool’ is powerful. otherwise seemingly disparate You’ve got to have what it takes to music genres is a hallmark for do this gospel.” Davis, who has opened for such unlikely stage partners as Fugazi and Cowboy Mouth. He has also Robyn Loda is a freelance writer sat in with numerous acts including living in New Orleans for the second time and loving it. She is a regular the Radiators. contributor to Beat Street. Contact her at [email protected].

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14 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 15 her father was appointed as an attaché to outside of Paris. Cambon continued Classical Music the American Embassy in France, and he to study music in the summers, and moved the family to Paris. There young eventually earned a master’s degree from Elise was given piano lessons, and proved the University of Michigan and a doctorate In New Orleans Churches an unusually talented student, sometimes from Tulane. learning whole pieces by ear after a single By Spike Perkins hearing. In the years before Vatican II, the masses at St. Louis Cathedral were conducted by the Not so long ago, in many mainstream In this day and age, with many other styles The family moved back to New Orleans Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a holy order. church denominations, most of the music of religious music in vogue, and churches after a few years, and their fi nances were The music, provided by the choir from the heard in church was classical. For those seemingly willing to try any gimmick to devastated by the stock market crash of Cathedral school, was mostly Gregorian who experienced it growing up, there was get people in the door, one might wonder 1929. However, the discovery of oil on chants sung in Latin. something about the beauty and power about the state of the classical church their land around Houma provided the of that music that made a connection to a music tradition. Here are some local income for Cambon and her sisters to go to After Vatican II, the masses were in cultural tradition that may have lasted long church musicians and their perspectives: college, and she enrolled at Newcomb. English, the Oblates were replaced by after they might have begun to question secular priests, and Elise Cambon was the doctrines of the church itself.

Services usually began and ended with an instrumental organ piece. Choirs often sang anthems from the cantatas of Bach or the oratorios of Handel and Mendelsohn. In the Episcopal Church, one musical setting of the communion service was by Healey Willan, an English-born musician who emigrated to Canada and became one of that country’s most celebrated 20th century composers. Many of the hymns were arranged by Ralph Vaughn Williams, an English composer of the early 20th century who combined the medieval modality of early choral music with the lyricism of English romantics like Elgar.

If you think classical music has little to do with the culture of New Orleans, think again. New Orleans-born Louis Moreau Gottschalk, a celebrated concert pianist of the mid- 19th century, was one of the fi rst Americans to publish classical compositions, some of which were based on Creole dances. Wynton Marsalis has won Grammys for Elise Cambon Elise Cambon continued her music studies, given more responsibility and creative and as a member of a devout Catholic latitude. She now had an adult choir to his classical recordings, as well as being At age 87, Elise Cambon is the grande family, had occasional opportunities direct, with a full range of voices, and one to the best-known jazz musicians of dame of classical church music in New to play the organ at the Cathedral. In his generation. The late Moses Hogan, Orleans. She began playing the organ at St. had the opportunity to perform the great 1940, the late Archbishop Joseph Francis masses of Bach and Mozart, as well as a black man from New Orleans, began Louis Cathedral in 1940, and just retired Rummel heard her playing the fl ashy sacred works by other composers in the his career as a concert pianist, but in from the post of music director in 2002. toccata by Charles-Marie Widor, and classical canon. later years returned to his roots and was Cambon came from a well-to-do family known for writing and performing choral took her under his wing. According to that owned plantations in the Houma area, Over the years, Cambon and her choir arrangements of traditional spirituals. Cambon, “he loved me like a daughter.” and her father also held a position in the performed works ranging from early Our resident orchestra, the Louisiana customs offi ce. Cultured and traditional, She was given a position, and in 1950, was sponsored to return to France and study composers like Palestrina to late romantics Philharmonic, is the only musician-owned the Cambons made a point of speaking with the Benedictine monks at Solemes, like Bruckner. At the age of 85, she was symphony orchestra in the United States. only French at home. In the early 1920s

16 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 17 gently asked to step down, reminded by the he has made it a point to include music by Lucius Weathersby Albinas Prizgintas priests that even archbishops are required contemporary composers, saying, “I don’t In addition to holding a teaching post at Albinas Prizgintas and Trinity Episcopal to retire at 75. Ever the faithful servant of want this to just be a history lesson.” He Dillard University, Lucius Weathersby has Church have brought the kind of “blended the church, she relinquished her post. has performed works by the relatively played the organ at a number New Orleans service,” of which Lucius Weathersby well-known Randall Thompson and Alan Jack Hutton churches, and is currently the organist speaks, to a high art. Though Prizgintas Hovhaness, and also, a number of more and choir director at St. Anthony of Padua holds advanced degrees from Julliard Jack Hutton sees classical church music obscure composers, many born since the Catholic Church. One thing his varied School of Music, and excels at playing the as somewhat endangered by new trends 1940s—Heinz Werner Zimmerman, Joel experience playing in different churches classical repertoire on the church’s newly- in worship. He says, “When you get Martinson, Gerald Near, and Bob Chilcott, of different denominations has taught him restored four manual pipe organ, he also churches that no longer use hymnals, but to name a few. is that congregations still respond to the plays a dobro guitar, and his office is full put the words up on a screen in front of music of the classical masters, particularly of instruments and electronic equipment of the church for people to read, you know Hutton is also open to other genres of if they don’t get to hear them all the all types. something is going on.” For 38 years, sacred music, if the quality is there. The time, but the organist must be versatile. he has led the music program at Rayne church has a jazz service every Mardi He points out that many congregations Prizgintas believes not only that music Memorial United Methodist Church, as Gras, and he once rehearsed and led a today are mixed among black, white and signifies the presence of the divine, but that both organist and choir director. Recently, combined choir that performed with Duke Hispanic people, as well as those with all music styles are “spiritually equal.” An vision problems have forced him to give Ellington’s band for the New Orleans different musical tastes and interests, and Advent meditation service at Trinity for up playing the organ, but he still directs premiere of one of Ellington’ sacred works. the trend is toward “blended services,” which he wrote the music made the front the choir. Despite his traditional stance, that combine different musical styles. page of the Times-Picayune a while back, For example, St. Anthony of Padua uses and he drew on jazz and blues as well as “Missa de Pueblo de Inmigrante,” or Mass classical sources for inspiration. For The Immigrant People,” for some services, which is designed to be sung The Trinity Artist Series is a big part of in English or Spanish, and requires him the music program at the church. Sunday to “almost sound like a mariachi band.” afternoon concerts are presented, which Nonetheless, he feels that classical music sometimes are classical chamber music, is very much alive in the church, and sometime include jazz, blues, and many notes that there has been a renaissance of other genres. Prizgintas sees this as an building new pipe organs in the city. opportunity to bring the community together. One of the highlights of the series Weathersby also has some interesting is Bach Around The Clock, an annual 28 things to say about African-American hour presentation to honor the composer’s churches, spirituals, and classical music. birthday. It includes Prizgentas and his Although the spiritual was, “the primary choir, members of the LPO, and sometimes song of praise in African-American jazz musicians offering their interpretation churches, in New Orleans,” many, of Bach’s music. This year, Prizgentas will including The Central United Church of perform Bach’s B Minor Mass, including Christ, which helped to found Dillard some sections. that he has rearranged, or University, had a strong classical tradition, “deconstructed,” in an attempt to get to a too. Black people often excelled at deeper meaning of the composer’s work. classical music when given the educational opportunity to learn it. Also, some white Classical music is alive and well in New churches hired some of the best black Orleans churches, although it exists, like singers as paid soloists, so there was a everything else in the city, not in ivory two-way exchange, with them bringing the tower isolation, but as another flavor to be spiritual tradition to the white churches, savored in the cultural mix. as well as bringing more of the classical repertoire back to their home churches.

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1011 Magazine St. - NOLA - (504) 524 4557 [email protected] http://www.webcorral.com - Toll free 888 524-4665 Free Parking 18 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 19 Southern Harps uartets were the elite gospel groups in New Spiritual Singers Orleans during the 1930s, 40s and 50s. A quartet L to R: doesn’t mean that there are four singers, rather it Helen Matthews (Linda represents that the group sings in four-part har- Hopkins), 1st Tenor, Chap- mony. The photos reproduced here are from the lain: Alberta F. Johnson, 2nd Q Tenor, Inst. And Mgr; Bessie collection of Lynn Abbott. Griffin, 2nd Baritone, Rec. Sec; Lucille LeBeau, 1st The Gloryland Baritone, Fin. Sec.; Ruth A. Singers, C. 1940 Jackson, Bass, Treasurer Back Row, L to R: Ed Lewis, Leonard Wilson, Ernest Clay, Victor Joseph Front Row, L to R: Zion Harmonizers, C. 1958 Elliot Jackson, Standing L to R: Herbert Lee Johnson Sherman Washington, Joe Maxon, Nolan Washington, Graity Pleasant Seated, L to R: Lewis Johnson, Josh Hawkins, Charles Taylor Golden Chain Jubilees, Late 1940s L to R: Willie Williams, Clyde Barnett, Robert Adams, Joe Thomas, Elliot Green, Eddie Smith Jr., Albert Bates Soproco Singers This is the group L to R: Ernie K-Doe claimed Herbert Lee Johnson, to have first sang Leroy Lee, with. James Payne, George Croffett

The Jackson Gospel singers C. Late 40’s L to R: Felton Jackson, Robinson’s Humming Four, C. 1939 Nora Hall, L to R: Dorothy Squire, George Parks, Emma Golden, Paul Excano, Alma Jackson, Sherman Sheridan, Mary Thames Albert Veal, Buddy Morris

20 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 21 She considers herself to be a soul favorite bible verse- the 23rd Psalm. gospel musician, “I play how I feel- you ever heard Rebirth play, ‘Just Normally, when someone is Mama Rebirth A Closer Walk With Thee?’ They appreciated, they are the ones play it like no other band in the being honored but at Mama Gospel Is Where it All Began city play it, I taught them how to Rebirth’s appreciation, she play it with soul.” honored others. This year she By Joan M. Wade paid tribute to fi ve ladies in her Frazier was baptized at Sixth Union life- Cyril Afread, Irvenia Alfred, Baptist Church on Orleans Avenue Millie Cosey, Bernice Rogers and and began to play for Sixth Union’s Linda Tapp. Many times we wonder who are instilled in them the main quality Sunday School at the age 12 under Rev. Dave Dennis. She began Frazier’s vitae includes playing the most infl uential people to that her parents instilled in her- to and singing for churches but also our musical geniuses, supreme love God fi rst. branching out by playing for other churches at the age of fi fteen. includes being on a panel for the actors and creative poets. We also New Orleans Jazz and Heritage wonder how did they reach this Barbara Frazier was born in West Feliciana Parish on March 10, Frazier graduated from Joseph Festival Foundation and working focal point in their lives? Was it S. Clark High School, the same for Werlein’s Music Center that because of their parents and how 1944 and moved to New Orleans at a very early age. She grew up institution that would incubate the was formerly located on Canal they were reared? Or was it their Rebirth Brass Band twenty years Street. Frazier was Werlein’s organ inherited desire through their in the Carrollton area on South Murat Street. Her parents were later, in 1962 and began teaching demonstrator in the late 1960s parents or a hobby groomed for music in 1965. She taught Janice and early 70s. Her job entailed greatness? Mr. Will James and Mrs. Juanita Prout James. Vaughn, Verdell Comeaux, Louis going to local churches and In the case of Her father was Torregano and many others, just to demonstrating the operation of the Phillip and a lamplighter name a few. organ. Keith Frazier for the railroad Frazier’s curriculum vitae includes She is no longer demonstrating of the Rebirth and her mother a variety of churches that requested the operation of organs but she Brass Band and was a cook in a her services “back in the day” and continues to demonstrate the Kerwin James of restaurant. now. In her early years, Mama greatest love of all: her love for the New Birth Rebirth played for St. Luke, God, family and gospel music. She Brass Band, part Frazier remembers her Antioch and Christian Mission says, “I had my fun, but all my life of it has to be the Baptist Churches. She played I’ve been in church and I know genes. These parents telling her how she organ and directed the choir at nothing else.” members of Mission for over 20 years. two of our most liked pretending Mama Rebirth and her sons have recognized brass she was playing Frazier actually retired from been great pillars in the gospel bands inherited the piano at the playing music after an illness, but and brass communities. They are their talent for age of three. She came back into the industry 10 wonderful models for showing us music from recalled, “My years ago and began playing for how to take a little of our past into their mother, mama had this Mount Bethel Baptist Church. our future. The gospel foundation the matriarch old vanity and She celebrated her 10th year that Mama Rebirth instilled in her of the Rebirth stool… I should appreciation in March. It included children has given “birth” to the Brass Band, Mrs. (have) kept it. her favorite musical selection, “I modern day era of New Orleans Barbara Jean James Frazier, also They said I used Walk With The Lord” and her brass bands. known as “Mama Rebirth”. to sit on that stool for hours playing like I was playing the piano and Frazier has worked throughout after that my father started me with her life in the gospel community music lessons.” and has played organ in a variety of churches throughout the New She started music lessons at the age Orleans area. Her sons also of four and music school at 5-years captured the love of music by old. She studied under Miriam watching, listening and learning Purnell and Annabelle Jones. She through her heart and soul. was taught by private certifi ed tuesdays teachers and took the John Mama Rebirth is a genius in her Thompson course. Her greatest ReBirth own right. She is the mother of six Brass children and eight grandchildren. infl uence in music was Sis. Lee As a widow, she was left to rear from Nazerene Baptist Church. “ Band her children alone in the 9th ward. When I was little, I always wanted While raising her children, Frazier to play like Sis. Lee; Sis. Lee played from the heart.” 8316 Oak Street (504) 866-9359

22 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 23 Any discussion of Wright’s gospel transition.” She proudly states that, Marva Wright’s roots would not be complete “gospel is an added attraction to without paying homage to the my current stage show and when late, great Sammy “the Bishop” I’m performing in Europe at blues Berfect. Wright and Berfect grew and R&B festivals, I get invited to Amazing Journey up next door to each other in the sing at the churches in the cities I’m Carrollton neighborhood and he visiting.” By Robert V. Rudner was the closest thing to a brother “Your life is what you want it to all of them got their early training she ever had. He accompanied It was during one of these be- you make your own destiny,” singing gospel.” her when she sang in church on European tours that Wright’s says Marva Wright, the Blues Sundays and followed her when musical journey was brought full Queen of New Orleans, and Wright was introduced to the she started singing the blues circle. While in France, a grateful she has truly lived those words gospel world at 9 years old when professionally in 1987. fan at one of the church services traveling throughout this country she was asked to sing solo on “Just where she was singing presented and Europe singing the blues and a Closer Walk with Thee” at her Not everyone from her church her with a rare recording of her spreading the “gospel” known as church. Just before the song was understood or accepted her singing mother’s gospel group, the Jackson New Orleans Music. This journey about to begin, the deacon leaned the blues or any secular music for Gospel Singers. Wright had long has taken her to France, Germany, over and whispered to Wright’s that matter. It was the reassuring since lost all of her mother’s Belgium, Holland, Russia, Norway, mother, who was accompanying her presence of Berfect on organ that recordings, so this was an amazing Sweden, and Brazil. on piano, “Mattie, now you make steadied her during the early years gift made even sweeter coming as it sure that little Marva sings loud of establishing herself as a new did from halfway around the globe. The blues may have taken her enough.” and exciting player on the local around the world, but her musical blues scene. “Sammy was the best When asked to comment on roots are fi rmly planted in gospel Wright has been belting them out musician I’ve ever been onstage the current gospel scene in New music. Without question, her gospel ever since. She says she remembers with and he was my brother, “ Orleans, Wright says it has much pedigree is impeccable. Deacon Winston Kilborn’s advice Marva proudly proclaims. “The more of an R&B presentational before she starts every show. A few Lord must have planned for me style now than when she was It should be no surprise that her years later, Wright and her mother to be out of the country when he growing up. She enjoys listening strongest infl uence and inspiration changed churches and began passed, because I would not have to Yolanda Adams and Sean Pace, was her mother, Mattie Gilbert, a attending services at Greater St. been able to bear it if I had been who presently sing at the Greater member of one of the fi rst female Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church here when it happened.” St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist gospel quartets. What is not as on South Liberty Street. Church. She gives them praise and well known is that her mother Marva now attends the Christian high marks also for, “living their just happened to grow up in New It was during this time that Unity Missionary Baptist Church. words, not just singing them”. Orleans as Mahalia Jackson’s best she really received her musical She is happy there and the pastor friend and schoolmate. Jackson education. She sang in a group and the congregation understand Wright’s musical journey has and Wright’s mom even sang in called The Christian 4 Gospel and accept that she sings the blues brought her a long way from competing gospel groups. singers. Along with Geraldine for a living. They understand that Carrollton, all across the United Wright, Catherine Jelks, and Diane the secret of life is to share all of States and around the world. It After Jackson moved to Chicago, Fountainberry, Marva sang, traveled, God’s gifts. So, she sings at her has brought her much joy and Gilbert would stay with her ate, slept and learned gospel music. church and she performs gospel many friendships. It has given her when her group, the Jackson “Remember, I had no brothers or songs in her stage shows. the opportunity to work with Gospel singers, was performing sisters, so we were really like a many great artists including Harry in Chicago. In addition to being a family,” says Wright. The Christian When asked about her transition Connick, Jr., Allen Toussaint, Glen gospel singer, Gilbert was a pianist 4 Gospel Singers performed on from gospel to the blues, she was Campbell, Joe Cocker, Aaron of some renown. Her rollicking, WYLD’s Sunday morning gospel quick to respond, “there was no Neville, Fats Domino, Lou Rawls, barrelhouse style made for many a show with DJ Sherman Saul, who rousing Sunday service at St. John was instrumental in their early Baptist Church #3 at the corner success. of Leonidas and Panola streets in uptown New Orleans. She also has fond memories of their pianist, Arlene Williams, who is donna’s Gilbert also traveled on the same now the choir director at Ebenezer Brass Band Headquarters gospel circuit as Aretha Franklin, Missionary Baptist Church. Marva Sam Cooke, the Soul Stirrers and remembers, “She took us under her Bar & Grill 800 N. Rampart St the Caravans. According to Wright, wing and really pushed me to be In The French Quarter Corner St. Ann “many popular Motown artists had better and to sing more lead.” Across From Armstrong Arch (504) 596-6914 strong ties to gospel music. Most Sundays Shannon Powell Quintet 9:30pm 24 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 25 Marcia Ball and Bobby McFerrin. Bluesiana Mama- Aim Records- She knows that gospel music has Australia (1999) been and will always be a major Let Them Talk- Aim Records- Australia component of that journey. To (2000) borrow the words of the late, great Muddy Waters, it sounds like Marva Wright, “lives the life she loves and loves the life she lives.”

Marva Wright’s Discography

Heartbreakin’ Woman- Tipitina’s Records (1990)

Born With The Blues- Sky Ranch Records-France (1993); Virgin- Point Blank USA (1996)

Marva Wright- Blueshouse Records- Switzerland (1994)

My Christmas Song- Mardi Gras Records (1994)

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For- Aim Records- Australia (1995)

Marvalous- Mardi Gras Records (1995)

Marva Wright Live- Recorded at the Bourbon Street Music Club Sao Paolo, Brazil (May 1996)

Break Free from Apathy and Cynicism If You Want It Bad Enough It Will Happen This City Has What It Takes To Be An Economic Power Embrace Diversity And We’ll All Be Rewarded

26 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 27 This article was underwritten woth the help from Mid City Lanes Rock ‘n Bowl. James Cleveland, Kirk Franklin, the Other groups of note include Williams Brothers, the Edwin Hawkins family and dozen of others. New Orleans The Zulu Ensemble Today Rev. Dejean directs the Youth The Smooth Family of Slidell Gospel Today Inspirational Choir that actively Rocks of Harmony works with inner city youth providing Bishop Paul Morton and the Greater By Jerry Brock important educational and performance opportunities. St. Stephen Baptist Church Mass Choir New Orleans currently has a vibrant at a community church that was built Gospel Soul Children and lively gospel music scene. There by her father and his brothers. She is Jamalar Entertainment & Rampart Church Street are literally hundreds of gospel groups presently a member of Christian Bible Street Music Soulful Heavenly Stars Jamalar Entertainment & Rampart and nearly every one of the African Ministries and her cousin is her pastor. Coolie Family Gospel Singers American churches in the city feature One A-Chord has recorded two CDs. Street Music deserve recognition as gospel performances as part of their Bound for Glory in 1997 and Shout the leading gospel record company The First Revolution weekly services. Hallelujah in 2001. The first has a and booking agency in New Orleans Jerome Alexander today. The organization was started From the sanctified to the spiritual, traditional approach and the latter adds The Crownseekers including both Baptist and Catholic, the soulful swing of New Orleans funk. in the mid 1980s by members of the Lyle Henderson & Emmanuel they rejoice with music. Some of the They perform at church programs, gospel group, Joyful. They have artists venture into the nightclubs but festivals, conventions and supper expanded their operation to include Jai Reed & Co. the real place to hear gospel is in the clubs. They have made several a recording studio, international Carl Marshall representation at trade shows church. If you visit a local congregation tours to Europe. Visit their web site at Mighty Chariots of Fire please keep in mind to respect their www.oneachord.net. in addition to the record label. hospitality, dress appropriately and Their artists represent the elite in New Orleans Black Chorale remember that the primary purpose of The Friendly Travelers contemporary gospel including the Persuaded gospel music is to spread the word of Like many groups today the Friendly Joyful Gospel Singers, the Friendly The Second Morning Star Missionary travelers perform traditional style Travelers, Sjuwana Byers and the God and Christ. Baptist Church Choir gospel and add contemporary sounds Children of God, J. C. & Company, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church of R&B, jazz, soul and reggae to the Lyle Henderson, Delma Trosclair & The Wimberley Family The Franklin Avenue Baptist Church mix. Formed in 1959 by Reverend Clint The Heaven Seekers, Ebone, Beatrice St. Francis De Sales Choir Ward & Angelic Voices, Golden has emerged as the place to go for Jones, they are sure to raise the level Southern Bells exhilarating choir performances. of sanctified style excitement at any Wings Gospel Singers and Anointed New Orleans Gospel Spiritualettes They have eight choirs in the church event. Harmony. including the mass choir containing The current group features Floyd St. Raymond Gospel Choir over 300 voices. The music ministry Turner, L. D. Hirams, Alfred Penns and Southern Gospel Singers of the church’s stated purpose is, Wanda Joseph. They perform a capella “to glorify God by ministering God’s or with a rhythm section. The Friendly word through song. We minister to the Travelers have shared the stage with emotional and spiritual needs of the Gladys Knight, Al Green, the Zion congregation; thus winning lost souls Harmonizers and the Mighty Clouds for Christ.” of Joy. They’re newest recordings is Search My Heart released on Rampart John Lee & The Heralds of Christ Street Music in 2003. John Lee is the true veteran of New Orleans Gospel today. Born in 1925, Paulette Wright-Davis he sang his first lead solo at the age Paulette Wright-Davis is a gospel of six at the Fifth Avenue Baptist singer with a powerful voice who Church. At nine, he joined the Gospel gives an uplifting performance and Bell Jubilee Jr’s with Henry Dupree. is strongly influenced by Mahalia As he matured he organized the L & B Jackson. She combines traditional and Choir with Sammy Berfect. This group contemporary gospel songs with hair- represented the state of Louisiana at raising fervor. She performs a number the annual James Cleveland Gospel of songs associated with Jackson Workshop and toured the country with including “Walk Around Heaven,” “His Cleveland. Eyes On The Sparrow,” and her own In 1978 he formed John Lee & The “Tribute to Mahalia Jackson.” Heralds of Christ. His son Ivan Lee is Paulette’s career got a boost as a the organist with the group. Two of Mr. featured singer in the touring stage Lee’s favorite songs to sing are, “My play “I Need A Man.” She is featured Country ‘Tis of Thee” and “I Open My monthly at the House of Blues Sunday Mouth to the Lord.” Gospel Brunch.

Betty Winn and One A-Chord Gospel Reverend Lois J. Dejean Singers Rev. Lois Dejean is the executive Thomas and Betty Winn organized director of Youth Inspirational One A-Chord in April 1995. Betty is Connection, Inc. She is a third the primary lead singer and she is generation gospel singer who joined by between six and twelve has worked tirelessly for decades other singers. They are a composite performing and promoting gospel of talents from local churches. Betty music in New Orleans. She produces says her passion for gospel music is the annual “Rejoicin’ in the Park” inherited from her mother. She grew up festival and promotes concerts with

28 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 29 Images of New Orleans

by Bob Compton 504.669.4923 www.bobcompton.com

30 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 31 Advertisers: Talk with your customers as they relax and plan their fun! Talk with your customers as they relax and plan their fun!

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32 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 33 The Benji Davis Project Linzzi Zaorski & Delta Royale The Practice Sessions hotsy-totsy on sale now on sale now

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Lynn Drury and Bad Mayo Spun New Orleans Jazz Vipers Come visit the offi cial on sale now Live On Frenchmen on sale now Michael P. Smith photography booth during Jazz Fest! Located in the Folk Craft area near the Fais Do Do stage. Take a piece of Jazz Fest history home with you . Print pieces start at $45 34 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE VVol.ol. II, issue 3 35 play,’ and then I banged out “Jesus and directing choirs, he was still trying Keep Me Near The Cross” on the to pursue his dream of becoming a disc Who Is Daddy Cotton? piano and got the job.” jockey. He would train at WBOK, which was the second, all black station By Joan M. Wade After getting his first paying church job in New Orleans and was located on before going to the military, requests Baronne Street. began to roll in for Daddy Cotton. The second church he played for was Ray After management changes and a “They call me Daddy Cotton,” says, Whatever nervousness Daddy Cotton Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans move to Tulane Avenue, WBOK Eugene Cotton III as he signs on as had back then went unnoticed because East and then Stronger Hope Baptist no longer had a training program gospel disc jockey for KKNO 750 AM. he’s been singing since the age of 10 Church. for disc jockeys and Daddy Cotton’s Daddy Cotton, as he is so dearly called after being baptized at the Rose of dream was deferred. It was not until by his gospel family and radio followers, Sharon Baptist Church. In that same While in the military, Daddy Cotton December 1996 when he was given an is one of the most highly respected year, he sung his first solo, “Come Ye held positions in warehouse supply opportunity to train again to be a disc gospel musicians, singers, songwriters Disconsolate” and went on to learn how and as an aircraft refueler. He was jockey at KKNO with the Classic Praise and teachers in New Orleans. He is the to play the piano. also a member of the chapel choir Program. After learning all the updated patriarch of the “Cotton Clan,” which in the United States Air Force where equipment and given a trial air run, he governed with his wife of 43 years, “As I got older, around eleven or he served at Lockland AFB and then Daddy Cotton was heard by the CEO the late Marion Mae Joseph Cotton. twelve, my mother bought a piano and overseas in Greenland. After returning of the station and began his passage as a Together they raised six sons and started giving me piano lessons. My home from the military, he proceeded gospel disc jockey. became the grandparents of thirteen. first piano selection was, ‘Jesus Lover with his music lessons and continued to of My Soul’.” Daddy Cotton continued play and sing for more churches. Daddy Cotton is currently a disc jockey Daddy Cotton was born in New to study piano under Professors John with KKNO and each year does he Orleans, Louisiana on June 2, 1939 to Williams and Edwin Hogan. Mr. In 1961, Daddy Cotton began to play does live remotes from the Fairgrounds Mable Jackson Ford as his mother’s Harold also taught him to play the for Jerusalem Baptist Church where during the New Orleans Jazz and only child. He lived on the West organ in 1960. he organized the first youth choir Heritage Festival. He is also a vocal Bank and in the 9th and 3rd Wards. and is currently an active member of music, fine arts and choir teacher at Growing up, he listened to all types of In his pre-teen years, Daddy Cotton the church. One of his sons Aldon Alcee Fortier Senior High School. He music- classical, jazz and blues. He also continued to sing or play whenever E. Cotton is the current Pastor and is an active member of A.C. Gospel asked as a soloist. another Allen E. Cotton is the Minister Singers, Praise Community Choir, and He did not begin of Music. Jerusalem Baptist Church Choir. He singing with a currently plays the piano for Pure Light group or choir In 1966 he also played for a band Baptist Church. until the age of of churches in New Orleans and fourteen when he joined New Home Baptist Church Through all the accomplishments and began to sing with after directing its choir for over one praises that Daddy Cotton has been Community Baptist year even as he continued to play for given, he has never thought that he was Church Youth Jerusalem. Daddy Cotton directed at very famous within the gospel sector Choir. New Home for nineteen years and was of New Orleans. He says, “My goal a member for 30 years. He was also was not to be famous but to be the best After singing the choir director for Second Mount musician I can be.” throughout the Triumph and worked as their choir Greater New director for seventeen years. Who is Daddy Cotton? Daddy Cotton Orleans area as a is the man that all little boys and young teenager he began Over the years, Daddy Cotton also sung men should be trying to imitate. He to be known as, duets with his late wife. In 1984, he was is the daddy of all daddies, a lover of “King Jesus” after given an opportunity to sing at the New God, a great provider, and a mentor the song he would Orleans World’s Fair with her. In 1990, when needed. He is just a stand up always sing as he went on tour with jazz musician guy. And a humble man, indeed. a soloist, “King Wallace Davenport to Norway and did Jesus Will Roll All a recording of, “I Won’t Complain.” Burdens Away.” observed his mother and aunts who While Daddy Cotton was busy studied piano and were influenced by Daddy Cotton did not limit himself attending singing engagements, classes Liberace and Professor Edwin Hogan. to singing for churches he also sung in the choir at Joseph S. Clark Senior As a child he says, “I would bang on High School. He says, “We didn’t keys and sing to myself and I was always sing gospel but show tunes, songs in church or on someone’s program. from Porgy and Bess, spirituals and My mother was the radio disc jockey chorale music.” NEW ORLEANS MUSIC EXCHANGE for Veterans Hospital and she was a speaker and she had a reputation Daddy Cotton’s professional career began when he was only 16 years where people used to call her to speak AMPS - P.A.’S on programs. She composed, but old. His first paying church job was memorized everything. She didn’t read to play for St. Paul Baptist Church on MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS from a paper (sheet music).” Robinson Avenue in Marrero for $10 per month. He had recently relocated RECORDING EQUIPMENT Being Ms. Mable’s child he did poems to the neighborhood. He says, “The SALES & SERVICE at church, school and whenever he was church was down the street from my asked. “I used to be nervous, shaking house and the pastor and two ladies like a leaf,” says Cotton. came to my house and asked me to play for their church. I said, ‘Rev, I can’t 3342 Magazine St. NOLA 504.891.7670 www.neworleansexchange.com 36 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 37 This article is underwritten with the support of Dos Jefes Uptown Cigar Bar The most signifi cant historical post Also worth checking out: WWII quartet recordings are collected here. The fi rst recordings of the Zion Aaron Neville Harmonizers capture them at their Essential New Orleans Gospel Recordings peak. Two sides by the Southern Believe Harps present the fi rst recordings by CDT 20381 By Jerry Brock Linda Hopkins and Bessie Griffi n. “Bye and Bye” by the Delta Southernaires Irma Thomas Louis Armstrong- Louis and The is heard here on piano and lead vocal features the solid baritone voice of Walk Around Heaven Good Book along with seven female singers from Chuck Carbo with whom his brother the Original Morning Star Church. Chick later performed and recorded Rounder 2128 Verve Records Familiar songs include “Old Rugged as the Spiders. “Heaven Bound Train” Louis Armstrong liked to say that he Cross,” “Down By the Riverside,” and by the Jackson Gospel Singers snare Various Artists was raised as a Baptist, always wore a “Call Him Up.” They are all sung from a strong female quartet. The music is Midnight at St. Judes Star of David around his neck, and was the heart. driving, melodic and beautiful four part friends with the Pope. In other words, harmony singing. With Aaron Neville, Allen Toussaint, Armstrong’s religion was as hard to Reverend Charley Jackson-The Mighty Sam McLain characterize in a single word as his Legendary Booker & Jackson Orleans 1211 music. Sessions New Orleans Spiritualettes- I Believe Case Quarter 101 Sounds of New Orleans 6012 Sister Gertrude Morgan No jazz artist’s music was as spiritually Imagine R.L. Burnside playing gospel. Let’s Make a Record moving as Armstrong’s, but this 1958 This is rare, raw and completely on New Orleans Spiritualettes are a LP was his only religious album. The edge. Collectors have searched for traditional female quartet that sings Preservation Hall 06 results are joyous, solemn, whimsical, this stuff for 20 years. Rev. Charley four part harmonies with strong leads even at times gently mocking - but Jackson tore up on guitar. The and pulsating rhythms. Recorded in Betty Winn & One A-Chord always upliftingly Satchmo. vocals are some times over the top 1992, Ruby Ray, Audrey Ferguson, Shout Hallelujah! and growling. Blues folk will love Eliza McMillion and Dremetricus it. “Wrapped Up and Tangled Up In Thurmond perform together in a Spirit Records 001 Mahalia Jackson- Greatest Hits Jesus,” “God’s Got It,” “Fix It Jesus,” program of rousing songs. “I Believe,” Columbia Records and the soulful “Morning Train” are “Ninety Nine and a Half Won’t Do” and classic yet obscure. “Two Wings” are gems. If limited to just one, these are the classic recordings Mahalia made for Columbia. Collected from LPs made Raymond Myles- A Taste of Heaven between 1954 and 1958. There are a total of ten tunes including “The Sony Legacy 85768 Upper Room,” “Move On Up A Little This recording is the swan song of the Higher,” “Nobody Knows The Trouble late Raymond Myles and was aimed Armand St. Martin I’ve Seen,” and “Walk In Jerusalem.” to put him in the national spotlight. The Sizzlin’ Mahalia’s rich contralto swings arrangements are lush, contemporary, Be forewarned, this CD is a mood- from subtle to powerful to lush. For funky and full of Raymond’s charm. elevator of the fi rst order! Even the recordings with more bounce and vigor He sings pop full of spirit and positive bluesier cuts on Armand St. Martin’s that are less produced, check out her messages, “Wake Up Everybody” and latest effort are infused with a rollicking earlier Apollo records. Several good “Put A Little Love In Your Heart,” mixed beat and the irresistible rhythm of his collections are available. with traditionals “Elijah’s Rock” and boogie-woogie piano playing that, while “Precious Lord.” His voice bends, turns reminiscent of the maniac from Ferriday, and soars accompanied by a choir that is inexorably linked to St. Martin’s New Franklin Avenue Baptist adds fi re and exhilaration on top of a Orleans roots. It may be swingier than it Church- Worship Celebration In syncopated beat. He travels from down is funky, but the infl uences of Toussaint, Remembrance of What Jesus Did home church to concert stage fi nesse Domino, Rebennack and even Booker spun with his charismatic voice and are there. FABC 2287 piano. This record was recorded live in the church. It celebrates the ministry of the Mass Choir that creates moving, clap- Zion Harmonizers- Best of New your-hands, shout-hallelujah gospel. Orleans Gospel Some songs are much more subtle and gracious and build to a crescendo. Mardi Gras 1013 The recording features wonderful The venerable Zion Harmonizers sing lead singing by seven different with Milton Batiste and members of the members accompanied by the choir Olympia Brass Band in a collaboration and a rhythm section of organ, bass, of gospel jazz. The Zion Harmonizers keyboards and drums. are New Orleans oldest active quartet. Sherman and Nolan Washington are in fi ne form. The songs are all associated with New Orleans roots Annie Pavageau & The Morning Star music- “Old Rugged Cross,” “Saints,” Choir “This Little Light of Mine,” “Down By Southland 1001 the Riverside,” and “Closer Walk With Thee.” The vocals and music swing with New Orleans brass band swagger. This is pure old time religion. Recorded Sherman’s lead on “Riverside” in 1970, it captures the sound of a presents his fi ne emotional delivery. community black Baptist church in the 7th Ward. There is nothing fake here. These women lived this music like they lived their lives, unadulterated, sincere New Orleans Gospel Quartets and in the spirit. Annie Pavageau was 1947 – 1956 the sister of the New Orleans jazz bassist “Slow Drag” Pavageau. She 504 Records 81 38 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 39 churches, Mardi Gras Indians and some very innovative things, and he A Photographer’s Photographer other aspects of African-American just ‘had it.’” culture in New Orleans, had just been By Karl Bremer published and planning for a related Rosenheim worked in the darkroom exhibition of his work was underway. with Smith to put together two duplicate New Orleans photographer David and his monumental archives—has sets of prints from the exhibition for Richmond calls Michael P. Smith, become of paramount importance as “I had the pleasure of being involved a traveling U.S. Information Agency “the last true great undiscovered well. in his exhibition at the Louisiana State show. “One would travel to the photojournalist of the 20th century,” and Museum,” recalls Rosenheim. “I Caribbean—the Black Caribbean—and places him in the pantheon of such “The value of this life that Michael had a lot of experience working with the other would go to Africa. It traveled giants as W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea has led is enormous, and it would archives of both living and deceased for years and years. I used to get Lange and Henri Cartier-Bresson. be a shame to let it slip through New photographs from people who saw this exhibit all over the world.” Jeff Rosenheim, a former assistant of Smith’s in the early ‘80s who is now The cross-cultural appeal of the exhibit associate curator of photography for was remarkable, says Rosenheim. the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New “Music culture is an international York, asserts unequivocally that, “Mike language and so is photography, and Smith’s life’s work should be preserved they both come together perfectly in in perpetuity in New Orleans for the Michael Smith.” study of the culture of New Orleans in the last third of the 20th century.” Besides documenting New Orleans culture with his camera, Rosenheim New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest says Smith also maintains a vast audio Producer Quint Davis calls Smith, archive of events he’s covered. “one of the great documenters and great depicters of a unique aspect of “He used to wire himself with American culture,” and adds that “Mike sophisticated stereo equipment and is not just documenting, he’s creating record these parades and funerals.” great art.” Listening to those recordings as he worked in the darkroom with Smith’s But it’s the words of Larry Bannock, powerful images, “was like a kinetic Big Chief of the Golden Star Hunters experience.” The sounds of Smith Mardi Gras Indian tribe, that will most working his way through the drum likely to bring a smile to Smith’s face. section of a jazz funeral, then the horns, constantly finessing his position “Mike Smith wasn’t a cultural pirate,” for the maximum vantage photographic Bannock says. “He gave back.” point provide an aural context for these images that should be preserved as Bannock’s use of the past tense well, says Rosenheim. reflects the bittersweet fact that Smith hasn’t been a fixture on the streets Smith’s body of work reaches deep for the past couple of years, capturing into the subcultures of New Orleans. the pulse and spirit of New Orleans’ But he is probably best known for his mesmerizing subcultures of Mardi images from the New Orleans Jazz Gras Indian practices, social and and Heritage Festival. Smith is the pleasure clubs, second-line parades only living photographer to have shot and spiritual churches. His battle with every Jazz Fest, according to Fest Parkinson’s and possibly Alzheimer’s producer Quint Davis. diseases has kept him from pursuing the mission that has been his vocation Jazz Fest is recognizing Smith this and avocation in life: preserving on film year with a showing in the Grandstand the living, breathing, organic, cultural of his images printed in large format wetlands known as New Orleans. by David Richmond, and 50-60 of his images reproduced, mounted “There’s a popular misconception on boards and placed around the around town that Mike is, like, gone,” fairgrounds as close as possible to says New Orleans photographer Bob where they were originally shot. His Compton. “But that couldn’t be further work also is being exclusively featured from the truth. There’s still light in in this year’s Jazz Fest program. those blue eyes.” “We’re going to celebrate our 35th There’s also a lot more information anniversary through the eyes of Mike behind those blue eyes that Smith is Smith,” says Davis. “The whole frantically trying to download into his infield is going to be a Mike Smith latest book, The Spirit of New Orleans, kaleidoscope of the festival.” before it slips away. Smith has also co-authored a book with University of Since the beginning, Smith has Munich professor Berndt Ostendorf been “Jazz Fest’s unofficial official on New Orleans jazz funerals that Orleans’ hands like so many other photographers. And I could recognize photographer,” says Davis. “When is essentially complete but remains things,” declares Rosenheim. that Michael was not just a local you start to do a heritage festival that unpublished. photographer, but a local photographer has New Orleans street culture in it, Rosenheim was 22 years old when he who was connected to some of the Mike comes along with it. Because While the subject of Michael Smith’s moved to New Orleans in 1983 and best aspects of New Orleans culture. in addition to being an artist and a physical and mental health has been of went to work for the Louisiana State Michael not only had a remarkable photographer, he’s an intrinsic part of concern to many in recent months, the Museum. Smith’s first book, Spirit commitment to his subjects but he the culture himself. When we started health and preservation of his legacy— World, a captivating look at spiritual seemed to be blessed with being at the doing this festival, he was part of right place at the right time. … He did New Orleans street culture. Then he

40 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 41 became part of the festival culture. He Smith recognized the value of … When the testimony is given, they I really lost track of Mike for about 15 was also unbelievably steadfast. He preserving the Mardi Gras Indian can say Mike gave back—he didn’t years,” Richmond continues. “Two came every day, every year and went culture and he encouraged Bannock: take away.” years ago I started this exhibit space to every stage. Multiply that times 35 “Don’t just do the beadwork. Know the and went over to Mike’s place and years.” culture, know the history, know why the Becoming a part of the culture he was said this can’t happen. There was blacks ran away and how the Native documenting had its downside, too, nobody to really champion his work But Davis is quick to note, “Jazz Fest Americans helped them.” He also says Bannock. “Mike and Jules Kahn and he certainly wasn’t going to do it is really just a spoke in the wheel of urged Bannock to become registered were taking pictures of second lines anymore.” Mike Smith’s work. We’re maybe as a, “master craftsman in black Mardi when it wasn’t popular. Mike Smith a big spoke … Having created this Gras Indian beadwork” with Louisiana was run out of places, Mike Smith Richmond selected about 30 images great body of artistic work, he also has Folklife. was harassed, the same thing we for an exhibit. “I started printing them brought the images and the awareness (the Indians) went through. But when bigger, and cleaner. And I just realized of the culture to a lot of people. His “One of the people that made me Mike Smith went Uptown (Bannock’s that I’d fallen in love with the images. photography of those things is a a Big Chief was Mike Smith,” says neighborhood), he was protected, His best pictures—they’re alive, they’re window to the world and he helped to Bannock. “When I first became a and a lot of people knew what he was not two-dimensional. You don’t look both popularize and legitimize those Chief, I was going through a problem about.” at the pictures—they come out and cultures.” and I was talking to Mike about it. And knock you out, especially when you’re he said, ‘When you become a Chief, David Richmond first knew Michael giving birth to something like that in the Says Big Chief Larry Bannock: “He you become the center of attention. Smith in 1969 when he took Smith’s darkroom.” gave something to the people that a People say things about you—negative place as an assistant to local Black lot of guys don’t. Mike was one of the things. That’s all part of being a Chief.’ Star syndicate photographer Matt And, Richmond observes, “I’ve come to the conclusion, in looking at the proof sheets of his stuff and working with the images, that Mike didn’t just take pictures, he received pictures. He just went out there and wrestled away until some spiritual force said, ‘You’re gonna receive this one.’”

The Louisiana State Museum raised the bar for recognition of Smith’s work last year when it purchased 75 archival-quality prints for its collection. “These pictures are going to be the museum’s basis of the representation of African-American culture in New Orleans,” says Richmond.

Rosenheim says Smith’s entire collection—photography, recordings, notes—should find a permanent and appropriate home in New Orleans, perhaps the New Orleans Museum of Art or the Louisiana State Museum. “It should be there, in the city that created him and in the city that created the music and culture. I would urge any one of the museum directors in the city to preserve this archive in all its complexity and richness.”

The archiving of Smith’s work, “is an ongoing process,” says Bob Compton. “The phrase ‘treasure trove’ does not do it justice. There must be 100,000 images in that Race Street building. It physically fills up five great big rooms in an old hotel-size house.”

Meanwhile, Smith races against time to finish Spirit of New Orleans, which his daughter, Leslie, describes as “an exploration of freedom rituals in New first whites to see one of these (Indian) And the first thing he said was, ‘Buy Heron. He ran into him periodically in Orleans,” from jazz funerals to the suits put together. Mike was there your own equipment.’ Everything I the mid-70s, although they were never underground gay Mardi Gras. when you be sewing and for years, needed to make a suit, Mike said that’s close friends. when I was making my Indian suits, what I need. When you got your own, Bannock hopes the recognition that’s Mike would give me books. Whenever nobody can come at you. “I had a little gallery in New Orleans due Smith happens soon. Mike would go traveling and there was in the 70s and that was the first real a book on Native American culture, he “Mike isn’t a 9-to-5 friend. He’s a gallery showing of Mike’s work—the “There’s an old saying in the black brought it back and said, ‘Maybe you 24-hour friend,” Bannock continues. Spirit World stuff. But Mike didn’t church,” he muses. “Give me my can use this.’ “Whenever you called him, he was hang out with that gallery group. He flowers while I’m alive.” there. There’s a lot of people that’s on never spent any time being a dilettante “A lot of times when I was doing the street (and alive) today because of photographer. He was hanging out patches, Mike would go out and take Mike. Carpenters, contractors, when with people closer to the culture—Jerry pictures of landscapes and color to things were slow, Mike would help Brock, Jason Berry, Jeff Hannusch. Karl Bremer is a freelance writer in make it come out right. There’s not a them get jobs. He wasn’t just a little Stillwater, Minnesota lot of photographers you could ask that white boy who came along and took all “ of.” the pictures and made all the money.

42 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 43 Academy at Annapolis proved to be Spiritualist church buildings. a poor fi t for him, so he enrolled at Eventually, someone came out at one Michael P. Smith - Tulane University as an English major. and asked him what he was doing. He He became interested in photography says, “They asked me a question, and A Musician’s Perspective through Ma� Heron, a local freelance I must have given the right answer, By Spike Perkins photographer who lived near the because they invited me inside.” Tulane campus. For the last 35 years, photographer that of black New Orleans, for more Smith was interested in music of all Michael P. Smith has been as much than 30 years. Though always trying In 1966, as a photographer for the kinds. During the same period he a part of the Jazz Fest as anyone. to be unobtrusive to his subjects, Jazz Archives at Tulane, he began was documenting the exploding rock Moving from stage to stage with his Smith’s photographs and essays photographing jazz funerals and brass culture of the day—Jimi Hendrix at camera, he has documented thousands have powerfully and persuasively bands at second line parades and he Tulane Stadium, the Allman Brothers of Jazz Fest moments—the inspired, advocated the value, depth and beauty longed for more in depth knowledge at the Warehouse, Ike and Tina Turner the outrageous, the humorous, the of that culture. about the people involved in them. He at City Park. He also shot peace sublime. His 1991 book, New Orleans writes, “Initially, I was most interested demonstrations, rock festivals, and Jazz Fest- A Pictorial History, is full of Smith’s own upbringing couldn’t have in the styles of the people and their police crackdowns on hippies. Much unforge� able images—Stevie Wonder been more antithetical to the world to recreations, and in the character and of that was lost, however, when his jamming with the Meters, Dizzy which he would later be drawn. Born imagination I found in small, ramshackle studio fl ooded. Smith and his daughter Gillespie taking a turn at Bongo Joe’s into a well-to-do family, raised “in the houses and businesses…the expressions Leslie, a songwriter and busy vocalist home made drums, James Booker at middle of Metairie,” and educated at of individualism and freedom I saw in her own right, worked furiously for the keyboard with a very young Harry Country Day and a New England prep everywhere, despite extremely depressed days to save what they could. Choices Connick, Jr. school. economic circumstances.” had to be made. Music and culture won out over politics. He has also been a chronicler of South When it came time for higher It was in this spirit that he began Louisiana’sLouisiana’s ethnic culture, particularly education, the United States NavalNaval photographing the outside of

44 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 45 Leslie Smith remembers, “Mike shot have brought about energy. His interest was in passion and new opportunities uniqueness—it didn’t really ma� er for appreciation: what culture it was coming from. It “These changes in was the inside of New Orleans, the our society bring a special, unique New Orleans. But great opportunity to the whole thing was happening at the recognize the value same time—churches, street parades, of ethnic diversity music, white and black culture, and traditional diff erent styles.” cultures so we can all benefi t from their Michael P. Smith began exhibiting his collective genius and work in galleries by the late 1970s and creations.” shortly therea� er it was appearing in museums. He has exhibited at the No event has Museum of American History and brought the The Smithsonian Institution. His work opportunity is part of the permanent collections to appreciate at the Bibliotheque National in Paris, traditional New the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Orleans culture to New York, the Historic New Orleans more people than Collection and other museums and the New Orleans archives. He has published fi ve books: Jazz and Heritage Jazz Fest Memories, Mardi Gras Indians, Festival. As one who New Orleans Jazz Fest: A Pictorial was there from the History, Spirit World: Pa� ern in the beginning, Smith Expressive Folk Culture of African- says, “In New American New Orleans, and A Joyful Orleans, it evolved Noise: A Celebration of New Orleans naturally.” Music. In addition he has won two Photographer’s Fellowships from the He does have National Endowment for the Arts and concerns, though, numerous other awards. that having helped put New Orleans culture on display, some people Though his pace has been slowed by don’t show the proper respect. In an Parkinson’s disease, Smith continues October 2001 interview with Jason to write and take photographs. He Berry he said, “There was a gradual currently has two non-fi ction books increase in outsiders, tourists--I’m and a fi ctional screenplay in the works. not sure how I feel about that. A beautiful tradition should be shared His daughter has become his with outsiders, but some tourists don’t darkroom assistant and archivist have the ability to truly understand it. of his work. She fi nds that she is That’s why I did Spirit World -- to help reconnecting with her own childhood outsiders understand the religious side memories of accompanying her father of this city.” to music and cultural celebrations, as together they bring the images she It’s a fact of life that one can’t always remembers to life in the photographs. see one’s visions realized in exactly In this way, his own family life refl ects the way that one would hope. the continuity and value of tradition he Nonetheless, Michael P. Smith has has tried to document in his work. This succeeded in realizing his be� er than year, she will be taking time out from most. He has brought New Orleans her schedule to assist her father full culture to the world. Along with it, time at the Fairgrounds. he brought respect and some degree of greater fi nancial opportunity to the Writing in his 1983 book, Spirit communities that nurtured it. This World, Smith notes that the end of year, same as always, he will be at the segregation as well as other changes Jazz Fest with his camera. The Law Offi ces Of Christopher M. Utley Criminal Defense/DWI Personal Injury Bankruptcy Family Law

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48 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 49 way. As she passed your aisle you Fess had turned what had once been joined in the moan. What started as a garage into his music and hang out one person quietly moaning grew into room. Fess didn’t drink, but he loved Michael P. & Me a full fledge church house moan as his “mutah,” his slang for marijuana. By Jerry Brock she reached the front. Rev. Francis He didn’t like to pass joints around. explained that this was a way to If there were six people in the room In the late 1970s, I was at a Koko Indian practices began in September. cleanse away the sadness and grief he’d roll up six joints. It got awful Taylor show at Tipitinas and noticed I won’t forget the first time Mike took that one experiences in life. smoky in there. two bearded men walk in like they me to the Glass House to attend the owned the place. Little did I know practice of the Wild Magnolias. Big Twice I witnessed Michael get up Michael certainly influenced the that they were stockholders in the Chief Bo Dollis arrived amidst fiery and testify in a spiritual church. brass band and Mardi Gras Indian club- Michael P. Smith and his long drumming and chanting. He walked With his testimony he explained why programming on WWOZ in the early time friend Thornton Penfield. into the middle of the small room and and what he was doing. The people days. From 1982 to 1987, I would sung out loudly, “Big Chief wants appreciated that. He truly became a program six hours of Mardi Gras My brother Walter and I were trying fire water!” A cap was passed about member and friend to the church. If Indian music from 12 AM to 6 AM to muster support for a community and filled with money. Bo took the someone had a flat tire he’d go out on Mardi Gras. Back then, there radio station that became WWOZ. money, handed the cap back to its and change it. wasn’t a lot of recorded Mardi Gras Michael, like many others, assisted owner and walked to the bar. The Indian music- you had to struggle to the cause. practice continued. No one documented the 1980s come up with six hours of it. Tribes revival of the brass bands like would make homemade cassettes and Early in his career he made the The Black Eagles’ practice led by Michael. Among his photographs bring them to the station. This was a conscious decision to become a Big Chief Pete at the Second Base you can witness the beginning and result of my friendship with Mike. documentary photographer and Lounge had more structure. Chief development of the Dirty Dozen, the many future generations of people Pete would open and close each Chosen Few and the Rebirth brass With the publication of his first book will benefit from this body of work. practice with the prayer, “Indian bands. Spirit World, Michael took his work He is truly a great photographer. Red.” Once practice was over, a to a new level. He was no longer I’ve seen him go out and shoot five tray with plastic cups filled with T. He would take me to Daryl’s in the interested in just “taking photos.” 36-exposure rolls of film in one day J. Swann, a sweet pink wine, was 7th Ward where the Dirty Dozen He actively worked for official New without a throwaway shot in the passed around and Chief Pete would played once a week for about two Orleans government recognition bunch. offer a toast to everyone there. years. This led to the Dirty Dozen and support for the Social Aid and making their first recording at Pleasure Clubs and the Indian tribes. He introduced me to the New One Sunday afternoon Chief Pete Grouse House studios. In simplest To this end and to his credit, many Orleans world that he documented. called and asked, “are you coming terms, we wanted something we people began paying attention to the He brought me to the spiritual to practice tonight?” I said that I could play on WWOZ. wonderful contributions these groups churches, second line parades and wasn’t sure, but he wanted me to make to our city. Indian practices. come and bring my tape recorder. Tex Stephens, writing for the Since Mike had the photography Louisiana Weekly, called the Dozen These are a few of my memories of Today friends and I joke about the covered I had begun to carry around the “house band” for the station. Michael P. and me. Mike I want to “third line.” That’s what we call a cassette recorder. That night we Michael and I produced a 90-minute say thank you for your friendship the dozens of photographers and went and Chief Pete sang a version radio documentary about the group and hoist a cold ice tea to toast the cameramen and women who get in of “Indian Red” calling out the names called, “We Been Here Since Dirt.” great times that we shared. You the way at second line parades and of many past Chiefs. Most of the made a helluva difference and jazz funerals. Twenty-five years ago names I’ve not heard since. On the day that Kermit Ruffins and a great contribution to this city. there were only two, Michael and Philip Frazier attended their last day Your photos will last forever. But Jules Cahn, and they seldom got in Having been raised Protestant in of school at Joseph S. Clark Senior it is your genuine love of people, the way. the Church of Christ; the spiritual High, they organized a parade from expressed by your hugs and wide churches offered a refreshing change. the school to the Grease Lounge smile, that I always think of when Mike shared a mutual respect with Mike introduced me to Bishop Lydia on N. Robertson Street. Michael’s you cross my mind. the people who organized these Gilford at the Infant Jesus of Prague photograph of this parade is events. He always made prints at Spiritual Church on Columbus on the cover of the Rebirth his own expense and gave them Street. I thought that I was Brass Band’s first recording, to the folks he was documenting. intruding but Bishop Gilford assured Here To Stay, on Arhoolie Contrary to what some believe, Mike me, “come as you are and be who you Records. probably spent more money buying are,” she said. and developing film than he ever When we planned the photo made documenting African-American Mike introduced me to Deacon Frank shoot for the Treme Brass culture in New Orleans. The people Lastie. He was the patriarch of the Band’s Gimme My Money were genuinely happy to have him musical Lastie family and the one Back, it was Michael who photograph the important moments credited with bringing the drum set suggested that we borrow a in their lives. into the church. He played snare coffin from the Charbonnet- drum in the Milne Boys Home Labat Funeral Home. It In the early 1980s, there were far marching band at the same time seemed a bit spooky at the fewer second line parades than there Louis Armstrong was there. time, but it turned out to are today. We seldom missed one. be the cover shot. The High Rollers, Money Wasters, When Deacon Frank’s son, the High Steppers, Lady Zulu’s, Avenue drummer Walter “Popee” Lastie, Michael took the photos Steppers, Young & True Friends and passed away on December 28, 1980, that the bands used for Young Men Olympia were rolling. Mike helped organize a tribute to publicity at no charge. Walter and the Lastie family. He helped out many local While there were fewer parading groups this way. organizations, they retained an With Deacon Frank we visited the obvious respect for the community Antioch Spiritual Church in the 9th Regularly we dropped in and the tradition of parading that Ward. Once a month, Rev. Francis at Professor Longhair’s seems less present today. Each led the congregation in a monthly house on Terpsichore member of the organization had a cleansing. Everyone got down on to hang out, eat some specific role to perform in the parade. their knees and a woman, the eldest of Alice’s fresh baked As a group they often moved in member, would start in the back of cake or help out with highly choreographed marching steps the church and crawl upright on her whatever needed to be Polaroid of Michael by Jerry that you rarely see today. knees to the front moaning the whole done.

50 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 51 Michael P. Smith: 40 years documenting New Orleans

52 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 53 This article was underwritten with the support from the Maple Leaf Bar Steeped in Lasting Rapture- the Music of South Africa By Jay Mazza

Have you ever noticed that the sprawling townships that are places where the people suffer home to many urban blacks. under great oppression produce great music? It seems that the The vocal style, which is best indomitable human spirit manages represented to American ears by to fi nd beauty in the worst of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, is often situations. Consider New Orleans, referred to as Zulu music but more Cuba, Haiti, Brazil, Jamaica and specifi cally it has its origins among the travails that Africans in the the Bantu language speaking New World faced. All fi ve places people who migrated to present are famed the world over for the day South Africa around 200 A.D. great music that developed in the By the mid 1600s, the area was face of misery and hardship. almost completely dominated by three groups- the Sotho, Xhosa The Americas are not the only and Zulu. place where Africans were subjected to horrid conditions. Each tribal group had its own set Their extraordinary ability to of customs and rituals that were fi nd grace amid chaos is also tied to music specifi cally song. evident in other parts of the There were distinctions among Africa diaspora as well as on the the different groups, but they all continent of Africa itself. shared the notion that music was central to every facet of existence. Black South Africans suffered They created work songs and under one of the most brutal songs that represented everything systems ever to be devised by the from the sacred to the mundane. human mind. Apartheid reduced Music became the spiritual an overwhelming majority of that backbone of their cultures. country’s residents into second class citizens systematically denied These songs shared a basic style basic human rights and dignity that is often referred to as call- for generations. Yet, the music and-response. The style has that was created during the reign permeated every culture that of Apartheid conveys powerful is part of the diaspora including emotions and captures a depth of American gospel, blues, soul music feeling as powerful as any on the and rap. planet. These forms emerged in modern South African music comes in South Africa when the country a variety of styles refl ecting the fi rst began experiencing polyglot culture and the history of industrialization in the early part the nation. Anthropologists believe of the 20th century. Rural workers that the southern portion of the migrated from the countryside to continent was one of the fi rst areas work the mines and factories. They occupied by modern humans. The brought with them the ancient entire history of Africa is refl ected tribal forms and within a few short in the copious amount of music years a capella vocal styles were that has emerged from South predominant in the urban areas. Africa including pop, jazz, gospel and dozens of subcategorizes This transition of the vocal style within each of the main genres. from rural to urban areas mirrors the progression of the blues in Much of South African music the United States out of the fi elds can be traced to two specifi c of the South and into the major musical forms- vocal music in the metropolitan areas including New choral tradition that is often sung Orleans, Memphis, Kansas City and a capella and originated in the Chicago. It was even happening countryside and mbaqanga- a at approximately the same time. swinging sound that emerged from The role and infl uence of African

54 NEWEW ORLEANSRLEANS BEATEAT STREETTREET MAGAZINEAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 55 music on the rest of the diaspora is Blues” and “Kwela Spokes” impacting South African jazz. music” was laid to rest from complicated and it is rarely a one that became a huge hit. The While it has been documented Soweto, much has changed in way street. There are numerous pennywhistle craze lasted a that American performers from South Africa. Apartheid has been examples of music crossing the mere four years until Mashiyane early genres regularly visited dismantled; the exiled greats have Atlantic ocean only to return released, “Big Joe Special” that South Africa, the first prominent returned home. Other pop styles slightly changed to affect Africans featured his saxophone playing. American jazz artist would not visit including a healthy rap industry again. This circuitous path of South Africa until Tony Scott arrived have developed. The music of influence can be seen in African Almost overnight the scene in 1956. South Africa remains, as it has reggae and pop as well as Afro- changed dramatically and always been, “steeped in lasting Cuban sounds. the saxophone became the The acrimonious split in the jazz rapture.” instrument of choice leading to world that occurred in the post Around the same time that the a the development of a new style- World War II years in the United capella vocal styles were gaining sax jive. It became the dominant States, as swing and the more a foothold in the cities of South musical form even though it was traditional sounds were gradually Africa, American musicians were occasionally rejected by more relegated to relic status in favor finding there way to the country urbane (read jazz) music lovers of bebop, didn’t happen in South and cross pollinating the music. who thought it was too primitive Africa until the 1960s. Instruments like the guitar, the and its practitioners crude and banjo (actually African in origin) musically illiterate. This corresponded directly with and the saxophone and styles more overt political expressions such as ragtime, spirituals and The name of the overriding against the repressive apartheid eventually American jazz began music style, mbaqanga, actually regime. Following the infamous creeping into the equation helping means “dumpling” in Zulu, which Sharpeville massacre in 1960, the to create a new urban South referenced its homemade regime closed ranks and began to African sound. elements. The term, which was fiercely enforce the laws that kept originally meant as a slur or insult, the races separate. Not only were In the early years of the country’s eventually was popularized and its interracial relationships illegal, but development there was not much negative connotations were mostly any fraternization between the of a music infrastructure. Music eliminated except to the purists. races, as in mixed race bands was still an everyday activity for and/or audiences, was also illegal most South Africans revolving Mbaqanga also has a vocal and punishments were severe. around recreation and work. component that began Major stars from this period such as There were few recordings outside developing in the late 1950s. The Abdullah Ibrahim (formerly known of field recordings that paralleled style drew heavily on African- as Dollar Brand), Miriam Makeba the work of Alan Lomax and others American inflections popular and Hugh Masekela went into in the American South. All that among doo wop singers. Yet, exile. changed in the mid 1930s when as with most examples of cross- an Englishman named Eric Gallo pollination, the South Africans The impact of this huge blow on built the first recording studio in sub expanded upon the traditional the development of South African Saharan Africa. four-part harmony popular in the jazz cannot be underestimated. States and developed a unique At the time, South African jazz One of the first of the new styles to five-part harmony. musicians were just beginning to develop widespread appeal and be a force in the country. Those commercial potential was known This was a crucial link between that left became internationally as pennywhistle jive. It developed modern South African vocal styles known stars whose politics when rural herders migrated to the and the traditional tribal vocals. eventually help drive out the city. They played simple three hole It also led to the development Apartheid system. Those who reed whistles that had a variety of of one of the most distinctive remained, like the influential practical uses in the countryside. South African sounds- groaning. alto saxophonist and clarinetist, These newly urbanized youngsters Personified by the late Simon Kippie Moeketsi, were essentially quickly gravitated to an “Mahlathini” Nkabinde, groaning is doomed. inexpensive German tin whistle typically performed with the male that was pervasive in the towns. lead vocal at the lowest bass level Moeketsi died young and broken contrasted with higher pitched in 1983 long before the Apartheid In a phenomenon that parallels female vocals. Mahlathini went on regime was dissolved. Masekela the widespread adoption of black to great fame with his background had this to say about the genius musical styles by whites in America, singers, the Mahotella Queens. of his partner from the early days these young pennywhistlers of South Africa jazz: “(He) could became popular among suburban While most of the above have blossomed into something as whites in South Africa. They mentioned styles would fall great as anything Charlie Parker renamed the style kwela, which loosely into the pop category, had already shown us… If he had translates as “climb up” and was South African music also includes lived in America he would have the curt demand of the police a number of other styles both up there with Bird and ‘Trane. He that followed being arrested and traditional and modern. Jazz has blew his horn with that kind of led to being placed in custody. enjoyed a similarly convoluted power, with that sort of shimmering Generally, it referred to the arrest history in South Africa. strength…” of street corner musicians but also reflected the prohibition of While there are numerous Since that fateful day when interracial fraternizing. examples of cross Atlantic “Kippie Lives!” was scrawled across influences, the development of the wall separating the cemetery In 1954, Spokes Mashiyane jazz in South Africa lagged behind where the great man who many released a single of pennywhistle America and it wasn’t until the called the “father of South African music featuring the songs “Ace 1960s that American jazz began

56 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 57 make sure to always have the While you’re at it, run the Disk MP3 Confidential latest version of the software Defragmenter utility, also located The Anti-Malware Action Plan: AND the latest virus description in the System Tools. It can file (or “profile”). The same goes speed up disk access. for your anti-spyware software: Ten Steps Toward Better Disable Windows Messenger Computer Hygiene Scan for Spyware – The terms Service – Pop-ups with the By Warren America “spyware” and “adware” refer words “Messenger Service” in to bits of commercial code the title bar exploit a feature that track your web surfing of the Windows operating behavior, and/or advertise to system called the Messenger Like most computer Use the Current Operating you. Some are fairly innocuous, Service. Not to be confused with professionals, I’m spending System – If you’re not already inordinate amounts of on Windows XP you should others totally adverse. High- MSN Messenger, Messenger time mopping up viruses, be, if only because it crashes profile spyware pushers include Service is a somewhat vestigial, worms, dialers, browser less than its predecessors. DoubleClick, Gator, Bonzi rudimentary messaging “enhancements” and other Mac users should likewise stay Buddy, and Altnet. system. It wasn’t used much malware that accumulate on my current; OS X “Panther” has until spammers got hold of it. If Spyware is invasive, annoying colleagues’ systems. Malware been practically trouble-free for you’re seeing messages such as and takes up precious is geek-speak for noxious, us. “your computer is at risk, you’re computing power. We use a undesirable programs. These exposed to the entire network” free program called things grow more pervasive Moreover, you must download Lavasoft while your Web browser is and pernicious each season and install every Critical Ad-Aware, obtained from closed, it’s probably Messenger and they’re sapping productivity Update and Service Pack for www.lavasoft.de (that’s dot-DE, Service spam. everywhere you turn. your operating system. Windows they’re in Germany). Ad-Aware XP’s default behavior will alert will identify, quarantine, and To turn off the Messenger Users who are lax about things, you when updates are available; delete all manner of cookies, Service, go into the Start menu through naiveté or sloppiness, you should always take them, trackers, data miners and other > Control Panel > Administrative get hurt the worst and cause the because they’re bug fixes and sleazy tidbits. Run Ad-Aware at Tools > Services. In the Services most problems for others. It’s security patches. If you’re not least once a month, or whenever dialog, scroll down until you find time to all of us to clean up our sure whether your system is the pop-ups crop up. the word “Messenger.” Click acts for the sake of self-defense current: Click on the Start menu, with the left mouse button on and social courtesy. And so we open the Programs menu then Several well-known Peer to Peer the word “Messenger,” so that present Beat Street’s ten-point select Windows Update, it’ll file-sharing applications depend it highlights, then click with the program for safe and sensible scan your system and tell you on spyware for their revenue, right mouse button and select computing. The next time what you need. We take all they get paid each time they Properties. In the Properties someone tells you they clicked Critical Updates, Service Packs plant the stuff on a new system. dialog click on the Stop button. on an email and everything blew and Driver Updates, but we pick If P2P’s your thing, use Kazaa Then select Disable from the up, you can staple this column and choose among the non- Lite/K++, Shareaza, or another Startup Type pull-down menu. to their forehead. critical Windows updates. spyware-free client. If you surf Click OK to exit the dialog. porn sites, you’re certain to have Watch Out for Attachments Use Anti-Virus Software – This Messenger Service cannot be accumulated some spyware. If disabled in Windows 98 and ME, – Attachments are files included is a must. Repeat: You MUST the computer keeps trying to dial with email messages; one clicks anti-virus software. Norton all the more reason to upgrade use the Czech republic, then you’ve on an attachment to save or and McAfee are the big names, to XP. definitely been seeded, but open the file. DO NOT click but we’re pushing Grisoft AVG seriously, anyone who surfs the Use a Firewall – Think of on any attachments you aren’t 6.0 free version, available at Web is vulnerable. the firewall as another line of expecting, or attachments from www.grisoft.com. Although defense. It can alert you when people who are unknown to a bit bland cosmetically, and Run the Disk Cleanup a rogue program tries to access you. We’ve seen lots fake admin slightly less user-friendly than – Worms and viruses often the net. One may actually catch messages and bounced email its more famous competitors, infect the Temporary Internet a worm or virus in action, as notifications recently; again, AVG is just as effective. It scans Files, or “cache.” Flush the it reports back to its master or don’t open those attachments, incoming email, attachments cache, and reclaim space from tries to spread itself to other just delete the messages. Even and downloads, alerts you if it other unnecessary files with computers, if you pay attention your friends can inadvertently detects anything, is regularly the Windows Disk Cleanup to your firewall’s messages. pass along worms or viruses, so updated, and did I mention utility. It’s under the Start menu Firewalls cease to be effective be conscious and cautious with that it’s FREE!?!? Whatever > Programs > Accessories > if you blindly okay every alert. every email attachment. anti-virus software you choose, System Tools > Disk Cleanup. Allow frequently used programs

58 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 59 to access the network, but If some worm (or email) can virus per se, spoofing is a type [email protected] and challenge unknown programs for convince you to accept and run of anti-social Internet behavior [email protected] to your own safety. Firewalls can a program, they can take over that can accompany criminal report suspicious activity. also shield against attacks that your computer and do just about activity. The trend in spoofing may come from outside, such as anything. Don’t download or is fake security alerts, emails Accept the Inevitable – Even hacker probes. There are a lot of open any programs, specifically that say your account will be the best of us stub our toes on firewalls out there, we’ve been any .exe files, unless you’re terminated unless you confirm the Internet now and again, no using Zone Alarm, but we don’t absolutely sure about them. your username and password one’s immune from it. Despite have a strong preference. While audio/video files aren’t the immediately. Anyone with a your best efforts, it’s very likely problem, be alert for files with PayPal or eBay account is a that you will catch viruses or Download Cautiously – There bogus extensions, for example potential target for this scam; worms, get hacked, receive is no evidence that anyone has .exe files with .mp3 or .mpg we’ve seen very convincing billions of spam emails, and ever put a virus or worm inside added to the file name. Which emails that use actual artwork encounter other new and an MP3 file, a digital video file, leads to the next item: and web pages from the exciting digital maladies in the or a graphic image. Things companies. course of your computing life. just don’t work that way. But Watch Out For Spoofs Assume it will happen, not be super-careful of executable – A “spoof” is someone or We know of one local individual, if, but when. Make it a habit code, meaning programs that something masquerading as an intelligent guy, who fell for to back up your data – so can be run on your computer. something else. While not a the ruse. His lucrative eBay when catastrophe strikes, you business (with a 97% customer won’t lose all your work. When satisfaction rating) was taken something does go wrong, over by scam artists, who take comfort in knowing that duped him out of his password it’s probably fixable, and can through an email spoof. They happen to anyone. ran fraudulent auctions through his account, now eBay won’t let Oh, and one more thing, when him sell anymore, customers you get email from people in are furious, and he’s still Nigeria asking for help with large sorting things out. Don’t ever cash transfers, don’t give them give sensitive passwords to your bank account number. anybody, and stay aware and He’s an author, entrepreneur, critical about where you’re gear queer, and bon vivant; it’s entering them. Ask yourself: Mister America to you, tough Is this really the log-in page? guy. If you’re unsure, contact the company in question, email

60 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 61 DO YOU LIVE ON Beat Street? The residents of Beat Street are musicians and artists and everyone who loves them.

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62 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE Vol. II, issue 3 63 The Stooges It’s About Time on sale now

James and Troy Andrews 12 and shorty The Blue Brass Project on sale now BlueBrass meets the Big Easy on sale now

Forgotten Souls Bust ALive New Hope on sale now on sale now

Sansone Krown Johnny Sketch & Fohl Bandicoot Shakin on sale now on sale now

64 NEW ORLEANS BEAT STREET MAGAZINE