Saturday, September 30, 2006

Angelo Brocato's reopens to relief & euphoria, says Adam Nossiter from New Orleans


Angelo Brocato's Reopens: The Keepers of the Flame
Originally uploaded by Sazerac.


"The reopening of Angelo Brocato’s Italian Ice Cream Parlor, which had been closed since Hurricane Katrina after a century of operation, has brought an outpouring of relief and euphoria," says NY Times writer Adam Nossiter in the article Spumoni Fills a City’s Void, and Its Belly. "On the shop’s first day back in business, for which a band was hired, people drove from miles and stood for three hours in a line that stretched far around the block. Even five days later, on a midweek afternoon, customers lined the inside of the prim, old-fashioned parlor.

Mid-City seems deserted. Weeds grow lustily through the cracks in the sidewalk, and none of Brocato’s neighbors on Carrollton Avenue has returned. The five-foot-high waterline is still visible next door, and a light fixture dangles in the frame of what was once a store sign. But inside Brocato’s, there is a hub of vigorous activity. At one table, a group is celebrating a bar exam triumph; at another, a French Quarter bartender is toasting a day off.

In line, the faces are patient; nobody complains about the wait, and for solid reasons.

First, there is the taste. Zuppa inglese, amaretto, stracciatella and other flavors are creamy, not too sweet and custard based, with fresh fruits and flavorings often imported from Italy. No store-bought ice cream can erase the sumptuous memory."

There's more at the NY Times. Thanks to Sazerac for covering the re-opening.

That intensely sweet smell across the neighborhoods of the fair town: osmanthus fragrans, aka sweet olive


From China with love: sweet osmanthus

Sweet Osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans; also known as Sweet Olive or "Tea Olive") is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 5-12 m tall, says wikiepdia.org. It is native to Asia, from the Himalaya east through China to Japan.

Its flowers are small (1 cm long), white, with a four-lobed corolla and have a strong fragrance.

It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens (both in Asia and elsewhere in the world) for its deliciously fragrant flowers which carry the scent of ripe peaches or apricots.

The plant is semi- to moderately-hardy and will survive light frost but will not survive a prolonged or hard freeze.

In Chinese, the plant is called xī (樨), and its flowers, called guì huā (桂花, literally "cinnamon flower" or "cassia flower") are used, infused with green or black tea leaves, to create a scented tea called guì huā chá (桂花茶).

In Chinese cuisine, the flowers are also used to produce osmanthus-scented jam (called guì huā jiàng, 桂花醬 or 桂花酱), sweet cakes (called guì huā gāo, 桂花糕), dumplings, soups, and even liquor (桂花酒).

Well, bless my soul.

Indeed, I love sweet olive. It reminds me of uptown New Orleans and City Park. It's also redolent of Houston's Montrose and of Mobile and Biloxi for me.

And you?

Artspace, Shreveport: Faces of Katrina open Thursday through Saturday, 10 to 6 pm


Artspace, Shreveport: Faces of Katrina

Attendance at Artspace on a daily basis is higher than ever. The visitor count is running about 125 per day, Pam Atchison told the Artspace exhibit committee.

The Faces of Katrina exhibit presents, in words & faces, a story that touches people.

Downstairs are art activities (portraits of New Orleanians, repousse, writing and media projects) designed to remind youngsters and parents of why New Orleans is important. And there are artist guides to help make the projects flow easily.

Th - Sat, 10 to 6
673-6535
And say hello to vibrant new Artspace manager MaryBeth O Connor.

Biking to work in East Shreveport: a minuscule but growing phenomenon


Bike to Work grows: Friday there were five

An estimated 40,000 cyclists commute to work by bike in NYC, says Steven Kurutz in a NY Times article called Queasy Rider.

He writes, "Despite the obstacles, this may be an ideal moment for seeking a bike-friendlier New York. With issues like global warming and high gas prices at the forefront of public consciousness, many advocates say that after years of struggle, they finally have the political capital to make cycling a top priority in the city."

In East Shreveport I'm part of a salutary and early step in that direction. Several of the teachers at Caddo Magnet High have begun to bike to work. We meet at Betty Virginia Park. So far it has been a Friday commute. Some of us will upgrade to twice a week. Initially there were three of us. This week there were five.

The NY Times article follows a magazine editor who rides from Brooklyn to Manhattan. He began biking to work two months ago "because he wanted to lose weight but didn’t feel like going to the gym."

We're doing it for several reasons. Keeping the weight down and pumping the heart rate up is one of them. Inspiring the students and local comuters is another reason. One of the benefits is that the ride is a breakfast conversation sans biscuits.

What about safety? In the NY Times article Kurutz says three NYC riders were killed in June. "A 23-year-old aspiring filmmaker was pinned beneath a tractor-trailer on Houston Street in Manhattan on a weekday morning. A 41-year-old woman was hit by a truck on Rockaway Parkway in Brooklyn in the evening. And a 56-year-old doctor collided with a Police Department tow truck while taking a midnight ride on the Hudson River Greenway."

The Hudson River Greenway is an 11.5-mile stretch that runs from Inwood to Battery Park City. "With as many as 10,000 cyclists on the busiest days, Transportation Alternatives says, it ranks as the nation’s busiest bike path."

Kurutz notes "Chicago, with a population of nearly three million, announced a plan this year to put every resident within a half-mile of a bike path. And Chicago’s program seems paltry in comparison with that of Davis, Calif., a city of 60,000 that Bicycling magazine said “has cycling in its veins.” Among Davis’s features are a $7.4 million bike tunnel and a network of bike paths so comprehensive and safe that the city has eliminated its public school buses."

In Queasy Rider the editor says "When I bike, I see faces. I see storefronts. I’ll stop to visit someone. I’m engaged in the city.”

Biking for exercise and for camaraderie has many local adherents. Biking to work is something else. It integrates exercise into the daily flow. We are lucky that ours is a 25-minute commute through the old part of the city.

Safety? We meet at 7:15, when auto traffic is light. Going home about 4:30 is also a light time - on the right streets. We stash work clothing in a locker in our classrooms. In a small way we're living as though we were in a cool, utopian city.

How many of you bike to work? To the grocery store? Where do you live?

"Shreveport drivers are pretty nice to me," said scooter commuter and Centenary prof Todd Gabriel yesterday at Brookshires. He likes motorized cycling so much he's bought his second small Honda scooter. He adds, "It feels a lot safer here than in Phoenix."

Thursday, September 28, 2006

portraits of shreveporters: photo, video, sound, sculpture, mixed media; Sat, Sept 30, 8 pm, 846 Texas Ave


Allie and posse

portraits of shreveporters

photo/video
aubrey, david, aimee, heather g. our bodies, our sleeves

sound
make out with bears, cidric, chris j, elliot, ian, jendri, chris b, mr carter

sculpture/mixed media
allison, christy, carter, jackie, jay, sherri, elliot, meredith, levette, morgan, bryan, melanie, mattie, jen

9/30/06
846 Texas Ave

8 pm
more at swampland.org

(love, love, love ...)

Bubble Rap II: art inspired by comix, tattoos, games, novel & magazine covers; now showing at LSUS Gallery and Centenary's Magale Library


Hanging the Bubble Rap II show: Michael G and Chris
.

Art zooming out of comic books, tattoos, role-playing games, horror movies, pulp novels and magazine covers and other pop culture artifacts will be on display at 2 different locations -- the LSUS University Center Gallery and in the lobby gallery of Centenary College's Magale Library. Both locations will display different work, says Michael G. Moore.

Inspired by the dialogue and thought bubbles common to comics, the title of the show refers to the ongoing visual dialogue between curator Moore and the 21 Shreveport-area artists represented. The artists:

Chris Alexander
Vivian Ogea Allen
Matt Beckham
Mark Burt
Brad Campbell
Eric Dean
Debbie Buchanan Engle
Rachel Stuart Haas
Billy Hargrove
Micah Harold
Kenny Keil
Chuck Loridans
Jody Raney
Lisa Smith
Leland Strebeck
Donna Strebeck
Robert Trudeau
Jen Wasson
Danny J. Williams
David Wright
Sizer Yerger

The two locations will have separate opening receptions:
Thurs, Oct 5 from 6-8 p.m. at Centenary
Thurs, Oct 12 from 6-8 p.m. at LSUS.

An essay by writer Michael Parker focusing on the significance of these often-dismissed genres, both historically and as expressed by local artists, will be published at the exhibit.

MoFo: Michael G. Moore at 318-686-3863, or info@nwlaartgallery.com.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

New Artspace manager is former Shreveporter MaryBeth O Connor; compares Wesley Lake Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ, to Shreveport's West Edge and Artspace


New Artspace manager Mary Beth O Connor
Originally uploaded by trudeau.

Says MaryBeth O Connor, new manager of Artspace, "My gallery work began at the C Lazy U Dude Ranch in Granby, Colorado. I was responsible for the purchasing and sales of Native American jewelry, Navajo rugs, pottery, original and limited edition prints, and the interior design of the Guest Cabins and Lodge. The ranch owner's mother, Peg Murray, was a painter that I worked with closely. At that time she had lost her sight due to diabetes. It was at this time in my life that knew what I wanted to do with my future.

Working in galleries and custom frame shops while I was studying photography gave me insight and experience and the hope of opening my own gallery some day. I worked with a gallery which focused on European Impressionists, and learned the art of creating collections and representing artists from all over the world.

Looking into the future, I wanted to be able to offer a multitude of services in my own fine art gallery and custom frame studio. So, I studied painting restoration in Florence, Italy. It is there that I had the pleasure of studying with Lorenzo Cassamente, who restores Michaelangelo, Giambalogna, and Masaccio's work in Florence and throughout Europe.

I knew when I found the space in historic downtown Asbury Park that it was time for me to venture out on my own. I fell in love with the 2500 sq ft raw space and what was starting to happen with the arts scene in Asbury. There were a plethora of artists' studios, great music (home of Bruce Springsteen's Stone Pony), the Garden State film festival, wonderful restaurants, great galleries, and a community supporting the arts. I knew I needed to be a part of the revitalization of this city.

I opened Wesley Lake Gallery after renovating the space. With dedication and passion I built a clientele of 3500 and represented 15 artists from all over the country. I loved every aspect of the business and took great pride in my work and the exhibitions I curated/produced. When I sold my business there were more than seven galleries in town, First Saturday Art Walks, a bustling downtown and Main St., huge economic growth, and a community being reborn with mulitmillion dollar condos just blocks away. Asbury Park still continues to grow and will flourish with the support of the community, and the creative spirits that are drawn there.

Although they are worlds away, downtown Shreveport and downtown Asbury Park have a great deal in common. The energy and talent is here and is growing, and with this great vision of SRAC's West Edge Arts District we can, as a community, realize our dreams. I couldn't be happier to be back in Shreveport, now more than ever!"

That's funny. Just the other day I was thinking how much Shreveport and Asbury Park, New Jersey, resembled one another.

Donald Webb lecture series, An Octogenarian's Muses, begins Oct 3 at Centenary College


River Llugwy
Originally uploaded by Stu Worrall.


In his Fall Study 4-week series at Centenary College, past college pres Dr. Webb will pay tribute to eight people who have inspired, lifted, and shaped him during his 80 years, says Amy Giglio. In his own words, “Eavesdroppers may be engaged, enchanted, enriched, encouraged and entertained!”

Donald Webb was born in 1926 in a Welsh mining village. Scholarships took him to a good school and Cambridge University. He served as a Royal Navy officer in World War II, and finally as captain of the minesweeper HMS Switha. In 1958, Don, his wife Renee, and their children journeyed to America where he trained for the ministry. His degrees include a Masters of Divinity and a Ph.D. in theology, literature and psychology. From 1977 to 1991 he was President of Centenary College of Louisiana. He lives in Shreveport and is an active community volunteer.

Series Dates: October 3, 10, 17 and 24
Times: Choose either 10:30 a.m. – noon or 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Kilpatrick Auditorium
Cost: $35
869.5136 or 869.5715

Texans apparently know something about how to henna; see recent work by Dennis O Bryant


Henna by Dennis O Bryant

We have a frisky artist friend named Dennis O Bryant. Lives in an old house in the historic district of Marshall, Texas, and plies his art. That would be landscapes, abstracts and nudes.

Single and still exploring the, well, landscape, he wrote this week, "Do you know anything about henna? It's a Middle Eastern form of body painting. More or less temporary tattoos. Do you think there would be any interest in Shreveport-Bossier?"

Well, Deno. Depends on what you mean by Any Interest. Those who see Any Interest in this Texan's take on henna can follow up at denoart.com.

He adds "Here's a couple of pics of the first session - an interesting medium to say the least." Yes, Dennis; yes. We understand. Somehow you have managed to maximize the interest in the medium.

Songwriters: author and songwriting teacher John Braheny coming to Centenary, Red River Revel

From Johnbraheny.com, via Julia Foley of Ren Ten Ten Music:

For the first time ever, John and JoAnn Braheny will present a full seminar and book-signing for Shreveport and surrounding area musicians and songwriters. Here's our schedule:

Thur: Oct 5th, 4:00-6:00 pm
Radio Interview with John Braheny on Tom Pace's program, Talk of the Town, which will be WEB-streamed live from KRMD 1360 AM.

Fri: Oct 6th, 7:00 pm
Book Signing - Barnes and Noble bookstore,
6646 South Youree Drive, Shreveport.

Sat: Oct 7th, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm ($25. Whatta deal!)
John Braheny Songwriting Workshop
Centenary College (Music Dept.)
2911 Centenary Blvd., Shreveport.

Saturday: 6:00 pm - Songwriters Stage at the Red River Revel (Notify Julia Foley if you want play live.)

Contact event producer in Shreveport, Julia Foley.
Phone (318) 402-2398 or email her at: renefoley@hotmail.com.

Private consultations in Shreveport with John Braheny ($100hr) will be available on Sunday, Oct. 8th. For further info about consulting services: johnbraheny.com/john/consult To make an appointment in advance, email john@johnbraheny.com.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Re Cycling and Shreveporters who separate and cart their goodies to the center: Kathryn Usher investigates

Direct from SptBlog editor Kathryn Usher's blog, crazy in shreveport - on blogspot:

The Dirt on Shreveport Recycling

Here's the visual for a great cartoon: A woman stands in front of three bins. They are marked PAPER, CANS and PLASTIC. She places her separated trash into these containers. What she doesn't see is that under the floor there are tubes that send everything into a trash truck headed for a landfill.

THIS ISN'T HAPPENING IN SHREVEPORT!

A post at Shreveport.blogspot.com on September 16 entitled "Garbage and the mayoral candidates" worried me enough to leave a comment. It was about the efforts to green up Shreveport.

After reading it I was concerned that my newly separated cans and plastic bottles were landfill bound. I blogged about it at my myspace site. Noma suggested contacting Liz Swaine. Here's what she had to say:

"Yes, there is always a market for aluminum. I also did some checking and found out that your plastics are being recycled, too, so you ARE making a difference! Here is the response I got from our superintendent of solid waste on the question: Plastic received at the Recycling Center is dispersed nation wide and processed to construct everything from polyester used to make carpet and other products containing polyester to new products made of plastic. Several of the companies we use are, Clean - Tech, a company in Dundee, Michigan and K. W. Plastics, in Troy, Alabama."

Didn't ask about newspapers because I don't recycle those, yet. I mostly reuse them in the litter boxes (yes we have two, sometimes three).

About the picture: These are cans waiting in my kitchen to get squished.
posted by Crazy In Shreveport @ 7:51 AM

2 Comments:

At 9:19 AM, Noma said…

What about the gobs of heavy paper I'm driving to Centenary's Recycling dumpster? Did she say? Do you know?

At 8:18 AM, Crazy In Shreveport said…

Well, um, I didn't ask about paper. Tag, you're it. You get to ask about that one. I'm afraid she'll think I'm stalking her.

Invitation to place art in background of a Homeland Security arts & crafts fair scene



Writes Juliana Hoffpauir, "I visit your blog often, enjoy it, and appreciate that it is here in Shreveport. I am hoping that you could help me with a posting. I am working in the art department on a movie shooting in town called "Homeland Security." We are looking for a local artist to donate small paintings, enough to dress a booth one may typically find at an arts and crafts fair. The scene will be shot downtown with Antonio Banderas, and the booth will be featured in the background. The paintings would be good exposure for the artist and we would take good care of them during the shoot. After the shoot, we will return them.

If you think any of your readers would be interested in donating their paintings, please let me know. I am posting on Craig's list today, but I think your audience is more appropriate. Thanks for your assistance.

Juliana Hoffpauir
Art Department
Homeland Security
318-632-8028
318-525-1453 (fax)

Classical Mystery Tour: the group Beatlemania plus the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra at the Municipal Auditorium Fri, Oct 6, 7:30 pm


The Beatles
Originally uploaded by niner74.
Butterman, the new orchestra leader, and Beatlemania, the tribute band from Broadway: the best of rock's best, plus romance.

Fri, Oct 6, 7:30 pm
Shreveport Municipal Auditorium
tickets $15, 25, 35 & 40
227-8863
shreveportsymphony.com

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Beth Patterson lays siege to Shreveport with a well-aimed bouzouki; House Concert Sat, Sept 30, 7 pm


Beth Patterson, Bayou Celtic girl
Originally uploaded by trudeau.

Guitar, bass and graphics slinger Jim Huckabay writes, "Announcing our next House Concert this Saturday, September 30 at Fairfield Studios!

How's this for a change of pace? —Beth Patterson, a spirited performer who was born in south Louisiana and is now an accomplished Celtic songstress and Bouzouki master
(if there were such thing as a baritone mandolin, this would be it) will grace our stage with her original compositions.

Beth has traveled extensively and is well respected in
Celtic circles at home as well as in Canada and Europe.
Whether or not you are a fan of Celtic music (Scottish/Irish) I think you will like Beth — her original music is passionate, and her vocals and musicianship top notch.

For more on Beth and a sampling of her live music, visit her recording label website at littlebluemen.com

Beth Patterson will draw her own following of Celtic fans from the area, so get your reservations in now for this weekend concert. Hope to see you there!"

Celtic music fans might also want to check Enoch Doyle Jeter's Northeast Louisiana Celtic Fest, to be held Oct 7 and 8 at La Purchase Zoo & Gardens, Monroe.

More at enochsirishpub.com or
http://www.nelacelticfest.org/. We're pretty sure Miss Patterson will be appearing there, too.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Mark Griffith, journeyman guitarist, has another side: baroque lute; concert at Karpeles Sat, Sept 23, 1 pm


Caravaggio_Lute Player_NY
Originally uploaded by Philharmania.
Mark Griffith, says Karpeles Manuscript Museum, will present a baroque lute recital at 1 pm Sat, Sep, 23, at Karpeles Museum, 3201 Centenary Blvd, Shreveport, LA 71104

Cost: Free
Lute Recital 1-3 pm

Friday, September 22, 2006

Caribbean art: Cuba Plastica at Meadows Museum of Art, Centenary College


stick figures 2
Originally uploaded by Mr. Mark.
The current exhibits at Shreveport's tiny jewel, Meadows Museum, Centenary College:
Louisiana Collects: Paperworks from the Roland-Geist collection of New Orleans
Aug. 20 - Oct. 22
Cuba Plastica: Recent Art from Cuba
Aug. 20 - Oct. 22
The Art of Haiti from the Collection of Dr. Henry K. Miller of Baton Rouge on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti
Aug. 20 - Oct. 15

Normal hours are:

Tuesday . . . 12-4
Wednesday . . . 12-4
Thursday . . . 12-5
Friday . . . 12-4
Saturday . . . 1-4
Sunday . . . 1-4
Contact Numbers

Info: (318) 869-5169.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Cello concert by Ruth Drummond & Paul Christopher 3 pm Sun, Sept 24, Centenary's Anderson Recital Hall


RuthieDrummondKristinaVaska-Haas
Originally uploaded by trudeau.
The Hurley School of Music at Centenary College will present guest cellists Paul Christopher and Ruth Drummond in "The Gift of Melody: The Cello Duos of Jacques Offenbach" at 3:00 PM Sun, Sept 24, in Anderson Recital Hall.

The duo released a compact disc by the same title in 2004 on the Human Metronome label. The second recording in the series, "The Perfect Gift," was released in 2005, and the third will be recorded this fall with a release scheduled for a later date. I'd like to add that I have a copy of their first disk and it's swell.

Christopher is Instructor of Low Strings at Northwestern State University and the principal cellist of the Longview Symphony Orchestra. He is also a member of the Sylvan Chamber Ensemble, which is on the Texas Commission of the Arts touring roster.

Prior to his appointment at Northwestern, he served 15 years as the principal cellist of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra and Shreveport Opera and was a member of the Premier String Quartet.

Drummond, principal cellist of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra and Shreveport Opera, is a member of the Premier String Quartet and cellist in the Evangeline Piano Trio. She is also a longtime member of the Baroque Artists of Shreveport. During the summer months, she is the principal cellist of the Shreveport Summer Music Festival and Opera East Texas.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call 869-5235.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

L' Art pour Animaux: A call to artists for Nov 19 pet sanctuary benefit at Pierremont Mall


Got milk?
Originally uploaded by Cora.

Art for Animals of Shreveport, LA. is expecting another furry event on November 19 to help the local animal rescue groups and have a great time, says Karen Guerin. The location is Pierrmont Mall. For the artisans and photographers who have numerous items to sell there is the Barktique de Noel area. And all money goes to local animal groups who provide sanctuary and find homes for abandoned animals.

Tickets are $5. Semolina Restaurant serves hot nibblies and wine. There's also a bar at which cash is welcome.

Art from all locations and in all media is welcome.

Please see www.lartforanimals.org for a prospectus with dates and more details.

Last year we served over 500 people, says Guerin, so this is a great opportunity to show your work, meet new friends and make a difference for the many four-legged beings who deserve a fair deal.

Chairperson Martha Van Horn
9 Tealwood
Spt 71104
318-869-2715

L’Art for Animals
Karen Guerin – 349-5589, artforanimals@earthlink.net
Jeanne-Marie Reed – 868-5836

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

James Burton and former Shreveporter James Austin push rockabilly compilation, Rockin' Bones, on NPR

Wanda sings for capitol.
Identified as a Shreveporter, record producer James Austin - alongside guitar bard James Burton - popped up on Morning Edition this week. Here's some of the interview with Renee Montagne (Sept 19) about his rockabilly compilation on Rhino:

"Just as the Ramones, the Clash and Sex Pistols broke the rules in the 1970s, so did a slew of equally rebellious singers and their groups a generation earlier. Rockin' Bones, a new CD collection, features the music of 1950s rockabilly artists who were the iconoclasts of their day.

Ronnie Dawson's "Rockin' Bones" is the title song on a set that also features Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and other rock 'n' roll stars.

Well when I die, buried six foot deep / With a rock 'n' roll record at my feet / A phonograph needle in my hand / I'm gonna rock my way right out of this land.
"That's really great poetry," says James Austin, who produced the Rhino set.

Austin says the idea for the compilation was inspired by a song he discovered in a record store -- in the orgasmic, over-the-top "Little Girl" by John and Jackie, recorded in 1958.

"I could not believe what I heard, and I started thinking, these are really oddball songs," Austin says. "They're rockabilly but they're so hardcore. And I came up with literally hundreds of them."

The women of rock 'n' roll, including pioneer Wanda Jackson, held their own against the men who dominated the genre, Austin says. Their message of "I'm as tough as you" was a stark contrast in an era of poodle skirts and saddle shoes, he adds.

Amazon reviewer Robert Wagner (Atlanta, GA) wrote of the new CD, "Paid a premium price for these discs, but it was worth it. Despite a few mainstream hits that could have been replaced with
more 'dangerous' songs, maybe by Gene Vincent for example, most of these songs are keepers - stuff I didn't know existed, and would be very hard to find on their own.

All in all, an excellent addition to anyone's 1950s music collection. For the most part, this is the stuff parents didn't want their kids listening to. Some of it was banned from the radio; a few songs the record companies would not put out. If you want a taste of the 'underground' music of the 50s, get this set."

Happy to hear everyone's so stoked about the recordings, but the ones played on NPR were tepid, including the opening cut by the Clash. Seems to me listening to rockabilly on record is a pretty useless pursuit. Heard and felt in a dance hall, it rips. Take the screaling guitar amps and spitting, screaming vocalist into the studio and you remove the guts.

When's the last time you heard a rockabilly band - or any punked out gang of guitar-wielding anarchists - in the flesh?

Race, gender or anarcho-excluded? See the Puffin Foundation for an emerging artist grant


Puffins on the watch
Originally uploaded by FelixvdGein.

The Puffin Foundation seeks to open the door of artistic expression to artists who are often excluded from mainstream opportunities due to their race, gender, or social philosophy, says Pam Atchison. The Foundation is interested in supporting creative and innovative initiatives that will advance social change, despite the fact that change will occur willy-nilly, with or without such initiatives.

Grants are intended to encourage emerging artists in the fields of art, music, theatre, dance, photography, and literature.

Proposals for 2007 grants will be accepted from September 1 until December 15, 2006. Visit their cool site, puffinfoundation.org., for more information.

There I found this background: "Why the Puffin? The Puffin, once endangered in the northeastern United States, was returned to its native habitats through the efforts of a concerned citizenry. Our name is a metaphor for how we perceive our mission in the arts: to join with other concerned groups and individuals to ensure that the arts not merely survive, but flourish at all levels of our society."

Talk to Lt Gov Mitch Landrieu at Artspace Thur, Sept 21, 10 am, about needs in tourism and the arts

The hospitality and tourism industry has been invited to attend a forum with Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, says SRAC head Pam Atchison. It will take place at 10 a.m., Thur, Sept. 21, at Artspace, 710 Texas, downtown Shreveport.

Landrieu wants to discuss his upcoming plans with industry officials. He wants feedback on issues important to northwest Louisiana attractions, hotels, restaurants, arts organizations, and other hospitality-related industries.

Your attendance is very important. This is our time to share our vision and let our voices be heard, says Atchison.

Parking is available at First United Methodist Church parking lot on the corner of Texas Street and Common Street. This forum will last about an hour.

Please RSVP to the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau at 318-222-9391, says Brandy Evans, Vice President of Communications. She is bevans@sbctb.org

Monday, September 18, 2006

Classical Mystery Tour: the group Beatlemania plus the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra at the Municipal Auditorium Fri, Oct 6, 7:30 pm


beatles11
Originally uploaded by frauzucker.
Butterman, the new orchestra leader, and Beatlemania, the tribute band from Broadway: the best of rock's best, plus romance.

Fri, Oct 6, 7:30 pm
Shreveport Municipal Auditorium
tickets $15, 25, 35 & 40
227-8863
shreveportsymphony.com

Jam spazz dance flight at Arodasi Dance, 327 Market St, Shreveport, Fridays 6:30 to 8 pm

The Arodasi Tribal Dance Friday Jam starts this week, says Suzanne de la Cour and Dorothinia. The session goes from 6:30 to 8:00pm at 327 Market Street. Says De la Cour, "We are following in the footsteps of other groups around the country who have been having Dance Jams one night a week often on Friday nights for a long time. Dorothy describes it as our Visual Sound and Movement Company troupe members "teaching," with many of us usually attending for the fun of improvisational dance. Designed for all abilities. Dance with us, dance in your mind, in a chair, with your body, or in your imagination. Learn how to let go and use the body fully. We plan to dance out the stress of the week for a full hour then cool down, relax, meditate then move on to enjoy the weekend. The cost is $5."

"People don't have to get dressed up, don't have to have a dance partner, she adds. " On a website I saw someone was quoted as saying 'It's like when you turn up the stereo and dance alone in your living room, just because you want to or need to...except there's a bunch of other people there doing the same thing.'"

More info: suzanne.delacour@gmail.com & www.myspace.com/ArodasiDanceCenter

Rachel & David Stuart-Haas house, Shreveport, as seen on decor8.blogspot.com; fresh finds for hip spaces

Holly Becker, a Boston decorator whose ideas are collected at decor8.blogspot.com (fresh finds for hip spaces), has this to say about the Shreveport abode created by artist Rachel Stuart Haas and husband David:

Are you into art? If it's color you crave, and you'd like to add a beautiful painting to your home, I think you'll love artist Rachel Stuart-Haas who is based in Shreveport, Louisiana and not only has amazing art, but a beautiful little house full of sensational color. Rachel would like to give us a mini tour of her home with hopes that we'll all be inspired to infuse our space with color. Another decor8 reader mini tour, coming up!

Becker also offers a sampling of Stuart-Haas' almond-eyed women.
The page is http://decor8.blogspot.com/2006/08/decor8-reader-spaces-tour-rachels.html.

Also, see more at the painter's gallery:
http://www.rachelstuart-haas.com/gallery.php.
And for finding Rachel online, thanks to my art source in Houston, Annabel Trudeau.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Shreveport Symphony Orchestra packs Riverview Theater, formerly Civic Theater, with Marcus Roberts, Gershwin & Brahms

Michael Butterman is not only dashing and articulate, he understands Shreveport's needs. Observations from his season opener . . .

1. Guest artist Marcus Roberts is not an A list jazz name. But the Shreveport audience was ready for a jazz group to accompany the SSO. It almost did not matter who did the job. Both Shreveport and Roberts benefitted.

2. Marcus Roberts is a black man from the heart of Florida and is accompanied by Creole musicians Roland Guerin and Jason Marsalis. Ethnic balance in the world of orchestral concerts is a healthy thing. Especially in a minority-majority city.

3. Butterman lead the SSO in the Star Spangled Banner, but in this quotidian act he found a way to uplift: it was an arrangement written by Stravinsky.

4. Helping the audience enjoy the Brahms & Hindemith pieces by explication from the podium was done smartly and with exemplary brevity. The audience will learn a great deal about the music this year.

5. Butterman as SSO director exemplifies how Shreveport ought to heal itself. The SSO, like everyone in the arts, has suffered from desperate budget shortfalls. But, with the arrival of a smartly chosen outsider as conductor, the door to the future is filled with light.

6. Credit to the team who built this gleaming stage: marketing director Scott Green is a hitmaker. Janice Nelson, Jennifer Akers and Susan Rogers kept the office and musical team stable. Board leader Paula Leonard initiated the conductor search. Ray Boswell has brought the transition to the house. Board members Ed Crawford, Virginia Sheehee, Sybil Patten and Bill Lacefield have impressed everyone with their care and insight. Associate conductor Kermit Poling held the center with elan and energy.

7. Online ticket sales are going to finally be reality - before next concert, said Kermit Poling.

8. The audience was cool. We showed hearty appreciation for Marcus Roberts' considerable re-working of the Gershwin. His arrangement didn't boogie in a way that would've swept us into the palm of his hand. It was complex and sober. But the clarity and breadth of his performance was compelling. The audience definitely seemed tuned in.

9. Lots of youngsters came to listen and see. I was happy to count 8 of my first-years from the arts high school, Caddo Magnet, in attendance.

Next up: Classical Mystery Tour, a Beatlemania concert at the Municipal Auditorium.
Fri, Oct 6, 7:30 pm.
Tickets - it's a special concert and not part of the season ticket package - at 227-8863.

Shreveport mayoral candidate forum to address the progress of Highland neighborhood Tues, Sept 19, 7 pm, Highland Center, 520 Olive

The Highland Area Partnership, Inc. (HAP) is sponsoring a Mayoral Candidate Forum, says Dorothy McDonald, Executive Director of Highland Area Partnership.

It is Tue, Sept 19, 7 pm, Highland Center, at 520 Olive Street

All announced mayoral candidates have been invited. Candidates Arlena Acree, Vernon Adams, Ed Bradley, Tim Goeders, Cedric Glover, Henry Hodge-Bey, Jerry Jones, and Liz Swaine have agreed to participate in the forum.

"The purpose of this forum," says HAP Chairman Will Loe, "is to give candidates for mayor an opportunity to address policy issues vital to Shreveport's future. These issues involve a range of crucial matters that include economic development, public safety, parks and open space, neighborhood schools, and historic preservation."

Ed Walsh, KTBS, will ask each candidate a question which has been submitted in advance. Members of the audience will also submit questions, said Teresa Edgerton-Scott, President of the Highland Restoration Association. .

For additional details, call 869-5706 or email hap@bayou.com.

An artist's musings on the mayoral candidates at the SRAC forum; Noma Fowler-Sandlin searches for relevance in the leaders

If you've missed seeing the candidates perform, please slip into the Highland Area Partnership Mayoral Forum on Tuesday, 19 September at 7 p.m. at Highland Center, 520 Olive.

Here's what artist Noma Fowler-Sandlin wrote in her blog after the recent SRAC candidate forum:



To be fair, I've already decided who I am voting for. But I went to the Mayoral Candidate Forum, sponsored by the local arts administrators last evening, and tried to listen with an open mind. Beforehand, they were given some questions they might address for this art-related crowd, but only a few of them chose to do their homework. This is what I heard:

Liz Swaine: She clearly recognizes that arts are integral to the growth of the city. She has plans to continue the kinds of programs that Hightower implemented that were very good to the arts/tourism industry. And she wants to work with the state to soften the rules for renovating the dilapidated buildings downtown to continue to stimulate the West Edge.

Max Malone: He flat out said that the arts would be cut. He unashamedly said so. He lost me there. The rest of his rhetoric painted a pretty ugly picture of Shreveport. Man, what a downer. Plus, "god" came up way too often.

Jerry Jones: He's a likable enough fellow -- fairly nice looking, smiles a lot, says big words with proper conjugations -- but when you really analyze what was said, it's the same political double-talk we've had from Republicans for years. He did not specify on his plans for the arts. (Afterall, we've already heard from him that homosexuals are responsible for art. And I proud to call Debbie Buchanan Engle my friend as she walked around with her name tag that read, "artistic and heterosexual.") Again, he did not offend. And I'm sure a lot of people listened with enthusiasm. He is the nice-looking, silver-tongued, articulate, used car salesman that politics nurtures so well. It's just more of the same business, so I think I'll pass.

Henry Hodge-Bey: All I could think of is, why is this man in this race? He blamed all the problems of Shreveport on the people's apathy and lethargy. Now, I do agree that is part of the problem, but to have that be your platform will not fetch you many votes, especially if you present no plan to change it. He mentioned his "son of a sharecropper" roots. (Wonder how ones name gets pretentiously hyphenated from that beginning. Hmm. Must've really changed since those days, but he still can't conjugate a verb. And sorry, you may think I'm a snob, but I want the leader of our city to not look like a boob on tv.)

Tim Goeders: Again, this guy talked about all the business problems with the city. He seemed angry that last time he ran he got less than 400 votes. He had the personality of a cardboard cut-out. He didn't touch on the arts at all, but seemed to be running on a "make Shreveport more like Bossier" platform. Yikes.

Cedric Glover: Mr. Glover was the winner of this event in my mind, although there was no score-keeping -- it wasn't a debate. As far as presentation, speaking ability and getting to the actual point, he ran circles around most of the others (although Swain did a fine job as well, she ran out of time.) He sees the connection between the arts and stimulation of the economy through the things that Louisiana does best -- entertainment and tourism. Plus, I must add, he has a supportive, visible and well-spoken wife supporting his campaign all along the way. It doesn't hurt to know that you have that going on.

Ed Bradley: Talks and talk about his plan that's on paper somewhere...but he makes me snore so much I never pick up the plan. You have to tell people what you're going to do. Not everyone is going to read your plan, no matter how good it is. Plus, with an eager, receptive, artistic crowd, the only connection to the arts he made was to drop two names of administrators. Not enough, Mr. Bradley.

Arlena Acree: Of the Republicans running, she was the most palatable. As the former tourism board point person, she knows that end of Shreveport and knows how to do it. That includes the arts. She probably has very good ideas. (I hope that whomever does win this election will keep Acree and Goeders close at hand. They have their areas of expertise well covered. But it's not enough to win my vote.) And I have to say, that despite her career background, she is not a good speaker.

Those were the candidates the bothered to come to the event, which was horribly under-attended and rushed. I would've preferred some other format, where the audience could've asked questions. Most of the candidates stayed for a reception, but it wasn't the kind of venue that would support serious conversation.

So, there you have it. I am supporting Liz Swaine. She's a friend. I think she'll do a fine job. But Cedric Glover will, too. He really was wonderful last night. And if someone held a gun to my head and forced me to vote Republican, I'd chose Arlena Acree. The difference between Swain and Glover in my eye is that I suspect Swain can actually get more of her ideas utilized. I don't know that for fact. But Cedric Glover might actually motivate the black community here and that would be a wonderful thing. For a majority black city, I am surprised at how little of their voices I hear on these things. I am fine with either of them being Mayor of Shreveport. Neither would embarrass us.

So there you have it -- my opinions. Use them for what they're worth. You know I love to opine.

I hope all of you will vote. I hope you'll use it wisely; do some research of your own. From many of my friends, I hear about how they hate Shreveport and want it to change. Well, here is an opportunity to be a virus. Change it.


Noma Fowler-Sandlin
Musebite Management Co.
noma@musebite.com

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Butterman takes over the SSO podium at the Shreveport Riverview Civic Theater Sat, Sept 16, 7:30 pm with Gershwin; 673-5108


Butterman and Poling of the SSO
Originally uploaded by trudeau.
Shreveport Civic Theater is a name that is being upgraded, and it's about time. Orchestra media managers Janice Nelson and Kermit Poling are calling it Shreveport Civic Riverview Theater at shreveportsymphony.com - in advance of getting everyone to call it simply Riverview Theater, formerly Shreveport Civic Theater. The tourism site, shreveport-bossier.org, is calling it Riverview Theater.

So, at Riverview Theater the number is 673-5108, which is info that I generally find unfindable as concert time approaches and I want to get seats for my Anytime Ticket vouchers.

May we all get seats for the Gershwin and Marcus Robert Trio concert.

Garbage and the mayoral candidates: Swaine offers background & perspective on trying to green Shreveport


Garbage
Originally uploaded by Editor B.

"I actually emailed each one of our mayoral candidates and asked them about various issues. I also asked them what they did personally to decrease their damage to the environment. Liz Swayne was the only one who responded and I am fairly impressed with the content of the email. Thought you might find this interesting and maybe you could forward it to others," writes Patricia Stafford to Janet Mighell.

Here's most of what Swaine wrote (if you see dots you'll know I shortened a passage):

Hi Patricia:

Goodness! One day I am hoping to get a 'what is your favorite color'
-type question that won't make me think quite so much so early in the
morning... :) Now I am going to make you read this "war and peace"
response!

Let me start with what I have personally done to be friendlier to the
environment. My husband and I both have motorcycles that we try to ride as able in place of driving our 4-wheel vehicles, but of course there are those days for me when helmet hair just won't do...
I have dogs, carry bicycles and loads of signs and whatnot now and
really need a vehicle with capacity, but I opted for a Honda Element.
Though it is an SUV, it gets much better gas mileage than those crazy tanks on the road today.
Up until a few months ago, I composted all household food refuse (except meats) for my garden.
Last week, my husband and I decided the two of us simply did not need a 2100-sf house so we downsized to a 1500- sf home that we renovated in Highland and absolutely love. Our smaller home requires less energy to keep cool/warm.
I try to recycle personal items through Goodwill, Dress for Success and freecycle websites instead of tossing them in the garbage. I have always found it amazing that there always seems to be a taker for almost any castoff stuff.

On the city side...
Shreveport has been aggressive in trying to educate the public on issues that we can have an impact on.
http://www.ci.shreveport.la.us/dept/dos/envirnmt.htm
http://www.ci.shreveport.la.us/AirQuality/index.htm

I wrote the information on Ozone and worked closely with our
Environmental Services office on educational material on the Cross Lake Watershed, our hybrid bus (the first in the state), Methane capture at the landfill (which we sell to General Motors), Household Hazardous waste day (see info below) and our Clean Air Committee (which is one of the ways we fight ozone--- by engaging the local business community in the discussion.)

"HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY"
Saturday 09.16.06 8:AM – 12:Noon at Louisiana State
Fairgrounds
Sponsored by: Shreveport Green, Shreveport Dept of Public Works and Keep Bossier Beautiful
Bring your antifreeze, paint, oil, stain, bleach, disinfectants, fungicides, etc. 219-1888 673-7300 213-2100

On recycling...
we happen to live in a place in which eco-friendliness is not an
ingrained way of life and that is pretty typical in any area where
poverty is high. People here are much more attuned to economic
development, crime, transportation and the more basic 'bread and butter' issues. When I was at KTBS and recycling was making news, I remember doing a story on why Shreveport wasn't involved. We had a recycling coordinator, a fellow named Bill Robertson, and several of those drop-off sites had been set up. The issue was the cost of the set-up, as all-new trucks, bins, etc., would have to be purchased. It was a very substantial initial outlay that with all of the other needs facing the city could not be justified. At that time (and even now), there were no local processing facilities for the recycled goods, so in many cases, the items carefully recycled would all still be dumped into the same landfill. Perhaps even bigger than the cost was the lack of belief that they would be able to educate the public in the minutae of recycling.

I scanned Austin's recycling site and here are just a few of the rules
and regulations.

Place your recycling at the curb by 6:30 a.m. Keep your recycling about 5 feet away from your garbage, if they are collected on the same day. Rinse containers and put the lids in your garbage. Separate paper from the rest of your recycling. Put the paper in a brown, paper grocery bag or a second recycling bin. Flatten corrugated cardboard, cut or fold it . . .

Have you ever driven though Highland on a Saturday before Monday pickup? The city is lucky if stuff makes it into the can so we can haul it away!
It never ceases to amaze me what people leave by the curb expecting the city to 'make disappear'. I can only imagine what would happen if we started asking people to separate paper, plastics, glass, cardboard, yard waste, food products etc. into bins. The garbage collectors would either have to spend untold hours separating that stuff themselves, or more likely, just dump it all into the same truck for, you guessed it, the landfill.

I am truly not as cynical as I sound, just pragmatic. I think there are
opportunities to us to explore.

1. More recycling drop off sites throughout the city combined with an
education campaign. I think Shreveport Green could be very effective in helping with this. Perhaps figure out some sort of incentive for using the bins, such as points for schools. The telephone book recycling is very effective using this.
2. Designate a SMALL area, it would have to be a neighborhood with
buy-in, to use as a pilot program, a 'test case' for recycling. Start in
a small area with a small number of rules (paper, plastic, glass,
everything else) and see how it goes. If it goes well...
3. Consider allowing citizens to vote on recycling. To institute it full
scale, the city will have to charge for garbage pickup, which it does
not do now. Allow residents to tell the city if they will pay $XXX per
month to institute recycling. The city will also have to enact, through
the city council, a 'get tough' stance on those who do not, and that
could mean leaving garbage on the curb to the dismay of neighbors, who will then CALL their councilmember and tell them to get the city to pick it up. (Believe me, I have seen this happen many, many times.) I am sure other cities have already dealt with the issue of non-compliance and we can replicate. Would this mean hiring 'garbage police?' I am unsure. We would need to make sure that was covered in the citizen-passed garbage fees.
4. Appoint a citizen committee to come up with both ideas, AND how to pay for them.

On other issues, I am a strong proponent of the continue strengthening of our Cross Lake Watershed that ecompasses several hundred square miles around the lake. We have been given broad powers in protecting this area. We should continue to work with EPA on our aggressive brownfields development in which former light industrial areas are redeveloped, such as the old Moran Galvanizing plant into a Farmer's Market, etc. We have won millions in federal and state grants to rehabilitate these areas and
I would encourage our grant writer to continue these efforts. Our
partners at the DEQ should respond quickly to our air and water issues. I have not been happy at their speed in dealing with the extreme odors from Louisiana Protein in north Shreveport. No citizen should have to put up with that horrible stench. The "green building" downtown is going to be the National HQ of Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal. The city has helped them access grants for asbestos abatement in the building and I am supportive of their efforts.

OK, whew.

So I may not be the only candidate who responds to your email, but I
will likely be the most verbose. :)

Thanks for the email and I hope you will consider supporting me!
Liz

Friday, September 15, 2006

Artspace exhibit Faces of Katrina drawing field trips, weekend visitors

"Jerry Davenport did a Second Line through the whole Artspace building today with a group of 27 Seniors from Saline High School. They got dressed and everything. Had a Blast!! The guests loved it also," said SRAC education director Julia Foley. Davenport, who was raised in New Orleans' ninth ward, is one of a group of artists who are guiding the school and weekend tours for students during the Faces of Katrina exhibit.

The artists for this weekend are Karen Wendt from 10-3 and Tony Neumann from 1-5, says Foley, who adds that "ArtSpace is open from 10-6, but the Fun-A-Torium is only open from 10-5."

Among the schools touring or scheduled to tour the exhibit are Caddo Magnet High, Strong High, Arkansas, Vivian Middle, Youree Drive Middle, Saline High, Fairpark High School, Bossier Parish Technical School, Broadmoor Middle School, Mansfield Elementary,
Rusheon Middle School, Central Elementary, Barrett Elementary,
Bossier Elementary, Vivian Middle School, Youree Drive Middle,
Broadmoor Middle, So. Highlands Elementary and University Elementary.

"We have also had special guests to tour from Centenary and Bossier Parish Community College (4 classes with Kelly McDade), as well as Volunteers of America Leadership Team. Calls are continuing to come in."

SRAC: 673-6500.

Acquiring art: a Crescent City collector to speak at Meadows Museum, Sun, Oct 8, 2 pm


geist-rain
Originally uploaded by trudeau.
In conjunction with Meadows Museum's current exhibit, "Louisiana Collects: Paperworks from the Roland-Geist Collection of New Orleans," the Museum will host a lecture by collector George Roland, owner of the Roland-Geist Collection, Sunday, Oct. 8, from 2–3 p.m. The lecture will be followed by an art supper in Roland's honor.

Roland's lecture, "Collecting or Shopping?," will explain how he and the late Gregg Geist assembled this collection of modern art.

Roland will be the special guest at a supper at Ernest's Orleans Restaurant. This event will feature a silent art auction, poster sale, cocktail buffet, Ernest's menu items and music by Dorsey
Summerfield.

Hosted by the Friends of Meadows Museum, the gala is intended
to serve as a fundraiser to help the Museum purchase textiles and textile mounts for the Jean Despujols exhibition in March 2007. Tickets are $50. Reservations can be made through the Museum up until Oct. 6.

For more information, contact Diane Dufilho, director of the Meadows
Museum of Art, at 318-869-5169, or Nell Cahn, president of the Board of the Friends of the Algur Meadows Museum, at 318-861-3040.

The Meadows Museum of Art is located on the campus of Centenary College of Louisiana at 2911 Centenary Blvd. The Museum is free and open to the public as below.

Sunday: 1-4 p.m.
Monday: closed
Tuesday: noon-4 p.m.
Wednesday: noon-4 p.m.
Thursday: 1-4 p.m.
Friday: noon-4 p.m.
Saturday: 1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Matt the Electrician looking for a Shreveport job Sept 27th, on the way back to Austin from an East Coast tour

My friend and aficionado of Austin righteousness writes, "this guy is good.
damn good.
we met him in austin numerous times.
he emailed my brother and said he was coming through town
on September 27 and wanted a place to play.
when we recommended the Savage, he said he has had trouble booking
with them in the past.
any ideas?
we need him to come to the port city.
and in his words "i need me some of that Pete Harris goodness."


Listen to his recordings at myspace.com/matttheelectrician and it might make you want to host the derned gig in your back yard.

Brick, Shopgirl, Kontroll: Centenary Film Society movies return on Tues and Th at 7 pm, Mickle Hall


David Dooley / Nude
Originally uploaded by trudeau.
The Centenary Film Society remains one of the area's most important venues for cool movies. While the series starts this semester with what are familiar US titles, the list segues into Hungarian movies, British, South African, Australian and Mexican work.

See the schedule at centenary.edu/life/film. More info at 869-5254.

It's all free but far, far from mobbed. CFS is an intimate club.

American Tragedy, Shreveport, at Flanagan's Pub Fr, Sept 15, 10 pm

Charlsie Shaver, who has captured a world of smart images for the American Tragedy, is a member of the AT street team. Fans like her and the vaunted AT organization - few rock bands have headlined the Strand Theater but AT produced a well-attended show at the Strand in March with Tyler Read and Built for Speed - mean the group continues to show off its tight, crunchy rock across the region.

Currently they play the Houston, Dallas, New Orleans circuit.

Sample their well-made, melodic but explosive tunes at myspace.com/theamericantragedy. More at theamericantragedy.com.

They play the, ahem, thunderdome, Flanagan's Pub, on Kings Hwy Fri, Sept 15.

Marcus Roberts Trio Sat, Sept 16: Gershwin with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra at Shreveport Civic Theater, 7:30 pm

At age 21, Marcus Roberts joined Wynton Marsalis’ band and toured and recorded with the trumpeter for the next six years. Most likely, he played the Strand Theater with Wynton.

Since then, he has developed his own trio, made albums and toured the world.

Roberts’ most recent recording, New Orleans Meets Harlem, is a celebration of how the early roots of jazz - with its ragtime, blues, and New Orleans’ influences - can be combined with the virtuosic Harlem styles to create an entirely new sound, says Miami Fest.

Roberts performs with the jazz royalty. Examples: playing alongside Maestro Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, serving as the Artistic Director for a Franco-American celebration of Louis Armstrong’s legacy at the Opera House of Versailles, participating in the Cultural Olympiad as an artist-in-residence for the 2002 winter Olympic Games, and in 2003, premiering his new arrangement of Gershwin’s Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra in Japan with the New Japan Philharmonic and in Europe, with the Berlin Philharmonic.

To his left is bassist Roland Gurein and on his right is drummer-percussionist Jason Marsalis, the youngest brother of Wynton.

Sat, Sept 16, they join the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra for an evening of orchestral Gershwin.

Thursday, Sept 14, the trio will perform in Centenary College's Anderson Auditorium from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The concert is hosted by Centenary College faculty jazz artist Dr. Doug Rust.

Tickets and more at shreveportsymphony.com or at 318-227-8863.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Ordinary People opens at East Bank Theater Sept 22, 8 pm, continues to Oct 1

Ordinary People is the play on which the award winning film directed by Robert Redford was based, says Anne Susman. It opens at East Bank Theater, Bossier City, on Sept 22.

It's a drama about “The anxiety, despair, and joy that is common to every human experience. if Conrad and his family are Ordinary People, why then so are we all.”

High school students from Bossier and Caddo Parishes are featured on stage and behind the scenes.

Sept. 22,23,29,30 @ 8:00PM
Sept. 24 and October 1 @ 2:00PM

East Bank Theatre/Bossier Arts Council
630 Barksdale Blvd. Bossier City, La. 71111

Adults - $13.00
Seniors, Students, Military - $11.00
Group rates available

Reservations: 741-8310

Anne Susman
Community Development Coordinator
Bossier Arts Council
630 Barksdale Blvd
Bossier City, La. 71111

Sunday, September 10, 2006

What can we do to help bridge the gap somewhere between Islamic terrorists and US nationalists?


sept 11 2004
Originally uploaded by chien courant.
Last week the Shreveport Times editorial page printed a provocation from the Jewish World Review's Michelle Malkin under the title "Post 9-11 Pop Quiz." It was far from a quiz. It was an inflammatory piece of extremism.

The middle way does not pump you up like the way of righteous indignation. Nor does anyone think the way of reason and inquiry will save the mass media from falling subscriptions.

I think every teacher and professional group in the city should take it upon themselves to pursue the middle way in regards our worries about Muslim terrorism. I suggest a small forum - in every work place - to recognize the growing world of Islam. Our workmates and neighbors are Muslims who are usually far, far from confrontational or embittered by the west.

In my classes at Caddo Magnet High School I was fortunate to have 2 Muslim teens who spoke to my classes about Islam and life in Lebanon. Both students' families were evacuated from Lebanon this summer. I think their talk and responses to questions resulted in a positive experience for all.

Just because we're not NYC doesn't mean that we can ignore the bridge building and educational efforts that will lead, we hope, to common cause in our diverse society.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Artistic linkage at Lil Joes: Rock Popes sing, Joanna Ballard vends on Sat, Sept 9


Jacob Jennings, Joanna Ballard
Originally uploaded by trudeau.
One of the steady outpourings from the local art camp is a stream of ebullient notices from Joanna Ballard. She is a writer, photographer, actress, collaborator, organizer and vendor of artful goods. And she's an irrepressible communicator. Tonight she will set up shop at Lil Joes, she reminds us with a mad hatter's wit:

"It has been too long since the Rock Popes have blessed Lil' Joe's.
Come congregate and get blessed by three Popes!

Nooooooooooo I am NOT singing (count your blessings on that one!!). The Rock Popes have honored me by allowing me to vend with em so if you missed me not being there Wednesday night I am baaaaaaack and as always with new and original baubles! Also I am working on some new stories soooo if you tip me or buy a bauble or two or buy me just a cup of coffee you just might get a story as well!"


Lil Joe's
163 King's Highway
(across from Centenary)

Joanna Ballard ~ jb@ballardsbytes.com
Ballard's Bytes ~ http://www.ballardsbytes.com
http://www.myspace.com/ballardsbytes

Friday, September 08, 2006

Blues for Herman Buzzard Lott, 1938 - 2006; benefit for Buzzard at Noble Savage Tues, Sept 12, 8 pm


Buddy Flett
Originally uploaded by trudeau.
Buddy and Bruce Flett and many other aficionados of Shreveport blues knew bassist Buzzard Lott from the Glass Hat Lounge, the 3 Dimension Club, Enoch's, the Silver Dollar on Fannin, and from the bands assembled behind Raymond Blakes, Marvin Seals and Elgie Brown. Here's Bruce Flett's homage to Buzzard:

IN MEMORIAM:
Herman Lott, better known as the bassist "Buzzard." He was born in Shreveport in 1938 and passed away almost two weeks ago. Buzzard was not buried for two weeks due to poverty.

* One of the Unsung Heroes of the local music scene.
* Arguably the best soul/blues bass player of his generation in this area.
* Poor Buzzard basically deteriorated over the past couple of decades, unkown to most but unforgettable to anyone that knew him or heard him play.

Buzzard toured with Ike & Tina Turner and Ted Taylor in the 1960s. As bassist for Elgie Brown & the Downbeats he backed up stars such as Johnny Taylor, Freddy King, ZZ Hill and Etta James in the early 1960s in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas and New Mexico.

We knew him as the bass player for Raymond Blakes and Marvin Seals in the late 70s, early 80s. A really lovable guy, he played his Fender bass with only 3 strings on it, and sometimes only two! Just the low strings is all he needed to hold down the bottom."

Buddy Flett says that he has put together a benefit for Buzzard to be performed Tuesday at the Noble Savage. Guitarist Flett says, "I'm calling up trombonist Dunny Gilyard, Elgie Brown, some more of the older heads, for the occasion." Please see SptBlog Links for the Noble Savage web site.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Thoughtful mayoral candidates spoke to small audience in forum sponsored by SRAC and numerous allied arts organizations


Jerry Jones, mayoral candidate
Originally uploaded by trudeau.
We are reminded of why the city council didn't worry about severely cutting SRAC's budget this past year. If we can generalize from the small turnout for the mayoral candidates forum sponsored by an alliance of arts-minded organizations, we must say the art class doesn't get it.

Artists of the wilder, purer sort are traditionally apolitical beings. Some of those eccentrics are impoverished, some are supported by a fund. But the rest of us exist in a world compromised by rent, medical bills and car payments. We are paying-the-bills sort of artists, often subsidy-friendly, commercial-minded, grant-aware and ambitious.

Seems to me that the majority of artists stand to benefit from being politically aware. Maybe even politcally active.

The next mayoral forum, you ask? That would be Th, Sept. 14, says Roy Gerritson of Red River Radio. The public radio affiliate and the Times will partner in a forum to be held at the UC Theater in the LSUS student center. It will be broadcast in real time from 7 to 8 pm. "Questions are being taken on the Times web page, and queries written by the audience may also be used Thursday evening," said Gerritson.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Mayoral hopefuls meet artists' queries Wed, Sept 6, PAC, from 5 pm until the grant money is gone


Liz Swaine & Pam
Originally uploaded by trudeau.
Meet and Try to get in a Word Edgewise with the mayoral candidates is set for Wed, Sept 6, at the Performing Arts Center, First United Methodist Church, says Ambassadors for the Arts.

5 pm Meet & Try to be Sincere

5:30 pm Candidates Equivocate

6:30 pm Let the Good Times Role

More: 429-6885

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Pandora.com: a streaming expulsion of music parsed & divined for me - and for you

The New Tastemakers is the article in the NY Times that moved me into the world of Pandora.com. S'nice. S'cool.

For background I found a smartly explanatory article by Marc D. Allan at Nuvo.com called Your Own Private Radio Station / Pandora.com Takes New Approach:

An analyst from pandora.com listens intently as he works at pairing listener with artist.
Everyone who loves music should go to pandora.com immediately — after reading this, of course — where you will experience the joy of creating your own private radio station.

You’ll thank me for this later, much like I thanked Tim Westergren, who founded the site.

“I spend most of my time now corresponding with people who are using the service,” Westergren said. “I have to tell you, the emotion of people is wild. People want and need music in their lives, but they forget how much they want and need it until they get it back again. And there’s such a sense of gratitude, which is just amazing. People write love letters.”

As well they should. On Pandora, you start with a group — let’s say the Beatles — or a song — “Ticket to Ride,” for example. Pandora will create a station for you. It’ll start with a Beatles song, then continue on with similar-sounding tunes. You can tell the computer what you like (which keeps similar songs coming) and what you don’t (you can stop bad songs immediately). You can add more bands or songs, too. Or you can just let it play.

The site is advertiser-supported, and it’s free.

As of this writing, I’ve been on an eight-day XTC thread that has gone in magnificent directions, including one especially memorable run of “Adult Books” (X), “Rocket from a Bottle” (XTC), “Hardcore UFOs” (Guided By Voices) and “Star Sign” (Teenage Fanclub). There have been several new discoveries — most notably the jaunty “Out Out Damn Spot” by Anthony Rapp (“If you wanna know the truth about my life / it’s a mess, it’s a mess, it’s a mess, it’s a mess”) and maybe the greatest song title ever, “Outbreak of Vitas Gerulatis” by a British group called Half Man Half Biscuit. I’d never heard of Patty Hurst Shifter, Aspera Ad Astra, The Waxwings, De Novo Dahl and Ellie Pop, but I have now. And I’m glad.

So far, Pandora employees have catalogued nearly 400,000 songs based on an array of different characteristics such as major-key tonality, melodic songwriting and rhythmic syncopation. They call what they’re doing “the musical genome project” because it’s the musical equivalent of what scientists have done with human genes.

Westergren wouldn’t divulge how many users are on Pandora, but he said 8.5 million stations have been created in three months. Each user can start up to 100 stations.

“Music makes your life better,” said Westergren, a former musician whose acoustic-rock band Yellowwood Junction has just been added to the Pandora catalog. “I think it makes the world better. It’s goodness. And people like to bask in that.”

Whether to enjoy visiting or remain immersed in the bargain book bins? Experiencing the Centenary Book Bazaar, Fr, Sept 8 and Sat, Sept 9

The sight of a jillion used books in one room quickens the pulse of SptBlog readers. So here's our annual bookgasm: some 50,000 books, along with audio and video tapes and CDs, will be sold at the 20th Anniversary Centenary Book Bazaar at the Gold Dome.

Friday, Sept. 8, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hummer & Son Honey is the corporate sponsor for this year's event, says Amy Giglio.

Zoe Ramsey, longtime Book Bazaar volunteer, points out that the event is the biggest book recycling project in the area. Ramsey, a retired librarian, manages a team of volunteers who are trained to price books fairly but affordably. The volunteers also look for extra special books to include in the event’s sealed bid auction.

“These books are donated by local people, and we want to give local people a chance to purchase them,” Ramsey said. If the books do not sell at the sealed bid auction, they will be offered on the Internet to attract a larger market.

Numerous vinyl records, including many Hollywood, Broadway and television soundtracks, will be sold by the Centenary music sorority, Sigma Alpha Iota, on the upper level of the Gold Dome.

Proceeds from the Book Bazaar help fund student projects and activities not included in the regular college budget. Among items funded by the Muses in the past are equipment for the student leisure and extracurricular activities, benches and decks, equipment for student publications, student travel, student recognition activities and a celebration for graduating seniors and their families.

The Muses accept book donations throughout the year at the Book House at 108 East Kings Highway in Centenary Square (across from George’s Grill). The Book House is staffed on Monday and Wednesday. Covered bins are available for donations at other times.

More info:
Amy Giglio
Director of Development Research
Centenary College of Louisiana
318.869.5136

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Hello, Louisiana: travel film by Monty & Marsha Brown to air on LPB Sun, Sept 10, at 3:30 pm


New Orleans Blues
Originally uploaded by NYC Comets.

"Hello Louisiana", a film by Bossier City filmmakers Monty & Marsha Brown, is scheduled to be aired on Louisiana Public Broadcasting Sunday September 10th at 3:30PM, says Monty. It is a musical travelogue highlighting our state's unique culture, cuisine, history, and.... music.

Hello Louisiana is of particular interest to Northwest Louisiana because of the film content featuring Elvis and the Louisiana Hayride, Leadbelly and his cottonfields, Mudbug Madness, the Red River, Oil City, Lake Bistineau, the story of Bonnie & Clyde in Bienville Parish, and an entertaining and historical segment on Natchitoches.

Hello Louisiana also provides a humorous and fascinating view of the whole state. The Browns originally based their film on a musical program they devised and performed for middle school students in the Northwest Parishes. That program was a historical overview of Louisiana music and was underwritten by The Louisiana State Division of The Arts.

The travelfilm industry keeps Monty and Marsha on the go. This film, as well as two others the Browns have made, "La Belle France" and "It's Great! Britain" are booked throughout the country by TRACS (Travel Adventure Cinema Society), starting in Seattle, WA. on October 2nd. They spent two months in Europe this summer filming their fourth film "La Manche-Reflections on the English Channel", which Monty is currently editing.

DVDs of "Hello Louisiana" are available locally at Artspace, 710 Texas Ave., Shreveport, and Tubbs Cajun Gifts, 615 Benton Rd., Bossier City; and in Natchitoches at The Book Merchant and Georgia's Gift Shop, both on Front Street. Also online at www.floydsrecordshop.com.

Friday, September 01, 2006

A couple of nights and a few delicious pounds in Lafayette, La: Alicia Ault for the NY Times

If you're tired of thinking about the endless conundrum called Post-Katrina New Orleans but still need a gulf coast sojourn, maybe Lafayette is your cup of fish. Writer Alicia Ault penned a 36 Hours in Lafayette for the NY Times travel section this week. A few excerpts follow:


BAPTISM OF FIRE

Start your culinary tour at Prejean’s Restaurant (3480 Interstate 49, North Lafayette; 337-896-3247), a semi-haute tribute to that South Louisiana trinity of salt, fat and deep-frying. “If you’re on a diet, you came to the wrong place,” chirped our waiter, Sebastian. Prejean’s has the scent of a tourist trap, with a 14-foot, 600-pound alligator watching over the dining room, but the food is the real deal. Start with the crawfish enchilada ($6.99), a baked cheese-covered tortilla rolled in a deathly rich crawfish-tail-studded velouté and move on to the blackened catfish étouffée, a moist fillet topped with a pile of roux-covered crawfish tails ($17.99).

ROOTS AND BEER

Since opening in 2002, the Blue Moon Saloon (215 East Convent Street, 877-766-2583; www.bluemoonpresents.com) has grown from a quirky youth hostel to a premier place to listen to local Cajun, zydeco and swamp pop, as well as national roots acts like the Iguanas and the Weary Boys.

BOOGIE-WOOGIE OMELETS

After eight years, it’s no longer a novelty, but the zydeco breakfast at Café Des Amis in Breaux Bridge (140 East Bridge Street, 337-332-5273) still packs them in every Saturday morning from 8:30 until the band stops at 11.

SOHO IN GRAND COTEAU

Near a convent on Grand Coteau’s main street is an understated restaurant whose ambience somehow suggests a cross between a quiet country inn and Manhattan chic. The polished wood floors and oversize Kodachrome-rich photographs of local flora and fauna are the perfect backdrop to the sophisticated Louisiana-rooted offerings at Catahoula’s (234 Martin Luther King Drive, 337-662-2275).

Ault has more on food and music, including the news that Grant Street dancehall has reopened.

Sadly, she ignores the rest of the arts scene. Try the ULM Museum for starters. And if you're serious about South Louisiana, check out Rebecca Hudsmith's 3 articles on the scene in Arnaudville. They ran on SptBlog in June.