New Orleans in the News is a blog dedicated to moments when the city is the focus in the national spotlight. From issues concerning culture to politics to corruption, we try to cull stories from national news outlets, blogs and all kinds of sources that talk about this great city. If you have a link that we'd be interested in, send it to webteam@wwltv.com.
NPR: Bonerama: A brass-band force of nature
With their cover Led Zeppelin made the 1929 blues classic "When the Levee Breaks" famous, but Bonerama on its recent CD "Hard Times" made it Naturally N'awlins.
In classic New Orleans style, brass band Bonerama swaps out the harmonica for a trombone in this haunting, all-too-appropriate cover in this post-Katrina world.
"It moves with a heavy groove, dominated by the pounding wave of sound created by the slides of the trombone," writes Claire Blaustein with NPR. "The effect is edgier and more mournful than Led Zeppelin's lightly bluesy version — not only for its rich brass and darker, harder strung arrangement, but also because every bit of the performance comes from deep in the chest cavity, from a time and place when 'Cryin' won't help you, and prayin' won't do no good.' It feels like a force of nature, and as such, it threatens to sweep away everything in its path."
Fortunately the rest of the nation got to hear it, as NPR made it their Song of the Day for March 1. Head to NPR to have a listen, and when you're done, listen to the Led Zeppelin version and the original by Memphis Minnie. Let us know in the comments below who comes out on top.
(Oh, and heads up: Bonerama will be home to play a set on March 19 at Rock n' Bowl. You can also hit them up at Tipitina's Uptown on March 27. For more info on that and on their new CD, head to Bonerama's website)
Stateline: What's the fuss over lieutenant govs?
While New Orleans residents know Mitch Landrieu will be the city's next mayor, they're not so certain who will replace him as lieutenant governor, the statewide position he currently holds. Actually, no one is sure if there will even be a position this time next year.
Gov. Bobby Jindal has expressed interest in removing the position altogether, and as Stateline notes in a recent article, that makes Louisiana the latest state to want to do so. There are movements in California and Illinois to axe the position in their states, with critics saying their constituents "do not know what a lieutenant governor does."
"[Jindal] is pushing to eliminate the office," writes Daniel Vock of Stateline. "The move is backed by business leaders in New Orleans, mainly because it would consolidate the tasks of promoting tourism and economic development in the governor’s office. Currently, the lieutenant governor heads those efforts, but the governor has an agency that works on them, too."
Jindal, though, may have a hard task ahead of him: according to the article, only four states have abolished the state's number two position. All four reinstated the post.
Secretary of State Jay Dardenne plans to run for the lieutenant governor seat in the fall, and St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis is rumored to have interest as well.
All About Jazz: Trombone Shorty bursts onto national scene
I wrote about Trombone Shorty's upcoming album last week and how it fits into a recent trend of collaborations of New Orleans musicians, both young and old, and AllAboutJazz.com has a deeper look into the project. The album is set to be released April 20, just in time for Jazz Fest.
Facing South: In Louisiana, the census gets a dose of Cajun pride
Looking to secure funding for Cajun and Creole cultural programs, the World Studies Institute of Louisiana is asking Creole residents in the state when filling out the census to specify their ancestry.
"Kat Smith, a spokesperson for the Census Bureau's Dallas field office, says Louisiana Creoles and Cajuns who write in their cultural identification in response to the question will be counted," writes The Online Magazine of the Institute for Southern Studies.
Louisianans who want to identify themselves as Creole should write in "Louisiana Creole." Cajuns can just write in "Cajun."
There is a bit of controversy, which you can read more about after the jump, about whether Cajuns or Creoles should write in the space provided in Section 9 instead.
