AnimaMundi

Keep On Pushin'

When The Arabi Wrecking Krewe and people from The Rising Tide Conference helped to gut Cora Foster's Hollygrove home last Sunday this is what they found on the refrigerator door:

(Via People Get Ready)

8/29/05

WE ARE NOT OK

Poppy in the Boston Globe

Poppy Z. Brite, a New Orleans author, wrote this well written article for the Sunday Boston Globe. She is one of the true voices of the New New Orleans.

Sun-Day of Rest

What are we doing today? I'll probably pound the keys for a while, play with and walk Aldo, do some reading and grill later. Not much really.

The Rising Tide Bloggers, after a weekend of conferencing-debating-debauchery-drinking-drama-carrying on, along with The Arabi Wrecking Crewe will gut a home of a family that has very deep musical roots. How's that for UNFATIGUED?

Ray informs us that: The house we will be gutting is that of 84-year-old Mrs. Cora Foster. While Mrs. Foster herself is not a musician, her daughter is. She is a pianist, organ and choir teacher. She began her studies at the Greater First Zion Baptist Church. She now resides in Detroit Michigan. Her uncles are Sam and Honore Dutrey. Sam was a Preservation Hall coronet player and Honore played in the famed King Oliver's band aside Louis Armstrong. Other great uncles include Buddy Bolden and Jelly Roll Morton. Truly a family who have had an impact on the music of New Orleans.

A Year Later

Once home to countless musicians who shaped the face of jazz, rhythm and blues and rock n' roll, the Lower Ninth War in New Orleans lies in ruins today.

Aldo and the Vizla Twins

There's a somewhat portly man who walks his two Hungarian Vizla's (pictured) down our street. We have been watching him walk these two fine looking dogs on a dual leash since they were young, though sizeable, pups. Aldo hates these two dogs and they appear to have an even greater hate for Aldo. Aldo's 25 pounds and these two Hungarians tower over him.

Frank "Portly" Rooney is the owner of the dogs and he doesn't know how to control them. So he lets them off the leash on our street. He does that because our street becomes unspoiled forest, protected wetlands and fields 3 houses away. (Unfortunately, this is about to change since this beautiful tract of land is going the way of luxurious homes with 5 acre lots. The first owner and despoiler owns a Velveeta-colored Porsche.) He thinks this is the way to go since he can't control both dogs on a leash. Portly people don't like to be dragged around by two Vizla's chomping at the bit. Mr. Rooney likes a nice casual walk, nothing too strenuous. One his dogs always makes for Aldo whenever it encounters him in open territory. Aldo's always on a leash since he would be runover within a day if he weren't. Aldo's not car saavy. When the Vizla makes its aggressive move toward Aldo, Kathy holds her ground. Aldo in turn submits and that's about it. Aldo is a solid 25 lbs and built like a small low Hummer. I'm sure that Aldo could hold his own if attacked. This crap has happened three times and that's about all we can take. The last time it happened, Kathy lost it and cursed Mr. Portly up one side and down the other. When an Irish colleen gets her temper up watch out. Mr. Portly merely smiled and said "calm down." This was the wrong thing to do. It was then that we decided to called the animal protection people at city hall. It took several calls and days for someone to respond. Then, one night Mr. Grandy, another portly gentleman, from the animal protection department came over to our home in his van with lights flashing. He left them flashing while he came in to talk about the Vizla-Rooney situation. People in the neighbor porbably thought that Aldo had attacked and ate an old woman or child. Mr. Grandy wore his pressed uniform complete with American flag sown on his shortsleeve tan shirt. He told us that he had worked with the canine unit in Vietnam. Mr. Grandy then went into a lengthy explanation of possible outcomes of our complaint. Many seemed overly complicated and extreme, but we listened quietly. At one point, Aldo brought him his well chewed nyla-bone. Mr. Grandy acknowledged Aldo's charm. Aldo knows how to ham it up. He took his leave and assured us that Mr. Rooney would be warned again, since he was already known to have problem dogs. The fault though doesn't lie with the Vizla's, the problem is Mr. Rooney's lack of control over these great hunters. So, I guess that Mr. Grandy has contacted him because Aldo hasn't seen them scuttle by the house in weeks. With hackles raised, he faithfully barks at them through the screen door when they walk by the house. After they pass out of sight, Aldo heads for the back door although that is nowhere near where they have gone to. He wants to make sure that all points are covered. He's thorough, like Churchill.

 

La Bella Figura

Italians, as I know from my Sicilian-Calabrian training, love drama. They also hate rules and laws with ferocity. They must look good rather than be good. They must cut an impressive face/stance in the world, La Bella Figura. Though, judging by some of the reviews of this book, Luigi Barzini seems to have not only described the Italian psyche more vividly, but also set a precedent.

Oyster on Spike Lee

Oyster, Your Right Hand Thief, offers his take on Spike Lee's "When The Levees Broke". It's the best one that I've read. Give it and the comments a good thoughtful read.

Dooky Chase and New Orleans Restaurants

The NYT has this article about the continuing struggle of New Orleans' restaurants.

From the article:

And as Mrs. Chase points out regularly, she and her husband disagree on the direction the project should take — whether, for example, to open the takeout window before the main dining
room. Not only that, he just doesn’t like to spend money.

“He wouldn’t give a crippled crab a crutch to get to a gumbo party,” Mrs. Chase said.

“I don’t have a message until I have something positive to say,” Mr. Chase countered.

Miles and Miles To Go

My mate's cousin just gave us 100,000 miles on US Air. That can get us to Europe (Madrid/Andalucia or Sicily), Mexico, the Caribbean or San Francisco. SF is K's first choice for a continental choice since she's never been. I was thinking New Orleans, but I've been overruled since the tix came from her cousin. I could always bring snakes or Uber, my pet monkey, on the plane and force them to let us off in New Orleans and then they all can fly on to SF. New Orleans, I can smell your food and soul. We'll see what the fates hold in store. I do believe that sometimes the destination's spirit of place choses you.

"When The Levees Broke"

Spike Lee's "When The Levees Broke" hasn't even aired yet and the opinions are raging. Parts 1 & 2 are on tonight from 9-11 EST on HBO. Parts 3 & $ are on tomorrow night in the same time slot.

Via Rob Walker @LFNO, here are links to the Salon review and NPR's interview with Spike Lee.

Voices of New Orleans has a review of the documentary and this quote at the top of their page:

"Even though all the stuff they'd gone through, there were still many times where the stuff they were saying had the crew dying laughing. I know it might seem like it's gallows humor, but just the spirit of the people — I think that's what makes New Orleans the most unique city in America. And that's tough for me to say, being from New York. But I got to give it up. New Orleans does hold that distinction. And you see it in the people." — Spike Lee

On the Docu: Another angle from Truthdig.

The New Yorker magazine has collected its articles about Katrina's aftermath on this page. I found the slide show of photographer Robert Polidori accompanied by his commentary about documenting the destruction to be very strong. It's the "What's Left" link.

"I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)"

Barbara George recently passed. Home Of The Groove remembers her.

"Playing on “I Know” and the subsequent album were many of the founders of the label, the AFO Studio Combo: John Boudreaux; drums, Peter ‘Chuck’ Badie, bass; Roy Montrell, guitar; and Melvin Lastie, cornet; with Marcel Richardson on piano and an uncredited vocal chorus. Lastie’s solo on this single, written by Battiste for a distinctive change from the standard sax break, is a catchy, miniature classic perfectly suited to the song. George’s vocal, while youthful
and not having a big range, is strong and has conviction on this and her other sides for AFO."

When I was younger and spent my summers chasing elusive women on the beach in Westerly, RI, this song was very popular via WINS in NYC. Little did I know it was from New Orleans.

Animator vs. Animation

Since this is Animamundi, in this fantabulous Flash short the animation fights the animator. Hit PLAY for those tech-impaired like me.

Pasta

Harold McGee, in his fine newly revised book, "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen", points out the myth of Marco Polo bringing noodles, and thus pasta, back from China to Italy. McGee says that a recent book by Silvano Serventi and Francoise Sabban, "Pasta: A Universal Food", set the record straight. McGee: "China was indeed the first country to develop the art of noodle making, but there were pastas in Mediterranean world long before Marco Polo." The Northern Chinese appear to have developed the art of noodle making sometime before 200 years b.c. China also invented filled pasta, the origin of ravioli. Far the west of China, the birthplace of wheat, there are signs of pasta-like preparations in the 6th century. In the 12th century, 200 years before Marco Polo took the Orient Express, the Arab geographer Idrisi reported that the Sicilians were making thread-like itriya, an Arabic-derived term, and exported them. In postmedieval pasta pioneering, pasta makers in the south of Italy and Sicily perfected that glorious stuff we know as pastasciutta or "dry pasta". Naples the became the epicenter of durum pasta manufacturing.

Aaaah, Sicilia

I've added some newish pictures of Sicily, that mysterious and extreme jewel. It hurts to even look at them, since international travel as we know it for us commoners is fast disappearing. I'll have to go one last time soon or it'll be out of reach for me.

"Words Are Stupid. Words Are Fun. Words Can Put You On The Run... Eat Your Words, But Don't Go Hungry, Words Have Always Nearly Hung Me..."

Maud Newton is always on the look out for new words, like "poocha". I have never had the pleasure of taking a shower while someone came in and took a shit. I guess I'll have to wait.

ALDO's Photo Gallery Is Up

In the left side bar, there's pictures of the fabulous wonder dog, Aldo. More to be added soon.

The Tide Is High...

The Rising Tide Conference has a new site up. The logo says it all.

That's a Good Thing

New Orleans has its share of racism as do all of our cities in this land of the free. Here's a little tale that shows that places exist where the color of one's skin isn't as important as letting the good times roll.

Come Fly With Me

Jet airplanes are a symbol of modernity but they look vulnerable – ideal targets in a holy war. That’s why jihad's like to fly more.

Average Age 25

Jimmy Breslin came out of retirement to remind us all that these 50 people have died in Iraq since August 6th, 2006. Their average age was 25. In Vietnam, it was 19.

9/11 Pop-Up Coin

This 9/11 commemorative coin is a wonderfully imaginative and idiotic way to remember the catastrophe.

Home

Lawrence Durrell in his book, "Spirit of Place", writes of the unique qualities of the places that he has lived like Corfu,  the Midi in France, Rhodes, et al. He speaks of the unique spirit and soul of places that seem to emanate from the soil and people. It's in the wind and water. It's in the food and weather. It's alive and pulsing.  This article speaks to that same spirit and soul of place in New Orleans. Carolyn Parker is a person who feels that soul and spirit of place very deeply.

Via Da Po' blog

The French Quarter is Fine. What Are You Complaining About?

Opaque and thick-as-a-brick, most of the country believe that things are hunky-dory in the New Orleans, especially in the French Quarter where water didn't destroy every damn thing and some businesses reopened fairly soon after the Deluge. This post from New Orleans Slate reprints a letter from a small business owner in the French Quarter. All is Not OK people. They can't hold on forever. Some haven't and that's a low down dirty shame. I could have used very fowl language to describe the insult to these business owners, but I'll save that for August 29th.

Via Traveling Mermaid

FAQ's about the city from the Official Site of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau

Via Adrastos Blog

Mapping Lucy

Citizen journalism at its best.

Mapping Lucy, Architecture Student with Very Nice Opportunity to travel/research this year thanks to the Branner Travelling Fellowship at UC Berkeley. This blog is a record of my trip-in-progress.

HT People Get Ready

Musical Survival

Jan Ramsey writes the "Mojo Mouth" feature for Offbeat magazine in New Orleans. She says: The biggest concern we should all have in New Orleans regarding music is making sure that the people who make the music come back here to live and that our music-and culture-makers are healthy. It’s crucial. Without them, our musical culture is going to either die, or become museum fodder, no question about it. The second thing we need to keep our music alive is to educate kids on the importance of our culture. If they don’t hear the music and learn about it when they’re young, they’re not going to appreciate it.

From The "B" Side blog, Red Kelly has an excellent post on Charles Brimmer, a soul singer of the highest caliber. Here's another example of a person with so much talent and virtually unrecognized by the rest of the world and probably most of New Orleans.

It's The City of New Orleans, Stupid!

Schroeder at People Get Ready has put together an exhaustive post on Mayor Nagin and what he has done for the city after he was re-elected. If you want to know the real story, please read this well researched and essential piece.

All Together Now, Mostly

Rob Walker at LFNO blog quotes Jelly Morton about the social living situation in New Orleans:  "New Orleans at the turn of the 20th Century was, as Jelly Roll Morton described it to Alan Lomax, 'a free and easy place. Everybody got along just the same'."

Under The Stars Next To A Mountain

Maud Newton wouldn't mind camping out for the rest of the summer under the stars next to this mountain by herself.

Woodcut by Neil Welliver

What's Your Name?

The naming of a person, animal or thing sometimes sheds a some light on the essence of the entity named. Anima Mundi chose me rather than vice versa. The horrific deluge of the fine city of New Orleans and the consequent continuing aftermath came to me through bloggers rather than the MSM. The soul of the world is not in great shape as is clear from New Orleans pre-levee breaches and especially post-deluge.  That fragile soul's been in ICU for a while now and looking for a transfusion unlike any other.

This a distillation of some thoughts and quotes about anima mundi, the world soul:

The Greeks were the first known to use the term the “soul of the world” imprisoned in matter. The alchemists further refined the meaning to describe the alchemical process of freeing the soul of man trapped in the body and the world soul locked in dead matter. It also refers to the “mythic and psychological undercurrents that shape world affairs…so the world has a soul, a destiny that plays itself out in everyday events”. Jung reiterated the soul of the world idea when he researched the alchemistic process that was in fact an unconscious projection onto matter of what was happening in their psyche.  From Thomas Moore’s “Care of the Soul”: “ The soul exists beyond our personal circumstances and conceptions. The Renaissance magus understood that our soul is part of a larger soul, the soul of world, anima mundi. This world affects each individual thing, whether natural or man-made. To the modern person who may think of the psyche as a chemical apparatus, the body as a machine, and the manufactured world as a marvel of technology, the idea of anima mundi might seem strange indeed…My own position changes when I grant the world its soul. Then, as things of the world present themselves vividly, I watch and listen. I respect them because I am not their creator and controller. They have as much personality and independence as I do."

It's In The Music, Always

This very good Times-Picayune piece focuses on the New Orleans music scene and its musicians.

A lone trumpet player plays for his lost neighborhood in New Orleans. Very tough to read, but very much worth it.

(HT The Always Traveling Mermaid)

A Trumpet and a Keyboard

Duke Magazine has a in depth review of Thomas Brothers' book, "Louis Armstrong's New Orleans".

"...New Orleans remains a singular treasure, a hunk of Brie in a sea of CheeWhiz."

Brian Thevenot writes for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans. His articles are exceptional and perceptive. Here he tells what life has been like for him this past year.

A Great Day In Harlem

It's amazing and embarrassing that a jazz museum doesn't exist in Harlem. People are working on it, but shouldn't it have been opened decades ago?

A Great Day in Harlem

Tropical Depression

So, you think it's hard getting on in your daily slog-grind. It is and the weight is sometimes hard to carry. Then you look at what people in New Orleans are going through a YEAR AFTER THE FLOOD.

Photo Nola Nik

This post will also make you appreciate the fact that you can read this in the comfort of your home.

Your Former Neighbors

This is what happens when you talk about weird things in the elevator.

Today's Matinee

Since it's 451 Farenheit outside and with stifling humidity to boot, an afternoon matinee seemed right. So, we went to see Robert Altman's "A Prairie Home Companion". I'm not even an irregular listener of Lake Wobegon, the mythical idyllic place in the heartland of the USA. But, I am a fan of Altman's work. We were both immediately sucked in by the whole cast and the casual non-chalance pervading the whole mood of the film. There are a lot of laughs and some pathos too. All in all a good film that is full of characters and an angel. The death of Chuck Akers is very amusing. (Non-spoiler)

Lefty and Dusty are the tits. I like that expression a lot. It should be used more often.

Trivia: When Kevin Kline's character pops the cork off a bottle of champagne, the cork shoots off-camera and hits director Robert Altman in the forehead. A small cry of "OW!" can be heard and Kline says, "Sorry!" without breaking character.

 

St. James Infirmary In the News

Rob Walker at LFNO blog reports weekly on mentions of the song "St. James Infirmary" in the news. This week he points to a Times-Picayune article about an upcoming N.O. documentary. The trumpet player, Irwin Mayfield, was there in connection with publicity for one of the future projects.

Mayfield addressed the reluctant-evacuee question -- still baffling to a lot of nonresidents -- with a personal revelation.

"My father was a victim of drowning due to Hurricane Katrina," he said, to a suddenly airless room. "There was something like 8 to 9 feet of water in the street where he was.

"He didn't want to leave. It was a major evacuation. My mother left, and she talked to my dad and said he should leave. And he was just like a lot of people in the city (who said), 'And go where? To do what? And why?'

"I still get responses (from) people saying, 'Do you know what? I'd rather stay in my house with enough peanut butter and water, and get on my second floor and watch the water go for two months, than go back to Houston or Baton Rouge or experience what I experienced in other places.' "

Then Mayfield, who'd packed his trumpet for this trip west, closed the session with a solo rendition of "St. James Infirmary Blues."