New Orleans Politics

WOODSHEDDING 

When Lolis Eric Elie, the moderator for the mayoral forum on music and cultural policy (the Carver Theater, September 11), asked the candidates to focus on matters of policy, he might as well have asked an amoeba to become an equilateral triangle.  His admonition was less than effective, because the candidates were determined to woodshed.  Musicians woodshed or rehearse assiduously in order to hone their skills.  Politicians woodshed to sharpen their rhetorical skills and use them to secure votes.  Music is a vital feature in the traditions that give New Orleans a unique flavor.  In the current century, music is as much a part of business and tourism as it is a part of organic celebration.  There is the rub.  When music is linked with policy and governance, exploitation can thrive.   Knowing  that to be the case, most of the candidates used rhetorical appeals to avoid addressing directly how viciously policy can cooperate with corporate interests in exploiting music and musicians.  Although a number of musicians were probably  in the audience, it is noteworthy that not one of them was on the stage to direct questions to the candidates.

In their opening remarks, the eight candidates who participated ---Bagneris, Bruski, Cantrell, Charbonnet, Cole, Henry, Scurlock, and Vassal---provided clues regarding their thinking about music and cultural policy.  Typical clues: 1) the music infrastructure should involve everyone who is related to music, 2) music must be discussed as a part of tourism, 3) the lack of respect and disconnection that musicians feel should be dealt with by providing more incentives, 4) musicians have not been appreciated enough, 5) the corporate regime deliberately undervalues musicians, 6) the mayor's office should have a chief of cultural affairs, 7) the mayor's office should have a team to put musicians first on the cultural agenda, and 8) the mayor's office should enhance the traditions of music, Mardi Gras Indians, and second lines in neighborhoods.

Fireworks went off , however, when the candidates had to respond to questions about current policy, the noise ordinance, curfew, the arresting of musicians, and what musicians are paid for their creativity.  Music is not a crime, and musicians should not be arrested for playing music. Short-term housing makes rent impossible for most working musicians.  If musicians have to live at some distance from the venues wherein they play, they have transportation and parking issues to deal with.  Gentrification is pricing musicians out of the city.  The current noise ordinance should be adjusted to deal with neighborhood traditions. [See NOLA Noise Ordinance, sections 66.136 to 66.208 ]  Can noise violations be proved in court?  Musicians deserve guaranteed pay on Frenchmen Street, a larger portion of what is made at the door, the "gate."  Musicians need to organize and sponsor their own festivals.  Musicians should be involved in a continuing forum to advise City Hall about cultural policy.  The Jazz and Heritage Festival organizers pay out-of-town musicians more that they pay local musicians. The current curfew regulation that forbids a person 16 or younger who is not accompanied by a responsible adult  to be in the French Quarter or on Frenchmen Street past 8:00 p.m.  hampers the young person's ears-on and eyes-on  learning about the rituals of jazz. The fireworks exploded, and civility went on vacation. And one candidate opened the floodgates and let pent-up anger flow. Fred Johnson, co-founder of Black Men of Labor, offered the most sage advice about music and cultural policy when he said the future mayor needs to do some homework (woodshedding) and learn how to deal fairly with the music and cultural ecosystem in New Orleans.  Voters can expect nothing more and should settle for nothing less. Access the WWOZ live stream video of the forum at vimeo.com/2333542078 or http://wwoz.org/762-WWOZs-live-video-stream.

Jerry W. Ward, Jr.                                            September 12, 2017