am down in new orleans and saw on thursday, a most charming musical extravaganza named Bingo! which pits 9th ward hipsters against one another in an epic bingo battle whose prize is to dance with the masqued caller to a curious cool jazz/cabaret backing band led by a sideshow barker frontman with a megaphone. between rounds are films "who wants to see a mooo viiieee?" the barker asks, and incidental music with casios, upright bass, organ, violin, drums and percussion including toolboxes. a little bit of tom waits there, a lot of spectacle. how long can the novelty last?

doing location recordings of high school marching bands, mostly hoping for outkast renditions and getting lots of drums, plus the sound of the taps on the danceline girls' shoes. i've been talking with a girl who teaches at one of the public schools in the city, and she said that basketball and the band are the only reason that students even bother doing their homework - the only motivation. the school system is wildly corrupt, has drained art and music funding first of course, and is virtually bankrupt. still, the city marching bands, black by default as desegregation led the white minority to set up an extensive private school system, manage to be the best every year.

also went to the backstreets museum, dedicated to mardi gras indians, 2nd line parades and black social organizations, and had a personal tour by the director's wife. jazz funerals still occur daily and range from the stately old line to crazy, fast-paced new style parades that the older generation hates but is 'more appropriate for someone who dies at 20.' the director videotapes most of the parades, has received dozens of the indians' costumes (made at a cost of sometimes $10,000) and other accoutrements of the costume - but no state funding. i hear things like that and wish that there was a national organization that would help coach new museums, esp. those reaching non-trad audiences, through those first few years of grant righting and acquisition. the museum is great for it's informal atmosphere - the indians borrow their costumes back for presentations and folks drink within feet of the exhibits, but this could lead to its downfall too. how not to turn it into the sterile rock hall, all glass cases and untouchable celebrity, while preserving that history for the future - respecting it and giving it the honor it deserves along with the ultra-white mardi gras krewes, which for the duration of carnival are THE NEWS and the social life of 'the city' if you consider the 30% white minority 'the' anything.