Tributes, celebrations and remembrances

22nd September 2014   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

The personal loans bad credit bc Young Men Olympian Jr. Benevolent Association celebrates its 130th anniversary with one of the second line season’s most anticipated parades on Sunday, September 28, 2014. If that number is a bit difficult to grasp, the year the organization was formed and its charter signed was 1884, the same year that New Orleans hosted its first World’s Fair that was called the World Cotton Centennial.

Though the world has changed immensely since that time, certain goals and ideals held by the YMO organization remain steadfast.

“We take care of our sick and bury our dead,” declares Alfred “Bucket” Carter, who has been a member of the Young Men Olympian for over half of its existence as well as most of his life. When he was five years old, a member of the club went to his parents to ask them if he could join the YMO. sonar holdings llc payday loans “I’ve been parading with them ever since,” Carter, 80, proudly declares. With great excitement in anticipation of Sunday’s parade, he adds, “It’s going to be off the chain.”

As the club did for its beautiful 125th anniversary parade, all of the members in the impressive six divisions of the parade will don the signature YMO colors – black and white. Utilizing every combination of the two colors – men with white jackets, black jackets, black jackets with white pinstripes and white jackets with black pinstripes—each unit sported its own unique style. Prepare to once again to be impressed by the members’ flash.

The four-hour parade kicks off at 1 pm at the Young Men Olympian Junior Benevolent Association Hall, 2101 South Liberty Street. The start is always dramatic as the divisions strut out – or sometimes it appears that they pop out – of the building’s several different doors each to the call of the six small personal loans hickory nc participating brass bands.

After stops at several favorite watering holes along the route such as the Sportsman’s Corner and the Bean Brother’s Lounge, the lively procession returns home to the hall.

Carter, who everyone calls Bucket, which he laughingly explains without hesitation is because of the shape of his head, stands as one of five parade chairman that also includes Bro. Jerome Temple who acts a grand marshal. Carter is part of the First Division, a unit that also includes trumpeter Gregg Stafford who is renowned for his clowning on the route. He leaves his trumpet home for this parade, instead entertaining folks with such stunts as balancing his hat upside down on his head.

The First Division always employs a band that plays traditional brass band music with the New Birth Brass Band blowing this year. Traditional doesn’t equate to dull and this unit knows how to have some fun.

Typically, speed e payday loans the musical styles of the brass bands gets progressively hotter from the front to the back of the parade with bands including To Be Continued (TBC) kicking it hard towards the end.

“If you want to jump and flip flop and all of that go to one of the other divisions,” Carter suggests.

“I had a good life in second lines,” says Carter adding that he met both of his wives at second lines. “It’s my life and I love it.”

The Young Men Olympian Jr. Benevolent Association’s 130th anniversary parade will be dedicated to fondly remembered members Bro. Leon Anderson and Bro. Larry Maxent who passed away within the last year.

“We’re ready for it,” exclaims Carter whose enthusiasm for the YMO remains in evidence even having paraded for a remarkable 75 years.

Bruce Brice

For many people arriving at Jazz Fest, the first stop was visiting with artist american cash loans locations Bruce Brice and his wife of 38 years, Jacqueline, at his small tent under the same tree not far from the Gentilly Stage. Brice would often be lounging on a folding chair ready to greet folks and show them his wonderfully colorful paintings and prints. It was a prime locale for the artist who created one of several posters for the first Jazz Fest. His simple black-and-white drawing that depicted the layout at Congo Square of the 1970 festival – the Gospel Tent, Buster Holmes’ red beans and rice tent, Mardi Gras Indians – was commissioned to advertise the event. Bruce Brice, an integral part and highly creative part of the New Orleans community, died on September 14, 2014.

“He loved it, truthfully,” says Jacqueline of Brice talking to people and having them view his work. “He felt the essence of Jazz Fest.”

Born in the French Quarter and raised in the Lafitte house payday loans richmond in project, Brice boasted a gift of being able to capture on canvas the true essence of the cultural activities in the Black community of which he was a part. A signature of his much of his work were the small, intricately drawn, highly detailed brightly colored figures in Brice’s depictions of such institutions as second line and Mardi Gras parades, Mardi Gras Indians, jazz funerals and brass bands. The artist showed these participants in action incorporating the attitudes that told the story.

“He had a happy – positive outlook on life,” says Jacqueline.

Brice’s work can be viewed at the New Orleans Museum of Art and brightening the walls of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant.

A memorial mass will be held on Tuesday, September 23, 2014, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 411 N. Rampart Street.

This article originally published in the September 22, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.