Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame Awards — Spirit, Culture, Education and Fun

6th August 2015   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

The Mardi Gras Indian get paid in cash Hall of Fame Awards ceremony that takes place Sunday, August 9, at the Ashé Center isn’t — and has never been — your typical presentation event. It’s more like a family reunion though one that includes the ring of tambourines and an occasional “Mighty cooty fiyo…”

It begins at 3 p.m. with a panel discussion that could better be described as a story telling session. That’s because panelists, like 92-year-old Isaac “Ike” Edwards and 89-year-old Illinois Berconey both flagboys with the legendary White Eagles Mardi Gras Indian gang, have a lot of memories and tales to tell about their days “playing Indian” on streets. They are but two of the five panelists who will share their pasts and the days when the Black Indians ruled their neighborhoods though were still relatively unknown to the general population of New Orleans or the rest of the world. Roslyn J. Smith, a co-founder along with Cherice Harrison-Nelson of the now 17-year-old Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame organization, will moderate the panel in her usual warm, familiar style.

There are moments of serious reflections as the homing doves are traditionally released to the sky by Chief Clarence Delcour in remembrance of the Black Indians who have passed. There cash loans places in toledo ohio are also moments of joyfulness as Indians celebrate their culture in dance, song and majesty. As they pay tribute to the honorees, they pay tribute to the longevity of the Black Indian tradition, to their ancestors and to themselves for its continuum.

This year, the Hall of Fame will present a dozen awards to individuals and institutions that have contributed to the Black Indian tradition including the Mardi Gras Indian Council that will be recognized in the Cultural Presentation division. Chartered in 1985, at the request of Chief of Chiefs “Robbe” Lee and with the help of community activist Bertrand Butler, the Council has been influential in bringing together Indian gangs from throughout the city – uptown and downtown tribes that were once considered rivals. It is perhaps best recognized citywide for presenting the Indian Super Sunday parade that takes place uptown each year on the third Sunday of March. President Chief Howard Miller of the Creole Wild West who began masking in 1969 as a chief scout with the Apache Hunters will accept the award.

The Louisiana Weekly will be honored with the Scribe Award for its continuous recognition of and reporting on the Mardi Gras Indian tradition and those who have and continue to keep it vital. The Backstreet Cultural Museum online payday loans next day – “A Powerhouse of Knowledge” – will be presented with the Guardian of the Flame Award, named in honor of the late great Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr.’s gang the Guardians of the Flame. Let his light shine forever.

Shuggie Otis Returns

Guitarist, vocalist, composer Shuggie Otis declares that he is newly inspired. Off the scene for too many decades, he has reemerged on touring schedules and last year released the album Live in Williamsburg that captured his show at Brooklyn’s The Music Hall of Williamsburg. On Saturday night, August 8, he and his quintet will take the stage at Howlin’ Wolf.

“I have no idea,” says Otis, 61, of what brought on his latest burst of zeal. “I think it’s something that’s beyond me. I’m just grateful that it’s happening.”

Before Otis’ heralded 2013 show at New Orleans’ House of Blues, the last time he was heard in the city was performing in 1988 playing in the band with his illustrious father, the legendary bandleader, singer, composer, talent scout, artist, and more, Johnny Otis. The perhaps unlikely place for the R&B giant was the Blue Room at the then Fairmont Hotel, now the Roosevelt.

(As a side note, Johnny loans in las vegas nv Otis’ extended engagement at the Blue Room allowed him time to guest deejay for WWOZ community radio station directly from the Fairmont’s lobby. It was a blast.)

On the new album, Otis displays two very distinct sides of his musical self as well as his many influences. The disc opens with “Inspiration Information,” a funky, old-school soul number that was the title track of his very popular 1974 album of the same name. Later in the live recording he hits on some straight-up blues, on his own, “Sweetest Thang.” Otis’ guitar playing stays in the pocket with no extraneous notes or riffs, just those that are there with a purpose.

“I naturally flow with what I am feeling as far as the blues is concerned,” says Otis who feels privileged to having been asked to sit in with giants Bobby “Blue” Band and B.B. King. “The blues is very close to me. It came into my life when I was a little kid – it was there since I was listening to music when I was three or four years old. I heard Ray Charles and B.B. King on the radio and (my father’s) band rehearsed at the house every weekend. I used to feel the excitement of the music world during those rehearsals. After the cash advance reedsburg recording “Cold Shot,” I got to be known as a guitar player who can play the blues.”

Much of Otis’ music is right up New Orleans’ alley considering the amount of funk that’s laid down. “My influences come from everywhere but I’d say Sly Stone was the very biggest one to my music. He’s, what I call it, my music teacher. He’s an incredible composer but he’s underrated for that.”

Naturally, Otis who was basically self-taught except for several years of private lessons in composition and music scoring, looked to his father as a role model.

“He was always there,” Otis states. “He was a big influence on me not only musically but as a business person. I thought he was a great businessman. As a little kid, I would be there when he would be doing his phone calls. A lot of his ways rubbed off on me plus I guess it’s in the blood. So when I’m doing things — talking to my band members or evaluating something in the studio — it’s like he’s right there with me sometimes.”

“He was a father who shared a lot of things and gave me a lot of insight just about people, life, everything you could think of. global dominion personal loan He was very open ever since I was a kid and he would listen to me as well. He was very funny too, oh yeah.”

Otis will be heading a quintet, including his brother Nick on drums and saxophonist Albert Quon Wing, for his show at the Howlin’ Wolf. They will be performing a lot of material from his well-known albums Inspiration Information and Wings of Love and the latest Live in Williamsburg.

“The group has a way different sound,” Otis offers. “With five pieces, it’s not so much of a show band. In 2013, I wasn’t concentrating on the music like I am now. I’m concentrating on the music second by second. Back then, I was approaching it more in a business manner. Now I’m thinking music. I’m not thinking about what’s right or wrong. It’s a new experience for me and it’s turning out just fine.”

“The two exciting things in my life right now are the new band that I’m touring with and the album that I’m working on.”

“If you like my music or anything like my music, you shouldn’t miss the show,” he encourages. “Just come see the band.”

This article originally published in the August 3, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.