A Tough Town to Die In

Funerals are strange under the best of circumstances, and for New Orleans' prominent figures, they're even moreso. Danny Barker didn't want a jazz funeral when he died because they'd become such undignified affairs, and though efforts have been made to solemnize them, they're still pretty ratty. People filtered into the Howlin' Wolf during the service for Eaglin, many of them simply there for the second line. Rather than wearing something funereal, they were in T-shirts, cargo shorts, straw hats and athletic shoes. They were dressed for Jazz Fest, and no doubt many had sunscreen in their backpacks.

I don't think their motivations were callow, but I suspect they were a little remote - more connected with a general affection for New Orleans music than Snooks, and more into participating in a New Orleans ritual than in the sad passing of a musician.

This is the mixed blessing of Jazz Fest. One of its great successes has been to support and educate people about second line, jazz funeral and Mardi Gras Indian traditions. But, with that knowledge comes the cultural tourism of people who are barely connected to the death (in this case) joining a Jazz Fest-like event in a Jazz Fest-y way, and the inappropriateness of their wardrobe is lost on them.

In most ways, Eaglin's funeral was a good funeral - a balance of spiritual consolation and good-humored remembrances. Irma Thomas sang three spirituals, and by the end, she had a vibe going with the woman playing organ so that the bar was rocking as if it were a church. Allen Toussaint and drumer James Jackson both confirmed the Eaglin tall tale that the blind guitarist once drove the band they were in, the Flamingos, home after a night when they all got too drunk.

And in death, some guys find their moment in the sun. Jackson stood with Eaglin's open casket for much of the time before the service started, took to the stage to introduce himself when the stage was made available, and when Toussaint spoke, he returned to his spot by Eaglin's casket as if the moment was a shared one. Who knows? Maybe Jackson was closer to Eaglin than any of us knew. Maybe his death spoke to him in a way that made him feel the importance of asserting his presence. I like to attribute positive motivations to people's behavior at funerals, even when I can't figure out what they are.

Snooks Eaglin

This afternoon, New Orleans blues guitarist Snooks Eaglin died. He had been in poor health. He was a truly idiosyncratic musical voice, and it is sad to lose it. More when I hear more.

Snooks on YouTube.

Give Blood

For fans of New Orleans music, I present this health update I received a couple of days ago:

I wanted to update you on Snooks Eaglin and Harry Ravain.

Snooks has been hospitalized recently, but he has been released and is doing
better. Snooks required some units of blood during his hospital stay, and
those units were charged to his hospital bill. Ochsner Blood Bank has
organized a replacement blood drive for him. Units of blood are very
expensive; a replacement drive puts donated units back in the blood bank and
Snooks gets a credit on his hospital bill for each unit donated. Thus, a
replacement drive helps keep the blood supply at good levels and helps him
with his medical expenses.

If you are able to donate blood, please call the Ochsner Blood Bank and tell
them you would like to donate in the name of Fird "Snooks" Eaglin. If you
live out of town, you can donate at your local blood bank or hospital, and
give them Ochsner's contact info and Snooks' name. The hospitals will
handle all the paperwork.

Ochsner Blood Bank
1516 Jefferson Highway
New Orleans, LA 70121
(504) 842-7826

Thank you.

Also, local drummer Harry Ravain has been battling lung cancer for a little
over a year now. Harry does all kinds of musical things, but most people
know him from Benny Grunch & the Bunch. His prognosis is greatly improved
and it is possible for him to now have surgery to remove part of his lung so
he can be cancer-free. Rock 'n' Bowl and his friends will host a benefit on
Sunday, February 8 to help defray his medical expenses. A $5.00 donation
will get you entertainment by the following: Benny Grunch, Bobby Cure, Earl
Stanley, Fleur de Lis NOLA, John Blancher (!), The Nobles, New Orleans
Quarter Notes, Orleans, Paul Varisco, Phat Tuesday, acclaimed hypnotist
Amazing Dr. Z, and much more. For more information, please call Alan Reese
at 504-888-9586 or 504-289-2167. You can check up on Harry by reading his
blog.