Anyone been to Treme?

southcoastukes

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I’d like to indulge the UU community for just this one post with a question which is only barely related to the ukulele.

Treme is pronounced “tre –may”. French, of course, and I can’t type the accent on the second “e”. It’s one of our oldest neighborhoods, right behind the French Quarter – the back side of Rampart Street.

New Orleans is kind of insulated from the rest of the country – geographically (surrounded by water) and culturally. We see this new show about us as the best ever depiction of the culture of our city, and especially what life is like for a musician here. While MTV has its’ reality shows, I don’t remember any sort of (barely) fictional drama that focuses so much on the life of an average musician, at least as they have it here in our city. No television drama I’ve ever seen lets musical performances (and what performances!) so dominate their time on the screen.

I’m just curious, do many of you watch this show? And if there are musicians among you, do you live like this? Music is such a part of everyday life in the city – a lot of people dedicate their life to it, and see no higher calling.

BTW, the closest we got to an ukulele performance was in season one when Debbie Davis & the Pfister Sisters sang on one or two episodes. She's a fabulous jazz rhythm ukulele player - too bad she didn’t have her (ahem: Southcoast long-neck) Soprano with her for that session. And what a bummer that Steve Earle got blown away last week. I’ve walked that block dozens of times.
 
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Awesome show. I started watching from episode one based on my love of The Wire and The Corner (same writers and producers). I've never been there, but would like to one day for sure. I'm so out of my mind that I actually considered purchasing a trombone last season, based on the fact that Antoine makes it look so damn smooth and cool. Haha.
 
Only been to the Treme once. A pal of mine teaches high school down there. He showed me all around. What a great city! Especially the music!!
 
Love the show! How accurate is its depiction?
 
Love the show! How accurate is its depiction?

Most of the minor characters, especially the musicians, are playing themselves. The portayal of the music scene is well done. The writers are pretty much on point - the good and bad.

They didn't have to do much writing on a lot of their plots - the storylines are very, very close to things that actually happened.
 
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Supposed to watch it- My boss told me Steve Earl was in it...have not gotten to it yet, but I will
 
I watch it and like it but it is seriously lacking in ukuleles. You need to get on that! :D
 
I watch it and like it but it is seriously lacking in ukuleles. You need to get on that! :D

Doing what I can! There are atually a lot of "closet ukulele players" among the city's musicians. More banjo players here than anywhere, and a lot of them started on banjo ukes.

In spite of the fact that the musicians like to play them, there's a hesitancy to play in public. Haven't quite been able to pin down why.
 
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Best show ever! I haven't missed an episode. I am a Local 80 Grip in Los Angeles and have worked on some HBO productions over the years. "Deadwood", "Big Love", "John From Cincinnati", and a couple more. I would pay them if they would let me work on that show. Well, maybe not. HBO has one of the worst "I.A.T.S.E.", "International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees", contracts around. Reduced rates. I'd at least put myself up there with no per diem, (living expenses), and that's huge. I play ukulele on every set I work on. Right now I'm working on 90210. I know, pretty lame. It pays the bills.
Every time that show starts I can't help but pick up my uke and play along with the opening title song. The original song that Annie "T" wrote on the show and played with Steve Earl is a great tune. I saved the episode and will write an arrangement of it.
The show is my favorite because it's about musicians. I'm in no means a softy but the last episode brought a tear to my eye. I pray that Steve Earl pulls though. Don't tell me if you know how it ends up.

Mr. Earl was held up by gunpoint while walking Annie "T" home after playing on the street with her and a guy with a penny whistle. He just had to say, "You're choosing the wrong path Son". "I ain't your Son"... bang.
 
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Well, since it seems there are fans, I'll throw out the following tidbits.

The theme song you mentioned Uke2, is sung by John Boutte (boo-tay), the second coming of Sam Cooke - the Bouttes are one of those old musical families here and he has had some very minor appearances (as himself).

Antoine is played by Wendell Pierce, a native son. His wife on the series, Phyllis Montana LeBlanc (as in Big Chief Tootie Montana of the Yellow Pochanontas) was the standout real life witness / character / poet in Spike Lee's "When the Levees Broke". "Antoine! ya need to get youself a J-O-B JAWB mm hm!" A lot of musicians do end up with jobs as music teachers in the school system, and students are indeed known to slip into the clubs to hear their teachers perform.

DJ Davis' character is based on the real life DJ Davis, and WWOZ is a great local radio station - run by the Jazz & Heritage Foundation - same folks who put on the Jazz Fest - live streaming here:

http://www.wwoz.org/

The other DJs are actual OZ DJs.

Albert Lambreaux's character and his relationship with his son is somewhat based on Donald Harrison Sr & Jr. In real life, Junior is a pretty well known modern jazz sax player, and has taken over his father's place as Big Chief of the Guardians of the Flame. The recording session they are fighting their way through now is almost note for note, the same landmark Modern Jazz / Mardi Gras Indian album Jr did a number of years ago - "Indian Blues" with Dr John on that one too.

The character of City Council President Oliver Thomas, the guy they say in Treme will be the next mayor, is played by former City Council President Oliver Thomas. Everyone once said he really would be the mayor after Nagin - that was before he pled guilty to bribery and went to jail. He hasn't been out very long. By all accounts, he was a decent fellow who got sucked into a corrupt system and made an out of character mistake. Soooo.....

Coincindentally, jurors have just been selected and the Danziger Bridge trial starts monday - the bridges were full of people for a week or more - trying to stay above water. It's the biggest of the police shooting / cover-up cases to hit the courts to date.

John Goodman, who killed himself in despair jumping off the Algiers ferry during the 1st season, has also become a local resident. Sadly there was a lot of suicide, as well as literally hundreds of elderly people who died in the 1st couple of years after the storm. Every day our local obituary column would have entries about elderly residents who passed away. Mostly they were phoned in from places like Houston or Atlanta. Katrina got 'em - it just took awhile, and shows how you really can die of a broken heart.
 
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I was in Treme in 1998. Then I visited New Orleans in 2005, three weeks before Katrina. In 2009, I was back for the 3rd time. As a piano player, I have had the great privilege of working for New Orleans artists such as Eddie Bo, Marva Wright, Benny Turner and Big Al Carson. They have made my life so much richer. I love New Orleans, and though I am not going to pretend that I know everything, the 'Treme' series seems to be a very serious attempt at describing the spirit of the city. There is not a day that passes without me thinking of all the beautiful people I have met there. Peace and love to everybody!
docB
 
...As a piano player, I have had the great privilege of working for New Orleans artists such as Eddie Bo, Marva Wright, Benny Turner and Big Al Carson. They have made my life so much richer. docB

All great musicians, but Eddie Bo was particualrly underrated. Great singer - player - writer - composer. Popeye's Fried Chicken didn't get it's name from the Sailor Man, although they use that logo, but from some old Eddie Bo dance tunes: "Check Mr. Popeye", etc. (Can you do the Popeye? - like an old sailor man dance)

Here he is playing a piano duet with some foreign guy whose name I forget (seems like I recall he may also play ukulele):

http://youtu.be/afXy1S2lb2I


rasputinsghost
They really go to any extent to get it right. Are Hubie's pies are as good as I hear?

Hubig Pies are pretty addicting. A sort of fried fruit filled (various flavors) empanada with a sugar glaze. They also apparently have a nice preservative compound.

In the first several months after Katrina, the few restaurants that could open had very limited menus - paper plates, etc. Stores of Hubig pies were found here and there and were sometimes seen as dessert in some very upscale restaurants (as opposed to their normal venue: the check-out counter at the corner store). They were also sometimes fondly referred to as "diabetic coma on a plate".

The bakery was flooded, and Hubig pies were in the long list of the things people worried about not coming back. When they were finally able to make their first deliveries, it was big news: a sign of recovery, and another piece of the old landscape restored.
 
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