Restoring New Orleans Culture (A non-jury posting)

Many readers understand that I am concerned about what has been referred to as the "cultural diaspora" from New Orleans. What New Orleans artists want and need isn't a handout. What they want is to make more money by selling more records. And the best place to buy those records from is from a New Orleans distributor.

I'm told that the Louisiana Music Factory is back in operation, and that they are working through a backlog of orders. I'm giving nearly everyone on my disk NOLA music this Xmas - and hoping I whet their appetite so that they buy more on their own.

And I'm going to avoid the big names. Aaron Neville is going to be fine; I'm more interested in folks like those who record for smaller, local labels like Basin Street Records.

No better present for you and yours than a fine disk by Kermit Ruffins, Henry Butler or the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

It's a start.