Music and Food
Exploring Interdependent Cultural Expression
12th Annual SFA Symposium
12th Annual SFA Symposium
The lectures started with a welcome from Ted Ownby, director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, followed by a wonderful lecture by Bob O'Meally, the Zora Neal Hurston Professor of English at Columbia University, is the author among other books, Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday. O'Meally talk about Food in Work Songs. He claims that, "Everything we do as a community is about music and/or cuisine." He goes on to talk about examples of work songs that incorporate food...such as James Brown - "Make it Funky" & Bessie Smith - "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl" & Billie Holiday - "Gimmie a Pig Foot" and many others....Most of these songs use food to show emotion and do not so signs of wanting food. He talks about many songs with street vendors crying, which I found interesting. Such as Oscar Brown Jr., Willis James and Louis Armstrong. He played a well-known song called "Watermelon Man" by Oscar Brown Jr.
(Photo by Larry Lucas)
Another lecture titled "Meet Buster Holmes" by Tom Sancton, a clarinetist and former Paris bureau chief for Time, talked about growing up in New Orleans in the 1960's with a passion of jazz music. He had the desire to learn the true New Orleans jazz music and traditions during the segregation era as a young boy. I really enjoyed this talk. I could see Tom Sancton's love for food and music and how it greatly impacted his life. He talk about growing up in New Orleans during a time where blacks and whites started to come together.
His talk centered around Buster Holmes - the king of red beans and rice who traveled the world to cook for the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Buster's was a restaurant/jazz venue in New Orleans where people of all race and class came together. Buster made the best Red Beans and Rice in town and sold it for 27 cents (60 cents with sausage). It was the place where musicians hung out...Brass Bands would start and end their marches there..and would play all through the night. He remembers improtu jazz session...the sound of the trumpet..and everyone's happy spirits. "It was not just a place to eat," Sancton said. "It is an experience of itself."
"Buster was someone that welcomed everyone," Sancton said. "He brought together people of all walks of life...through music and food."
Marshall Chapman gave a talk titled "On the Road," which was great humor and entertaining. Look out for the Podcast on the SFA website soon. She talked about being on the road with a tour band..and how food influenced the places she played and traveled to along the road. Food brought together members of her band and great memories. She remembers the best meal she ever had at an Italian Restaurant in NYC...and eating crabs with her guys. Through her stories she brings to life food and what it feels like to live on the road. This was one of my favorite talks...(I barley took notes I was so deep in thought while she spoke). I could relate to living on the road with OITF and the memories I made due to food and chefs. Just like Champman I was excited to travel to the south (back home) and the coastal cities. Certain dishes reminded me of home and gave me comfort. Food brought me closer to members of OITF and made the memories everlasting and exciting. Cheers Marshall Chapman..I enjoyed your lecture!
Another lecture was given by Jett Williams titled, "Mother's Best Flour: Hank Signs for His Supper." Jett Williams talked about her father Hank Williams and his Radio Show in 1951 - 1952 where Mother's Best Flour sponsored it. "Best Biscuit you ever hmmm a tone in." Jett talked about her battle to prove Hank Williams was her father..and later a battle to the rights of Hanks Music/the discovery of the largest known body of unreleased Hank Williams material.
Part 2 lectures To Come......
(Photo by Larry Lucas)Another lecture titled "Meet Buster Holmes" by Tom Sancton, a clarinetist and former Paris bureau chief for Time, talked about growing up in New Orleans in the 1960's with a passion of jazz music. He had the desire to learn the true New Orleans jazz music and traditions during the segregation era as a young boy. I really enjoyed this talk. I could see Tom Sancton's love for food and music and how it greatly impacted his life. He talk about growing up in New Orleans during a time where blacks and whites started to come together.
His talk centered around Buster Holmes - the king of red beans and rice who traveled the world to cook for the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Buster's was a restaurant/jazz venue in New Orleans where people of all race and class came together. Buster made the best Red Beans and Rice in town and sold it for 27 cents (60 cents with sausage). It was the place where musicians hung out...Brass Bands would start and end their marches there..and would play all through the night. He remembers improtu jazz session...the sound of the trumpet..and everyone's happy spirits. "It was not just a place to eat," Sancton said. "It is an experience of itself."
"Buster was someone that welcomed everyone," Sancton said. "He brought together people of all walks of life...through music and food."
Marshall Chapman gave a talk titled "On the Road," which was great humor and entertaining. Look out for the Podcast on the SFA website soon. She talked about being on the road with a tour band..and how food influenced the places she played and traveled to along the road. Food brought together members of her band and great memories. She remembers the best meal she ever had at an Italian Restaurant in NYC...and eating crabs with her guys. Through her stories she brings to life food and what it feels like to live on the road. This was one of my favorite talks...(I barley took notes I was so deep in thought while she spoke). I could relate to living on the road with OITF and the memories I made due to food and chefs. Just like Champman I was excited to travel to the south (back home) and the coastal cities. Certain dishes reminded me of home and gave me comfort. Food brought me closer to members of OITF and made the memories everlasting and exciting. Cheers Marshall Chapman..I enjoyed your lecture!
Another lecture was given by Jett Williams titled, "Mother's Best Flour: Hank Signs for His Supper." Jett Williams talked about her father Hank Williams and his Radio Show in 1951 - 1952 where Mother's Best Flour sponsored it. "Best Biscuit you ever hmmm a tone in." Jett talked about her battle to prove Hank Williams was her father..and later a battle to the rights of Hanks Music/the discovery of the largest known body of unreleased Hank Williams material.
Part 2 lectures To Come......
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