Listening to another city
March 29, 2008 by nonotes
This may have very little to do with “St. James Infirmary” or New Orleans, but it does have to do with music and place.
This very pleasing account of the sounds of doo-wop on subway platforms comes from Scrapple From The Apple:
At this subway stop, just below Carnegie Hall, there’s an alcove waiting area. It is sandwiched between the men’s and women’s bathrooms which are open at the whim of the attendant. These whims are generally not favorable.
The acoustics, however, are. It’s where the Doo-Wop groups from all over New York City convene to practice and perform, singing tunes of the 50’s and 60’s, from groups like the Platters, Coasters, and Drifters, some Sam Cooke, and a few gospel standards.
Read the rest here.
A couple of years ago I did some research into the song "St. James Infirmary," wrote up what I found, emailed that essay to friends and posted it on my web site (as part of a series of "Letters From New Orleans," as I was living in that city at the time). Based on the feedback, I wrote a second version of the essay, and asked for more feedback. Based on that, I wrote a 
Rob,
Ashley Morris died recently. His was a very vocal in the NOLA blogging community and beyond. Hot 8 might play his jazz funeral, I don’t really know. All I do know that he was a fiery voice for NOLA. Maybe you could mention him somehow. Thanks.
David Simon “The Wire”
http://newpackage.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/open-thread-for-ashley/#comment-1386