Always for Pleasure
Encyclopedia
Always for Pleasure is a 1978 documentary film by Les Blank
about social traditions in New Orleans, Louisiana
.
The film has footage of musical events, Mardi Gras Indians
, a funeral with traditional music (the so called "jazz funeral
"), various second line parades, and cooking and eating red beans & rice and a crawfish boil.
Events filmed include New Orleans Mardi Gras
and St. Patrick's Day 1977.
Local musicians perform and are interviewed, including Kid Thomas Valentine
, Allen Toussaint
, Danny Barker
, Blue Lu Barker
, Irma Thomas
, the Neville Brothers
and Professor Longhair
.
The film subtitles a Creole
song as "Hey Legba" when the tune's title phrase is actually "Eh la bas", a formerly common Louisiana Creole phrase of greeting roughly translating as "Hey over there you". However, in New Orleans, Legba was often referred to as "Papa La Bas", and some scholars, such as Henry Louis Gates, believe that "Eh La Bas" was a covert reference to Legba.
Unusually, the film includes looks at traditional predominantly white second lining organizations; many other films and documentarians have falsely assumed such traditions to exist only in predominantly black groups.
The DVD
re-release includes additional performance footage of Professor Longhair.
Les Blank
Les Blank is an American documentary filmmaker best known for his portraits of American traditional musicians....
about social traditions in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
The film has footage of musical events, Mardi Gras Indians
Mardi Gras Indians
Mardi Gras Indians are African-American Carnival revelers in New Orleans, Louisiana, who dress up for Mardi Gras in suits influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel.Collectively, their organizations are called "tribes"...
, a funeral with traditional music (the so called "jazz funeral
Jazz funeral
Jazz funeral is a common name for a funeral tradition with music which developed in New Orleans, Louisiana.The term "jazz funeral" was long in use by observers from elsewhere, but was generally disdained as inappropriate by most New Orleans musicians and practitioners of the tradition...
"), various second line parades, and cooking and eating red beans & rice and a crawfish boil.
Events filmed include New Orleans Mardi Gras
New Orleans Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a Carnival celebration well-known throughout the world.The New Orleans Carnival season, with roots in preparing for the start of the Christian season of Lent, starts after Twelfth Night, on Epiphany . It is a season of parades, balls , and king cake parties...
and St. Patrick's Day 1977.
Local musicians perform and are interviewed, including Kid Thomas Valentine
Kid Thomas Valentine
Thomas Valentine, commonly known as Kid Thomas was a jazz trumpeter and bandleader.Kid Thomas was born in Reserve, Louisiana and came to New Orleans in his youth. He gained a reputation as a hot trumpet man in the early 1920s. Starting in 1926 he led his own band, for decades based in the New...
, Allen Toussaint
Allen Toussaint
Allen Toussaint is an American musician, composer, record producer, and influential figure in New Orleans R&B.Many of Toussaint's songs have become familiar through numerous cover versions, including "Working in the Coalmine", "Ride Your Pony", "Fortune Teller", "Play Something Sweet ", "Southern...
, Danny Barker
Danny Barker
Danny Barker , born Daniel Moses Barker, was a jazz banjoist, singer, guitarist, songwriter, ukelele player and author from New Orleans, founder of the locally famous Fairview Baptist Church Marching Band...
, Blue Lu Barker
Blue Lu Barker
Blue Lu Barker was an American jazz and blues singer. Her better known recordings included "Don't You Feel My Leg" and "Look What Baby's Got For You."...
, Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas is an American Grammy Award-winning soul and rhythm and blues singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans"....
, the Neville Brothers
The Neville Brothers
The Neville Brothers, an American R&B and soul group, was formed in 1977 in New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:The group notion started in 1976, when the four brothers of the Neville family, Art , Charles , Aaron , and Cyril The Neville Brothers, an American R&B and soul group, was formed in 1977 in...
and Professor Longhair
Professor Longhair
Professor Longhair was a New Orleans blues singer and pianist...
.
The film subtitles a Creole
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
song as "Hey Legba" when the tune's title phrase is actually "Eh la bas", a formerly common Louisiana Creole phrase of greeting roughly translating as "Hey over there you". However, in New Orleans, Legba was often referred to as "Papa La Bas", and some scholars, such as Henry Louis Gates, believe that "Eh La Bas" was a covert reference to Legba.
Unusually, the film includes looks at traditional predominantly white second lining organizations; many other films and documentarians have falsely assumed such traditions to exist only in predominantly black groups.
The DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
re-release includes additional performance footage of Professor Longhair.
External links
- Always For Pleasure on LesBlank.com