Stuff They Say on 'OZ

File this under "Only in New Orleans" (after all the other stuff already there!) --

Like other die-hard New Orleanians, I listen to WWOZ religiously. Whenever I'm in my car, in the kitchen, in my office at the church, 'OZ is on, filling my hours with wonderful music that can be heard nowhere else. 'OZ is one of the blessings of living in NOLA.

Sure, sure, of course -- I know you can listen to 'OZ online, no matter where you live, and I do recommend doing just that. But there's a drawback to doing that, as I discovered while living in Jersey -- long-distance listeners have to tolerate hearing about all the terrific and cheap live local music playing in New Orleans while you're unfortunately too far away to get there. Can't tell you how many times I'd be listening to 'OZ online, and I'd have to go running into Big Man's studio to moan and cry about all the great music we were missing. On a Monday, or a Wednesday, or some other crazy weeknight, when you couldn't hear ANY decent music in the darn city you were living in. That's all I'm saying.

But it's not just the music. It's the patter, the conversations, the outrageous opinions, so freely expressed by 'OZ's dedicated staff of volunteer DJs. Sometimes, the listener wants to shout, "Yeah, you right!" (and maybe some listeners do) to express complete agreement; sometimes the listeners just have to shake their heads and smile wryly, hardly able to believe that anyone could or would get away with such shenanigans; and sometimes you just gotta laugh and say, "Only in New Orleans!"

The following vignettes are just tiny samples that I treasure:

Back during the kick-off to the French Quarter Festival, when long-time NOLA musician and "establishment" figure Ronnie Cole was awarded a place in the Bourbon Street Legends Park, 'OZ DJ and jazz musician Bob French went off on the air, repeatedly referring to Cole as a "no-talent outsider" who was really from "Illa-noise" and complaining bitterly about the absence so far from Legends Park of such acknowledged greats (and New Orleans natives) as the Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Eddie Bo, Deacon John, et al. Poor Bob was so bent out of shape by the unwarranted honor that he went on and on before and after at least 3 different records. Where else in the world of commercial radio could such a thing have happened? (When you consider that the Jazz & Heritage Foundation, which runs WWOZ, is also a sponsor of the French Quarter Fest, it's even more remarkable.)

Every Friday, WWOZ welcomes Julie Posner, of LouisianaFestivals.com, to come over and preview the weekend's offerings of what I call "fest with no rest". I do not know Julie, nor do I know what she looks like, but her voice is always full of affection and enthusiasm for all the festivals and events she talks about. She makes it sound like each and every one of these minor and major events is worth going to (and you know? they probably are). You know how it is with radio -- she sounds like a great person, and I look forward to her reports, even when the upcoming weekend is already spoken for and I know I can't go to anything she recommends. On a recent Friday, the DJ announced sadly that Julie would not be able, for some reason, to come to the studio to do her festival promotion spot. Then he said, "I know y'all are disappointed, and I am too. While this next song plays, let's all just sit and think about what Julie is wearing. Here's some music to think of Julie by." I laughed out loud.

The other day, a DJ played a terrific number by "Pops" -- Louis Armstrong to the rest of you -- from an album of songs written by Dave Brubeck, done by various artists, called "Brubeck Encounters." When the song was done, the DJ came on, read the credits, and then said, "This is a definitive album. You need to have this record in your collection. In fact, if you dare to call yourself a lover of music, you HAVE to have it. I'm coming right now to y'all's houses and make sure it's in your collection!" The DJ laughed himself, realizing it was a kind of crazy thing to say, but then he added, "Seriously, you gotta have it." Now, that's an endorsement!

Rock on, 'OZ!