The trouble with this country is that everything has to be new. We don’t have any consideration for the past…Just because something is old, you don’t need to rip it down. You can renovate it instead of ripping it down and building something new.” —Woody Shaw
The Cabildo Museum in Jackson Square is offering an exhibit perfect for the music lover in all of us titled “Unsung Heroes: The Secret History of Louisiana Rock and Roll” which pays homage to Louisiana musicians, both past and present. The musically themed exhibit is presented by Ponderosa Stomp founder Dr. “Ike” Padnos who started Ponderosa Stomp in 2001; but you only have a few more months to get to the Cabildo and enjoy this display because it is a year long event which began in April 2009 and runs through May 2010.
This exhibit pays tribute to the numerous contributions Louisiana musicians have made to the world of rock and roll, R&B, soul, etc. and sounds like a fun, educational weekend activity. Enjoy the sights in and around Jackson Square and the surrounding French Quarter locations and gain some appreciation for the many “Unsung Musical Heroes” in Louisiana.
“Unsung Heroes” will be a perfect addition to the yearly Ponderosa Stomp concerts in between the two Jazzfest weekends. The exhibit includes various rock and roll artifacts such as Fats Domino’s Piano and Earl Palmer’s drums as well as LP’s and recordings from Dr. Ike’s private collection. This is the first exhibit of its kind, paying tribute to the musical stylings of so many talented musicians whose music is now interwoven into the fabric of American rock and roll. You’ll also be able to see rare vintage posters, photographs and records as well as video footage of interviews with many Ponderosa Stomp artists.
A beloved and well known New Orleans studio owner and engineer, Cosimo Matassa, also shares a special spotlight in the exhibit with an entire wall dedicated to his now famous establishment, J&M Recording Studio. Matassa was instrumental in the recording of such artists like Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, Lil Richard and Lee Dorsey just to name a few, creating what is now known as the “New Orleans” sound. Ernie K. Doe also shares a spotlighted section in the exhibit, which honors him as the “Emperor of the Universe”. So many colorful and unique characters have made the music coming out of this part of the country infectious.
The display honors those who maybe have not “made-it” in popular mainstream music but who have been the backbone and inspiration for so many other musicians who have turned these Louisiana sounds into their own. As stated by Dr. Ike Padnos, "Too often, American music history is the history of the ones who 'made it.' 'Unsung Heroes' integrates some of the missing pieces into that history, revealing a fuller, more accurate account of the seminal role Louisiana played to the public."
I am definitely making it a point to visit this exhibit, as it is a one of a kind. It exposes the public to our valuable musical talents of past and present artists. An exhibit like this is necessary to showcase those artists who have been overlooked and underappreciated by the country and world in general, but who nonetheless have made a significant impact on our culture. The treasures of our musically saturated area have played an immense role in many different genres of music and it all goes back to the school of thought that all music began at Congo Square.
“You’ve got to remember a lot of good musicians made me look good” —Cosimo Matassa
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