The Saints Go Marching In - Highland Jazz & Blues Festival 2009

Highland Jazz & Blues Festival - November 14, 2009. This was billed as The Rebirth Brass band but subsequent comments and research call that into question. The band's promoter, Howie Kaplan, says it's not Rebirth. Whoever they are, fun was had by all.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jazz
• Blues
• New Orleans

[paustin110]

The promoter responds:

With the exception of one sub, this is most certainly Rebirth Brass Band. We work with a reputable agent out of New Orleans to bring in performers from across the country. One band member is even related to local newscaster Mechelle White. Their identity was further confirmed by members of our organization who have seen them perform in New Orleans. I can't say why their agent would deny them. Unless they have changed members since he assumed the role of promoter.

[nola305]

If it ever comes out (publicly) that these promoters committed this fraud in 2009, it will open up a "hornet's nest" of allegations of their practices. It will be SO embarrasing to them if it hasn't already happened. I'm surmising that this was already exposed given the time span since then. Good luck in your endeavors.

[paustin110]

@nola305 I would suspect the promoters were defrauded too, actually. I don't think they knew. I've heard no comment from them yet. I've put it up on my blog so maybe some locals will know something. soitgoesinshreveport.blogspot.­com/

[paustin110]

Also, If you search this: Highland Jazz & Blues Festival: Rebirth Brass Band-Sure Been Good to Me on YouTube, someone else thinks they saw Rebirth, too!

[nola305]

@paustin110 I think you've got a point, they (the promoters) might've not known the "ACTUAL" members of the (rebirth) band, and it may have resulted in rebirth to renege and send the substitutes instead for whatever reason. This is a good case for anyone interested to do some follow-up on........later.

[paustin110]

@nola305 Yep they did; if you google (I can't link it here) 2009 Highland Jazz and Blues fest Poster you will see the advertising with Rebirth's name on it. When the band came out, they were introduced as Rebirth. So far, no comment for the organizers. I'll give them the day before I go further. I had Howie (the promoter) double check with some still photos I have and he confirmed it's not them. There are other YT videos from same festival identifying them as Rebirth, so it's not just me!

[nola305]

@paustin110 good move. One thing concerns me about this is, did the promoters intro this group as "Rebirth Brass Band or not, or can you remember? If they did, this was FRAUD on both the promoters AND the band. The audience should've expected to see REBIRTH, not a substitute band. This was mis-representation to an un-suspecting audience

[paustin110]

@nola305 This is getting interesting. I'm going to check this out because if it wasn't Rebirth then Shreveport was duped and the promoters need to be exposed. I wrote the Rebirth booking guy yesterday and sent him the link to the video. He says it's not them. Now I've written to the organizer of the festival to see what their explanation is. I told Rebirth I'll take the video down if it's not them, but I'm going to leave it here until I get a comment from Highland.

[LJH70122]

@nola305 I knew a lot of the older N.O. musicians who told stories of promoters deliberately double-booking and sending sound-alike artists to make the gigs. I don't know if that was the case here , but I agree with you. I've seen the Rebirth too many times and this ain't them.

[nola305]

@LJH70122 Sometimes when booking bands such as this, a band won't or can't make it, so the venue has to replace it with another one. In THIS case, i don't know if this band was introduced as REBIRTH or not, this MAY be NEW BIRTH BB instead. Anyone familiar with brass bands would see this isn't Rebirth. I marched in secondline parades uptown (Carrolton) years ago and i'm familiar with bands such as these. Also see a personal friend of mine, Herman Hack (New Orleans Street Musicians) video.