View Full Version : Weekly Beat - Jan talks with Shamarr
In the new Offbeat Weekly Beat, Jan talks with Shamarr about the Willie tour, life, government, and corruption:
ON MY MIND...
I am friendly with many local musicians, and I love when they drop in the office to say hi. One of my favorite people is Shamarr Allen, who's recently recorded with Willie Nelson. You may have read excerpts from his tour diary when he was on tour with Nelson in OffBeat's May Jazz Fest bible.
Allen is one together guy. He's definitely got chops on his trumpet, is a professional, and is one of the nicest and most responsible young men I've ever met. If you don't know Shamarr, he used to perform with Rebirth Brass Band and went out on his own a couple of years ago. Shamarr and his family lost everything, including their family home, during Katrina. He and his family, including his little boy Jarrel, now live in the Musicians' Village. He's put his life back together, and is playing with the likes of Nelson and Leon Russell on Willie's new album.
Shamarr stopped in the office earlier this week to let me know that his tour dates with Willie in baseball stadiums this summer had been cut. “They had to reduce the shows from 90 minutes back to only 45 minutes, so that means that there won't be time for me to play.” He's disappointed, of course (so are we), but he is getting compensated anyway, and gets to spend the summer with his kid in New Orleans instead of having to traipse around the country this summer.
We discussed many of the problems in New Orleans, and how corrupt the city government seems to be. Payoffs and bribes pave the way for many a business in the Crescent City--at least that's what I've been told. I learned that the departed “Ray's Boom Boom Room” which I can see from my office window (and where Shamarr has played many times) was operating as a restaurant without the proper safety equipment. I think that's illegal here and just about anywhere (you must comply with regulations to have a grease vent in your kitchen). No one seemed to have busted the old owner (we figured he'd paid someone off). But the new owner had to have a vent installed and get a liquor license before he can re-open the venue.
While we can bitch and moan about how screwed up things are in New Orleans, Shamarr made a very wise observation: people in New Orleans don't make a lot of money, whether they work in a restaurant, a bar, or as an inspector for the city, a teacher or a cop. So the opportunity to provide and the predisposition to accept a "compensation for a favor" (for whatever) is pretty obvious.
If you read Shamarr's tour diary in the May issue, you know what he looks like: a young African-American man. He's soft-spoken, and his hair is long…like a lot of musicians. He isn't a thug.
One story Shamarr told me was that he was constantly being stopped by police. Now remember, Shamarr has long hair and he's a musician. But he has a late model car, and he's a professional person. He told me he was stopped six times on one run between Austin and New Orleans to record with Willie Nelson. Six times! Apparently he “looks suspicious” Now that is just a shame. The worst story was how he was stopped by local law enforcement for no apparent reason while he was in the Ninth Ward. They searched him and his car and came up with $500 cash in gig pay that Shamarr had with him. The police let him go because he didn't do anything, but get this: they kept his $500! When he asked them to return the money, they said “What money?” and they kept it. Now that is just wrong, but it's probably another indicator of why corruption is rampant in New Orleans. How much money do those cops make? And who is Shamarr going to complain to?
I'm someone who still believes that there's a right and wrong, and this is just wrong. So if you ever wonder why some African-Americans don't trust local law enforcement, think about this story. I hate the fact that this great kid is being harassed for no reason other than the fact that he's a young black man. That law enforcement could take his cash doesn't set too well with me either.
In the new Offbeat Weekly Beat, Jan talks with Shamarr about the Willie tour, life, government, and corruption:
Thanks for posting Swag. Must say that after reading that my gut reaction is to just be pissed. What century do we live in for F#@ sake?! I don't know Shamarr like many do on this bored but have had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with him on a couple of occasions (he was also one of the first performers I saw perform in New Orleans...at Rays') and what a doll...and that makes this even more personal.
PaulC
05-28-2009, 08:50 AM
damn,.. as that tale started off it seemed like there might be a happy endin'..... wtf....
as the story line evolved it got me to wonderin' how anyone w/ a brain can insist that things are "equal" for minorities in this day and age...
double damn,.. now i got all that "on my mind".....
gonna go put my hands in the garden,... and try to sooth the pain.......
i wanna be in NOLA
05-28-2009, 09:23 AM
So, who does this story get forwarded to to get bigger exposure? Does anyone know anyone on the editorial board of the T-P?
ciscokid
05-28-2009, 09:25 AM
So, who does this story get forwarded to to get bigger exposure? Does anyone know anyone on the editorial board of the T-P?
think of the trouble it may cause him for making it known.......
i wanna be in NOLA
05-28-2009, 09:32 AM
He didn't make it known publicly, Jan did. It's already out there...
So, who does this story get forwarded to to get bigger exposure? Does anyone know anyone on the editorial board of the T-P?
If the T-P uses Offbeat as a source for story ideas, they likely don't want to make that known, so forwarding this to them might make them less likely to follow-up. I'm sure the T-P entertainment & music writers subscribe and have seen this already. On the editorial side, well, I think the problem is that "black man gets shaken down by cops" happens often enough that it is not news. :(
chrisjoseph
05-28-2009, 09:36 AM
This country has come a long way, yet this points out we still have a long way to go.....
BigDag
05-28-2009, 09:36 AM
In the same edition of the Weekly Beat is the list of the Louisiana Music Factory's Top Ten Sellers during Jazzfest:
1. Allen Toussaint: The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch)
2. Kermit Ruffins: Livin' a Treme Life (Basin Street)
3. John Boutte and Paul Sanchez: A Stew Called New Orleans (Threadhead)
4. Eric Lindell: Gulf Coast Highway (Alligator)
5. Zachary Richard: Last Kiss (Artist Garage)
6. Cyril Neville: Brand New Blues (MC)
7. John Scofield: Piety Street (EmArcy/Decca)
8. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave.: Orleans and Claiborne (Independent)
9. Joe Krown, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Jonathan Batiste: Live at the Maple Leaf (Independent)
10. Shamarr Allen: Box Who In? (Threadhead)
i wanna be in NOLA
05-28-2009, 09:37 AM
If the T-P uses Offbeat as a source for story ideas, they likely don't want to make that known, so forwarding this to them might make them less likely to follow-up. I'm sure the T-P entertainment & music writers subscribe and have seen this already. On the editorial side, well, I think the problem is that "black man gets shaken down by cops" happens often enough that it is not news. :(
Ok, I understand that (and I understand the downside of being a target upon exposing a corrupt system) but accepting an unacceptable reality will never bring about change. I applaud Shamarr and Jan for putting this in print. I assume he knew she was going to do it before it came out. He's already put a public face to this. It can (and should, imo) become a cause for change.
Belle
05-28-2009, 09:40 AM
This country has come a long way, yet this points out we still have a long way to go.....
YYR Chris...walk a day in Shamarr's shoes
Idiots are everywhere and they breed too!
glinda
05-28-2009, 10:03 AM
When I read that in my email this morning it made my blood boil. And I realized that this was what he had written about, in one (or more) of his songs on Box Who In.
Mixed feelings about further publicity. But maybe it wouldn't hurt to post it on threadheads.org and/or threadhead records sites - to help educate people about the realities of life for a most upstanding New Orleans musician citizen?
This country has come a long way, yet this points out we still have a long way to go.....
a loooooong way
Michelino
05-28-2009, 10:26 AM
This country has come a long way, yet this points out we still have a long way to go.....
Yes, this type of bigoted profiling and corruption is not unique to New Orleans or the South for that matter. I know many recent similar stories from around here. For example. some married friends moved to the burbs and bought a new BMW. Whenever one of their sons (both of whom are professionals) comes home to visit, either son finds that borrowing his parents' car...even for a short trip to the grocery store...often means being stopped and questioned by the police. It is as if there are checkpoints and roadblocks throughout the entire nation that only apply to some of us...but for that minority..they see a police state out their window that much of America pretends does not exist.
dank_bass
05-28-2009, 12:15 PM
This country has come a long way, yet this points out we still have a long way to go.....
some PEOPLE have a long way to go ... hopefully these people dont reproduce, and they'll be gone in another generation
Phatpapa
05-28-2009, 12:30 PM
This s*^t burns my ass too.
But one positive is that he will still be compensated by Willie and he will get to chill with his son this summer
duende
05-28-2009, 01:20 PM
It's a sad statement that the unlawful stops & seizure issue in Louisiana hasn't nearly been eradicated... There are numerous cases of automobile and cash seizures in Northern LA that suggest a pattern of profiling and profiteering by rural authorities. Anyone trying to get from Texas to Mississippi to gamble (or visit family, etc.) should think twice about driving a nice car and taking large sums of cash that they can't provide an accounting for. You are, of course, free to get booked, see a magistrate, make bail, defend yourself in court, and possibly reclaim your possessions... or, you can forfeit all belongings without a paper trail, head for the parish line and count your lucky stars that it didn't happen in 1962.
Take a gander at this article, and rest assured that the light of truth has been directed down yonder: http://www.laaclu.org/PDF_documents/unequal_under_law_web.pdf
i wanna be in NOLA
05-28-2009, 01:33 PM
I read the report, duende, thanks for the link. The final recommendations are as follows:
Know your rights.
Teach others their rights.
Make complaints to law enforcement and ACLU when you feel your rights have been violated.
Organize community coalitions with fellow citizens.
I think Shamarr speaking with Jan and Jan writing the piece are good first step towards the fourth point above. Anything additional would have to come from Shamarr's lead, of course, but I think filing an official complaint with law enforcement and the ACLU would be a good idea.
jhjpotter
05-28-2009, 02:34 PM
In the same edition of the Weekly Beat is the list of the Louisiana Music Factory's Top Ten Sellers during Jazzfest:
1. Allen Toussaint: The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch)
2. Kermit Ruffins: Livin' a Treme Life (Basin Street)
3. John Boutte and Paul Sanchez: A Stew Called New Orleans (Threadhead)
4. Eric Lindell: Gulf Coast Highway (Alligator)
5. Zachary Richard: Last Kiss (Artist Garage)
6. Cyril Neville: Brand New Blues (MC)
7. John Scofield: Piety Street (EmArcy/Decca)
8. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave.: Orleans and Claiborne (Independent)
9. Joe Krown, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Jonathan Batiste: Live at the Maple Leaf (Independent)
10. Shamarr Allen: Box Who In? (Threadhead) WOOHOO!!! Thats awesome!!
Racial profiling happens everywhere. Joe Morgan, Hall of Fame baseball player, was stopped in Massachusetts under the suspicion of being a drug dealer. Here in San Francisco, a few years ago an African-American man was driving his Mercedes late one night with his young son in the passenger seat and was stopped and taken into custody by the police under the suspicion of being a drug dealer. He was later released. This s**t has to stop.
chrisjoseph
05-28-2009, 03:48 PM
It happens everywhere. When Shamarr was here in June, the two of us walked into a restaurant....he was given not the once over, but the twice over look by the manager....Shamarr and I both picked up on it immediately. It was completely uncalled for. Shamarr was pissed, and who can blame him?
festivalgirl
05-28-2009, 05:10 PM
It happens everywhere. When Shamarr was here in June, the two of us walked into a restaurant....he was given not the once over, but the twice over look by the manager....Shamarr and I both picked up on it immediately. It was completely uncalled for. Shamarr was pissed, and who can blame him?
Did you end up eating there? I would have walked out and let them know why.
Los Angeles is not the most open minded city and the bigotry goes in all direction. In my neighborhood, Black & White go unnoticed because the Koreans & Hispanics dislike each other so much. It's all very pathetic & ignorant. Also the only city I've ever been in where Anti-Semitic comments have been made to my face.
chrisjoseph
05-28-2009, 05:13 PM
Yes, racism/asshole-ism has no boundaries, unfortunately. Yeah, we wound up eating there...and the food wasn't even that good.....
festivalgirl
05-28-2009, 05:14 PM
Yes, racism/asshole-ism has no boundaries, unfortunately. Yeah, we wound up eating there...and the food wasn't even that good.....
Now I have to know .... where were you?
chrisjoseph
05-28-2009, 05:24 PM
Campanile
festivalgirl
05-28-2009, 05:26 PM
Campanile
Don't have to worry about not going there ... never liked the place myself.
chrisjoseph
05-28-2009, 05:30 PM
yes, overrated.
festivalgirl
05-28-2009, 05:31 PM
yes, overrated.
I thought I was the only one
Yes, this type of bigoted profiling and corruption is not unique to New Orleans or the South for that matter. I know many recent similar stories from around here. For example. some married friends moved to the burbs and bought a new BMW. Whenever one of their sons (both of whom are professionals) comes home to visit, either son finds that borrowing his parents' car...even for a short trip to the grocery store...often means being stopped and questioned by the police. It is as if there are checkpoints and roadblocks throughout the entire nation that only apply to some of us...but for that minority..they see a police state out their window that much of America pretends does not exist.
Exactly! Makes me embarassed to be a white American.
Racial profiling happens everywhere. Joe Morgan, Hall of Fame baseball player, was stopped in Massachusetts under the suspicion of being a drug dealer. Here in San Francisco, a few years ago an African-American man was driving his Mercedes late one night with his young son in the passenger seat and was stopped and taken into custody by the police under the suspicion of being a drug dealer. He was later released. This s**t has to stop.
Sadly it happens here too, in the home of the Underground Railroad Freedom Center and where Joe played most of his HOF career.
funkkjunkie
05-28-2009, 08:15 PM
It goes without saying that it happens in my neck of the woods. ANdI don't think any of us should do anything else without talking with Shamarr and getting his feelings on it.
Corona
05-28-2009, 08:28 PM
In the new Offbeat Weekly Beat, Jan talks with Shamarr about the Willie tour, life, government, and corruption:
This makes me f'in sick :(
stynger
05-28-2009, 08:46 PM
“They had to reduce the shows from 90 minutes back to only 45 minutes, so that means that there won't be time for me to play.” He's disappointed, of course (so are we), but he is getting compensated anyway, and gets to spend the summer with his kid in New Orleans instead of having to traipse around the country this summer.
Good on Willie for paying Shamarr anyway.
lisatx
05-28-2009, 10:26 PM
This country has come a long way, yet this points out we still have a long way to go.....
So, so sad.
I have first hand knowledge of how far we have to go. But, I must say reading the collective outrage from the members of this forum makes me optimistic.
mightyradgumbo
05-28-2009, 11:11 PM
Ok, I understand that (and I understand the downside of being a target upon exposing a corrupt system) but accepting an unacceptable reality will never bring about change. I applaud Shamarr and Jan for putting this in print. I assume he knew she was going to do it before it came out. He's already put a public face to this. It can (and should, imo) become a cause for change.
Another problem is that they let him go, I wanna. If you get stopped and given a ticket, it generates the officer's number on the ticket. This blatant corruption is common in many areas AND combined with the apparent racial implications (no mention was made of the officers' races, but we can logically assume they were white) just sickens me. Add to the fact that Shamarr is one of the most put together young people in this city and gives back to the kids of HIS city really makes me pissed.
windowman
05-29-2009, 12:17 AM
Another problem is that they let him go, I wanna. If you get stopped and given a ticket, it generates the officer's number on the ticket. This blatant corruption is common in many areas AND combined with the apparent racial implications (no mention was made of the officers' races, but we can logically assume they were white) just sickens me. Add to the fact that Shamarr is one of the most put together young people in this city and gives back to the kids of HIS city really makes me pissed.
I hate to say this, Dan, but the cops who jacked him do not have to be white. I am not saying this to imply that the country is over racism: far from it. I am saying it because there have been reports of shakedowns, harassment and intimidation by both black and white officers on the NOPD. It sucks in either case.