Emotions run high at Katrina jazz concert (NY)

NEKESA MUMBI MOODY
Associated Press


<snip> "When the hurricane struck, it did not turn the region into a Third World country ... it revealed one," actor and activist Danny Glover said in a speech with Harry Belafonte in which both criticized the government, not only for the response to the hurricane but for the conditions prior to it.

"Katrina was not unforeseeable," Belafonte said. "It was the result of a political structure that subcontracts its responsibility to private contractors and abdicates its responsibility altogether." <snip>

Robin Williams poked fun at the administration during his standup routine, in which he imagined an ethnically named Hurricane and its attitude: "I'm going to go to Kennebunkport and see if they respond any quicker!" <snip>

Then <Jazz singer Jon Hendricks> launched into the angry song "Tell Me The Truth," singing lines like "Nowadays, wrong is right, down is up, black is white, bad is good, truth is a lie" before defiantly singing, "Somebody tell me what's right," to applause. <snip>

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/entertainment/12680399.htm

for that line. I hope they replay it here.

to judge for myself.

Maybe at least a recording of it will be released?

And Paul Simon sang a song about New Orleans from his old Graceland album. Buckwheat Zydeco backed him up.

The best things last night, IMO. They, Hendricks, Fishburne, and Wynton were just incredible.

... I was PISSED ! I really really wanted to see James Taylor :mad:

Belafonte and Glover were marvelous and statesman-like, IMO.

:applause:

I heard Sam Cook on AAR the other day, "Bring it on home." Been feeling like blues and jazz lately, so-o-o sad, aching sad, and yet.... something hopeful stirring, maybe just the fine endurance of the dream of justice.