Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Spring 2008 - (Page 94) A Requiem for Katrina Terence Blanchard’s eloquent elogy Two and a half years after Hurricane Katrina, the mega-catastrophe continues to inspire — perhaps “haunt” is the more accurate verb — many New Orleans artists, writers and musicians. Great work in many mediums has flowed forth from the deluge. But now that the initial tsunami of shock has subsided, Katrina tributes are evaluated objectively instead of with pure emotion alone. Such healthy skepticism is in order because quality and quantity have not always proceeded in tandem. As the stack of hurricanebased creations grows ponderously tall, one recent contribution stands out dramatically in terms of conception and execution alike. Trumpeter Terence Blanchard’s A Tale of God’s Will (Blue Note) is a majestic sonic diary of Katrina and its aftermath. The album seamlessly fuses elements of ante-bellum African roots, New Orleans brass-band tradition, modern jazz, and contemporary classical music. As such it touches on many aspects of Blanchard’s eclectic and skyrocketing career. A graduate of the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, alongside Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Blanchard apprenticed with the late jazz masters Lionel Hampton and Art Blakey. Since emerging as a leader on his own, Blanchard has recorded prolifically. His work includes all-instrumental sessions with small bands, the accompaniment of noted vocalists such as Cassandra Wilson, and the complex soundtracks to some two-dozen films. In the latter regard Blanchard has Terence Blanchard’s newest CD, A Tale of God’s Will, is inspired by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. 94 LOUISIANA ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES\Spring 2008 JENNY BAGERT
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