Kathy Wilson, who unlike me actually is Your Negro Tour Guide, wrote in last week's Citybeat about the cancelled Cincinnati Festival:
There hasn't been a lapse in a music festival -- Jazz, then R&B -- in 40 years. During that time, changing tastes in a changing market and the one-two punch of apathetic fans and musicians greatly altered the festival Santangelo's brother helped to establish.And then there's race and class, that tired Cincinnati sing-along. This is about more than a temporarily postponed Easter Parade of clothes, hair and cars, all played out to the strains of perennial Cincinnati favorites, Frankie Beverly & Maze. It's about how Cincinnati evolved from a landmark for Jazz and a port where giants of the day dropped anchor to being very nearly a Jazz ghost town.
As the article goes on to mention, the cancellation is due in part to the ongoing boycott, which involves mud people getting killed by police or something. Nothing you need concern yourself with.
Because I have a damaged brain, the article reminded me that I saw a copy of Kathleen Ann Goonan's debut novel Queen City Jazz (the first chapter of which you can read here) at the used bookstore a few days back, along with a few Melissa Scott books. Not only am I racist in thinking that police might possibly be a bit trigger-happy when dealing with the lesser races, I'm also sexist and usually think SF by women is better than the stuff by men. I think the preference has to do with character development. Women actually do it.
And, um, no one is confused as to why the article would remind me of the book, right? Or at least no one following the links?
Lastly, before you get your hopes up, in the listings for the Greater Cincinnati Jazz & Heritage Festival, Over the Rhine refers to the neighborhood, not the band, although the visitors from the Netherlands (you frighten me, by the way) can catch the band later this month, before they head to England, Italy, Ireland, Wales (poor bastards) and Chicago.
Yes, I'm sure they'd like to talk to the person responsible for lining up those dates, too. . .
That was even more disjointed than normal. Note to self: get sleep.
*We* frighten you?