The Big Easy Meets TV

Went to Insignia Films' NYC premiere of "New Orleans," which will air in February on PBS, last night. It's a 2-hour documentary on the history and culture of the city, with tons of new and old footage. It's highly recommended, with a great sense of the way the city changed in the 19th and early 20th centuries. If anything, it was far too short to do the complex city justice.

Of course, I would've wished for more time spent on the music history (though I definitely caught a bit of Snooks Eaglin's "Saint James Infirmary" in there, from a recent standout Smithsonian Folkways release). I did get to catch up with the music supervisor, Tuff City Records veteran and proud dad Steve Saperstein, who knows more about New Orleans music than anyone I've ever met. Kudos to PBS and Insignia for another job well done.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that they thanked me in the credits!