Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya-Ya

Legendary New Orleans jazz and bluesman Dr. John (the Night Tripper) weighed in with his opinion about the situation in his hometown according to The New York Daily News' Joanna Rush and George Molloy's column today:

"Harry Connick Jr. also jumped in a boat to tour his ravaged hometown. But fellow Big Easy crooner Dr. John tells us: 'I would hate to be like little Harry Connick, being used for propaganda. I like Harry, but that's not for me. ... If they got Harry in, why couldn't they bring back some people who lived in the neighborhood?' The Doctor, aka Mac Rebennack, believes locals could be crucial in keeping their armed neighbors from getting into a shootout with the National Guard.

" 'Some people who're being chalked off as thugs and looters are actually doing heroic things,' says Rebennack.

"The music legend, in New York working on a relief concert, says he just found out that his daughter and grandchildren are safe, 'but I heard that one nephew was dead and a whole lot of my family is still missing.' "

"And Associated Press reported yesterday that 'One of New Orleans' most iconic natives, legendary bluesman and boogie woogie pianist Dr. John said in a statement: "If anybody in the government would've done something about the disappearing wetlands for the past 50 years, then this probably wouldn't have been as bad.

"It makes me think of what my friend Rev. Goat just told me, 'Let me say this before it goes any further, New Orleans didn't die of natural causes, she was murdered.'"

Visit Dr. John's Official Website.

Have a taste of voodoo: Buy your gris-gris here!

Here's a really great survey of the sounds of N'awlins: The A.V. Club's Definitive Mixlist: New Orleans.

And last, but not least, a new documentary about New Orleans titled Make It Funky rolls out in theaters in New York and L.A. this week before being released on DVD.