Treme

[Lazaro Vega]

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2010/04/treme-recap-just-one-episode-and-already-more-jazz-than-that-whole-ken-burns-documentary.html

[jeffcrom]

I was in New Orleans last week (they were filming all over the place), and the general feeling is that people are cautiously optimistic about how the show seems to be portraying their city.

[medjuck]

I was impressed that in the first show I think they never once set a scene in the Quarter.

[Quincy]

The show has a great pedigree though I'll have to wait until it's on DVD. That's okay as I lag on these sorts of things.

It's probably been mentioned here before, but I always thought Wendell Pierce at least had the appearance to play Thelonious Monk.

[Hot Ptah]

I love how an out of print Dave Bartholomew box set is an important part of the show. It seems very hip to me that someone associated with the show would know about that rather obscure set.

I purchased that very set at the Tower Records near my hotel during a 1995 visit to Washington, D.C. I have never seen another copy in a store. That set has, among other gems, the two part "Stackolee" by pianist/vocalist Archibald, which is not otherwise on CD, to my knowledge.

[Harold_Z]

I love how an out of print Dave Bartholomew box set is an important part of the show. It seems very hip to me that someone associated with the show would know about that rather obscure set.

I purchased that very set at the Tower Records near my hotel during a 1995 visit to Washington, D.C. I have never seen another copy in a store. That set has, among other gems, the two part "Stackolee" by pianist/vocalist Archibald, which is not otherwise on CD, to my knowledge.

Cresent City Bounce

Archibald is great. I have an lp on the Krazy Kat label with both parts of Stack-a-lee (sic) and 10 other tunes but I think they are all on this set I linked to.

[Elissa]

The Davis character is based on Davis Rogan, a dear friend from college, who is indeed very hip musically All the mannerisms and language are completely his, as are the musical refs.

Regardless though, best show I ever saw on TV, evah.

[Hot Ptah]

I loved the depiction of people from Madison, Wisconsin in the second episode. I grew up in Wisconsin and went to college in Madison. Someone in the writing and production area of the show must know some Madison people.

It was a spot on depiction of Madison, Wisconsin, people in the big city--the naive, wide eyed vocal enthusiasm; blind orthodoxy to "progressive" causes; belief in oneself as "hip" while frequently betraying the limits of one's knowledge and experience in a cringe-inducing way; and the unparalleled ability to drink heartily and party all night without any noticeable wear and tear.

[RJ Spangler]

Hot Ptah, you are cracking me up! John Sinclair told me this is "the best show ever on TV!" I adore it and hope for the best! Best thing about Sundays these days. Davis is so watchable but then who isn't on that show? Wendell Pierce has so many great quotes! In the last episode, he was on the bus going home to NOLA and the lady next to him asks "business or please trip?" he says it's "always a please to go to New Orleans" which I learned is a nod by the directors to Les Blank's documentary "Always A Pleasure" about the music of NOLA! This was in an interview on WBGO today. Gotta love internet radio!

[Stonewall15]

Is Wendell Pierce really playing the trombone?

[RJ Spangler]

No, but he does a good job of faking.

[Harold_Z]

Hot Ptah, you are cracking me up! John Sinclair told me this is "the best show ever on TV!" I adore it and hope for the best! Best thing about Sundays these days. Davis is so watchable but then who isn't on that show? Wendell Pierce has so many great quotes! In the last episode, he was on the bus going home to NOLA and the lady next to him asks "business or please trip?" he says it's "always a please to go to New Orleans" which I learned is a nod by the directors to Les Blank's documentary "Always A Pleasure" about the music of NOLA! This was in an interview on WBGO today. Gotta love internet radio!

Any more info about that documentary? Is it available anywhere?

[paul secor]

Hot Ptah, you are cracking me up! John Sinclair told me this is "the best show ever on TV!" I adore it and hope for the best! Best thing about Sundays these days. Davis is so watchable but then who isn't on that show? Wendell Pierce has so many great quotes! In the last episode, he was on the bus going home to NOLA and the lady next to him asks "business or please trip?" he says it's "always a please to go to New Orleans" which I learned is a nod by the directors to Les Blank's documentary "Always A Pleasure" about the music of NOLA! This was in an interview on WBGO today. Gotta love internet radio!

Any more info about that documentary? Is it available anywhere?

Available here: http://www.lesblank.com/main.html

and here: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8000660&style=movie

[Harold_Z]

Thanks Paul!

[Hot Ptah]

The Davis character is based on Davis Rogan, a dear friend from college, who is indeed very hip musically All the mannerisms and language are completely his, as are the musical refs.

Regardless though, best show I ever saw on TV, evah.

I wonder how Davis Rogan is reacting to the way that his character is developing. Especially by the fourth episode, he is being depicted as a bit of a buffoon. I am thinking of him as the George Castanza of Treme, only with great musical taste.

I thought that the cameo appearances by McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter and Stanley Crouch in the fourth episode were quite cool. Too bad that they didn't let McCoy play some music though.

[DukeCity]

I wonder how Davis Rogan is reacting to the way that his character is developing. Especially by the fourth episode, he is being depicted as a bit of a buffoon. I am thinking of him as the George Castanza of Treme, only with great musical taste.

He appears to be cool with it, judging by his statements in an interview from last year.

The pertinent line from the interview: "I'm not going to be sitting around nitpicking the character for accuracy. If he votes Republican and has sex with a goat, I'm just going to have to live with that."

[Jim Alfredson]

He's my least favorite character on the show. He comes off as a wanna-be musician. One of those guys that talks a big game but can't back it up; somebody who's in love with the IDEA of being a musician rather than actually being one.

Oh, and Sonny is pretty annoying too.

[Hot Ptah]

He's my least favorite character on the show. He comes off as a wanna-be musician. One of those guys that talks a big game but can't back it up; somebody who's in love with the IDEA of being a musician rather than actually being one.

Oh, and Sonny is pretty annoying too.

I agree with you on both characters. I think that they are meant to be irritating. It will be interesting to see where the show's creative overseers take these characters.

I loved the piano lesson scene in Episode 3. where John Goodman's character treated DJ Davis like he was an unwelcome disease entering his house. But Episode 4 is where DJ Davis' stupidity really reveals itself.

[seeline]

He's my least favorite character on the show. He comes off as a wanna-be musician. One of those guys that talks a big game but can't back it up; somebody who's in love with the IDEA of being a musician rather than actually being one.

Oh, and Sonny is pretty annoying too.

Absolutely. He's one of the most irritating characters I've encountered on *any* TV show, actually...

I feel the same way about Sonny, though for slightly different reasons.

Edited May 6, 2010 by seeline

[Harold_Z]

Yeah..Sonny's a drag.

I've been on a Louis Prima listening trip ever since Davis played Buona Sera.

[RJ Spangler]

I enjoy Davis cuz he has such a big heart for the music. Maybe he is a wannabe musician, as some DJ's are (NOT ALL, of course) but I bet I'd dig his show on WWOZ, which I understand he will be going back to. I liked it when Janette said to him "Just shut-up" after the big, expensive dinner. Only a real mental patient would offer a Dave Bartholomew box set to pay for that expensive bottle of wine!!!

As for Sonny, he does seem rather sad or maybe just too hip. He loves the music much like Davis, but maybe doesn't have the chops to make it in NOLA as a player? Anne is being portrayed as the real talent (or maybe its her looks, or a combo thereof?).

[seeline]

"Annie" is actually kinda famous IRL.

I wonder how much Davis actually does know - seems like he shouldn't have been surprised by the candles and rooster in the opening segment of Episode 2, if he really does know his NOLA culture, etc. though as is, that bit was wonderfully funny.

Edited May 7, 2010 by seeline

[PHILLYQ]

As for Sonny, he does seem rather sad or maybe just too hip. He loves the music much like Davis, but maybe doesn't have the chops to make it in NOLA as a player? Anne is being portrayed as the real talent (or maybe its her looks, or a combo thereof?).

Does the woman who plays Annie actually play the violin? Whoever does has a gorgeous tone.

[seeline]

As for Sonny, he does seem rather sad or maybe just too hip. He loves the music much like Davis, but maybe doesn't have the chops to make it in NOLA as a player? Anne is being portrayed as the real talent (or maybe its her looks, or a combo thereof?).

Does the woman who plays Annie actually play the violin? Whoever does has a gorgeous tone.

YES - see my previous post. She's a Julliard grad and a professional musician, not an actress. [caps are for emphasis, not yelling. ]

Edited May 7, 2010 by seeline

[RJ Spangler]

Thanks for the heads-up Seeline. So is Sonny really playing too?