For a long stretch in the 1990s and into the 21st century, locals could expect regular appearances from the poet and legendary 1960s activist. He decamped to Amsterdam, a city more tolerant of his habits, and now his returns to New Orleans are cause for celebration.
He has several gigs scheduled around town through out the rest of the Carnival season, but the first is tonight. The show is at the Big Top and begins around 9 PM after the Ancient Druids parade passes nearby on St. Charles Avenue.
Billed as John Sinclair with Carlo Ditta & the Not So Super Superheroes, I am expecting a killer performance perhaps rivaling one that I witnessed years ago when Sinclair performed his classic ode, “Bud Powell” with the lone accompaniment of the drummer Johnny Vidacovich. Sinclair’s head was literally smoking as he screamed the great jazz musician’s name over and over like a mantra.
The Not So Super Superheroes feature Ditta and Mike Gamble on guitars, James Singleton on bass, Simon Lott on drums and effects and Justin Peake on laptop and effects.
I would like to thank Benjamin Lyons of Valid Records for hipping me to this gig before I read the names in the daily rag. Here’s what he had to say about Sinclair. “In this age where every stance appears to be fully commodified and integrated into the Spectacle, counter culture is now needed more than ever, but is it still possible? If anyone living knows the answer, it well might be John Sinclair. Poet, jazz and blues scholar, revolutionary, visionary, pot fiend, White Panther, artist, organizer, political prisoner, bullshitter, DJ, writer, MC5 manager, etc., etc., etc.–John’s whole life has been committed to the Freedom principle.”
In 1971, John Lennon wrote a song to help spring Sinclair from jail on a trumped up marijuana charge. Check out this ancient video of the Beatle performing the song.
