One of These Days (You're Gonna Realize)

It's that time of year, when Blues Lovers often wander down south in their musical taste to sample a little Swamp music.  Here is a fun one, featuring Love Potions and Snake Oil by D.B. Rielly set to more movies than I can mention.

For me, Mardi Gras does not mean beads and body parts on Fat Tuesday.  Maybe it is because I experienced it, before I had either, or maybe there was just a different emphasis in the 1970's.  Mardi Gras was my first experience with music that makes your feet move, and I never forgot it.

My first cultural immersion experience started right after the season began and lasted a week.   It is and was a veritable sensory explosion, on all fronts: Musicians jamming in unexpected places all times of the day and night; Scents of regional foods wafting through the night air simply not found in Central Illinois; and lastly, the vivid images of the Krewes and bright costumes started my love affair with Mardi Gras and regional music.  

I suppose, a sentimental aspect to the music exists as well.  It brings back memories of being nearly fifteen and experiencing Louisiana for the first time. Doing the tourist things, a Mint Julep at the Court of the Two Sisters, Beignets and Chicory Coffee at Cafe du Monde, getting up the courage to go into a VooDoo shop, being shoed back to my hotel before anyone discovered I was out adventuring, only to repeat it day after day, and finally getting lost in the music and recognizing nothing had ever made me feel quite like that.

Maybe, just maybe I might get around to taking a road trip.  I know two things.  One, I won't be there on Fat Tuesday. And two, I think I would have to keep a sharper eye on my offspring.  Something tells me, their feet would be moving too.