Editor's Comment

Flood, Fire, Famine

 After retirement, I began tour guiding in my beloved city of New Orleans. There's an introductory speech given to tourists unfamiliar with New Orleans history that points out how we have gone through good times and bad — usually with the descriptive phrase of "flood, fire and famine". The New Orleans Jazz Club is no exception, for we have had our "ups and downs" as well, just like our parent city.

We have been struck by two catastrophic events, the death of Donald Perry, one of the club's founding members and Frances Fernandez, the tireless, wonderful, lady that kept the Jazz Club afloat during some of those "flood, fire, famine" times that threatened to destroy us.

Elsewhere in this issue of The Second Line, you will find a memorial to Donald Perry, my good friend for almost 70 years and a tribute to Frances Fernandez, who nurtured the club to its highest existence during a 60 year history. There's also our traditional reports of jazz activities from Helen Arlt, Bobby McIntyre, Don Marquis, Steve Steinberg and Clint Bolton, and a history of The Dukes of Dixieland. I have added a number of photos from my 25 years of documenting the Jazz Club and New Orleans activities.

I have to give a lot of credit to my son, Heath, who helped this sometimes forgetful octogenarian plow through a new profession of magazine publishing. Hopefully, we can revive The Second Line publication back to its previous glory and keep the physical second line marching 'round the room!

Fred Hatfield

Editor