Dear Listener,

"Austin’s Not Weird Anymore," "The Battle for the Mission District, Heart of San Francisco," and "#Save NYC": headlines that seem to keep coming my way.

And now, coming to a neighborhood near you – the same house flippers and NIMBY-minded activists, along with our city’s recently passed Incomprehensible Zoning Ordinance and its companion Noise Ordinance, all seem to be follow-ons to the Federal Flood of '05, threatening to further weaken our neighborhoods and the very real 200 year-old cultural and musical heritage of this one-and-only New Orleans.

Everywhere I go these days, people are talking about, worrying about a not-so-funny feeling they have that something's looming right around the corner from their house. For example, check out the nola.com article "Where Will the Working Poor Live in New Orleans, If Gentrification Continues?" Or an article by Matt Sakakeeny: "Living in a Laboratory: New Orleans Today," and Lolis Eric Elie’s, "Why We Came Home." And if you really want to get your nose opened, spend some time with this WWOZ-produced video recording of a forum for culture bearers, “10 Years After: The State of New Orleans Music and Culture.”

In truth, this is a worldwide conversation. On October 25, I'll be attending the Music Cities Convention in Georgetown where keynote speaker Lolis Eric Elie will take 215 delegates from 20 countries on an inspection tour of post-K New Orleans culture. Other panels will highlight music-related issues being joined in Austin, Boston and Seattle as well as the UK and 7 other countries.

On the following Tuesday, at the Future of Music Conference, there'll be yet another session dedicated to our struggle to maintain the integrity of New Orleans’ core identity. And the following day, I’ll be on a panel entitled the "Future of Radio." I don’t know about the rest of broadcasting, but it's clear to me that WWOZ's future depends on whether we, as a city, figure out how to nurture our music community. Coming to a neighborhood near you?

Yours in sugar pies and flutter-bys,

David Freedman
General Manager

WWOZ's Fall Membership Drive—AKA, the Pledge Party—happens from November 3-13. Tune in to catch one-of-a-kind performances by the brightest stars in the New Orleans music universe. We need your support and commitment to joining in as a Guardian of the Groove! Help the greatest station in the nation keep serving up musical feasts for the ears.

» Support WWOZ

We're sad to share the news of the passing of a colleague, long-time WWOZ jazz show host K. Balewa. He was part of the WWOZ family for decades, and most recently served as the Wednesday morning host of the "Morning Set" contemporary jazz program. K’s show celebrated jazz and its ties to both New Orleans and the world. With his soothing delivery and vast musical knowledge, he entertained as well as educated his listeners. His passing leaves a void that will be impossible to fill, and we at WWOZ can only hope to keep his passion alive by continuing to celebrate the music he so loved. As big as his impact was at the station, he left an even bigger impact on the world.

» The WWOZ community shares memories of K. Balewa

The 8th annual Treme Creole Gumbo Fest returns to Armstrong Park in the historic Treme for the weekend of November 14-15. This free festival runs from 11a-7p each day and will feature great live, local music from brass bands, jazz, and R&B performers. The food at this festival is top-notch with many tasty varieties of gumbo from some of the city’s top restaurants.

» See the full music and food lineup

Tonight, October 22, we'll be broadcasting from the Jazz Foundation of America's "Great Night in Harlem" event. And on October 28, we’ll be broadcasting the TBC Brass Band live from the Young Leadership Council of New Orleans' "One Book One New Orleans" party, an annual effort to get everyone in the city to read the same book at the same time. "New Orleans Boom & Blackout" was picked for this year and features an entire chapter on the TBC Brass Band.

 » See all upcoming live broadcasts

We're celebrating the life and legacy of the great musician Harold Battiste this month with two special episodes of WWOZ’s weekly syndicated program New Orleans Calling, hosted by George Ingmire. On October 24, we'll hear Battiste's story in his own words, taken from archived WWOZ interviews that have been unheard for three decades. And on October 31, we sit and talk with some of the great jazz talents he mentored both in music and in life. Listen Saturday mornings at 7am or check out neworleanscalling.org.

 » More from New Orleans Calling

The Voodoo Music & Arts Experience returns to New Orleans’ City Park October 30 – November 1. The lineup not only features international artists like the Ozzy Osbourne and Jane’s Addiction, but also includes some fantastic local acts such as Terence Blanchard, Dumpstaphunk, the Soul Rebels, and more.

 » See music schedule day-by-day

Warm, filling, and cheesy—what’s not to love? These German-inspired potato dumplings are made with only five ingredients and involve just six steps. A crunchy exterior gives way to a chewy, warm potato center. Pair it with your favorite German beer and this one is a winner! This recipe comes to you from Salú’s special Oktoberfest menu.

 » Recipe: Salú's Potato Cheddar Dumplings