Do What Cha Wanna

I was filing through my music collection when I was hipped to the album Hot Venom by the New Orleans classic Rebirth Brass Band. On this album, there is a song called "Cassanova," which contains riffs from the classic LeVert song. However, it has an unusual twist towards the end and turns "Cassanova" to "Bitch, Bend Ova."

I remember the first time I heard the song. It was at a hole in the walla club called Seal's Class Act. I went there with Neo and her mother as a change of pace, as I had never been to a REAL hole in the wall before. I heard the song and began to bob my head. Neo then whispered "watch, it's gonna get REAL nasty in a lil bit." I was waiting and waiting (the song is like 11 minutes long), and saw no gluticular getting-down of any sort and began to lose hope. Then, just as I was whispering "when's it gonna happen?," "OOOHHH, BITCH BEND OVAAA!!" shot out of the DJ's speakers and those old folk got to droppin' and poppin', the likes of which I hadn't seen previously. As freakish of a get-down as it was, it was a good time with New Orleans people dancing to New Orleans flavor. There was no violence, no overly drunk folk (that night, at least), no "man, leave my woman alone", none of that.

I think that many times, we overlook the fact that older people like to have a good time, too. Sure, they rag my generation's infatuation with booty movements and shaking and everything, but their generation had the same thing in THEIR music. They liked to wind and grind and toot their booty up too with guys waving flashlights and shouting "FIIIIIIRRREEE!" at them. Yet, when we see them dancing at a family reunion or a wedding reception, we are quick to think they are drunk if they are out on the dance floor doing more than a simple two-step. I go to these hole in the wall clubs and gain a lot of respect for them, because they refuse to be pigeonholed into the "you're too old to do that" category.

They almost dance inspirationally, because you know they are just dancing to have a good time. Too often, I'll visit a club and will see women dancing to make a statement or dancing to be seen. I will hip you all to my "7 Categories of People at a Club" theory in a later post, but sometimes, the snootiness and the posting up gets old QUICK. Makes you wanna say "screw you, screw your vagina discount, and screw your club!!," but I usually walk out by that time. I will be revisiting Club Kenny's Key West again tomorrow night, which will be an adventure, and you know I will be posting up about it.

In '06, I will make it an issue to visit more old school dance and hole in the wall clubs. I want to broaden my horizon something serious, and the only way to do that is to get out there and do it. To my old school brothers and sisters, don't let the younger haters get to ya. Keep on doin' what you doin', cuz I'll be right there, dancing beside (and sometimes behind) you. Long live the old school, because without it, there would be NO new school!!

-B