I returned from a 6 day trip to New Orleans last night and had certified mail today from the Louisiana Department of Labor. The letter said “Unemployment Taxes. Notice of Intent to Assess”, and was a bill for taxes, interest and penalty due for the 3rd quarter of 2005. This letter was sent to my devastated office in New Orleans from Baton Rouge and postmarked on January 27th. It was forwarded to my PO Box in Austin on 2/20/06 and arrived in Austin sometime between 2/24 and 3/2 while I was away.

I called today and found out that they had put a letter out for the mail today that was being sent to the Clerk of Court to place a lien on my home and my business. I fortunately was able to ask them to pull the letter and avoid having the lien placed. I also called my friends at a local newspaper and TV station and told them this story. IT IS OBVIOUSLY TOO EARLY TO BE PLACING LIENS ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY LOST SO MUCH. There were tens of thousands of people who lost their small businesses, probably owe some taxes for their employees for the 3rd quarter, and like me also don’t have their staff to take care of these sorts of things. As it turns out, the person who used to do this for me, did do it for me after the flooding, but the online system that he usually uses to pay the tax was down, so he paid the other things like Federal and State withholding, but wasn’t able to pay state unemployment that we took out of the checks. Someone at the Louisiana Department of Labor needs to be held accountable and so does our Governor for making this premature decision.

Click here for the profile of Kermit Ruffins and two other artists on NPR’s All Things Considered that aired on Mardi Gras day, 2/28/06.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5238248

Irvin Mayfield performed and was interviewed on the Sunday edition of Good Morning America on February 26, 2006. The Rebirth Brass Band was the house band on Monday 2/27/06 and Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers performed on Mardi Gras Day as the house band. Emeril was also a guest.

Click here to hear an interview with me on KFOG in San Francisco that aired on Friday, February 24th, 2006.
Note: this interview is no longer available

Check out the great new Mardi Gras poster by displaced New Orleanian Jamie Hayes. You may be familiar with Jamie’s works…they are used as title pages in the Los Hombres Calientes DVD.

Basin Street Records proudly presents: New Orleans Artist Jamie Hayes and his 2006 Mardi Gras commemorative Mardi Gras poster “KATRINA.” Jamie, who is best known for his whimsical Mardi Gras posters lost both his galleries in the French Quarter and was not even going to make a Mardi Gras poster for 2006. His wife Pam convinced him to create a design, because in 10 or 25 years it would be historically important. He and his family are still displaced and living in California, yearning to come home. Making a purchase of one of Jamie’s true New Orleans style, limited edition prints will help him get a step closer to returning to the Big Easy.

We at Basin Street really liked the design, and decided to share it with you, our network of valued customers. We have a special offering for you which includes FREE SHIPPING, and if you buy any two posters on Jamie’s web site, the third poster is free. The “Katrina” poster is 16 X 20 inches, costs $35 and a limited edition of 1000. This poster will fit a standard size frame. Each poster is custom embossed with a BASIN STREET RECORDS LIMITED EDITION stamp, as well as signed and numbered by the artist.

Also available is a museum quality, limited edition 125/125, Giclee print that is gold-leafed by hand for $225. Same as the Giclle, but with extra gold/silver leafing and include a small drawing. (There are 10 Artist Proofs available for $275, but “hurry” is the word on those! They’ll sell out fast.)

Go to http://www.jamiehayes.com/basinstreet.htm and order one today.

Thank you and have a great Mardi Gras, from all of us at Basin Street Records.

THE FINALISTS FOR THE 2006 BILLBOARD LATIN JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR ARE:

Latin Jazz Album Of The Year:
“Vol. 5: Carnival” Los Hombres Calientes (Basin Street)
“Listen Here!” Eddie Palmieri (Concord)
“Do It!” Poncho Sánchez (Concord Picante/Concord)
“Sandoval: Live At The Blue Note” Arturo Sandoval (Half Note)

This is the 4th time that Los Hombres Calientes: Irvin Mayfield & Bill Summers has been named a finalist for the Billboard Latin Jazz Album of the Year. They won the award in 2000 (their self titled debut album), and were finalists in 2003 (Vol.3: New Congo Square), 2004 (Vol.4: Vodou Dance), and now again in 2006.

A complete listing of all categories can be found on the website at http://www.billboardevents.com/

The show will be produced and broadcast LIVE from Miami on Telemundo, Thursday, April 27th, 2006, and caps the 2006 Billboard Latin Music Conference.