At the New Orleans Trad Jazz Camp that Banu Gibson described in her article in the December issue, there was an auction to benefit their scholarship program. In the auction was a Muse Shoe that she made (photo above).
Banu is a member of The Krewe of Muses, an all-female krewe. In addition to the float and parade every year, they have a tradition of making Muse Shoes which are very popular and highly sought after. I do not live in New Orleans and was not aware of The Krewe of Muses and the wonderful work they do. I just saw the most beautiful shoe I had ever seen and knew I had to buy it for my wife.
I was already in awe of Banu for the awesome job she does organizing and running the New Orleans Trad Jazz Camp (together with Leslie Cooper) and for her incredible talent as a jazz musician and wonderful abilities as a teacher. I am all the more impressed with her dedication and contribution to the world of Traditional New Orleans Jazz.
Kerry Vesper,
Vesper Sculpture & Design, LLC
www.kerryvesper.com
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ More of Banu’s Shoes! From the March 2019 Jazz Jottings:
Banu Gibson, the chanteuse of the Bayou, writes: “When Jack Weaver, a fan of mine, would correspond, he would always use vintage stamps on the envelope. I would tear off the stamp corner and keep them in a folder. Later as I started to collect commemorative stamps that were music or entertainment-related, I displayed them in a photo album. And there they sat, hidden from view.
But no more! I’m using my accumulated treasures on my Muses shoes this year. There’s Greta Garbo and Shirley Temple, Caruso, and W. C. Fields; stamps from Norway, England, Australia, and other faraway places that can now be seen and enjoyed.”
