The Basin Street Sheik Bio Pages
Chap 5: Whispirin' Lu

jug, slide whistle, jew's harp, Vietnamese Buddhist's harp, subtle ululation
Of all the chic band members, Whisperin' Lu is both figuratively and literally the most poorly understood.  To be sure, he does 'play' the jug, slide whistle and juice harp.  He is quick to chime in, "O yeah I'm a multi-talented master [fakir]. What you call a triple or maybe a quadruple, quintuple or septuple threat.  And can I sing?  Shoot - just like a red-winged black bird!"  Lu also extols the virtue of being self-taught and is quick to dispel the "myth" of formal training. "Naw I never had any use for theory or any of that other stuff [rhythm, beats, measures, melody, harmony, etc].   I do what I do, I just want to play and have a good time.  I want everybody to have a good time!"

The origins of Whisperin' Lu have apparently been lost to the anals of time as they, like the man himself, are shrouded in a malaise of mystery and confusion (which may not be a negative thing).  Over the years many have thought that "Whisperin'" was an original member of the Sheiks.  However, both the official biography (Canard 47:12-13¹) and Lu debunk that legend.  Perhaps it is best illustrated in this con-fused report of Lu's first meeting with the Basin Street Sheiks:

"I stepped into this little house; ya know- a juke, to wet my whistle.  I had my own jug with me 'cause I was travelling, ya see, and I needed a refill.  Well, the place was off the main drag and not so crowded, but the four or maybe six people in tha' joint seemed pleased enough, I mean the band was ragged but right!  I was walking up to the bar with my jug when one of the Sheiks said something to me.  I don't remember exactly what, so I replied - yeah, I need to put some fire in this thing.  Well [apparently] the boys didn't unnerstand me cause Jérre got so worked he kept jabbing Salty  in the eye when he was bowin' his fiddle.  I tell you boy [laughs] the sparks flew!  Later I found out Jerré thought I said 'I need to git y'all fired first thing'.  Course, Jerré don't hear too good, as you can tell by his playin'..."

Hardly a flamboyant beginning and one wonders if Nigel Canard (47:12-14) understood, took notes or was even conscious during the interview.  Lu continues:

"Well I was drinkin' pretty heavy and eventually I had to go!  There were no facilities in the joint so I was headin' 'round back.  As I passed the band I said somethin' like - 'I got to go boys, just so bad - you know nature calls'.  Well that little drummer Snappy, woo wee he feisty, leaped up and tried to whup me!  And the rest of that bunch was right behind him.  Well, all except for Teeto who was fixin' a string at the time and Fats was trippin' all over that tub.  Ooo wee if there had been a crowd that night it could have been real ugly.  Eventually we straightened it out- apparently the Sheiks thought I had said, 'I got to go, you boys is just so bad I think we gonna brawl'.  Once they heard me play the jug we was right and tight.  Certainly they were already tight.  Them boys loved me.  Hell I joined the band right then and there!

Loved or not, Lu and the rest of the band persevered perversely through good and bad.  Eventually they checked out during the disco era and Lu attempted a brief solo career that fizzled before the first gig.  Later he tried in vain to hook up with the younger, hipper jam band set albeit in vain to sell some musical samples to hip hoppers.  Eventually he drifted or grifted back to New Orleans where he was drawn to that old familiar sound.

As Whisperin' Lu recalls it, "It was one night '02 and I was coming back from my evening constitutional in the Garden District, probably lost. I decided to ride the Streetcar home and the sound hit me.  I knew I was being called to the table [free food?] and as I approached the door I noticed an old Kentwood bottle on the steps.  Well I snatched that jug up and busted in.  You know the Sheiks was wide-eyed, surprised to see me and likely appalled by my sudden appearance.  Eventually we fell right in and they were oh so happy to see me!"

Lu sums it, "Now I had to run out the pretenders, but there is no escaping me.  I'm in it for the long haul! All us Basin Street Sheiks are back and committed!"

As well they all should be.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
¹Canard, R. Nigel   1947    This May Cause Some Discomfort: The Stumbles, Bumbles and Confusion of New Orleans' Only Premier Jug Band, The Hadacol Delirium & Skalaxon Press, New London, Athens and Rome.

Portions of this article were also printed without permission in Delusional Sporadic Vol. 9, No. 9 pp. 9-11,  Zebulon, GA

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