OffBeat (magazine)
Encyclopedia
OffBeat is a monthly music magazine in New Orleans, Louisiana
first published in 1988. It mainly focuses on the music scene of New Orleans and Louisiana. It covers wide range of local music including R&B, blues
, brass bands, jazz
, cajun music
, zydeco
, to rock.
Its support for the local music community has greatly contributed to the promotion of the scene. The club listings and disc reviews covering local independent labels are indispensable information source for the New Orleans music lovers. Publisher and Editor-in-Chief is Jan A. Ramsey. It is published by OffBeat, Inc. OffBeat was the first magazine in New Orleans to return to publishing after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, despite losing all its staff and its printer.
OffBeat is distributed free of charge in Metro New Orleans in records stores, hotels, and such, though it is charged elsewhere. In spring, OffBeat publishes special Jazz Fest
issues with complete day-by-day schedules of the festival.
In addition to the monthly magazine, OffBeat also presents "The Best of the Beat Awards" to celebrate the local music and musicians, and also publishes "Louisiana Music Directory", a directory containing listings of bands, musicians, record labels, clubs, etc. The "OffBeat Weekly Beat" is a free weekly email newsletter with breaking news and current music listings. The magazine's website at OffBeat.com was the first magazine website online in the state of Louisiana, and is popular with lovers of New Orleans and Louisiana music and culture worldwide. In 2010, OffBeat launched an iPhone application (OffBeat Mobile) to keep its readers apprised of what's happening in New Orleans music.
OffBeat is featured in the HBO series "Treme." Its editorial resulted in the creation of characters (such as "DJ Davis McAlary," in reality local musician/DJ/writer Davis Rogan), and story lines in the series.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
first published in 1988. It mainly focuses on the music scene of New Orleans and Louisiana. It covers wide range of local music including R&B, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, brass bands, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, cajun music
Cajun music
Cajun music, an emblematic music of Louisiana, is rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada. Cajun music is often mentioned in tandem with the Creole-based, Cajun-influenced zydeco form, both of Acadiana origin...
, zydeco
Zydeco
Zydeco is a form of uniquely American roots or folk music. It evolved in southwest Louisiana in the early 19th century from forms of "la la" Creole music...
, to rock.
Its support for the local music community has greatly contributed to the promotion of the scene. The club listings and disc reviews covering local independent labels are indispensable information source for the New Orleans music lovers. Publisher and Editor-in-Chief is Jan A. Ramsey. It is published by OffBeat, Inc. OffBeat was the first magazine in New Orleans to return to publishing after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, despite losing all its staff and its printer.
OffBeat is distributed free of charge in Metro New Orleans in records stores, hotels, and such, though it is charged elsewhere. In spring, OffBeat publishes special Jazz Fest
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, often known as Jazz Fest, is an annual celebration of the music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana...
issues with complete day-by-day schedules of the festival.
In addition to the monthly magazine, OffBeat also presents "The Best of the Beat Awards" to celebrate the local music and musicians, and also publishes "Louisiana Music Directory", a directory containing listings of bands, musicians, record labels, clubs, etc. The "OffBeat Weekly Beat" is a free weekly email newsletter with breaking news and current music listings. The magazine's website at OffBeat.com was the first magazine website online in the state of Louisiana, and is popular with lovers of New Orleans and Louisiana music and culture worldwide. In 2010, OffBeat launched an iPhone application (OffBeat Mobile) to keep its readers apprised of what's happening in New Orleans music.
OffBeat is featured in the HBO series "Treme." Its editorial resulted in the creation of characters (such as "DJ Davis McAlary," in reality local musician/DJ/writer Davis Rogan), and story lines in the series.