Rik Reppe is expected to bring a unique blend of poetic narrative and music when he and two other musicians perform at the Newman Center on Saturday. They will perform “Glorious Noise,” a medley of songs and stories about New Orleans and its residents.
According to Reppe, the city is a “wonderful stew” of people, music and culture that is often misrepresented in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Reppe wants to show a different side of the longtime residents who were affected by the storm.
Following the hurricane, Reppe tied to locate Cracker Jack, an acquaintance, with whom he had formed a friendship centered on music.
Reppe said, “Cracker Jack had a great voice, gravelly and reminiscent of whiskey and cigarettes.” Cracker Jack played the saxophone and was well known to residents of the now-infamous lower ninth ward. Cracker Jack’s fate is told in “Glorious Noise” and Reppe says the show is mainly about Cracker Jack and how he embodied the spirit of New Orleans. Reppe pointed out that music is part of the story of New Orleans and those who survived the hurricane and the flood. He believes healing is tied to songs such as “Spoonbread” by David Egan.
Reppe is something of an anomaly. With thick auburn hair and an unkempt beard, Reppe appears as “down home” as those he sings about. He refers to himself as an artist and musician but he holds a master’s degree in economics and is a management consultant when he isn’t traveling. He said he has a day job to keep himself afloat financially. His passion is telling stories that instill a sense of pride in America.
After Sept. 11, Reppe went on the road for two months to figure out what it means to be American. His Web site features stories of regular people he met as he traveled from California to New York. The resulting show was called “Staggering Toward America” and reflected a wide array of American sentiment, both funny and sad.
At his upcoming appearance at DU, Reppe promises “music you have never heard before but will fall in love with.” He also vows to deliver a picture of New Orleans, post-Katrina, that shows “what’s right” with regards to those who lived through the disaster.
Ten dollar Student Rush tickets are available at the Newman Center Box Office. Tickets are limited to one per student with a valid student ID.
