Philip Giroir
Tape No. 4311
PONTIFF: What's your favorite part of Jazz Fest?
GIROIR: Got to be the people, the friends, camaraderie during the fest, like putting it together. Because, like I said, I've been here a long time and a lot of people that are here have been here a long time. So, it's kind of a big dysfunctional family reunion. Because everybody here, you take a cut in pay. I get half my normal pay to be here. So, nobody's here for the money. It's all just a love of music and the event and the people. So it's a big family of friends. And then I have friends from all over come in for the event that I only see that one time of year. So, it's a good reunion for them as well. It's pretty good.
PONTIFF: So how would you define a successful year at Jazz Fest? What makes it a good
year versus not a good year?
GIROIR: Successful year at Jazz Fest . . . they've all been pretty good. You know what I mean? Like, some . . . last year we had a ton of rain and lots of mud, and that doesn't really bother me that much. It's a little smelly, but I kind of embrace the rain and mud. I can't do nothing about it. [laughs] And successful year at Jazz Fest is just seeing all the friends I want to see. I have my special friends come to town and everybody having a good time.
