When in New Orleans, you turn the corner to witness music explode before your eyes. Bands seem to form out of thin air. Brass, pianos on wagons, accordions, guitars, fiddles, DRUMS. You name it, New Orleans will deliver. But not when you ask it too. The music feels like an offering to the city. A city like no other. It’s alive, and anyone down in that bowl will tell you. New Orleans steals your heart.
Progressive jazz. Bop is around, but most of the clubs I went to were technical, loud local funk bands. The talent is mean, explosive. I saw a 20 something year old alto saxophonist circular breathing like he was chasing the sun.
While most of the clubs had similar funk assortments, the street music was much more independent, and diverse. An amazing vocalist playing keyboard, capturing the attention of 2 whole blocks. Nobody said a fucking word. I was laughing to myself in surprise and excitement. Thats how you can tell I’m really digging something. Like the guitar wizard Andy Tate, melting faces every Sunday in Memphis. But I’m getting ahead of myself…
Gypsy/Dixieland jazz took me by surprise in New Orleans. A ragtag group of musicians, they set in the middle of the street, playing quick bluesy toons for anyone who will listen. Steel guitars, stand up bass, washboards, clarinets and fiddles. I could see myself doing similar music. A group of people coming together to tell a story, and have a good time doing it.
And of course, the brass!!!! Assortments of brass and drums (oh the tubas I’ve seen!) that come together to form the second line. It’s the most powerful music in New Orleans, in my opinion. They play standing or marching, all the sound going in one direction. Standing in front of them is like getting hit by a train. But it feels so good! I have seen around 20 different second lines since I moved to the city.
So there we have the funk, gypsy, street and second lines. That is only scratching the surface of New Orleans. It’s a city that is hard to describe, I hope you get the chance to discover it for yourself!
World and Sound 