The Music of Mardi Gras

We watched several parades during Mardi Gras and each had several marching bands, mostly from area schools.

One band during the Orpheus Parade stood out. I didn't get any pictures, but here is a video of them during the last year's parade.



The Roots of Music is a New Orleans group that fills a void left after Katrina. Some middle schools had to drop their music programs; not good in a city where music plays such a vital role. The Roots of Music offers young people an opportunity to learn and march in formation.

Notice that at least one of the members of this marching band is very young.

But music fills the streets of the French Quarter as well. There are many street musicians along Royal Street and elsewhere, and I took some pictures (and tipped the musicians).

This soloist was along the riverfront and we sat on a bench and listened to him while ships slowly passed by on the Mississippi. I could spend some time every day in this spot, watching the river and listening to music.


This one man band was on Royal Street, and two ladies from Japan walked up as he was playing. He recognized them as Japanese, spoke to them in their language, and sang a Japanese song they were familiar with.



Not far away we listened to this man on the clarinet and his friend on the steel drum.


Further down Royal the music changed a bit. This group was sort of folk/hillbilly.


As was this one. I didn't get the names of most of these groups, but this one had their name displayed, Slick Skillet Serenaders.

I found a video of them taken on Royal Street a couple of weeks ago.




Here's another pair of musicians.



And a quartet.



This is the man that was playing long side the clarinetist. Now he is playing solo.



Everyone who has been to New Orleans knows that you hear music everywhere you go. Jazz, blues, rockabilly, Brazilian, Zydeco, or any other style you want. The music in New Orleans seems to keep the city in rhythm. We even had a Jazz combo playing while we ate breakfast one morning.

Ubiquitous music and a coffee shops every other block (in the residential area we stayed in). Two things that bring people together. Things I wish we had in Bessemer.