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Katrina Drowns Jazz
Financial efforts to bring relief to New Orleans have come in the form of the Red Cross, clothing and food drives sponsored by churches, non-profit organizations, and schools, and from benefit concerts, such as Shelter from the Storm, which was recently aired on all major networks, and Saving Ourselves, a telethon and benefit concert that aired on Black Entertainment Television (BET). Famous New Orleans residents, including Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr., are also continuing to hold concerts in order to raise funds for hurricane relief efforts.
Yet, Katrina survivors who maintain the love of jazz music that New
Orleans became famous for wonder if ‘rebuilding’ indeed involves
re-establishing the prominent jazz influence that New Orleans once had.
With many New Orleans residents finding jobs and homes in other places
in order to repair their lives, jazz enthusiasts are hoping that the
same effort to restore what was lost will be applied to bringing jazz
culture back to the city.
The city of New Orleans is actively looking to rebuild, and preserve
the historic jazz culture the city is known for. The New Orleans Jazz
Festival, one of the biggest events in the city, may still happen later
next year, and the French Quarter is currently being rebuilt, and could
be up and running sooner than even New Orleans residents thought
possible.
The Jazz Festival, a ten day festival consisting of evening concerts
and the Louisiana Heritage Fair, is one of the city’s biggest events.
Many visitors come from different parts of the country to hear jazz
greats perform, as well as up and coming bands and singers. There are
also a number of vendors at the event, as well as a host of fine
restaurants and hotels in the French Quarter.
Even though it is difficult to restore the city, sincere efforts are
being made to ensure that jazz is once again a staple in New Orleans
after Katrina. Still, jazz lovers are fearful and skeptical that the
history of jazz will be somewhat lost after the hurricane. After all,
the French Quarter, along with most other places in New Orleans, was
severely flooded, and Bourbon Street, which was home to many clubs
where jazz legends like Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton
performed, did not escape terrible damage. And while it is possible to
build new jazz clubs and to give new musicians the chance to showcase
their work and become well known within the jazz culture, many of the
artifacts showcasing the intriguing history of jazz may not be able to
be recovered.
The New Orleans Jazz Museum, as well as the popular venue Preservation
Hall, has been closed indefinitely while restoration efforts are going
on. Some of the major artifacts that were stored on higher floors in
the museum, such as original compositions and instruments may be able
to be preserved after some restoration treatments. Preservation Hall
has developed a website in order to connect musicians through
networking, and the venue has been preserved despite major water
damage. This leads many to believe that there are some things about
jazz that can not be ‘re-taught’, and that it is possible that the
music will take on a slightly different form in later years. Many jazz
enthusiasts that are not from New Orleans, as well as natives, worry
that artifacts have been lost, and at present, there is no way to get
in touch the museum directors or employees.
In order to truly rebuild New Orleans, both physically and culturally,
musicians, politicians, and citizens must all come together to preserve
the wonderful memories that were created in the birthplace of jazz.
Many believe that in order for the spirit of jazz to be preserved in
the city, new musicians should begin to play as soon as there is an
opportunity. Since so many people are looking to support the relief
efforts taking place in New Orleans, more people than ever will be
willing to come support jazz musicians from all over who choose to play
in the French Quarter again.
The help of the rest of the nation is still very much needed in New
Orleans to bring jazz back to the city. Contributions are still needed
for the Red Cross, and most cities have stations where food, clothing,
and money are accepted in order to aid the victims of the hurricane and
rebuild the birthplace of jazz.
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