Brass Band
You don't know.
If haven't been to New Orleans you don't know the power of the brass band. Maybe you know jazz. Maybe you even know New Orleans jazz; Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Pete Fountain, Fats Domino. But you don't know the brass band until you come here.
On Sundays during the summer there are concerts in Louis Armstrong Park. Presently the concerts are sponsored by a local R&B station (I forget which) and are called 'Old School in the Park'. They aren't kidding. The concerts are held on Congo Square, a place where persons of color were allowed to gather in the 1700s under French-Colonial rule to have a market and to play music. Over the years many forces have tried to prevent the sharing of music on Congo Square, not the least of which was Hurricane Katrina, but the people here will not let it go.
Upon walking into the park and looking around I noticed that the one group of white folks in the crowd looked pretty out of place. Then I figured that the other group of white folks probably looked out of place too, but as I didn't have a mirror, I got over that quickly.
The dancing and joy in the square was incredible to see. Lose yourself in the music and don't come back until its done. There are a lot of cares in this city, and they cannot be easy to throw away. But folks at the square chucked them damn cares clear to Muskogee on Sunday. Wow. It only makes you wonder about people whose cares aren't so great, but who can't manage to loosen up for a dance under any circumstances.
The atmosphere was overwhelmingly one of good spirits. Just what everyone needs, especially here. And wow can those brass bands blow! They mix in classic jazz pieces with Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson. "...I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round..."
I can't describe them any more, you just gotta get down here and see it for yourself.
If haven't been to New Orleans you don't know the power of the brass band. Maybe you know jazz. Maybe you even know New Orleans jazz; Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Pete Fountain, Fats Domino. But you don't know the brass band until you come here.
On Sundays during the summer there are concerts in Louis Armstrong Park. Presently the concerts are sponsored by a local R&B station (I forget which) and are called 'Old School in the Park'. They aren't kidding. The concerts are held on Congo Square, a place where persons of color were allowed to gather in the 1700s under French-Colonial rule to have a market and to play music. Over the years many forces have tried to prevent the sharing of music on Congo Square, not the least of which was Hurricane Katrina, but the people here will not let it go.
Upon walking into the park and looking around I noticed that the one group of white folks in the crowd looked pretty out of place. Then I figured that the other group of white folks probably looked out of place too, but as I didn't have a mirror, I got over that quickly.
The dancing and joy in the square was incredible to see. Lose yourself in the music and don't come back until its done. There are a lot of cares in this city, and they cannot be easy to throw away. But folks at the square chucked them damn cares clear to Muskogee on Sunday. Wow. It only makes you wonder about people whose cares aren't so great, but who can't manage to loosen up for a dance under any circumstances.
The atmosphere was overwhelmingly one of good spirits. Just what everyone needs, especially here. And wow can those brass bands blow! They mix in classic jazz pieces with Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson. "...I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round..."
I can't describe them any more, you just gotta get down here and see it for yourself.
posted by Jake at 6:16 PM
1 Comments:
Interesting to know.
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