“Louder, gents!”

This video could be from a hundred years ago on a typical hot mid-summer day in “the city that care forgot.”

I personally can’t get enough of New Orleans’ uniquely-original “free”-style, street music, and am amused when newbie-locals sometimes clamor for volume-controls on instruments played by “street musicians” such as the band in today’s video.

For generations these folk have performed on the banquettes and in & around the local bars & clubs of New Orleans’ historic Vieux Carre’ (“old square” or today known as “The French Quarter” an international-tourist and local-residential district of the City.

Our “newbie-residents” (bless their hearts) haven’t yet realized New Orleans’ street music is a constant — which never has changed, never will change, and never can be changed. Even City Hall on a few politically-regrettable occasions (i.e., pandering to the naïve newbies) attempts to criminalize music in one way or another — and fails…miserably.

These “outsiders” have no idea that loud, “free-style” music is the status quo in New Orleans — that nobody who truly cares for this City, cares that the music is loud. In short, the naysayers will simply have to “get over it” or move out.

Speaking of gentrification, please move, in my opinion, because you are displacing housing needed by local musicians, artists, restaurant & shop workers, etc. — the ones who really keep the gold goose (French Quarter) alive and financially well-off…. “Free” music has been around since the 1830’s beginning around the time of the “Congo Square” drum circles with hand-made instruments; and in the Faubourg Tremé neighborhood where brass bands were born.

The French Quarter & “Storyville” jazz & red-light districts lured tourists and world travelers to this unique music. Word was spread around the World, which allowed “The City that Care Forgot” to become internationally famous, prosperous and unique in not only music, but also architecture, cuisine, art, literature, local culture….

Currently the Mayor and City Council are — wisely — taking a slow approach to the music naysayers’ concerns. They certainly should put this silly decibel-ordinance talk back on the back-burner where “the noise police” have been crying their bogus alligator tears & stewing in their own juices ever since the 1830’s (:

…Of course, the above video music-story was recorded and written pre-pandemic. The streets of New Orleans of late are somewhat devoid of life as we know it; the “normal” frenzied nightlife of the Vieux Carre’ music clubs has been muted mostly, although online gigs continue…. But — unsurprisingly — New Orleans’ “street music” survives, here and there within the Vieux Carre’….

[to be continued] “My Kingdom for and Editor!”

ThomasBalzac|www.vieuxcarretimes.com PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel?

“Exactly Like You” is a 1930 jazz standard composed by Jimmy McHugh with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Here’s some Wiki articles that mention the history of “free” music in America that began in New Orleans. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_S... (Congo Square) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trem%C3%A9 (Tremé) ~Thomas Balzac Websie: www.vieuxcarretimes.com E-Mail: vieuxcarretimescom@gmail.com