Following the extensive renovation of one of New Orleans most neglected historic landmarks, the Little Gem Saloon opened its doors in late December, housing a swanky restaurant and jazz club in the century-old South Rampart Street structure where legendary musicians such as Buddy Bolden and Jelly Roll Morton once shaped the sound of popular music — giving rise to the dawn of the Jazz Age and life to a legacy now synonymous with the city itself in the process.
This past Friday (January 11), Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns rang in the grand opening of the Little Gem Saloon’s Ramp Room (its second-floor performance space) marking the beginning of a new — and hopefully fruitful — chapter in New Orleans’ storied songbook. Photographer Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee was on hand for the show and captured these shots below. Enjoy!
Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns at the Little Gem Saloon (photo: Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee)
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All photos courtesy of Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee. See more shots from the New Orleans music scene on OffBeat’s Flickr page.
