Issue Articles — Features
Obscure Wonders
Most visitors to New Orleans are quickly made aware of the standard sights and tourist fare. Beyond Bourbon Street there is the French Quarter, the Garden District, the streetcar, the […]
New Music-Progressive in Perspective: An OffBeat Primer
On a recent Saturday night, the variety of music available in New Orleans was enough to generate an Excedrin headache in even the most earnest of aficionados. The French Quarter, […]
The Roots of Jazz, Part Two
While many people think of jazz strictly in terms of brilliant soloists, the heart of jazz remains essentially an ensemble music of collective improvisation that swings and employs “blue notes.” […]
Quintessential Louisiana Cool
In certain places and times there have been those among us who have been so proficient in expressing their unique inner fires that even while pushing everything to the edge […]
Keeping One’s Cool
“Summertime and livin’ is easy…” Who said that? Well, it is kind of easy you know, because in this kind of tropical climate you simply must take it easy. Push […]
Steamboats: An American Legend Lives On
“Tote that barge. Lift that bale. Get a little drunk and you land in jail…Ole Man River, he just keeps rollin’ along…” Those famous lyrics sung by Paul Robeson in […]
The Roots of Jazz, Part One
New Orleans is internationally famous as the birthplace of jazz. From jazz’s birth at the turn of the century to its diverse manifestations in contemporary times, our congressionally-declared “national treasure” […]
Reggae: Rastaman Vibrations in the Park
The types of music whose genealogical trees are rooted in New Orleans are about as many as the number of bands you can see on any Saturday night. Blues, jazz, […]
Local Color
During the spring, festivals are a way of life here. Locals bop from festival to festival celebrating everything from the strawberry harvest to Cajun music to New Orleans culture. For […]
Jazz Fest: Time to Get Out the Sunblock
Here it is—the complete schedule of what’s happening at the 20th Annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the greatest music, food and crafts event in the country. Almost 3,000 musicians, […]
