Darius Lyndsley, “Da Bucket Banga,” beats his buckets on a curb outside of Belle’s Diner in the French Market—lifting the bucket slightly with his foot to provide different musical tones. He flips his sticks high in the air, catching them without missing a beat. Someone drops a five, missing the bucket, and the bill floats to the ground. But before the wind can blow it away, Darius has deftly scooped it into the bucket with one hand, keeping the beat with his other.

Darius is not just play...