A second-line in New Orleans © Eric Waters
Those who set foot in New Orleans can never forget it. This city of Louisiana, located on the banks of the Mississippi in the south of theUnited States, will get into your blood. Called the "Big Easy" for its effervescent nightlife and relaxed lifestyle, this unique city is the result of a blending of French, Spanish, African, American and Creole cultures. New Orleans is known worldwide for its carnival, Mardi Gras, which is preceded by several weeks of costumed parades, brass bands and parties of all kinds. As the cradle city of jazz, music is the DNA of New Orleans. Day and night, music resonates throughout the streets, but it doesn’t stop there. There are hundreds of festivals all year round, each with the most eccentric themes. Say, does the crawfish festival appeal to you?
Big chief of the Seminole indians for Mardi Gras © Jacqueline Marque
In New Orleans, the cultural and musical heritage has survived traumatic events and natural disasters. In particular there are hurricanes that hit the coast regularly. The most notorious of which is Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the below-sea-level-city in 2005. Faced with the world health crisis and pandemic of COVD-19, Louisiana remains seriously affected. We met Greg Lambousy, director of the New Orleans Jazz Museum in order to understand how cultural institutions are facing the current issue.
New Orleans Jazz Museum
Located in the most emblematic district of New Orleans, the French Quarter, or Vieux-Carré, the Jazz Museum celebrates jazz and its history through exhibitions, a research center that is open to all, educational programs, as well as musical performances. This public museum also contains a huge archival space, where the largest collection related to jazz in the world can be found. The collection hosts instruments, scores, photographs, recordings, etc. and, most notably, Louis Armstrong's first cornet.
Website: https://nolajazzmuseum.org/
Online Archives : http://louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/lsm-jaz:collection
Interview with Greg Lambousy, director of the New Orleans Jazz Museum
© Curtis Knapp
How would you describe life in New Orleans before the covid crisis?
Almost idyllic! We had a busy schedule full of life and people. Festivals, exhibit openings, concerts, educational activities filled our day to day activities.
How does this situation has impacted people ? Did you notice that music was less of a priority for the population?
The pandemic has affected all aspects of life. Music remains a priority for the population but not in the same way. We must all adjust and the Jazz Museum has made adjustments to continue providing a platform for musicians and for the interested public to have access to music and the stories behind the music.
New Orleans, first day of lockdown © nolajazzmuseum
What changed at the museum?
Much changed for the museum. New Orleans was hit very hard following Mardi Gras when many travelers from around the world visited. We closed the Jazz Museum in March. At that time we started moving all of our programs and concerts online via Facebook Live. We started two new virtual concert series, one called Quarantunes and another called Jazz from the Balcony.
Cole Williams Band, Trémé-Lafitte Brass Band, New Orleans Swamp Donkeys © Eliot Kamenitz
In May we reopen at 25% capacity when the city of New Orleans went to phase 1 of reopening. We are now in a reduced version of Phase 2 with more cases rising.
The balcony concerts started as purely virtual concerts. We have a large building with sizable grassy areas, taking up an entire city block. There is plenty of room for visitors to social distance in the outdoors. Later as we progressed to phase 2 we started to open the museum gates. As cases started to rise in the US we let in less than 50 people on to the grounds and closed the gates. The concerts continue to be very popular and give us all a sense of hope and exhilaration. The concerts have become a source of income for the musicians. We place the PayPal or Venmo accounts of the musicians on our Facebook Live feed. The musicians have done very well. The museum pays for the live stream and the people who coordinate the stream and set up for the musicians. We have been fortunate to receive grants to keep the museum moving forward.
© New Orleans Jazz Museum
Have you collaborated with other institutions to create new projects?
We recently collaborated with TSF Jazz on their virtual festival that took place in June. We are planning new collaborations with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and are moving forward with a virtual NOLA River Fest that will take place September 22nd – 27th and will include partnerships with Offbeat Magazine, Restore the Mississippi River Delta, Water Collaborative and others. We are also now partnering on streaming with the Always Lounge, Bon Bon Vivant, Dowman Studios, Louisiana Music Factory, WWOZ Radio, Satchmo SummerFest, etc.
Did you notice new forms of musical performance ?
Finding a way to get to an audience is the main objective. This impulse has engendered creativity. The scope is wide. A full study on this still awaits but we know from experience that it has taken many forms. I write this like a 19th century newspaper article for good reason, this is a historical step.
Joe Krown performs at the back of a truck © Sophia Germer
In your opinion, is the New Orleans music scene going to be transformed in the long term?
Every major event in the city’s history affects the music. This pandemic will affect the music but that does not mean that music will stop. It just means that the music will bend and will find another path. We will see what direction it goes.
Any recommendations for jazz fans ?
We have NOLA River Fest coming up in September, 22nd – 27th.
This event has been taking place every year for several years. This festival celebrates the Mississippi River, its cultural, economic, ecological aspects. This year, it will be completely virtual. We are planning an extravaganza event for April of 2021 during Jazz Fest that will include a fashion show, dance and light show.
All of our virtual events are brodcast live and in replay on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nolajazzmuseum
Coming soon :
Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Aug 18
Jelly Joseph, Aug 8/25
Warm Daddy, Sept 1
Nayo Jones, Sept 8
Honey Island Swamp Band, Sept 15
Kinfolk Brass Band (during NOLA River Fest) Sept 22
Cha Wa, Sept 29
Interview by Philippine Labrousse