Music in the City!

I have loved the music here in the city. Every musician whether it’s a band or a person playing alone has their own unique style and something new to bring. I wish all areas of the country played music on the streets because every time I hear it, the music will make me smile and I enjoy seeing the musician’s passion through their work. Down here, jazz is the most popular form of music that is played. You can always here that classic trombone, trumpet, banjo, and bass drum sound. They play soul music here and everyone who sings has a beautiful voice. Most of the restaurants that we have dined in have all played jazz music either live or over the speakers as well. Back home at restaurants, you would most likely just hear the radio playing and most of the time, it would be filled with many advertisements. It is nice to hear a different tune. The people here also get very cheerful when they hear other people play good music. I have seen people complement each other and wave at each other and I also saw a guy join in and start singing while the group was playing their instruments. Music brings people together and that is what it does here every day. Something else that spoke to me was the homeless people who have an instrument that isn’t as nice as the others but they still manage to get a good sound out of it and they play so that they can earn a few dollars to pay for something small like a coffee or a snack. I feel that some people try to get by here by playing their music because that is all that they can do at this very moment in time. For some people, music is all that they know. Another part that spoke out to me would be that there are so many different cultures here in New Orleans but they all play similar music. The only music that I have heard that is not jazz here is music that was from a bar on Bourbon street and it was the radio. Anywhere else you visit though, you are more than likely going to hear jazz music. I love seeing the groups playing on the street usually on the corner that have many instruments and someone clapping along. People are always videotaping them or taking pictures because they are so fascinated with the music that is playing. I have done the same thing just to remember the sound of the music for when I am back home. I think that it would be really cool to be able to play music that sounded so good that people would want to come and enjoy your music and record it. I have given a couple of people a few dollars just to continue supporting them in what they do.

    The first exciting music experience that we had was when we had first arrived in New Orleans and there was a guy playing the tube and he was amazing. First off, those instruments are so heavy and they require just the right amount of air to be inserted in them through the breath. I am sure that he has had years of practice. Grace ran up to him and took a selfie with him and you could tell that he was trying to smile while playing his tuba so that was cool. I also saw a group of about five guys playing the bajo and the trombone on Jackson square and one of the guys was playing so hard, his face was bright cherry red. They are very dedicated to their music here in New Orleans for sure! One night after dinner, my friends and I wanted to listen to some good music on French Street. This however was more challenging than we thought it was going to be. The first place we went into was so incredibly loud that it was nearly impossible to hear anything and it hurt all our ears so bad that we left within the first five minutes! John was starving so we were trying to find a music place that served food and we found one that had pulled pork and other various dishes so we stopped there. We were seated and this place had loud live music but not nearly as loud as the other place did. The waiter gave us menu’s and we had waited for over twenty minutes and no one had come to take our orders yet and we tried to get someone’s attention but it was nearly impossible. That was frustrating because I thought that we would enjoy that place the most and that we would get a well- rounded music experience there. We still had a very fun night though! French street was my least favorite street that we have visited. I didn’t feel as safe as I did on the other streets and was not a street that I would want to be on myself. I had a lot of people also on that street trying to get my attention for money and I didn’t like that either.   After that, we just watched a guy on the street who appeared pretty hipster play his guitar. He was rocking the dread locks. John was still starving so we went to Willie’s chicken and his food smelled amazing. Eryn and I ordered virgin strawberry Daiquiris and they were ten dollars each and I was not expecting that just because they were so small but it was tasty! While we are here, I would like to find a nice restaurant that plays quiet music while you eat but I don’t think that is New Orleans style. That is okay though because I do love how they keep everything original here. Overall, I am loving the music here and when I return home, I will miss hearing the music on the streets daily. I feel that music in the streets should be in more places around the country.