I awake early and start to walk the entire city. I grab breakfast/lunch from a local deli, a Muffaletta and some Boudin, and plan to eat when I get on the train. I take the "long route" around the French Quarter and go see Congo Square and Louis Armstrong park. This is the place that allowed Jazz music and all of the music that came from it, to be created. It's great to see the place that I'd been learning about in my music history class. Unfortunately the park is closed for renovation, but you can still see and feel what this park is all about. There's an entrance to the park that makes you feel like you're entering Disney World. Very elaborate. It also felt like I was entering Bonnaroo, which for those of you who don't know, Bonnaroo is a music festival that was created by NO musicians that takes place in Tennessee. Both entrances are similar and make you feel like you're at a place that is very special..
I then made my way, and start running to the train station, after I notice I'm pretty far away and might be late. So I'm hustling, and then start running, and miss my train. Oh well, I'm stuck In New Orleans!!! Which is far from a bad thing. Why does it suck though? I now have to wait till Wednesday for the next train, I don't get to see my friend Sam for long in Austin, and since I checked my bag in early, my clothes are headed to San Antonio. Sounds pretty bad, but was no problem...
All that a side though, I'M IN NEW ORLEANS FOR TWO MORE DAYS!!!! I get over the fact that I missed the train pretty quick and head through the warehouse district of NO. I stop at the first coffee shop I see to grab some coffee and a local publication. I end up meeting a girl who's there using the internet to book gigs for her band "The Local Skank" http://www.thelocalskank.com/, a popular ska band from NO. So we start talking about music and the scene, and come to find out, this might be the band The Recipe plays with when we come to NOLA. Perfect situation. Everything about them fits! Great music, connected in the scene, and a Co-ed band that has the same vibe as The Recipe. We love them already!
I then part ways with a good contact, and head back to the French Quarter to meet with my friend Paula from Orlando. She's in town helping her boyfriend, H.G. Breelind arrange vocals on his record he's producing. Little did I know I was about to walk in to the best situation anyone in NO could step in to. H.G. lives in the French Quarter in a building that houses an art gallery, a gold plated Miles Davis statue, a small recording studio, and three floors of living space. The most beautiful place you could possibly have in this location. So we crack a bottle of wine and start talking music, and NO, having a good old time.
After a few studio sessions and some good conversation, we head to the Frenchman Street district of NOLA. This is where the locals of New Orleans hang out. A lot of the real local musicians have residency gigs on this street. You can see Kermit Ruffins, Trombone Shorty, and any of the Marsalis or Neville families on any given night. We hop through a few different clubs and end up walking all the way back to the French Quarter, which isn't that far, but a very interesting walk to say the least. Not once did we feel in danger and there are plenty of places to stop in between. Bars and restaurants all along the way and still open for business.
^Cafe Negrill, Frenchman Street^
The next day I end up booking a room in the same hotel from night 1. I just do the typical tourist destinations including Cafe Du Monde, and plenty of local eateries. I ended up getting caught for a few hours in a long thunder storm, with tons of rain. So I eat and listen to some live day time Jazz music. Very wet. Only in NOLA... That evening I walk down to Frenchman Street looking to get some business done. I hear some killer jams coming out of a small alley way and decide to check it out. It ends up being the Joe Kennedy trio, which was as good as seeing Harry Connick Jr.
^Elevator Shaft from HG's place^
^Miles^
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