Describing New Orleans

“If New Orleans is not fully in the mainstream of culture, neither is it fully in the mainstream of time. Lacking a well-defined present, it lives somewhere between its past and its future, as if uncertain whether to advance or to retreat. Perhaps it is its perpetual ambivalence that is its secret charm. Somewhere between Preservation Hall and the Superdome, between voodoo and cybernetics, New Orleans listens eagerly to the seductive promises of the future but keeps at least one foot firmly planted in its history, and in the end, conforms, like an artist, not to the world but to its own inner being--ever mindful of its personal style.” 
― Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

Christmas Concerts at St. Louis Cathedral

"Organized as always by Christmas New Orleans Style, this year's slate offers up gospel (Melody Clouds, Zion Harmonizers), classical (Opera Creole, Musaica). As ever, New Orleans music favorites like fiddle queen Amanda Shaw, piano man Davell Crawford and trumpeter Jeremy Davenport, are also in the mix.

The concert will also take it to the streets one night, as Sunday, Dec. 8, offers a chance for caroling through the Marigny."

All concerts start at 6 p.m., unless noted. 

Dec. 1 The Nightingales
Dec. 2 Opera Creole
Dec. 3 Franklin Avenue Baptist Choir
Dec. 4 Zion Harmonizers
Dec. 5 Harmonouche
Dec. 8 Neighborhood Caroling in the Marigny (6:30 p.m.)

Dec. 9 The Roots of Music 

Dec. 10 The Melody Clouds 

Dec. 11 Evan Christopher 

Dec. 12 Davell Crawford
Dec. 15 Amanda Shaw
Dec. 17 Musaica
Dec. 18 Jeremy Davenport
Dec. 19 Thomas Kientz
Dec. 22 St. Louis Cathedral Choir Christmas Concert (5:30 p.m.)

Mass at Saint Augustine Church, October 20, 2013, and the Second Line Parade

October 20, 2013,

The Historic Saint Augustine Church in the Treme, New Orleans, Louisiana.

This was a wonderful Mass on Sunday October 20, 2013.  The date was the 201'st anniversary of the Treme neighborhood in New Orleans, one of the oldest black free and mixed neighborhoods in the United States.  The Mass was celebrated at St Augustine Church in the Treme, New Orleans.

St Augustine is the oldest black Catholic church in the United States.

Father Moody spoke the Mass.  In celebration of the Mass and the Treme festival, there was an all-women's brass band, who played amazing songs with the choir.   Every pew at the church was full that Sunday.

After the Mass, there was a second line parade down into the French Quarter.  There were four tiers of the parade, each with a lovely parade and its own brass band.  It was a really great festival, with people following each line, and folks dancing on the sidewalk as the bands passed.

There had been a parade from the church the night before in support of Amnesty International, Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox, the Angola 3, who have collectively spent over 80 years in solitary confinement in Louisiana prison.

Quite an emotional weekend at Saint Augustine Church, in the Treme, New Orleans, LA.

New Orleans Vietnamese Pho Festival, October 19, 2013

October 19, 2013,

This is on the West bank in New Orleans.  It was the Pho Festival opening.  It's a core ceremony for the Vietnamese American community in New Orleans.

We saw World War 2 Vietnamese veterans from the Army, Navy and Air Force doing  a color guard ceremony, full of marching, flags, rifles and swords.

Then, after a number of ridiculous and unprofessional talks by 5 members of the local New Orleans government, ceremonies closed with kids in dancing dragon outfits, fireworks, and a yummy celebration of Vietnamese food and Pho noodle soup.