Mari Watanabe plays at the Jazz Park Visitors' Center. Click here for more photos.

August 29 represented the third anniversary of the arrival of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and its environs. Accordingly, a host of commemorative events were held throughout the city to remember, most notably, the many who were lost during that catastrophe.

Ironically, as these memorials were being undertaken, the city began to brace itself for what promised to be yet another major storm. (Some events were canceled at the last minute because of the emergency.) Hurricane Gustav was ravaging its way through the Caribbean en route to the Gulf of Mexico, with its projected path pointing directly to southern Louisiana. Indeed, it made landfall early in the morning on Sept. 1. By that time, my wife and I had evacuated northward to Jackson, Miss. We are now back home, with power (at times), and we can say that the government's response (at all levels) to the emergency was clearly far superior to what it was for Katrina.

Most New Orleanians are probably relieved that the storm was much less destructive than feared. Yet much work remains to be done -- in terms of further levee construction and, particularly, in addressing the huge problem of south Louisiana's coastal wetlands. The federal government must come to acknowledge (with more than just talk) how important this city and region are to our country.

Before leaving, however, the Katrina anniversary had prompted me to pay a visit to one of the most serious victims of that disaster -- the Ninth Ward -- to check on two major rebuilding efforts underway there: New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity's Musicians' Village (MV) and actor Brad Pitt's Make It Right (MIR) project.

Arriving at the MV site off Alvar St. in the Upper Ninth, I was told by a construction supervisor that 140 families have now moved into the neighborhood. Among them are several names familiar to readers of the RAG: bassist Chuck Badie, vocalist Ellen Smith, drummer and bandleader Bob French and trumpeter Shamarr Allen. One of the first to move into the MV was Cherice Harrison-Nelson, curator of the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame and daughter of the late Big Chief Donald Harrison, Sr.  A large open space at the center of the complex has been prepared to become the site of the Ellis Marsalis Cultural Center, the construction of which was begun in mid-September. I continue to be impressed with every visit to this wonderful project. For more about it and how you can help, see its website www.habitat-NOLA.org/projects/musicians_village.

Equally impressive, but more recent, is the MIR project, which is centered on Tennessee St. in the Lower Ninth. The neighborhood on and around Tennessee St. may have been the most often pictured area of destruction in the media accounts of the Katrina devastation. Since its dedication last November, the MIR project has had a deliberate development until the last few months. One can now see a number of houses that are occupied or about to be occupied. On the day I visited, there was a film crew from Canadian television documenting the completion of a home built by TV building personality Mike Holmes. The construction of all of these homes is "green," and most tend to be more expensive than those in the MV. But, again, this is a tremendously impressive undertaking. For more and how you can help, see its website www.makeitrightnola.org.

August Music Scene

There's not a whole lot of a novel character to report. Veteran trumpeter Lionel Ferbos, who celebrated his 97th birthday in July, maintained a busy schedule in August despite the unavailability (due to summer closing) of his primary performance venue at the Palm Court Cafe. He seemed to pop up everywhere I went  -- the Visitors' Center at the Jazz National Park (JPVC), the Odgen Museum, the Columns and the Norwegian Seamen's Church, to name just those I know about.

As usual, the JPVC hosted its series of free Saturday afternoon concerts. In addition to Ferbos and his band, I caught performances by singer Thais Clark with Lucien Barbarin's Jazz Creators and pianist Mari Watanabe and her Chosen Few. Jim Hession was the Wednesday noon piano soloist for the month.

This is newly occupied New Orleans home looks welcoming and comfortable. It's part of the Make It Right project.

October 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

P.O. Box 19068, Minneapolis, MN 55419.