Opinion: Close the musicians in the street outside the Jazz Fest? No, let the music play | The last

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Years ago, while attending the International Festival in Lafayette, I moved away from downtown and came across a group of five young musicians playing in the street and just killing him. A crowd was formed to listen. When they took a break, I deposited tickets in the hat and asked them their name. "We are the Pine Leaf Boys," it was said.

Today, the Pine Leaf Boys roam the world, make one of the festivals and play a leading role at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, but then play on the pavement outside. a festival to collect donations.

I thought about that last night when it was learned that the New Orleans Police Department was closing the 100 Brass Band, a group of local musicians, in the Jazz Fest neighborhood:

If there is not a place where street musicians will not disturb anyone, it is outside the doors of the Jazz Fest. Everyone who has gone to the Jazz Fest know that street parties on the outside, music, neighbors selling water, beer and homemade dishes are all part of the event. experience.

Is there an order against all or part? Probably. Should someone worry about it? Not really.

A jam session in front of the Jazz Fest was stopped by the police - but the group then plays in the neighboring house

A brass band preparing for the serenade in front of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on North Lopez Street was closed by …

Back in the day, my friends and I paid a stranger at the corner of N. Rampart and Esplanade Esplanade at $ 1 each to take us to the Jazz Festival in a hooptie smelling of grass. I bought beer and "ice … cold … waaaater!" outside Jazz Fest, people who distributed it in ice chests. I ate homemade jambalaya in polystyrene bowls, prepared by people living near the exhibition center.

Much, if not all, violates municipal ordinances. This is not worth worrying about.

In a tweet this morning, the city said the NOPD had closed the group due to "resident complaints" (fortunately, a neighbor invited the musicians into her yard where they played on private property):

Was the street group in violation of an order? May be. But does not the city have anything better to do than trying to shut down the next generation of musicians trying to make money – and make many people happy by passing ?

The musical culture of New Orleans is not limited to symphony halls, discos or festivals sponsored by Acura and Miller Lite. It's more organic than that, or it should be. And it's a bad picture for a city that is making the mouths of "culture bearers" shut the doors of culture outside of a multi-million dollar festival where Pitbull and Katy Perry are pulling out huge salaries.

One might think that the tourism industry cares about it. After all, it's not Pitbull and Katy Perry that attract visitors all year round; It's Doreen Ketchens and Grandfather Elliott and TBC's Brass Band who have settled in the streets and give the impression to tourists that they have discovered something magical.

There are, of course, many other things to discover about the city 's haves and have – nots, as well as politicians who use Mardi Gras musicians and Indians in election and tourism campaigns while doing nothing to help them the rest of the time.

The Pine Leaf Boys have gone from the street to Lafayette to become regulars on the Jazz Fest's Do-Do-Do scene. Maybe the young men who were shut up on the streets N. Lopez and Maurepas will do the same.

Meanwhile, let the music play and let our local musicians play. Please.

Follow Kevin Allman on Twitter: @kevinallman

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