Restoring the groove
When visitors come to New Orleans and want to see the “Katrina area,” they usually mean the Lower Ninth Ward and the Make It Right homes funded by, among others, Brad Pitt (to the tune of $6 million). Since 2005, Musicians’ Village, located in the Upper Ninth Ward, has played the backup role, or the “other” place to witness New Orleans’ rebirth.
The idea for Musicians’ Village came when Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis returned to their city weeks after the storm and were overwhelmed by the restoration work that needed to be done. The two teamed up with Habitat for Humanity and partnered with an existing home-building project, the Baptist Crossroads, to create a new neighborhood, a village for New Orleans musicians who lost their homes in the flood. The community now comprises 72 houses, all built over 5.5 feet off the ground, or a foot above the flood level in the area. The houses are very modestly priced, barely above construction costs, and each homeowner is responsible for paying off the interest-free mortgage.
Info
Address The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, 1901 Bartholomew Street, New Orleans, LA 70117, +1 504.940.3400, www.ellismarsaliscenter.org | Hours Check website for programs and events| Tip Free concerts take place throughout New Orleans, depending on the time of the year. Lafayette Square has a 12-week series on Wednesday evenings from mid-March to mid-June and features top local musicians, like Kermit Ruffins and Irma Thomas, as well as the occasional national performer, like Buddy Guy. Congo Square’s weekly Jazz in the Park series runs in the spring and the fall. It likewise features known regional performers, such as Allen Toussaint, Charmaine Neville, and Rockin Dopsie.
The centerpiece of Musicians’ Village is the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, which is dedicated to celebrating and supporting the musicians of New Orleans and to the music education of the next generation. The 17,000-square-foot facility features a 170-seat theater as well as practice rooms, recording booths, classrooms, and a community computer room and listening library. An after-school arts program for students aged 7 to 18 focuses on teaching the fundamentals of instrumental music, dance, and music theory. Professional musicians provide instruction for the incredibly low cost of $30 per term.
Since the center opened, in 2011, they’ve hosted a Tuesday-night concert series where patrons can enjoy live performances by such noted musicians as Shamarr Allen, Mark Braud, and Bob French’s Original Tuxedo Band for a mere $3.
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