These past few months have been very difficult for the people of New Orleans, but, like always, they are trying to get through it and come out better in the end. Carnival season has begun and The Big Easy is trying its best to get the party started.
New Orleans musicians have been affected more so than others because there aren't as many places for them to play or as many people to hear their music. It's a sad time when one of the greatest cities in America can't do what it is best known for.
It doesn't have to be like that, though. Mardi Gras is in the hearts and minds of the people of New Orleans as much as it is in the beads that hang from the trees on St. Charles Avenue and the drunken revelers in the French Quarter, so this is my way of passing on a little piece of Mardi Gras to everyone by giving them a guide to capture the spirit and sound of Carnival.
First, in order to understand Mardi Gras there must be an understanding of the way things work and the terminology of Carnival.
The Neutral Ground: It is the vernacular for the median, as in the middle of the street. There is no official explanation for why it is called this. Some say that it got its name from the median that separated the French and Spanish quarters years ago.
Laissez le bon temps roule!: Let the Good Times Roll! You will hear people shout this phrase a lot in music and on the streets.
Throw me something, mister!: People shout this at passing floats in order to get beads thrown to them, but as a parade progresses people usually resort to, "Hey!"
Traditionally, there are parades that go on in the two weeks preceding Mardi Gras Day, and hopefully this year will be no exception.
Now that the basics are established, there is still the music to help you complete your Mardi Gras party.
For a city that has produced such a wide and varied catalog of music, it is hard to encapsulate the whole feel into a single list of songs.
The first song on any list of Mardi Gras music is always "Mardi Gras Mambo."
It was recorded by the Hawketts, who later became the Funky Meters and the Neville Brothers. The song is available, along with many of their other great songs on their greatest hits albums.
Professor Longhair, Henry Roland Byrd, is one of the greats of NOLA funk music. His song "Tipitina" is a perfect way to get any party started off right. The swaggering boogie-woogie beat will start even the most stoic person's foot tapping.
"All on a Mardi Gras Day" is a traditional Carnival song that has been around so long and has been covered by so many people that it can be found on almost any Mardi Gras compilation CD. But I recommend the version done by The Wild Magnolia Indians.
Mardi Gras Indians are another tradition unique to New Orleans. They were started to honor the Native Americans that helped slaves escape. There are at least 35 known tribes of Mardi Gras Indians that make up the Tribes of the Mardi Gras Nation.
The New Orleans police clashed with the Indians for decades, but recently there have been efforts to make peace between the two.
Allison "Tootie" Montana, one of the most revered Big Chiefs, had a heart attack and died while giving a speech to the New Orleans City Council about a confrontation the Indians had with police during a St. Joseph's Day celebration last year. The chiefs, spy boys, flag boys and queens that were attending the meeting sang "Indian Red," a traditional Mardi Gras Indian funeral song while they were waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
His funeral was one of the largest in the city of New Orleans and was held in the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium.
"Sea Cruise," by Frankie Ford, is one of his only hits. It climbed to the top 20 in the late 1950s. Now Ford is the host of a public access show that has him interviewing local musicians in a flamboyant manner that only he could pull off.
The Meters define a lot of what New Orleans music is for a lot of people. "Fire on the Bayou" and "They All Asked for You" are Mardi Gras essentials. They define the party atmosphere of the Carnival season. "They All Asked for You" is even played at Tulane's commencement every year as the graduates file out of the Super Dome.
No Carnival can ever be complete without Dr. John, the Night Tripper. Malcolm Rebennack is a New Orleans native that blends elements of Voodoo and Mardi Gras perfectly. His version of "Iko-Iko" is the quintessential New Orleans song, but almost any of his early recordings, such as "Gris-Gris," "Dr. John's Gumbo" and "In the Right Place" offer a plethora of great songs that'll get that booty shakin.'
Last, but not least, are the brass bands. There are countless brass ensembles that call New Orleans home. The Re-Birth Brass Band and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band are two that have worldwide acclaim, but there are many other, more traditional bands like the Olympia Brass Band or the Preservation Hall Jazz Band that are just as good and have more tradition.
One major brass band tradition is second lining. Now the band doesn't actually second line. The band and the important people in the parade are called the first line. Second lining is following the band and joining in the celebration whether it be dancing or simply watching.
Don't get ahead of the first line, though, because it is considered bad etiquette.
A little advice to anyone that finds themselves in New Orleans this year for Mardi Gras: Be respectful of our traditions because it may be all that we have left, and they are great traditions that include all people rich and poor, black and white, local and tourist.
Mardi Gras embodies the New Orleans spirit. It is a melting pot of cultures that comes together to be something totally unique and wonderful. We know how to do party, we do it right and everybody is invited.
So to all of y'all - Have a safe and happy Mardi Gras and Laissez le bon temps roule!!
