The New Orleans Blues, the Spirit and All That Jazz 0
[New Orleans, July 29, 2008] At the turn of the twentieth century as the palatial plantations up and down the Mississippi River became only a memory, thousands of former workers migrated to New Orleans as did immigrants, seamen, trappers, gamblers, hustlers, scholars and musicians. This convergence with the native population set the stage that birthed the free spirit of Jazz and opened a new frontier.
The Eagle Saloon, built in 1875 and known as the ‘delivery room’ of Jazz, had its roof blown off during The Storm of 2005. The second and third floors were ruined, but the original tin tile ceiling and Spanish tiled floors survived and the blues, the spirit and all that jazz re-ignites every Tuesday night lit by the New Orleans Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Blues and Jazz Band, featuring Guitar Slim, Jr., a showman extradonaire.
The son of Eddie “Guitar Slim” Jones, Jr.’s first release earned him a Grammy nomination. Last Tuesday night, Jr., along with Blues Boy George on lead guitar, Anthony on bass and Milton on drums, received multiple standing ovations during their three-and-a-half hour nonstop renditions of BB King, Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Ray Charles, Motown, Marvin Gaye, Prince, gospel and more, during a private party at the Eagle which was arranged as a thanksgiving service by Pastor John E. Pierre, of the Living Witness Church of God in Christ on Oretha C. Haley Blvd, a three minute drive to the Eagle Saloon at 201 South Rampart Street.
Pastor Pierre and many in the heart of the Central City neighborhood, once a haven for drug dealers and prostitutes, demonstrated their gratitude and love for two teams of volunteers who had come to work in the heat of July alongside recovering addicts to demolish the old so as to bring in new opportunities for the formerly homeless men who commit to a year long residential boot camp known as the Nehemiah Restoration Project, just one of many community