I did not experience musicians for a 1 foot but rather as part of a city tour. As someone who had went on a cruise in 2008 out of New Orleans and was provided a drive-through of the neighborhoods to see this amazing community come together send orchestrated by heart, soul and passionate giving is a reminder to me of the human’s heart to be touched and act. It is encouraging to see what can happen when people come together and want to help. Music is something that touches many peoples’ souls and many New Orleans musicians lived in this neighborhood prior to Katrina and continue to do now. For a living space to be revitalized in order for the music to keep breathing oxygen into the lungs of not just the city but each person that visits it is preserving a necessary culture.

Not much to see here without an experienced guide, and the Marsalis Center isn’t open to unannounced visitors. Interestingly, Janet Jackson’s relationship with a Qatari prince may have been responsible for the Qatari government’s philanthropy in this area. (February 2019)