Finding New Music in New Orleans

New Orleans is easily my favorite places in the world, and I'm lucky that i get to visit the city several times a year. However my trips to the Crescent City are generally centered around one of the city's many attractions - Bourbon Street. That's great when your in the mood to party, which i usually am, but it doesn't expose you to much music other than cover bands and karaoke singers.

New Orleans has always been home to many talented musicians, many of which play styles of music that i really don't listen to. Notice i said don't listen to, not that i don't like them. I have to admit that I've never listened to enough Jazz or Blues music to form an opinion on the genres.
 
During my recent internet wanderings I've discovered a couple of companies who have reminded me of the fact that theirs more to do in New Orleans than Bourbon Street and Jackson Square.

The first is Basin Street Records, which is home to some of NOLA's finest Jazz musicians, including Kermit Ruffins and Irvin Mayfield. The company was founded in 1997 and their albums are always among the biggest sellers at Jazzfest each year. While it appears they place an emphasis on Jazz recordings, they also support acts from other genres. Money problems have kept me from buying any of their music yet, but i hope to change that soon. They are very proud members of the community and support all things NOLA. You can check out their website HERE, or follow them on Twitter HERE.

The second half of my inspiration is Offbeat Magazine, a monthly publication that focuses on the music, cuisine and culture of NOLA, with a heavy emphasis on the music scene in and around the Big Easy. Their magazine and it's accompanying website is full of articles and reviews covering every kind genre that's played in New Orleans. They also publish a weekly email newsletter called "Weekly Beat"  Besides producing great content, Offbeat Magazine also hosts the annual "Best of Beat Awards" that recognize the best of NOLA's local music scene. You can visit Offbeat's website HERE, and check them out on Twitter HERE

Several other organizations are also working to improve and promote the music scene in NOLA. Here's a few you might want to check out.

Threadhead Records - Helps musicians secure funding for recording new albums.

New Orleans Indie Rock Collective - Working to grow the Indie Rock scene in New Orleans. They recently hosted the Foburg Music Festival.
   
New Orleans Musicians Clinic - A local non-profit that provides affordable, comprehensive health care to musician's in the New Orleans area.

And of course no musical journey to New Orleans would be complete without a trip to Preservation Hall, where the Jazz heritage of the city is preserved and on display nightly.
 
As i said, i visit New Orleans fairly often, but a music-oriented trip is something i definitely intended to do sometime soon. My spring and summer are already booked solid, so I probably won't get to follow through on this post until the fall. Which is fine with me, because i can use the extra time to continue my research into NOLA's many musical opportunities. 

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