Posted by tour guide on August 05, 2003 at 13:17:55:
In Reply to: need horn in New Orleans posted by Paul Scott on August 05, 2003 at 10:51:22:
STAY OUT OF THE CEMETERIES! - STAY OUT OF THE CEMETERIES! - STAY OUT OF THE CEMETERIES!
and do NOT explore the "neighborhood" back BEHIND the French Quarter. Rampart Street is ABSOLUTELY the farthest away from the river you should consider going. You should NOT got beyond the "top" of the map shown here. To hear some great music...jazzy-rock-blues, etc., check out the late-night action at an upstairs dive on Rampart Street called the Funky Butt. I met a fantastic trombone player (LOOOOUUDDD, too!) there who is a direct descendant of Buddy Bolden. Check out the jazz museum (north end of the French Quarter near the Market) and stare in awe at Freddie Assunto's (Dukes of Dixieland) trombone. I posted a link (if it works??) to a better map to make sure you understand where NOT to go.
There really isn't a lot of great "traditional jazz" in New Orleans. The street musicians are entertaining but certainly no virtuosi. The "new" Dukes of Dixieland (that plays on the evening dinner cruises) is...well...pretty "commercial". There is some good "traditional" jazz in New Orleans, but only about as much as you would find in any other big city, and you really have to seek it out in advance.
As far as a cheap/convenient place to stay, there is a decent/clean Best Western near the Quarter with free hourly shuttle service into town (two or three stops right in the Quarter).
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If you don't luck out with an instrument to borrow or rent, you can ship one of your two-piece Martin tubas affordably (two cartons) via FedExGround. Forget the case(s). Shipping in cases increases the likelihood of damage. Bubble wrap the instrument parts like CRAZY (at least three inches thick), put them in good cartons with about three more inches of packing pebbles, and your instrument sections will arrive safely at their destination.