New Orleans is home of Jazz,
Blues and all sorts of sounds
Below is only a sampling
Where to hear traditional jazz in the French
Quarter... Preservation Hall (726 S Peter St; tel:504-523-8939; $3.00 cover)-
jazz in its purest form. Palm Court Cafe (1204 Decatur St; tel:504-525-0200;
$4.00 cover)- very stylish; records for collectors. Fritzel's European Jazz
Pub (733 Bourbon St; tel:504-561-0432)- worth the visit!
Where to hear contemporary jazz... Snug
Harbor (626 Frenchman St in Faubourg Marigny; tel:504-949-0696; $5-$10 cover
depending on the performer- one of the most vibrant jazz clubs in the country
Hot new jazz clubs...Funky Butt (714 N Rampart in the French Quarter;
tel:504-558-0872)- features late-night jam sessions. New Showcase Lounge
(1915 N Broad St in Gentilly; tel:504-945-5612)
Where to hear the blues...House of Blues
(225 Decatur St in the French Quarter; tel:504-529-1421; $5-$15 cover) offers
an eclectic mix of everything from bluegrass to alternative. The town's
best buried blues treasure is John Mooney's Sunday night gig at Madigan's
(800 S Carrollton Ave in Uptown; tel:504-866-9455). Other choices include
Tipitina's (501 Napoleon Ave in Uptown; tel:504-895-8477); Mermaid Lounge
(1102 Constance St in the Warehouse District; tel:504-524-4747; closed Mondays;
$5 cover); and Vic's Kangaroo Cafe (636 Tchoupitoulas St in Uptown; tel:
504-524-43290- excellent blues music on Thursdays from 10pm to 2am and on
Saturdays from 11pm to 3am
Where to hear Cajun & Zydeco...Maple
Leaf Bar (8316 Oak St in Uptown; tel:504-866-9359; $3-$10 cover) is the
place to be for great Cajun & Zydeco music- Thursdays are the best day.
Other choices include: Michaul's on St Charles (840 St Charles Ave in the
Warehouse District; tel:504-522-5517)- also good cajun cuisine; Mulate's
(201 Julia St in Uptown; tel: 504-522-1492; Patout's Cajun Cabin (501 Bourbon
St in the French Quarter; tel:504-529-4256); and don't miss Mid-City Lanes
(4133 S Carrollton Ave in Mid City; tel:504-482-3133; about$5 cover)- very
popular zydeco nights on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Where to hear Rock 'n Roll...By far the
most consistent, progressive, high-quality rock venue is downtown in the
Warehouse District. The Howlin' Wolf (828 S Peters St in the Warehouse District;
tel:504-523-2551; 45-$10 cover) presents both local and touring artists.
Other rolling places include: Check Point Charlie's (501 Esplande Ave in
Faubourg Marigny; tel:504-947-0979; open 24 hours)- local up-and-coming
blues and rock bands; plus there is a 24 hour laundromat in the back; also
check out the Mermaid Lounge (1102 Constance St in the Warehouse District;
tel:504-524-4747).
Where to meet the Latin beat...Caribbean
and Latin-American music has always played an important role in the New
Orleans sound. Today, the outfit called the Iguanas is the city's best-loved
dance band, and you can often catch the "Iggies" playing a border
sweep of swamp pop, Tex-Mex, Mexican, and South American styles for packed
houses at any number of clubs, especially Mid-City Lanes (4133 S Carrollton
Ave in Mid City; tel:504-482-3133); Cafe Brasil (100 Chartres St in Faubourg
Marigny; tel:504-947-9386); Howlin' Wolf (828 S Peters St in Warehouse District;
tel:504-523-2551). For the best merengues and salsa; it's well worth venturing
out to the suburb of Metairie to join the local Latin crowd at Cima Super
Club (2726 Causeway Blvd in Metairie; tel:504-833-6766; $5 cover)- city's
best Latin dance band.