* Feb 7th 2007 Evelyn is is dead. She died today at 3:20 central time Frank and Cindy were with her, she gave everything she had. Raise your glass and make a toast to Evelyn. there wil be a memorial for her at the bar on Feb 10th, 2007 4:00pm. Be there if you can. Send your regards otherwise..

* Feb 1st, 2007 Evelyn is in the Hospital
There is more info at the bottom of the article

There are people and places who are anchors. Vortices. Around whom life swirls, drawing you in, inviting you to join the dance. Such people and places never happen by intent, they manifest by conditions unique in each instance; blooming spontaneously and offering all within their sphere an extra portion of life's nectar.

Tucked away in the French quarter of New Orleans is one such place. You wont find it by looking for gilded trim and beveled glass. Unassuming and inelegant, the crown jewels of Evelyn's Place shine in the hearts and lives of those who have joined the dance that weaves in and out of her weathered doors.

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Master percussionist Kufaru died the second week of June. Kufaru was a popular New Orleans musician who has recorded with the Neville Brothers, Emmy Lou Harris and others. He was a generous man who gave back to his community and was well-loved for it. In his honor his friends and family held a second line parade.

A second-line parade has it's roots in the New Orleans jazz funeral. They carry on many of the same traditions leaving out the casket, the mourners and the visit to the cemetery. The second-line for Kufaru was set to start in the Marigny district at the Caffeo coffeehouse and gallery.

I arrived at Caffeo about a half-hour before the scheduled start time of 6pm. An excellent Latin band was playing as people crowded in and out of the room, ordering coffee and helping themselves to the red beans and rice that were set up in the corner. It was a gathering of friends and acquaintances, everyone knew each other and the sounds of conversation wove in and out of the salsa music making a pleasant, musical cacophony. Outside in the street, people were milling about enjoying the warm evening. Many of them were carrying instruments, drums or things to bang on.

The name second line refers to the "second line" of participants in the parade. Fans and friends of the players, the music, and the event. The second line parade is not the common kind of parade that Americans are accustomed to. You don't just stand there and watch the parade pass. In a second line parade you participate. You join in and follow. Whether you choose to walk or dance, join in and be part of the crowd. These are wild, open air occasions that have been described as block parties that move block to block. People will see the line coming down their street and join in and follow it to its conclusion.

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More pictures from the French Quarter of New Orleans

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A gallery of images of things to be found in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

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More pictures of the French Quarter of New Orleans.

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Another Gallery of Images from the French Quarter of New Orleans

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I came down to New Orleans, almost on a whim, to see my brother who was here for a week to play in a volleyball tournament. I figured, on the side, I could get some info on New Orleans, take some pictures of the Katrina damage and write some stuff about it, yadda yadda.

Because I was photographing volleyball teams during the tournament, I didn't have much time to get out of the warehouse district for most of the first week. The warehouse district is on higher ground and wasn't flooded.

The first time I had a chance to get out, I was driving around, orienting myself to the city and looking at some of the flooded areas. I began to notice a mark around everything. A dirty smudge about six inches wide. It was everywhere, everything had it, trees, houses, fences. A straight, level line that encircled everything I saw. It was the high water mark. Where I was driving it got to as high as three or four feet. I was impressed but for houses secured to foundations that much water isn't devastation. It was bad, very bad, but the neighborhoods I drove through still had a feeling of life and people were living there. I waxed poetic and thought to describe the waterline "like a wedding ring bonding the city together..." Sheesh, what a load.

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as an afterthought I will comment on that last paragraph. Three or four feet of water doesn't seem to have done too much damage to the structure of most houses. Three or four feet of water, however, will destroy the contents. All of the appliances, furniture and sundry items soaked by the floodwaters are a write off. For a business this is devastating. You can live in a house with no furniture or appliances. When all of your business equipment has been destroyed by a flood, the remaining walls do you no good, everything you need to make a living is gone. One or two feet of water is enough to destroy some businesses. This factor has caused the closure of a huge number of small businesses with a ripple effect that I address later.
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"Ah, my brothers! Welcome to New Orleans!" The greeting almost overpowered the room. I thought I heard the wine glasses behind the bar clinking together.

But, to be accurate, our new-found family member pronounced it "New Ahwlins."

"Ah, ma brahthuh! Welcome to New Ahwlins!" Just like that. We weren't expecting exactly that reaction. After all, our new family member had just looked up from his pile of crawdads to see, Joel, and me watching him eat.

You might remember in a previous posting I was in Stuttgart, Arkansas when my brother, Joel, called and invited me to see him while he was in New Orleans at the USA Volleyball National Championships. Nine months after Katrina, the USA Open Volleyball Championships were the first large convention to New Orleans with upwards of 3000 – 4000 players, friends and family attending the week-long playoffs. My brother was going to be competing in the 50 plus division.

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