Hello, and welcome to As It Is from VOA Learning English!
I’m Christopher Cruise in Washington.
Today on the program we will hear music from one of the oldest neighborhoods in New Orleans, Louisiana..
“They be playin’ in the parks. They be playin’ in the Back Street Culture Museum, and St. Augustine’s Church, and you can also catch them in Congo Square playing New Orleans music.”
Music from a place with a style all its own, today on As It Is…
Brass Bands in New Orleans and on TV
Many people are still talking about the fourth and final season of the HBO television program “Treme.” The show was set in a neighborhood unlike any other. Treme is one of the oldest parts of New Orleans, and a place with a style of music all its own.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans. The Treme neighborhood was especially hard-hit. Benny Jones and most of his band moved to the western United States after the storm. Today, however, Treme is recovering. And Mr. Jones sees plenty to suggest that the area’s traditions will carry on.
“I played in the Young Men’s Olympic Parade. I’m the leader of a band — they like traditional music. Right behind me they have another traditional band. In the back, they have another, modern music, now the younger band they play the up-tempo music, like the rebirth music. So everybody’s playing a variety of music on the parade.”
Today, the music continues to change. Young people respect the brass band tradition, while adding modern sounds like reggae and hip-hop. It is a kind of music that keeps marching on.
And that’s our program for today. It was based on a story by reporter Richard Paul.
Next Monday on As It Is we will have another report about American music. We will tell about the growing popularity of mariachi music — especially in the states along the border with Mexico. And we will tell how some Americans used music to support and then oppose an amendment to the United States Constitution.
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I’m Christopher Cruise.
Thanks for listening!
Please join me next week at this same time for another report on American music, here on As It Is.