Today’s Mardi Gras is unlike practically any other in recent times. With the COVID 19 pandemic still rampant in the U.S. and most of the world, no parades are scheduled, public gatherings are prohibited, bars are shut down and most significantly, Bourbon Street in New Orleans, the epicenter of U.S. Mardi Gras celebrations, is closed.
For those who still want a way to celebrate safely as they enjoy king cake, Good Black News is happy to re-post a playlist by Marlon West entitled “Working in the Coal Mine: A Collection of New Orleans Funk and Soul”:
[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:3LmULvnXA8bfhxtSrhhGoP”]
As Marlon wrote in his original post:
This collection of New Orleans Funk features acknowledges masters next to some of the earlier artists who shaped the meaning of funk. It covers the period from the emergence of New Orleans Funk in the early 1960s through to the present day.
[This] mix offers The Meters, Queen Ida, Eddie Bo, Professor Longhair, Lee Dorsey, Wild Magnolias and many more.
New Orleans is a port town. Originally owned by the French. Many of the Africans who ended up there came from Haiti and brought with them the religion of Voodoo and its drums and music.
The Crescent City became one of the first parts of America to develop a strong African-American culture leading to the invention of Jazz.
This playlist offers the sound of the New Orleans Funeral March Bands, Mardi Gras Indian Tribes and Saturday Night Fish Fries.
We hope this playlist helps you access the spirit of New Orleans and Mardi Gras. We also hope that in 2022, you can do so in a communal way as well.
Enjoy!