Day at The Satchmo SummerFest, New Orleans

Day 2 of the Satchmo SummerFest meant a early rise, heading straight to St. Augustine's Church for Jazz Mass. The Treme band, Yoshio Toyama and the church gospel choir joined together on the alter to rejoice. The atmosphere was uplifting and the congregation were encouraged to make some noise and raise there hands.

No matter what your religious beliefs when a group of people come together and sing in harmony to the joyous sounds of wind and percussion instruments , it's heavenly. The locals and visiting jazz lovers turned out to the Jazz Mass in their Sunday best, the church was alive, magical, truly moving. We all sang and clapped along to 'Amazing Grace', 'Old Time Religion' and the Priest sang 'What A Wonderful World' and exclaimed 'why can't Mass be like this every Sunday!'. Hallelujah.

After Mass was the Second Line Parade which meant the Priest, The Treme Band and choir marching out of the Church playing 'Oh When The Saints Go Marching In' and joining hoards of people in the street outside that were waiting for Mass to finish. The Treme band lead the parade followed by brightly coloured floats, men on stilts in Mardi Gras  costumes and dancers and the rest of the New Orleans community.

There was no sign of Police or crowd control, everybody partyed, paraded and rejoiced in Peace. The sense of community spirit  and love was very evident, beautiful and refreshing.

The Treme Girls and Zulu Grand Marshall walked and danced 15 blocks from St. Augustines to The Old Mint where the main Festival Stages were located. The sun was baking hot , we fanned ourselves and followed the parade at the side of the street trying to find shade.

Brightly coloured floats filled with lovely, smiley men drove along with the band and the dancers throwing out beads to everyone. We both caught some beads, Theresa was personally summoned by the smiley men on the float to collect her super big beads. It's so moving to see a community so alive, full of joy and peaceful, united by music.

"Louis is not dead, for his music is and will remain in the hearts and minds of countless millions of the world's peoples, and in the playing of hundreds of thousands of musicians who have come under his influence." Dizzy Gillespie, July 17, 1971

Christine x