NEW ORLEANS – After having to cancel a Sunday ritual for over three months, a local organization is back in action.
Drums pounding, people dancing and pianos playing is the sound of the New Orleans Jazz Club making its long-awaited return to Mo’s Chalet.
“You’re gonna see bands performing – a group of bands – different musicians that get up there,” President of the New Orleans Jazz Club, Deano Assunto told WGNO on Sunday afternoon. “We’ll have anywhere between 20 to 30 musicians out here and then, obviously, friends and family can come in and Mo’s is so nice, they can even bring outside food!”
Assunto says, what’s said to be America’s oldest jazz club hasn’t come together since February because of Mardi Gras parades. The club was shut down in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Assunto also noted that the comeback of the New Orleans Jazz Club was right on time.
“So many of the members call me and tell me ‘look, Deano, I just can’t stay inside anymore, I mean, this is killing me. I’ll stand in the corner if I have to just to hear some live music,’” said Assunto.
While the Jazz Club is back, a few changes were made in wake of this pandemic. Only 40 to 50 people are allowed inside at one time and social distancing is mandatory.
“We wanna keep, obviously, living our lives and we also wanna enjoy ’em a little bit and have some music to enjoy also,” Assunto shared.
The New Orleans Jazz Club president tells me, that’s been the main goal for over 70 years!
The music-lovers who aren’t ready to physically come back are in luck thanks to technology.
“Were gonna live stream it on Facebook so that the folks and the older folks that’s not able to come out can still enjoy the music and see that the music they’ve enjoyed all their lives isn’t just gonna disappear because of COVID-19,” Assunto told us.
Deano Assunto also says, masks are optional to attend the New Orleans Jazz Club sessions. He plans to continue the gatherings on the last Sunday of every month as long as the CDC guidelines permit.