NEW ORLEANS — In the push to rebuild from Hurricane Katrina and eliminate blighted property, New Orleans officials unwittingly approved the demolition of the childhood home of jazz great Sidney Bechet.
The loss is another blow to jazz enthusiasts in New Orleans.
Since Katrina, the city's jazz heritage has suffered numerous shocks. The city has lost the jazz venues called the Halfway House, the Gallo and Dixie theaters and the Naval Brigade Hall. Also the homes of several jazz musicians — including Louis Nelson, Willie Guitar, Ed Garland, Danny Barker and Buddy Bolden — have been torn down or fallen into disrepair since Katrina.
Music lovers had been hopeful New Orleans would shore up important jazz structures during rebuilding efforts from Katrina, but those hopes have dimmed.