The Sounds of Carnival
Call it Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday
or Carnival - by whatever name, it's a party with an unmistakable beat. To be
precise, it's the second-line beat - the same rhythm that propels New Orleans
brass bands.
The story of the rhythm is complicated, but it derives principally from a
tradition that's unique to New Orleans: Mardi Gras Indians.
The Mardi Gras Indians are
fraternal societies of African-Americans who for more than 100 years have
dressed in bright feathered and beaded costumes on Mardi Gras and taken to the
streets chanting and banging on drums. There's more to it than that, but suffice
it to say that without the Mardi Gras Indians there would be no second-line
beat.
When Carnival parades hit the
streets, they roll with dozens of marching bands and sometimes even deejays
aboard the floats. The music they play can be a mixed bag - everything from the
latest pop tunes to cheesy oldies. But almost all of it will be done with a
second-line, or parade, beat.
With or without the parades,
music takes over New Orleans at Mardi Gras. From every jukebox, every radio,
every passing automobile or open window come the familiar sounds of a handful of
records that over the years have become Mardi Gras classics.
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