There is admittedly a matter of discretion in the recognizing, restoring, and providing public access to some of these historic homes and landmarks. Some homes, to be blunt, are in wretched neighborhoods that few cities would be inclined to showcase to tourists. And restoring faithfully to period some of the other settings of early jazz presents, shall we say, some delicate problems. In New Orleans, music is a necessity, in the north it is a luxury . These sites are not thought of as something special.
Every body does it.
That is the reason nobody pays much attention. If there is a Ground Zero of the creative revolution that would transform American music, Rampart and Perdido in the city of New Orleans is the address. Following the trail on McCuster's tour, we parked at the corner of Rampart and Perdido Street. Three abandoned buildings and an empty lot presented a bleak prospect. No tourist would waste a glance, much less stop and reflect upon this seedy-looking intersection.