Tremé Neighborhood and Music Tour

The journey, in full

Musical legend Earnie K. Doe once said, “I’m not sure, but I’m almost positive that all Music came from New Orleans.” There is no neighborhood where that is closer to the truth than the Treme. Your tour begins at the Voodoo Lounge, right on the border of the historic French Quarter and the Treme neighborhood. At the Voodoo Lounge get into the vibe and get those dancing shoes ready with BOGO (2 for the price of one ) Hurricanes. Then you will join our licensed tour guide and master storyteller as you buckjump your way down the street to the rhythms and melodies of this great city. Unlike other music tours we want you to listen AND learn. French Quarter Phantoms is blessed to employ several musicians as tour guides and as we take you through streets where this music was born you will hear a soundtrack created and curated by them that covers the music of New Orleans from the earliest African Drumming circles to Big Freedia and the Hip-Hop Bounce of today. You actually get to hear the music that is being discussed and discover its origins and how it fits into the cultural landscape of both the city and the Treme neighborhood. Treme itself makes claim to being the oldest African American neighborhood in the US. You will see Congo Square where the early enslaved people engaged in their African musical traditions. You will visit the towering statue of Louis Armstrong and discover why he was called Satchmo. You will hear the ringing voice of Malhalia Jackson often known as the Voice of the Civil Rights movement and hear how she inspired Dr. King and his most famous speech. You will see St. Augustine church, one of the oldest African American Catholic churches in the nation and home to one of the best gospel choirs in town. There you will see the Tomb of Unknown Slave honoring all slaves buried throughout the United States and those in particular who lie beneath the ground of Tremé in unmarked, unknown graves You will end your tour at what we somewhat sadly call the most important laundromat in the United States. The funky laundromat/art gallery is the former home of the J&M Music Shop which Rolling Stone magazine declared to be the “birthplace of Rock and Roll” in the United States. You will be surprised to hear some VERY familiar names and songs that were recorded right in that building and even more shocked to hear some of the original lyrics that didn’t quite make it onto national radio. The Devil’s music indeed.