The style
Bass playing in New Orleans is an extension of how the tuba functioned in a brass band. The other key is the second-line feel, where the accent is on four and the one is ghosted. Everything centers around that groove, like on [the Meters’] “Hey, Pocky A- Way” or [the Dixie Cups’] “Iko Iko.” Whether you’re playing swing or funk, the second-line feel permeates all the music down here.

Playing tips
Listen to and then play along with the style’s masters, from Pops Foster to George Porter Jr. Play along with brass band recordings, too, like the Dirty Dozen and Olympia Brass Bands. Most important, keep an open frame of mind. Don’t try to influence what you think the groove should be. Listen to what it is—to what the drummer is playing, and then fit your part to that.

Katrina’s effects
I was in Japan with Marcus Roberts when the storm hit. We live in Baton Rouge, so we lost power but our house suffered no flooding or damage. When I finally got back, I went to downtown New Orleans to assess the damage to my grandmother’s and aunt’s homes. Soon afterward, I had a gig at Snug Harbor, a jazz club in the French Quarter. As I drove into town, it was almost overwhelming—I saw miles of neighborhoods with no lights, no cars, no people, just moonlight. It didn’t have a living feeling; I’d never experienced anything like it. The scene is coming back and the playing is very emotional, but it’s still not near like it was. Thankfully, people in every city are helping New Orleans musicians, and there are organizations that have been great, like MusiCares [www.grammy.com/musicares], the Grammy program. The city and the music shall return.