On Thursday, October 29, the New Orleans Jazz Museum opens Brass Band Headquarters: Donna's Bar and Grill, a new exhibit that pays tribute to the neighborhood bar that presented true New Orleans music and culture.
Donna's Bar and Grill located at 800 North Rampart Street, operated from 1993 to 2010 and became a microcosm of New Orleans music and culture. It was a gathering place where musicians came to play, collaborate, learn, celebrate and, sometimes, simply see what the night might bring.
Donna Poniatowski Sims, the club’s namesake and owner, and her husband, Charlie Sims created a welcoming space for musicians, artists, neighborhood residents, visitors and music lovers from around the world. They also had the foresight to document the people and moments that filled the club, preserving a remarkable visual record of an important period in New Orleans music.
“Donna’s was one of those places that could only happen in New Orleans. It was an important part of the story of New Orleans music and the musicians who have carried our traditions around the world,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “It brought musicians and people from all walks of life together under one roof, and you never knew what kind of music, friendship or memory you were going to find when you walked through the door. This exhibit gives us a chance to remember Donna and Charlie and the incredible community they built, and to share that piece of New Orleans music history with people who may not have had the chance to experience it.”
From the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Olympia Brass Band to the Hot 8 and countless other artists, Donna’s hosted many of the musicians who helped fuel the resurgence of the city’s brass band tradition, a sound that continues to influence New Orleans music today. The club also welcomed an extraordinary range of jazz musicians and singers, including members of the Marsalis family and the incomparable Topsy Chapman.
The exhibition features photographs of musicians and patrons doing what Donna’s inspired them to do best: playing, connecting, celebrating and enjoying themselves. Images of Troy Andrews, Shannon Powell, Kermit Ruffins, Doc Paulin, Uncle Lionel Batiste and many others offer an intimate look at the energy and creativity that filled the club. the music was only part of the story.
Through Donna and Charlie Sims’ photographs, visitors to the exhibition can step back into that world and get a glimpse of the people, music and community that made Donna’s unique. The photographs preserve not only the musicians who performed there, but also the spontaneity, joy and sense of connection that turned the club into a legendary gathering place.
“I’m so excited to be celebrating Donna’s Bar and Grill,” said Greg Lambousy, Director of the New Orleans Jazz Museum. “Donna has continued to be an important part of the music scene in New Orleans, and it’s always a pleasure to see her photographing at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.”
For more information, visit NOLAJazzMuseum.org
