If there is one thing that I like seeing, it’s people who have made the decision to live unconventional lifestyles, and who are actually able to support themselves through the work of their own hands. Even more exciting, is when that “work,” is actually something that they love to do.
The members of the St. Cinder ragtime vagabond band are just such people. Coming from all parts of the country and backgrounds, the members of St. Cinder put everything that they have into their music and lifestyle.
Mardi Gras is a major event for many buskers. I even know several buskers from Chicago, such as Kaliq Woods, who make the journey to New Orleans each year just to busk during Mardi Gras. As with many businesses, busking is all about location, location, location. During Mardi Gras, buskers will be competing for the best spots along Royal Street in the French Quarter.
In order to lay claim to a particular spot, buskers must begin holding their places the day before they are to actually play. All the smiling tourists that enjoy the wonderful music as the sun shines, often have little clue as to the work that went into the performance. Being part of a band helps spread the work around, as members can divide the job of holding the spot in shifts. Quite often, different busking bands will work together in holding a spot, and they will also then play in shifts throughout the following day.
After spending the entire night holding the spot, the band was forced to cancel their sets for the day, due to the cold and windy weather. With a real working band living on the road, if there’s no play, there’s no pay.
It’s quite a thing to see, all this order and commitment, in light of the stereotypes surrounding traveling hobos – much of it quite deserved. But in the case of St. Cinder, if I were asked to use a single word with which to describe the character of this group of people, I’d use the word “wholesome.”
You can have a mutually beneficial exchange with St. Cinder by purchasing their new CD. You get to keep their wonderful music, and they get to put food in their bellies, and gas in their tank!