Performers bring back ol’ Nawlins spirit

His bucket of dollars isn’t as full as it used to be, but banjo player Lee “Plink” Floyd is enjoying his return to New Orleans , happy to be delighting tourists that stop to listen to his music.

“This is my first time playing in the courtyard since the hurricane,” Floyd said.

On this day, he was one of a handful of entertainers – musicians, artists, tarot card readers, and the like – in Jackson Square performing for hundreds of tourists, as opposed to the thousands who might have been watching before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

And even though the city doesn’t keep records of street performers, it is clear that the number of those has dropped, too. Nevertheless, they are trying to regain their footing and keep entertaining tourists, in hope for a dollar or two for their efforts.

“I love my job,” said Uncle Louie, a street performer of 14 years whose act consists of posing in the same position for hours. “The future is a forward direction.”

It has never been an easy life for street performers, but it has gotten harder. No one would talk about how much they used to make, but some said they have since turned to other avenues in order to stay afloat financially.

“I’m making about half as much,” Floyd said. “I work a job four nights a week and that’s not enough income.”

“For everybody who makes their living on the streets, it’s a huge financial blow,” said Michela Harrison, a singer with the band Mother Tongue, which tried to return early. “Nobody was in town for the first few weeks.”

Some tried to perform in the cities they evacuated to, like Houston , which aren’t exactly pedestrian-friendly.

“I had to come back because there is no money at Daytona Beach ,” said a balloon maker who identified himself as Windy. “It’s too cold to make any money there.”

So the performers made their way to New Orleans , with its squares and walking tourists. Helping matters was the city’s decision to hold Mardi gras, despite criticism that it was too early for celebration amid the ruins.

“Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest really exceeded expectations,” said Mike Fulton, a trumpet player of 26 years. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, held in April and May, brought an all-star lineup of musicians of all genres to the city. “It’s much better than most expected.”

Harrison, who returned in February, agreed. “Things have picked up since Mardi gras and since the French Quarters opened,” he said.

But construction around the city’s Central Business District and the French Quarters has meant fewer choice spots for the performers to play. “There is more competition as there are less places to play,” Harrison said.

And like the more revered jazz artists, street musicians have to keep their careers going amid the chaos. “We all left together,” said Tanya Huang, a violinist with Mother Tongue. “We knew we were going to come back; we just didn’t know if we were going to stay here.”

Floyd was part of three bands before Katrina. Since then, he has been on the move. “The band got dispersed all over the place,” said Floyd as he lightly strummed his banjo. He and his band were eventually reunited in Portland , Ore. From there, the state of Louisiana sent them to perform in the countries that had given aid to Katrina victims.

“I had so much fun over there,” said Floyd, who traveled to such countries as Thailand , Korea and Japan as a member of Doreen Kitchen’s jazz band.

But while Floyd toured the world, Fulton was working on reestablishing himself with the city he had been forced to leave. “I lost my network,” Fulton said. “I really had to regroup. I’m making up for it by doing other things.”

Fulton now works “six and a half days a week” and has gigs during his off days to keep him busy, including an upcoming one in Barcelona , Spain . But he said he would never abandon New Orleans . “I came back in a heartbeat,” he said.

But a tarot card reader named Ms. Susan had an ominous prediction about New Orleans .

“People who are from New Orleans will not be able to live here,” Ms. Susan said from her spot in the square, adding that the cost of living will rise. Not surprisingly, she too has experienced a drop in business.

“The hurricane has affected all of us, not just street performers,” she said. “My business fell 75 percent.”

But Uncle Louie was more optimistic about the city and its street performers. “People come just to see entertainment,” he said. “You can’t just walk around other cities and see entertainers like you see them here.”

He turned to greet a lady and said with a smile, “Nice legs.” She continued to walk, but she was also smiling. He resumed his frozen position, which people stopped to enjoy – and for a minute or two, a sense of normalcy returned to a city that is anything but.