Jun 24, 2008

HEALTH MATTERS: Resurgence of music in Big Easy helps residents heal

By L.J. Anderson / Daily News columnist

A half-hour of listening to music is as effective as taking 10 milligrams of Valium, notes cardiologist Raymond Bahr, M.D., and similar observations from other clinicians and researchers concur on the ability of music to reduce blood pressure, increase endorphins, lower stress and lift spirits.

An informal "clinical study" is taking place in New Orleans where a return of the city's musical culture is helping provide emotional healing to residents living in a city which lost an estimated 52 to 72 percent of its households when 80 percent of the city was flooded in August of 2005. In the painstakingly slow recovery, music also plays a therapeutic role given the scarcity of formal mental health resources. For example, the number of psychiatric beds in the Orleans Parish has gone from 240 to 30 beds since Hurricane Katrina.

The lyrics of "The Long Black Line," written by New Orleans' blues guitarist Spencer Bohren (www.spencerbohren.com), depict not only the filth of the floodwaters and the level they reached, but the surreal loss experienced by the people of New Orleans in Katrina's aftermath.

Bohren speaks often on the healing power of music, and lives in New Orleans with his family.



Q: What role do you see music playing in the recovery of New Orleans?

A: There's no doubt that music has played a major role in the process of recovery in our beloved, beleaguered city. Music is a quintessential part of the fabric in the life and culture of New Orleans, and vice versa. Musicians were among the first to return to the bewildering mess that was New Orleans following the storm, and though there were very few places for them to play, and very few people to hear them, they provided an early signal that the precious spirit of New Orleans was not dead. The music has continued to play a strong part in buoying the spirits of the citizenry, and most of the venues have reopened. New ones have sprung up to replace those that were lost.

Q: How were you personally affected by Hurricane Katrina?

A: Physically speaking, we lost about one-half of our home. The back part of the house was flooded, ruining the kitchen, a bedroom, a storage space and a bathroom. Literally, everything in those rooms had to be carted to the curb, and we had to begin the process of rebuilding our lives wearing heavy-duty canister face masks and clothing to protect ourselves from the poisonous environment. We were fortunate to get a fair settlement from the flood insurer. The homeowner's settlement, however, was a joke. As it turned out, our decision not to pursue money from government sources was a good one, as tens of thousands of people are STILL waiting to begin their rebuilding projects. We lived in one room for months, with no electricity or gas service, but little by little we rescued and began to move into parts of the house. At this point, we are able to occupy the entire house, and are finally tending to the smaller details. We have come a very long way, thanks to the kindnesses and donations of many friends and strangers. There will never be a genuine return to the normalcy of "before the storm," but we have established a new norm with which we are more than comfortable. Emotionally, there's no telling.



Q: How has music helped you, and those you know, heal from the events of 2005?

A: In my case, I ended up writing a song called "The Long Black Line," utilizing the words and opinions of my neighbors, newspaper and radio reports, overheard conversations, and the ever-present images of the dingy high-water line that was, and is, evident all over the city to paint my picture. It became - with unheard-of airplay by nearly every disc jockey at our precious WWOZ radio station - a touchstone in the community. The song somehow gave many of us a way to begin the dialogue that led to recovery at many levels. People would tearfully call to say they had just heard the song, and had to pull over for 10 minutes to pull themselves together. One man had been stranded on his rooftop for several days, and said the song brought it all back to him. Even I have fought back tears while performing the song in places as far away as Europe and the U.K. In a big way, this musical outpouring was a healing gift to me as much as to the community. Fortunately, its relevance is fading, along with the black line that inspired it.



Q: How do you recommend non-musicians use music to heal and/or enhance their lives?

A: I can't imagine there are many folks who don't have some song or musical piece that comforts or excites them. Naturally, I think people benefit the most from being in the presence of a live performing musician or ensemble. There is healing power - especially in this day of people endlessly staring into screens filled with synthetic content - to simply be with others while experiencing the gift shared by a talented artist. Additionally, I am a firm believer in the idea that the average person can enhance their life by learning to play a musical instrument. It's not difficult, and it's not a contest. I'd recommend shutting off the television, picking up a guitar or banjo, and finding some neighbor to play with.



LJ Anderson writes on health matters every Tuesday. She can be reached at lj.anderson@yahoo.com.