This Guy Made Good...

There's an antique store on Decatur St. In New Orleans I like to browse. It's had a couple of names and I think it's currently called Secondline Arts and Antiques. The art is New Orleans influenced and the antiques are a variety of stuff with a lot of old iron work, doors, windows, chairs and fireplace mantles They are pulled from demolished hoses, someone told me in Europe, and are just the thing if your remodel style is seedy French Quarter. I have old doors, windows and a fire place mantle that all came pre-installed around here so I don't buy these things. There are often street vendors set up outside the shop and I have bought some righteous costume items that I wear at gigs from these folks. There is one guy that sets up in a courtyard/alley type area adjoining the shop and I have noticed that he has picked his game up concerning what he sells. 

I wish I had a picture of the guy. I'll call him the horn man. I have talked to him several times in passing. I don't often ask strangers to pose preferring instead to capture a photo in the natural environment. So you will just have to imagine a guy, thin, fit, weathered tan, 55-65 years old, nice gray beard and full head of what was probably jet black hair gone mostly silver. He sells old horns he picks up here and there. This photo is from a back shelf in the store dating from 2013. Horn parts, mostly junk. 

Seems I recall a time prior this that I asked where all the junk horns came from. He told me he just traveled around picking them up here and there and when people came to Jazz Fest and went in old clubs and New Orleans restaurants and saw old horn art as decor they wanted to create the same thing at home. He was there to fill this desire. After all that is the story of real American Heartbreak. We are only sad when we don't have it all. 

Skip up a few short years to this last trip to New Orleans and the horn man is doing well. It's not junk horns but everything looks very playable. Like I say, he's picked up the game.

If you watch TV there are lots of shiny horns to see. Real guys working the trenches play stuff like this. Old horns are cool. Mine is 80 years old. 

I think this display is a statement on life. I've spent many a day with an instrument in my hand but I don't think I can name all of these horns. Some real odd ball stuff you don't see everyday. Just when you think you know it all, something new. 

Stop by and see the horn man. Take lessons. Not horn lessons, but growth lessons on how to pick up the game.