It's a pleasant afternoon, even for early spring, the sea breeze bringing warmth from the south. The air smells of the sea, creole and cajun spices, of fragrant smoke and - it must be said - city, with everything that entails. New Orleans is a place full of life, in all its forms. And something about it slows one's step into a peaceful swing, buoyed up by the city and its spirit.

Like a proud patron showing off, Yrael leads them in an easy wander down the street, pointing out places they might stop back by later in the evening. In between shops of oddities and curios, pipe and cigars, specialty antiques and brightly-colored touristy trinkets, the music venues crowd for space - the Blue Nile (where Yrael likes to keep an eye on up-and-coming jazz artists), the brightly-colored Oz (joyously advertising the live telecast of RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as their own shows and competitions), Club Bourbon Heat (promising cool jazz on the ground floor, and a pumping dance beat on the upper floors), the Republic cabaret club (where, Yrael promises with a grin, Emcee will feel right at home), and the quintessential and easily recognizable House of Blues.

Music - dance beats to swing one's hips and blues to stir one's heart and jazz to move one's soul - spills out into the street each time a door opens, showing colorful lights and movement within, but the streets themselves are not bereft. A serenade is to be found on every corner they pass. Most of the scattered musicians raise a hand to Yrael when they see him, and he returns the wave with a smile. In between bouts of making a clarinet wail so sweet, a woman seated at a street corner flutters her fingers cheekily at Yrael, who grins and returns the wave.

"Doreen is undisputed queen of the jazz clarinet in this part of the world," Yrael explains to Sinric and Emcee, offering the woman a grinning bow, which just makes her laugh and shoo him away with a fond, "Scat, cat!" before the next song begins.