环球英语 — 400：The Musician’s Village
Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight program, I’m Ruby Jones.
Voice 2
And I’m Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Jazz
Blues
Funk
R&B
Voice 1
These are all popular kinds of music in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the city of New Orleans. This very strong storm damaged or destroyed many buildings. It affected many of the city’s musicians - the people who play music. They had to leave their damaged houses. Something special was missing from the city after these musicians left.
Voice 1
Many people believe that music is a very important part of New Orleans culture. They believe that New Orleans will not be the same until all of the musicians can return to their homes. So, these people are doing something about it! A group of popular musicians is working with the organisation “Habitat for Humanity”. Together, they are building a very special place in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans.
Voice 2
Habitat for Humanity is an organization that works all over the world. Its workers build houses for people who do not have very much money. And they also re-build houses that have been damaged by storms, like Hurricane Katrina. Habitat for Humanity does not just give people homes for free. The people who live there pay for the homes just like other homeowners. But Habitat for Humanity helps people who are having trouble finding or building houses on their own.
Voice 1
In 2005, two musicians started working with Habitat for Humanity. Harry Connick Jr. and Brandford Marsalis are both famous musicians from New Orleans. They love the city very much. And they wanted to help re-build homes for the musician’s who left because of Hurricane Katrina. They made plans with Habitat for Humanity to build "The Musician’s Village".
Voice 2
The Musician’s Village will have seventy-two [72] homes in it. Anyone could live there. But Habitat for Humanity hopes that many of the musicians who lost their homes will come back to live in the Musician’s Village. And many already have! Habitat also hopes to build hundreds more homes in the areas around the Musician’s Village.
Voice 1
Each home in the Musician’s Village will have two, three or four bedrooms. And they will all be built 2 metres above the ground. This will protect these homes from floods or other strong storms that could happen in the future. The houses are designed like traditional homes in New Orleans. They are usually long and narrow and painted bright, happy colors.
Voice 2
One of the first musicians to move in to the Musician’s Village is Jerome Hill. Jerome is fifty-one [51] years old, and he plays the harmonica. Jerome was one of many musicians that had to leave the Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina. He is very happy to be back home. He said,
Voice 3
“Everyone is starting to move in around here and that is good. Some of them are good friends of mine. Now I will not have to go too far if I am looking for a musician to play with. I will not have to use the telephone. I can just knock on the door!”
Voice 1
But the Musician’s Village will contain more than just homes! In the center of the village there will be a very special building. It will be called the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. It will celebrate all of the music and musicians that have come from New Orleans. The building will have a large performance room in it for live music. It will also be a place where anyone can go to learn more about the music and culture of New Orleans. People will even be able go there to learn how to play musical instruments!
Voice 2
The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music is named after a famous jazz piano player from New Orleans. Marsalis plays modern jazz music that sounds like this. He is well loved in New Orleans and around the world for his individual sound.
Voice 1
Jim Pate is one of the leaders in the Habitat for Humanity Musician’s Village project. He says that the village will be a place for musicians from all kinds of musical traditions to come together. He even thinks that having all of these musicians in one place may help create new kinds of music! He says,
Voice 4
“It will be a place that is completely vibrant and alive, and it will expand to the other rebuilding areas in New Orleans, too.”
Voice 2
People like Jim Pate, Ellis and Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr. believe that music is an important part of culture. They felt that something was missing from New Orleans when so many musicians had to leave their homes. So they are giving much of their time, energy and money to making sure that New Orleans is a place where musicians can live and play and grow.
Voice 1
Music is a wonderful tool to help people communicate with each other. Music can bring all kinds of different people together. And music has been part of human culture for thousands of years. The Bible contains very old songs -some as old as three and a half thousand years [3,500]. People in the Bible used music to praise God. They used music to tell stories and teach. They used music to express sadness and joy. And the Bible says that all people have a song to sing or music to play. Christians believe that God gave people the gift of music.
Voice 2
New Orleans contains a mix of people with different cultures and races and religions. Sometimes it is hard for so many different people to work together and agree. But many different kinds of people are agreeing that music is an important and special part of New Orleans. They are using music to rebuild a city. And they are also helping to rebuild a community.
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