"I came to New Orleans to see jazz," many tourists in New Orleans for the first time say. That's one of the aspects of our incomparable culture that travels the world over and persuades people to come here and experience in person, even if they don't really know what it is. Decades ago, you could easily find jazz pouring out of raucous bars on Bourbon Street, but those tunes have transformed into Top 40 hits in most bars. While Preservation Hall and Jazz Playhouse offer jazz, ragtime, and brass shows regularly, those lineups are residencies of local musicians. Essentially, the world tour comes to them: the audiences travel instead of the bands.
The New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market is a fresh take on the local jazz and blues scenes; the focus is to book contemporary talent from all over to give locals and visitors alike a new musical experience in a sonically-designed, upscale setting. "The vision right now is to really create an acclaimed, legendary listening room with an incredible roster of acts coming on an ongoing basis. But at the same time not losing focus on the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, the educational programs, and all that makes this a wonderful non-profit," said Suzanne Bresette, owner of Bresette & Company and Interim Manager of the New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market.
Suzanne believes that an unforgettable experience in a hospitable environment is what can keep customers coming back, even in an age where live entertainment attendance seems to be declining for a variety of reasons. She explained her results from years of experience as a music industry consultant, "I believe that people do want to go out and have an experience. The issue has become there's fewer places for them to go today. If you focus on the artists and create a special memory for them, that means great sound and lighting, great hospitality, a really great environment, then you get these wonderful performances. And the audience feels that way. If you create the right experience, the audiences will still come, I believe."
The New Orleans Jazz and Blues Market was once the New Orleans Jazz Market, created in 2015. It was the homebase for the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, the largest Black-run jazz institution in the southern U.S., and NOJO led music programs for the next generation of jazz musicians. While the first incarnation of this organization did good work, the vision was not strong. The gorgeous building on Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. was underutilized and in need of repair.
Suzanne explained, "I got involved because I had a conversation with Wynton Marsalis. I was very interested in finding a room in the United States that would be a good live recording room. During our conversation, he mentioned this room in New Orleans and told me how fabulous it was. Unfortunately, it was not being properly used. I kept that in my mind. I came down to Jazz Fest after that, and I got to see this incredible room. It had just fallen into disrepair. The bones and structure of the room were amazing, and the sound treatment and the feel. So after some thought, I decided to talk with the then-Managing Director and the Board."
Suzanne and her team created a strategic plan to revive the building and the vision behind it. Money needed to be raised to fund upgrades and repairs. All the while, she perused the recordings created in the space to get a deeper understanding of what came before and what should happen next. The RCF sound system encapsulates the listeners in sound. Suzanne also brought in tables to the main venue floor because sitting a table instead of just a seat helps you to truly relax into the music. The New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market premiered in August 2025.
The upcoming concerts are saturated with Grammy and Blues Music Award winners and nominees, and few of the acts are locally based. This is truly a jazz club made for locals so that they can experience the genre from a worldly perspective. In addition to a superior listening space, the Market has a gorgeous lobby and bar area, valet parking, and security. The dress code of business casual exists to uphold the luxurious, special atmosphere. And you can rest assured that the entire vision for the Market won't be clouded again. "I think the original vision was really a commendable vision. I know they ran into problems fully executing it, but the vision was solid. New Orleans Jazz Orchestra's programs are very important for the community, and to nurture the youth particularly; they're the future. We don't want to lose any of them."
