For my part, it’s an actual act of braveness and confidence when a musician chooses to make a residing making music full-time. However it may be extraordinarily tough to make ends meet, and there will be lots of uncertainty in determining how one can make a good residing. Except you may have a gig or two that pay a residing wage, your life is a sequence of scrambling from gig to gig to make sufficient cash to pay the lease and to feed your self.

It’s often a tough life—however then most creatives have that issue—so what are the options?

That is an interview with a musician who was not in a position to make sufficient cash to stay, and determined to do one thing about it. He’s LaQuay (Quay) Frazier, who thought he might play music full-time, and located that he was simply unable to make sufficient cash, so he turned to doing excursions of Frenchmen Road, a method that has created a wholly completely different supply of revenue for him, whereas utilizing his skills and connections as a musician on the similar time.

Quay Frazier: I got here to New Orleans once I was 18 to go to College of New Orleans to check jazz as a result of Ed Petersen was in Arizona the place I used to be residing on the time, and mentioned, “I need you right here in New Orleans.” So I got here right here to check jazz. And through my years at UNO, I performed with Delfeayo Marsalis, after which I performed with Irvin [Mayfield] and other people like that. Then after college, I

Quay Frazier on Frenchmen Road.

continued taking part in music. That’s once I bought immersed within the Frenchmen Road scene. I performed loads with some brass bands—Free Spirit Brass Band and a few others. After which at the moment, proper once I graduated, I met Derek Villavaso. I keep in mind him going to VASO [now-defunct bar on Frenchmen and Decatur] and he was standing outdoors. I used to be wanting to make more cash and I mentioned “Hey, do you want assist with reserving?” He’s like, “Yeah!” So then I began reserving there at VASO and have become fairly immersed within the Frenchmen scene— I used to be the youngest child doing reserving. So for a time period, individuals hated me as a result of I used to be reserving the gig. Musicians don’t often like reserving managers.

So I did that for a minute. I keep in mind leaving New Orleans for a few months and coming again to be with my son. And once I got here again, I labored with OffBeat for a brief time period. Then from there, I continued doing the reserving for locations like BMC. Throughout that time period, I used to be so poor. I had no cash, but it surely wasn’t for lack of making an attempt.

Then my girlfriend left me as a result of I used to be so poor, and took my son. So I used to be actual down—actual down and out. I began working at this little customer middle on Decatur Road. They current it prefer it’s an “official” customer middle, but it surely’s actually a much bigger firm—they promote a complete bunch of tickets. Principally, the individuals they’ve working are there simply to promote the tickets to principally their excursions.

They pay you zero {dollars} in case you don’t promote something. So I used to be there a few days. I didn’t promote something, so I made nothing. And one morning, I used to be like, “Man, I don’t see any jazz music excursions.” I believed, “Wouldn’t it’s cool if I began a enterprise? I’ve all the time wished to start out a enterprise. So I awakened the subsequent day, began engaged on a web site. It took me about two months to get all of it written. After which I bought my tour information license, all of the stuff wanted by the town.

Was that license laborious to get?
Fairly simple. It’s very easy, truly. I say it’s virtually like in case you’re in fifth grade, you’re making an attempt to take a take a look at. That’s how simple it’s—every little thing you already know. That’s why anyone can do it.

Entry stage to go that take a look at may be very low. So I handed the take a look at, after which I put my excursions on Groupon, and I used to be principally doing excursions so I might go purchase sandwiches, so I might maintain myself going. Somewhat than busk on the road the place I might make $20, $30, I might simply do that tour, and I’d do the excursions.

My expertise on the “customer middle” confirmed me that folks would come up and say “Do you do excursions on Frenchmen Road? We’ve heard about this place, purported to be the capital of music in New Orleans…” So I began it by pondering “Let me begin a Frenchmen tour. No person does that.” So I started enthusiastic about it. I talked to different tour information individuals, and so they mentioned “Oh, that’s not going to work. Why would you do a tour with anyone else? They might do it themselves. It was form of discouraging. I believed “Perhaps you’re proper. I shouldn’t try this.” However then at some point, I believe I keep in mind, I used to be like, Let me simply put this on Group On. Let me see…” And folks began shopping for it. I keep in mind speaking to one of many homeowners of Maison. He mentioned, “That’s an important concept, bro, it is best to…”. He had a web site that targeted on Frenchmen, and he mentioned “Let me promote the tour there.” One of many causes it began was as a result of his web site was beginning to promote the excursions, which was again in again in 2018. It didn’t actually begin to take off prefer it has now till 2019. I additionally began placing my excursions on TripAdvisor.

And the way did it go?
Once I put it on Airbnb Experiences and TripAdvisor, I used to be in a position to actually take time to take a step again and ask myself, “What sort of tour am I making an attempt to run? What are individuals getting from it?” I attempted to create a tour that I believed individuals would go away pondering, “Oh, we bought greater than what we paid for.” I began with BMC. They began giving them a cocktail demonstration. They go within the again and train them how one can make a drink. I organized all these with all of the venues on Frenchmen to provide reductions with their wristbands, issues like that. From there, it simply has gone to a degree the place on each one of many experiences, the tour has probably the most evaluations of any tour on there. They mentioned I used to be one of many prime nightlife experiences on the earth. One other firm is partnering with me and I did a tour with them— they’re going to be unveiling it on their web site, issues like that. It has actually grown.

So is the tour enterprise that you just began rising fairly quickly?
This previous 12 months, I began working with King Garfield. He runs the Home of Brass on Broad, proper off Esplanade. And I began doing these seminars on the Home of Brass for musicians the place I’d say, “Come right here, and I’ll train you how one can get your tour information license and how one can develop into a tour information to make more money.”

Quay and a contented group of vacationers.

We had musicians and different native individuals present up. Particularly, I mentioned, “Musicians, please come.” I can see the world in another way now. I’m taking a look at all these musicians, and lots of them are unhappy, and so they really feel like a few of them are going by means of lots of issues. And once I take into consideration what they’re actually going by means of and what’s actually modified me, and why I’m doing effectively and I’m sober, having gone by means of rehab. However it’s additionally as a result of I’ve gotten more cash. If I used to be nonetheless poor and broke, I’d nonetheless use my final greenback to go and get drunk or one thing. As a result of I’ve benefited by means of having these excursions, I’ve been in a position to change my outlook on life, and I spotted that I believe lots of musicians don’t view excursions as a viable option to earn revenue. They simply wish to play music and after they don’t or can’t play music, they don’t essentially perceive what they’ll do to complement their revenue, and nonetheless be capable of play.

So each tour information I do have now, I’ve needed to persuade them. I’ve needed to be like, “You already know what? Why don’t you come see what I do? Let me sit down and present you ways a lot you can also make over a time period. You would examine that to what you’re making at your gigs now. My entire purpose is to not intrude with the gigs you’re taking part in—it’s simply to complement in between. And it’s taking a very long time for a few of these musicians. Generally, it took me six months to persuade somebody to only to do it as a result of it’s simply not a factor you often take into consideration doing.

I hear you. I perceive what you’re saying.
Yeah. I believe my purpose now, the place I’m at now, is that I’ve gotten a shuttle doing metropolis excursions now. I’m making an attempt to get extra shuttles as a result of my tour is billed as a “Citywide Tour with a Native Musician.” Individuals are actually shopping for it. That’s greater than the excursions I do in the course of the day by loads. However it’s bought to a degree the place I’m having to quiet down on it as a result of there too many bookings, and I can’t do all of it.

So that you need assistance? Have the courses that you just’ve given on the Home of Brass helped you get individuals you could practice and to do excursions?
Out of these courses, I had three tour guides. I even have 4 which have gotten their tour information licenses. I want to do it once more as a result of that was final 12 months. Certainly one of my major causes speaking to you is simply to actually get on the market that I believe my purpose is that I wish to assist musicians, too, whether or not it’s with me or in their very own paths, get their tour information licenses. The loopy factor is individuals are available in New Orleans, sure for the meals, sure for the French Quarter. However once you speak to them, individuals simply say that they wish to speak to musicians and study what it’s like. There’s the attract of individuals wanting authenticity and there’s lots of curiosity from guests…say, in the event that they didn’t play an instrument at school or one thing, they wish to know what it’s prefer to have excelled at one thing and turning into knowledgeable musician. You already know what I imply? And it’s greater than what you suppose. In order that’s why once I’ve included within the tour title issues “native musician,” “jazz musician,” individuals wish to simply hang around with you, and so they wish to ask you questions.

After all, it’s a must to humble your self. I believed “Hey, will individuals actually wish to spend time with me?” That’s what a few of these musicians don’t actually perceive. They suppose they only wish to be on stage, do the gig, receives a commission, go house. Individuals are coming to New Orleans for a particular expertise. They wish to dive into that world and need they may very well be you. In order that they ask questions. They wish to study what your life is like.

That’s very astute of you to acknowledge that—as a result of I believe you’re proper. Guests are interested in meals and music, and so forth., however you might be giving them one thing particular and genuine that they’ll get very curious about.  Banu Gibson [local jazz singer] actually had an important concept. She referred to as it a “conventional jazz camp.” What they might do is they might get a bunch of individuals— lot of them have been from outdoors the US, It could be, I don’t know, 30, 35 individuals, and set it up the place they’d come to New Orleans on the similar time. After which they might do the identical factor you’re doing, besides that these individuals additionally wished to play. That they had their very own devices, and so they wished to play New Orleans music. So it gave them the chance to play with a neighborhood musician, which was a giant thrill for them and gave the chance to study extra about New Orleans music and musicians. I don’t know in the event that they do it anymore, however she did it for a number of years. That is one thing that may work in the course of the summer season, as a result of the summers are good for guests from outdoors of the US. Europeans get much more trip time, than Individuals do. They usually come right here and spend a few weeks. We have now household and mates in Europe, and we’re conscious that they’ve much more time for holidays and journey. I additionally suppose there are some actually nice markets for New Orleans music in Scandinavia. Scandinavians journey greater than any area on the earth, and so they have some huge cash to spend as leisure vacationers; they arrive and so they keep right here for a few weeks. They usually’re loopy about our music.
Yeah, individuals are loopy concerning the music. It’s additionally not nearly listening to and experiencing the music, it’s the behind-the-scenes elements, too. What’s occurring? How did you develop into a musician? What was your life like? It’s actual fascinating to deal with these questions and to attach with individuals.

You’ll be able to positively mine the European marketplace for certain, in case you can. The Conference and Guests Bureau [New Orleans & Co.] is extra targeted on conventions and conferences. I used to bug them on a regular basis, being a gadfly: “How are you making an attempt to get this particular market of individuals over right here? It is a confirmed market. They journey; they love the music; they’ve the cash. Why not go particularly after this group of individuals with some direct advertising as an alternative of relying on journey commerce reveals for group enterprise?” They might particularly goal jazz golf equipment [not venues, but organizations of jazz music lovers]. There are a ton of them in Europe, and all around the world.
Yeah, good concept.

I believe that their mentality—and I perceive as a result of it’s a enterprise with restricted sources—is to in the beginning attempt to get the largest numbers of holiday makers  doable to the town: tour teams, and conventions and conferences and stuff like that. We have now the Superbowl in 2025, and understandably, they’re specializing in that.
Yeah, that’s one thing I haven’t accomplished. I’d like go to arrivals and these completely different conventions for simply particularly for excursions. That’s most likely what I’m going to do subsequent.

You need to be a part of and get lively in New Orleans & Co. They do have individuals on employees who cope with leisure vacationers. There are additionally actions and assist they’ll present. I believe they may aid you. I simply learn an article on-line that mentioned in 2024 “Music tourism has emerged as a prime journey development attributable to its capacity to create emotional connections, present distinctive cultural experiences, supply memorable experiences, therapeutic and wellness advantages and social media engagements.”
 However let me inform you, there are individuals who find out about music. However I’d simply be trustworthy with you, the opposite 80 % of folks that journey and do issues, they don’t usually know a lot about music. That’s the opposite aspect of issues. Once I first titled my tour, Frenchmen Road Stay Music Tour. The explanation why I do that’s particularly as a result of I do know many individuals don’t see stay music ever until they go to a on line casino or one thing like that, and so they’re most likely probably not experiencing it like you are able to do right here. Then I began placing the phrases “Pub Crawl” within the title. That’s going to entice the youthful crowd. That’s what I’ve seen loads by means of my excursions, simply due to the identify, “pub crawl,” what I’m seeing seen loads within the these excursions is youthful individuals, 21 to 35, lots of whom have no real interest in stay music, particularly jazz. However by the top of the tour, they do—they only should be uncovered to it in a manner that they’ll relate to. Through the tour, what I’ve myself and the guides do is to do jazz historical past. I took time to take a look at what documentarians like Ken Burns [Jazz] has accomplished and the way in which he explains it and his concept of what jazz is within the first episode.

So you might be concentrating on audiences by the completely different ways in which you market your excursions?
I’ve been in a position to attempt to get my guides to get it right down to about eight minutes of explaining how New Orleans created jazz, since you may lose anyone’s consideration. It’s very difficult. However we break it down into marching band music, the blues, and classical music. And we do all of the little issues in between. And I like my concept of how classical music bought concerned within the creation of jazz—that’s the Creole individuals of New Orleans. So I add that factor into there as effectively, the historical past half. I actually take pleasure in these folks that I do know, that I might see on Bourbon Road that don’t hearken to stay music. By the top of it, they’ve actually felt the enjoyment of it. So my purpose has all the time been to create appreciation—to get individuals who ordinarily would by no means have come to Frenchmen Road. And also you’ll see that in lots of evaluations. You’ll see that folks say issues like they most likely would have by no means gone to Frenchmen Road, would have stayed solely on Bourbon, or that due to this tour, they’ve loved themselves greater than they ever thought they may. That’s actually stunning.

These are nice testimonials! I believe you may have jumped on one thing that anyone ought to have addressed way back. My background is within the hospitality business, and way back once I first began doing all this, I used to speak to a few of the native tour corporations a few music venue tour. Again then, they hadn’t accomplished it, however they began to. However I additionally don’t I believe you may simply put 45 individuals in a bus and go from venue to venue.
I did an interview with an organization referred to as Tourpreneur. They interviewed me, additionally they had this man who does a Bourbon Road tour. However he was like this douchey dude from someplace else. He noticed the potential for Frenchmen Road. He was like “I’m going to do a tour.” However even when he did, it will be utterly not possible for him to do one, get individuals to take pleasure in it and all these items if the corporate’s simply having these random dudes that do Bourbon excursions, come to Frenchmen and attempt to do it. It’s not going to work. The explanation why it does work for us is it needs to be linked to native musicians. They perceive the road. It offers them credibility after they inform the individuals, “Hey, I play an instrument,” after which they go see him play, and so they say, “Holy crap, that dude’s superb,” That provides a lot authenticity to the expertise of the tour. I believe the native musicians are actually the important thing to it.

So that you’re not afraid of competitors, anyone else to start out their very own factor if they might do the identical factor as you?
No. I imply, in the event that they’re like a musician or regular native individuals, that’s effective. However not these dudes that come from someplace else and don’t perceive the music scene right here. This dude was doing excursions in Ibiza. After which don’t actually perceive the native music cult. My purpose is to have musicians do these excursions and to attach with the venues on the road. I’m additionally pondering of doing a meal time tour on Frenchmen as a result of individuals don’t know that there’s good meals available there, and that would lead proper into the music tour. It’s nonetheless within the growth course of. However musicians are excellent for doing the music tour, they offer the tour authenticity and supply engagement for the individuals they might by no means ordinarily get from an everyday venue tour.