Mardi Gras festivities are in full swing in New Orleans. But six months after Hurricane Katrina, some musicians there are questioning whether the holiday should be celebrated at all. A series of reports from around the Big Easy from WNYC ‘Souncheck’ . Keith Spera, music critic of the Times-Picayne, joins us from the parade with an overview. Dr. Michael White, a jazz clarinetist and longtime resident of the Crescent City, weighs in on challenges facing this year’s carnival. Then, Jesse McBride, a 26-year-old jazz pianist, talks about the twists and turns in his career since the hurricane. And finally, Nick Spitzer, host of the public radio program American Routes, gives a musical history of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras.

Listen to the post-Katrina Mardi Gras show (Real Player recommended)