Seeds scattered by Katrina: The dynamic of disaster and inspiration (Hurricane Katrina)

In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans artists are understandably loath to credit the storm and its aftermath as a source of inspiration. Yet many New Orleans musicians, most of them displaced, have experienced their most productive months in decades and even scaled new creative peaks in the wake of the floods. With communal bonds not only sustained but also strengthened among the dispersed community, the disaster stimulated artists to create and release some of the most impassioned music of their careers.