KEY TAKEAWAYS: The New Orleans Jazz Museum will open the Donna’s Bar and Grill exhibition Oct. 29. Donna’s operated on North Rampart Street from 1993 to 2010. The exhibit features photographs of musicians, patrons and performances from the club’s 18-year history. Donna’s became a gathe ring place for New Orleans brass band, jazz and Black Masking Indian traditions.   The New Orleans Jazz Museum will open a new exhibition Oct. 29 documenting the history of Donna’s Bar and Grill, the former North Rampart Street venue that served as a gathering place for the city’s brass band and jazz musicians for nearly two decades. “Brass Band Headquarters: Donna’s Bar and Grill” will feature photographs chronicling the musicians, patrons and performances that shaped the club during its run from 1993 to 2010. The exhibition opens Thursday, Oct. 29, at the museum, 400 Esplanade Ave. Donna’s, formerly located at 800 N. Rampart St., was owned by Donna Poniatowski Sims and her husband, Charlie Sims. The couple photographed performers and patrons throughout the club’s 18-year history, creating a visual record of a period when the venue became closely associated with New Orleans’ brass band scene. The club hosted musicians from New Orleans and beyond and became a meeting place for artists connected to the city’s brass band and Black Masking Indian traditions. Musicians used the venue to perform, collaborate and develop their craft, according to the museum. “Donna’s was one of those places that could only happen in New Orleans. It was an important part of the story of New Orleans music and the musicians who have carried our traditions around the world,” Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said. Performers associated with Donna’s included the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Olympia Brass Band and Hot 8 Brass Band, along with members of the Marsalis family and singer Topsy Chapman. The exhibition also includes images of musicians including Troy Andrews, Shannon Powell, Kermit Ruffins, Doc Paulin and Uncle Lionel Batiste. Photographs of patrons and other visitors are intended to document the broader community that developed around the venue. New Orleans Jazz Museum Curator David Kunian said the exhibition seeks to capture the club’s informal and unpredictable atmosphere. “Donna’s Bar and Grill was a hoot. You never knew what was going to go down in there at any given moment. Donna and Charlie were special people for keeping the place running with such a creative and hospitable atmosphere for both the music and the food. I hope that Donna’s photos convey that spirit,” Kunian said. The exhibition also highlights the role smaller music venues can play in developing musicians and sustaining New Orleans’ cultural economy. Donna’s provided a stage for local performers who later developed national and international audiences while creating a regular gathering place for residents, visitors and musicians. “I’m so excited to be celebrating Donna’s Bar and Grill,” New Orleans Jazz Museum Director Greg Lambousy said. “Donna has continued to be an important part of the music scene in New Orleans, and it’s always a pleasure to see her photographing at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.” The New Orleans Jazz Museum is located where the French Quarter meets the Frenchmen Street entertainment district. The museum presents exhibitions, educational programming, research resources and live performances focused on the history and continuing development of jazz. ...read more read less