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After Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans in late August 2005 – flooding 80% of the city and taking more than 1,800 lives – there were fears that the city’s unique musical culture had been washed away. The devastation caused by the levee failure silenced the Big Easy’s music venues and forced its musicians to settle elsewhere once the gigs had dried up. But 10 years later, many have returned to the New Orleans stage. From veterans to up-and-coming talent, the city’s music-makers agree that the scene is hitting high notes once again. Richelle Harrison Plesse reports on how New Orleans got its groove back.