SISTERS - Jesse Moore left his apartment in the French Quarter of New Orleans on the Sunday just before Hurricane Katrina hit the city.

He and members of his band fled in opposite directions, taking up residence throughout the United States in the weeks following the devastating event.

Unable to return to the city, they watched the footage on television with the rest of the nation in agony over the sites and sounds of destruction.

"New Orleans is not just a city, it's something that you love," Moore said. "To watch it destroyed so brutally, it's like watching a child being murdered."

The Jesse Moore Band reunited for the first time since the hurricane for the Sisters Jazz Festival - a gig the band had booked months earlier.

They were one of about a dozen bands playing at various venues in Sisters throughout the weekend, where New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina seemed to be on everyone's minds.

"We've had a lot of people making dedications to people in the Gulf," said Sue Meeker, volunteer coordinator for the festival, which drew close to 3,000 people to Sisters.

Beneath a white tent set up on the back porch of Bronco Billy's Restaurant on Sunday afternoon, members of the High Sierra Jazz Band opened with a rendition of "Bourbon Street Parade," in traditional New Orleans style. They took the stage after The Jesse Moore Band's last performance of the weekend.

"Bourbon Street Parade, we did with very special thoughts in mind," said leader Pieter Meijers, after the song. "We just heard from a wonderful group of musicians. This is in tribute to Jesse and his band."

He, like Moore, encouraged audience members to both contribute to reconstruction efforts of New Orleans and to visit the city again after it is rebuilt. Moore said he momentarily considered not returning to his home city after the hurricane, but now realizes he wants to be a part of the reconstruction.

One week from today, Moore said, he hopes to return to his home and has plans to start playing at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville in New Orleans again soon. He thinks he may be one of the first musicians to return to playing in the city.

"It has been so has been so wonderful to get back together with my buddies who...have that shared experience," Moore said, referring to their reuniting at the Sisters Jazz Festival. "It's been very emotional. We're going through one helluva ride!"