Jazz in New Orleans

New Orleans street performer Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism

New Orleans-style jazz is known for one thing above all else: its ability to make people dance. A city famous for its festivals and celebrations, it is only natural that a form of music that emphasizes dancing flourished in New Orleans. It is difficult to resist moving to the swinging, stomping, syncopated beat of New Orleans jazz, an obvious complement to the city's party atmosphere. Although the roots of jazz were laid around the turn of the 20th century, Jazz remains one of the world's most popular musical genres. Since the style's inception, New Orleans has never stopped playing jazz, and the city has never stopped partying. Today, the sound of New Orleans jazz bursts from clubs, festivals and street performances, and the city is rife with remnants from the birth of jazz. Museum collections, parks, clubs and historic sites are a must see for jazz enthusiasts eager to learn about the style's history.

HISTORY

As a distinct musical style, New Orleans jazz is different from jazz styles that arose in other major cities, due in no small part to New Orleans' unique cultural and historical circumstances. Having passed through the hands of Spain and France before becoming an American territory in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, Louisiana had already amassed a rich diversity of cultures and, consequently, musical styles. In addition to Spanish and French residents, New Orleans had a significant African population. By the turn of the 19th century, people of African descent, both free and slave, comprised over half the city's population. New Orleans' cultural mosaic was further enriched by German and Irish immigrants, that arrived before the Civil War, and post-Civil War Italian immigrants.

The rich mix of cultures in New Orleans, which unlike many other major urban centers was not segregated by monocultural ghettos, fostered a considerable amount of cultural exchange. Each ethnic group made contributions to the city's bustling musical scene, and in this way helped lay the foundation for the development of early jazz. People of mixed African and European descent, also known as Creoles of color, were instrumental in the growth of the jazz movement. Known for their skill and discipline, many Creoles played in the city's best orchestras. Although the foundation of jazz was laid by and large by the African-American community, many different ethnic groups became involved.

	The Fate Marable Orchestra Photo courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum Jazz Collection

Elements from African dance and drumming traditions that were later incorporated into Mardi Gras-day gang demonstrations also played a significant role in the development of jazz. On Mardi Gras day, African gang members roamed the streets searching for other gangs to confront in a show of strength that involved drumming and call-and-response chanting. Call-and-response playing styles became an important feature of early jazz.

By the late 19th century, brass marching bands had achieved immense popularity throughout the United States, and they began impacting the burgeoning jazz scene in New Orleans. Syncopated musical techniques—which involve stressing normally weak beats—influenced by African-American styles, such as cakewalks and minstrel tunes, were also gaining popularity. Ragtime, a music developed from syncopated piano compositions and an important precursor to jazz, was in full swing by the 1890s. In addition to standard march repertoire, many brass bands began to play ragtime tunes.

In the last decade of the 19th century, musicians that were not trained to read music played in an improvised style that attracted large audiences for dances and parades. Musicians that improvised continued to be influenced by brass bands, which caused a shift from string to brass instruments. The standard front line of a New Orleans jazz band consisted of a cornet, a clarinet and a trombone.

A wide assortment of New Orleans events were accompanied by music, providing musicians with numerous opportunities to work. Bands played at dances, parades, picnics, political rallies, lawn parties and athletic events. Neighborhoods all over New Orleans were filled with the sounds of jazz, and the new musical style quickly became a normal part of community life.

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band Photo courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum Jazz Collection

As New Orleans musicians toured in riverboat bands, vaudeville and other shows, the city's jazz style spread to other major centers, including Chicago and New York. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band cut the first commercial jazz recording in 1917 while playing in New York City. The recording was an instant success and the New Orleans jazz craze swept the nation. In the 1920s, famous New Orleans jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton made several momentous recordings while in Chicago.

Although jazz went through a series of stylistic changes, including the incorporation of larger bands in the swing era, New Orleans musicians and techniques continued to influence the national scene. The 1930s and 1940s were dominated by swing music, followed by later innovations such as bebop and avant-garde, which strayed further from traditional New Orleans style. This triggered numerous attempts to revive the music, and many musicians continued playing New Orleans jazz through the mid-20th century. Bunk Johnson and George Lewis ignited a national jazz revival movement in the 1940s that persists to this day.

JAZZ ATTRACTIONS IN NEW ORLEANS

	Performers at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism

Festivals
The 10-day New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival takes place annually in late April and early May, and celebrates the city's history as the birthplace of jazz. A host of jazz legends graced the stage at the first festival in 1970, including Duke Ellington, Fats Domino, the Meters, the Preservation Hall Band and gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who kicked the festival off with a bang when she spontaneously joined the parade and, to the crowd's delight, started singing. With 12 stages of music and an eclectic mix of styles that includes jazz, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, blues, R&B, rock, funk, African, Latin, Caribbean and folk, the festival satisfies a wide range of musical tastes. In addition to music, the festival offers traditional Louisiana cuisine and arts and crafts booths. Exhibits relating to New Orleans' history, culture and cuisine are featured at the city's three-floor Grandstand. The festival celebrated Louis Armstrong’s centennial in 2001, attracting a record-shattering 650,000 visitors.

Kermit Ruffins at the Satchmo Summerfest Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism

Every summer, the Satchmo Summerfest pays tribute to one of the most influential jazz musicians and greatest performers of all-time, Louis Armstrong, also known as Satchmo. This festival is an ideal opportunity for visitors to learn why Satchmo remains one of the most celebrated jazz musicians in history. Musical performances, jazz exhibits, activities for young jazz fans, a club crawl and local cuisine are a few of the elements offered at this event. The festival features different types of jazz, from brass bands to big bands to early jazz.

	Jazz performers at the Preservation Hall Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism

Jazz Clubs
New Orleans is replete with live music clubs, none more famous than the Preservation Hall. Opened in 1961, the Preservation Hall played an important role in New Orleans jazz history, hosting a number of famous jazz musicians through the ages. The hall was established as a sanctuary to protect and honor New Orleans jazz, whose popularity was waning amidst modern jazz and rock. A meeting-ground for veteran and rising musicians excited to embrace the city's musical history, the Preservation Hall remains one of the most powerful forces preserving New Orleans-style jazz. Today, visitors enjoy jazz in the same Preservation Hall that housed countless jazz legends, many of whom are featured in the venue's collection of portraits. The hall is open for concerts every evening, providing a family-friendly, smoke and alcohol-free environment.

Donna's Bar & Grill Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism

In addition to the Preservation Hall, a number of other venues such as Donna’s Bar & Grill, Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub, Maison Bourbon, Palm Court Jazz Cafe and Storyville District Jazz offer traditional New Orleans jazz. For those interested in modern jazz, Snug Harbor and a number of other venues feature contemporary styles. Whether seeking relaxing dinner jazz or the charged energy of jazz fusion, the diversity of New Orleans' music clubs pleases a range of audiences.

Louisiana State Museum Jazz Collections
The world's largest collection of instruments owned and played by seminal jazz figures is on display at the Louisiana State Museum's Mint property. Louis Armstrong's cornet, Tom Brown's trombone, Larry Shields' clarinet and Dizzy Gillespie's trumpet are among the Mint's collection. The museum's 10,000 photographs, most of which chronicle the local music scene from 1950 onward, emphasize traditional and Dixieland performers, as well as events and venues that were important to jazz, such as nightclubs, bars and street parades. In addition, the museum houses nearly 10,000 recordings in a variety of formats ranging from piano rolls to records to digital tape. Visitors also find several hundred rolls of film, including footage of concerts, nightclubs, funerals and parades. Paintings, posters and artwork from the history of early jazz are on display, including several historic posters from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Perhaps the most interesting part of the collection is the variety of miscellaneous artefacts pertaining to the history of jazz, which include ticket stubs, buttons, concert programs and newspaper clippings. The sheer size and depth of the museum's collection is enough to make any serious jazz fan salivate.

	Louis Armstrong's first cornet at the Mint Photo courtesy of the Louisiana State Museum Jazz Collection

New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park
The New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park celebrates the cultural history of the people and places that fostered the development of jazz in New Orleans. The park features a visitor center with an indoor-outdoor stage that houses live performances. A wide variety of interpretive programs are also offered, including children's activities, special events and live lectures on jazz related topics. Visitors interested in jazz history relish the opportunity to take a ranger-guided tour of several significant jazz areas, including Canal Street, Back O-Town, Decatur Street, Lafayette Square District and Central Vieux Carre.

Armstrong Park
Louis Armstrong Memorial Park is yet another homage to the city's famous trumpet player. The park houses the National Historic Site of Congo Square that has served as a meeting-ground for African-Americans since the 1800s. Every Sunday they would gather in the square to market goods, socialize, dance, drum and make music. The site is a significant reminder of the early African-American contributions to the origins of jazz.

Louis Armstrong Memorial Park Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism

Record Stores
There is no better place to find old and rare New Orleans jazz recordings than in New Orleans itself. A number of record stores carry New Orleans jazz on vinyl, compact disc and cassette. After witnessing some of the city's live performances, eager visitors can stop by the record stores and pick up the works of their favorite artists.

New Orleans jazz is a phenomenon that must be experienced first hand to be fully appreciated. Visitors touring New Orleans' streets find historic buildings where jazz legends once played, street performers busking in the moonlight and countless live music clubs offering everything from classic to contemporary jazz. With all the concerts, events and attractions, visitors quickly discover that jazz is alive and swinging in New Orleans.