Jazz

What once was a misunderstood and feared art form is now permanently embedded into the culture as well as the history of New Orleans. This city is the birthplace of jazz and the location where this form of music has found its forever home. There are venues, museums, restaurants, and much more dedicated to this classic part of New Orleans culture. These places once hid from the potential of jazz and now they find their identity in it (1).

 Jazz started out as a craft that was seen as inappropriate and something that would not last. The musicians were viewed as untalented since jazz was not typically rehearsed or written down. The players kept the melody and let the music take them to new and undiscovered places. The growth of jazz’s popularity was not a smooth road. The players had to fight for their craft and prove that they had genuine talent. Many players did not live to see jazz become as respected as it is today, but they laid the foundation to an essential part of New Orleans culture (2).

Jazz was rooted in New Orleans but eventually found itself traveling through Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, and New York. It was at the heart of the roaring twenties and became something that people devoted their lives to. Musicians were able to go full time and people started to hear music that represented them and their feelings. The depth of jazz and its ability to go from smooth to fast pace gave it a unique characteristic that many people cherished. Jazz and its musicians have become respected and entire courses at schools have been devoted to appreciating this unique form of art (3). 

This art form that was born in New Orleans has traveled all over the United States and the world. It has given New Orleans a special life and something that no other city has. What once played throughout the French Quarter and tiny venues now echoes throughout the world. It has become a passion for many and is much more than a type of music- it is a way of life for people. This craft that began over a century ago has many more centuries ahead of it (4). 

Here is an article mapping out some popular jazz venues in New Orleans:

https://www.vox.com/ad/maps/best-jazz-places-in-new-orleans

Preservation Hall Jazz Band performing at Preservation Hall:

*All pictures and information were gathered from the Southern Historical Collection at Wilson Library at UNC Chapel Hill specifically from the Edmiston Family Collection

Written by Anna Deaton

Citations:

1. Box #4, Jazz Folders, in the Edmiston Family Collection on New Orleans #5750, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
2. Box #4, Jazz Folders, in the Edmiston Family Collection on New Orleans #5750, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
3. Box #4, Jazz Folders, in the Edmiston Family Collection on New Orleans #5750, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
4. Box #4, Jazz Folders, in the Edmiston Family Collection on New Orleans #5750, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.