History of Jazz in New Orleans

“Just as many rivers feed into the Mississippi, music (and musicians) from many cultures came together in the creation of Jazz (The Offical Tourism Site of the City of New Orleans).”

Before Jazz, music was not a luxury in New Orleans like it was in other places- it was a necessity. During the nineteenth century many diverse groups of individuals found common cause in their love of music. Sometime after the beginning of the new century, jazz emerged as part of a broad musical revolution encompassing ragtime, blues, spirituals, marches, and the popular fare of “Tin Pan Alley”(National Park Service).” “The early development of jazz in New Orleans is most associated with the popularity of bandleader Charles “buddy” Bolden, an uptown corniest whose charisma and musical power became legendary. Dancing had long been a mainstay of New Orleans nightlife and his popularity was based on the ability to give dancers what they wanted(National Park Service). Other bands attempted to play jazz following Bolden. However, the band which did the best transition from Bolden’s early experiments to the classical jazz was Kid Ory’s Creole band. Edward “Kid” Ory was the son of a white Frenchman and a Creole woman of Afro-Spanish and native American heritage. At the young age of fourteen he was already in a band. Louis Armstrong actually played with Ory’s band at a later point (National Park Service). Ory and his band-Spikes Seven Pods of Pepper Orchestra were the first African American jazz band to make a recording of their song “Ory’s Creole Trombone” in 1922 (Thomas).  The first Jazz recording by a white band was the song “Livery Stable Blues” and ‘Dixie Jass Band One Step” in 1917 by The Original Dixieland Jazz Band (Thomas). Chicago was a popular destination for many jazz musicians who left New Orleans in search of fame. Records made by The Original Dixieland Jazz Band were extremely influential in spreading jazz throughout the nation and the world, as well as back home in New Orleans (National Park Service). “Jazz was propelled along based off the individual creativity and charisma. While many of the music legends moved on outside of New Orleans, others stayed in New Orleans to never become known outside of the city but they prove that the New Orleans music scene remained a fertile ground for creative musicians of diverse backgrounds, who were united by a common love of the music and a reverence for the culture that produced it (National Park Service).”

                                               

       Pictured above (left to right/top to bottom): Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Buddy Bolden's Band and Kid Ory's Woodland Band

Interesting Facts:

·      New Orleans was the only place in the New World where slaves were allowed drums during the 19^th century (The Offical Tourism Site of the City of New Orleans).

·      Historians agree on one thing-Jazz began in New Orleans but it is not clear when it began (The Offical Tourism Site of the City of New Orleans).

·      Earliest noted use of Afrian rhythms mixed with European “classical” music was “La Bomboula-Danse Negre”- Louis Moreau Gottschalk in 1847 (The Offical Tourism Site of the City of New Orleans).

·      Others say 1917, when Nick LaRocca and his Original Dixieland Jazz Band recorded the first Jazz record “Livery Stable Blues” (The Offical Tourism Site of the City of New Orleans).

·      The first great Jazz orchestra was formed in New Orleans by a cornet player named Dominic James LaRocca (The Offical Tourism Site of the City of New Orleans).

·      The 1920’s are known as “The Jazz Age.”

·      King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band is remembered for bringing a young Louis Armstrong to public attention (National Historical Park).

·      Jelly Roll Morton has been identified as the first great composer of jazz (National Historical Park).

Pictured above (left to right): The Original Creole Orchestra, King Olivers Creole Jazz Band and Louis Armstrong's Hot Five

 

Works Cited

National Historical Park. A New Orleans Jazz History, 1895-1927. 5 December 2015. 9 December 2015 <www.nps.gov/jazz/learn/historyculture/jazz_history.htm>.

National Park Service. A New Orleans Jazz History, 1895-1927. 2015. 11 December 2015 <www.nps.gov/jazz/learn/historyculture/jazz_history.htm>.

The Offical Tourism Site of the City of New Orleans. Birthplace of Jazz. 2015. 9 December 2015 <www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/music/musichistory/jazzbirthplace.html>.

Thomas, Bob. The Origins of Big Band Music: A History of Big Band Jazz. 1994. 9 December 2015 <www.redhotjazz.com/bigband.html>.