Jazz and Heritage Festival

“Mahalia Jackson, often called the greatest gospel singer, returned to her hometown to appear at the first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in April of 1970. While attending the Louisiana Heritage Fair in Congo Square (then known as Beauregard Square), she and Duke Ellington, who also appeared at the event, came upon the Eureka Brass Band leading a crowd of second-line revelers through the Festival grounds. George Wein, producer of the Festival, handed Ms. Jackson a microphone, she sang along with the band and joined the parade…and the spirit of Jazz Fest was born.”

Since 1970, locals and tourist flock to the Fair Ground Race Tracks once a year for the famous New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.  Jazz Fest is a 10-day festival, spanning over two-weekends in late April and early May, which showcase thousands of musicians, delicious authentic Louisiana cuisine, artworks and crafts.

New Orleans Hotel Motel Association formed the “New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation” which owns the Festival, would contract famous jazz producer George Wein to produce the Festival.  Wein combined forces with Ellis Marsalis, Richard B. “Dick” Allen and Harry Souchon, to name a few, to create a group of artistic advisers.

Wein’s concept of the Louisiana Heritage Fair consisted of a multiple stages with a wide variety of “home-grown” musicians, food booths offering Louisiana cuisine, and arts and crafts booths. The lineup included artist such as Mahalia Jackson, Duke Ellington as well as Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Clifton Chenier, The Meters, The Preservation Hall Band and many other.

The first two festivals were held in 1970 & 1971, in Louis Armstrong Park, previously known as Beauregard Square, in the historic Congo Square area of the park. In 1970,only 350 people attended the Festival, about half the number of musicians and other participants in the event. But the Festival, which became known as “Jazz Fest” almost immediately, was a great artistic success. When Jazz Fest was held the next year, it was clear that the event had already outgrown Congo Square.

The Festival quickly moved to the Fair Grounds in 1972, and has grown ever since.  In 2001, the Festival celebrated Louis Armstrong’s centennial,  with total attendance shattering records approximately 650,000 festival-goers. With 12 stages of soul-stirring music the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is a singular celebration. The event has showcased most of the great artists of New Orleans and Louisiana of the last half century including : Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, The Neville Brothers, Wynton Marsalis, Dr. John, Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., Ellis Marsalis, The Radiators, Irma Thomas, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Allen Toussaint, Buckwheat Zydeco, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Better Than Ezra, Ernie K-Doe, Vernel Bagneris, The Zion Harmonizers, Beausoleil and many others.

Over the years, Jazz Fest has received many honors, including being named Festival of the Year four times by Pollstar magazine.  Also being dubbed as “the country’s very best music festival” with a wider, deeper lineup of essential American musical styles than any festival in the nation.

“This festival could only be held in New Orleans because here and here alone is the richest musical heritage in America.” He also noted, with great prescience, “New Orleans, in the long run, should become bigger than Newport in jazz festivals. Newport was manufactured, but New Orleans is the real thing.”

Alex Slipow

Influential Jazz Artists

Developing in the late 19th century, Jazz has become one of the most respected American forms of art.  Starting as American and European classical music mixed with African and slave folk songs,jazz has drastically changed as new artist bring their own beat sound.  “The musicians behind this ever growing phenomena are recognized as some of the best musicians of all time. Compiled here are who I believe are the best of the best, and the most influential all throughout the history of jazz music. The article below lists  15 of the best Jazz Musicians, including performances and a brief biography for each of these talented performers.

Click HERE to listen to amazing musicians!

http://listverse.com/2010/02/27/15-most-influential-jazz-artists/

Alex Slipow

If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know

-Louis Armstrong

 

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/l/louis_armstrong.html

-Lauren

Jazz Musicians Annual Salary

Do Jazz Musicians Really Earn $23,300 Per Year?

$23,000 is the mean yearly music-related income for a jazz musician not affiliated with the American Federation of Musicians union.  By “music-related” we include teaching, performing live and recording-so combing ALL that it comes out to a whomping $23,000. 

 

SURVEY SNAPSHOT

5,371 musicians and composers completed the survey.

Average age of survey takers: 45.2.

40 percent said they spend more than 36 hours a week doing music.

Less than 1 percent of survey respondents said they spent “no hours” on music, while 40 percent said they spent more than 36 hours a week doing music – what many would consider a “full time” job.

42 percent said they derived all of their personal income from music.

While there is a small cluster in the 0 to 10 percent range, 42 percent said they derive all of their personal income from music.

Average personal gross income of survey respondents was $55,561

This is slightly higher than the US population but when combined with information about survey respondents’ educational background (see below) these numbers make sense.

The average estimated music income was $34,455

By multiplying personal gross income by % of income derived from music, we were able to calculate an average estimated music income for all respondents of $34,455.  This is slightly lower than the US average but this estimated music income calculation shifts significantly based on a musician’s role, experience, education and genre.

Classical was the most common primary genre.

Classical	34.7%
Jazz	16.2%
Rock/Alt-rock	7.2%
Pop	4.5%
Composer	4.3%
Singer-songwriter	3.5%
Folk	2.3%
Indie	2.2%
Americana	2.1%
Country	1.8%

Survey respondents live all over the US.

 

 

Lauren

 

Preservation Hall

PRESERVATION HALL HISTORY AND INFORMATION

Preservation Hall opened in 1961 as a means or preserving traditional New Orleans Music.  Preservation Hall is still open, 7 days a week, featuring traditional New Orleans Jazz.

Preservation Hall does not serve alcohol and does not have air conditioning.  It is open every day from 8:00PM to 11:00PM, and all ages are welcome.

BAND MAKE-UP

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is composed of 7 core members and a few other people who play with the band on occasion. The band always has, as least: a trumpeter, a clarinetist, a trombone player, a pianist, a tenor saxaphone player, a tuba player, a banjo player, and a drummer. A handful of people also double as vocalists. When members of the band tour, (which they do constantly) younger, aspiring musicians sit in and fill the positions.  

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

Preservation Hall recently collaborated with The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation to create a program for young musicians to learn the essential elements of New Orleans Jazz.

The free, weekly program is open to students between the ages of 10 and 17, and the program is led by Carl LeBlanc, guitarist/banjoist and member of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band

-Zachery Poche

Sweet Home New Orleans

Sweet Home New Orleans is an organization that was formed following Hurricane Katrina to bring back musicians bring back musicians.  As stated by the website, Sweet Home New Orleans is “a one-stop service center for the musicians, Mardi Gras Indians and Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs of the Greater New Orleans area. Dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of New Orleans, Sweet Home New Orleans provides in-depth assistance in the areas of social support, legal needs and job creation, as well as extensive referral services to other resources serving the music community.”

Volunteering with Sweet Home New Orleans could be a great way to learn about the New Orleans Culture while getting involved with the community!  Click on this link to learn about volunteer opportunities.  http://sweethomeneworleans.org/about-us/

As part of their services, Sweet Home New Orleans sponsors Mike Corrigan to repair instruments for local musicians in New Orleans.  Click HERE  to view an interview with “the Horn Doctor.”

-Lauren