“Jazz happened in America...” In this course we’ll investigate the social, economic, and intellectual conditions that influenced its inception, growth, and dissemination, and the extent to which it—jazz—contributed to a better quality-of-life in the city. We’re heading to New Orleans for our place-based investigation. While there, we’ll access oral histories, photos, and scores within Tulane’s Hogan Jazz Archives to get a sense of how the unique demographics and geography of New Orleans enabled and nurtured the development of its musical culture and creative place-making.

 Our time in the archives will lay a foundation for understanding black (Creole/Latina/o) sub-cultures that developed in the South in response to oppressive life circumstances, and that directly influenced the socio-cultural phenomenon we call jazz, all with eye towards understanding how such a response influenced quality-of-life in the city. We’ll take a guided tour of the city to get a picture of the economic and social history embedded in the built environment. The tour will provide a visual context for the narratives we’ll hear and experience during our time in NOLA. You can count on plenty of live music performed by busking street performers and in sought after venues such as the Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro and Preservation Hall. We’ll frequent the Audubon Park via the St. Charles streetcar for necessary conversations and debriefing sessions during which we’ll discuss the improvisatory nature of jazz as an intellectual endeavor and a way of life. Of course we’ll participate in varying social rituals germane to New Orleans jazz culture, such as second line parades. And what would a trip to New Orleans be without sampling the food on offer at legendary places such as Dooky Chase’s Restaurant and the various eateries in the French Quarter? We’ll make sense of and synthesize our experiences in this great city by composing a mixed-media storyline that illustrates how jazz influences/d quality-of-life in NOLA. This will be a whirlwind trip over spring break 2023, and an experience you won’t want to miss. 

Please contact program leader for more information.