Dr. Michael White

Every jazz funeral is a drama, a freeze-frame of the city. The marching band leads the procession of grief to the slow dirges, sorrow songs, and after burial the jazzmen kick into up tempo parade anthems, the soul’s “cutting loose” for the second line of dazzling street dancers.

an intimate look at the traditions associated with New Orleans’ music and the preservation of those traditions through the work of local musicians and educators who mentor young talent; museum curators who care for musical treasures; historians and archivists who research and document the stories; activists working to protect, heal and inspire the many musicians whose livelihoods were taken away by Katrina. All are committed to the preservation of the rich musical heritage of New Orleans, as well as the future of New Orleans music. “The living museum is a manifestation of participation,” proclaims Ellis Marsalis—revered jazz pianist, music educator, and patriarch of the Marsalis family jazz dynasty/