From Louis XIV Volume XXII, Number 2 Spring 2004 to Louis Armstrong Madame Armand François Pitot by Jacques Guillaume The Levee New Orleans ca. 1859 by Boyd Cruise, 1959 (1992.94), gift of Lucien Amans, ca. 1838 (1984.158), gift of Mr. and Mr. and Mrs. Raymond H. Kierr in memory of Robert M. Kierr Mrs. Henry C. Pitot A Cultural Tapestry Plantation burial by John Antrobus, 1860 (1960.46) French Market and Red Store by Louis Dominique Grandjean Unidentified uniformed black orchestra, ca. 1900 (92-48-L, MSS 520, f. 2312), Develle, between 1840 and 1850 (1948.1) William Russell Jazz Collection, Clarisse Claiborne Grima Fund purchase From Louis XIVto Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Tapestry April 13, 2004, marked the opening Clément Laussat to French officials of From Louis XIV to Louis in 1804. Armstrong: A Cultural Tapestry—an Visitors to From Louis XIV to exhibition based on La Louisiane, Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Tapestry de la colonie française à l’État will recognize many familiar items américain, which was held at the in a new context. For those discov- Mona Bismarck Foundation in ering The Collection for the first Paris from December 16, 2003, time, the exhibition presents an through February 28, 2004. A abbreviated survey of the holdings milestone in The Collection’s and hints at the richness of materi- history, La Louisiane, the only als housed in the Williams Research major European exhibition com- Center and displayed throughout memorating the Louisiana Pur- Preparations department staff handling specially designed the museum complex on Royal crates for items to be shipped to France for the Mona chase bicentennial, showcased 173 Bismarck Foundation exhibition. Street. The exhibition will remain objects from The Collection’s vast on view through October 9, 2004, holdings. Several items from French emphasis in The Collection’s holdings, during which time curators will cultural institutions and the Louisiana From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong fea- conduct tours of the exhibition at State Museum—including Edgar Degas’s tures paintings from the Laura Simon 12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays (except hol- famous 1873 painting New Orleans Nelson and Monroe-Green Collections idays). For further information call Cotton Exchange, the French copy of and ephemera on Louis Armstrong, (504) 598-7171. the ratified Louisiana Purchase treaty, Bunk Johnson, and Jelly Roll Morton, A catalogue published in French by and a Mardi Gras Indian costume— among others, from the William Somogy Editions d’Art, including supplemented The Collection’s hold- Russell Jazz Collection. Additionally, essays by Collection staff members ings in this presentation on the history two manuscript maps from the Service John Lawrence, Alfred Lemmon, John of Louisiana. Historique de la Marine in France are Magill, and Jason Wiese, accompanied From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong, on display for the first time in the the exhibition at the Mona Bismarck now on view at 533 Royal Street and United States—a hand-colored map of Foundation. The Historic New Orleans the Williams Research Center at 410 the Mississippi prepared for the pub- Collection has partnered with the Chartres Street, addresses the same lished account of General Victor Mona Bismarck Foundation to publish themes covered in La Louisiane— Collot’s notorious journey through the an English edition of the catalogue colonial history, the development of Mississippi Valley in 1796, and Nicolas (for ordering information, see page 15). 19th-century New Orleans, the visual de Finiel’s highly detailed map of The excerpts on pages 3-5 and 8-9 arts from 1870 to 1940, and jazz. Upper Louisiana prepared in 1798 and are from the essays examining jazz Underscoring the major areas of submitted by Colonial Prefect Pierre and the visual arts. DECEMBER IN PARIS In celebration of the opening of La Louisiane, de la colonie française à l’État américain at the Mona Bismarck Foundation, The Collection hosted a five-day tour in Paris that included visits to the Hôtel de Salm, which inspired the dome of Jefferson’s home at Participants in THNOC’s tour in Paris, pictured at Malmaison. From left to right, Marie France Pille, Monticello, and Malmaison, the Mary Lou Christovich, Cheryl Betz, Windle Dyer, Susan Dyer, Barbara Broadwell, Robert Becnel, Dee Dee Zink, Benjamin Crosby, Alice Jouve, Lynda Mobley, Joan Lennox, Priscilla Lawrence, Judi Burrus, Mary chateau purchased by Napoleon’s Gail Landry, Michael Sartisky, Courtney-Anne Sarpy, John Sarpy, Linda Sarpy, Walker Ronaldson, Bill wife, Josephine, as a retreat from Christovich, Bonnie Rault, Joe Rault, George Hero, Becky de Boisblanc, Roslyn Lemmon, Dannie Hero, the Tuileries Palace. Harry Lemmon, Mary Ann Lemmon, Kathy Slimp, Alfred Lemmon, Jack Pruitt, Anne-Marie Quette 2 From Louis XIVto Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Tapestry New Orleans: The Cradle of Jazz The word “jazz”—initially spelled “jass” or “jasz”—didn’t surface in the American popular culture lexicon until about 1914, three years before the first jazz records were made by the Original Dixieland Jass Band. Some historians believe that this slang term referred originally to sex, and originated in New Orleans, where prostitutes favored jasmine perfume, and loose women were called “jezebels.” It may also derive in part from the French verb jaser, meaning “to chatter” or “to gossip.” When applied to music, jazz denoted a distinctive polyrhythmic, syncopated, improvisational sound that was entirely new to its listeners. Jazz was, and still is, a creative fusion of diverse musical traditions and techniques. Historians Buddy Bolden’s band, ca. 1905 (92-48-L, MSS 520, f. 1691),William Russell Jazz Collection, differ on the question of when and how Clarisse Claiborne Grima Fund purchase. Charles “Buddy” Bolden (1877-1931) may have been the this fusion began, but the general first jazz innovator, at a time when jazz was in its infancy. Relatively little is known about Bolden, who was never recorded and appears in only one photograph. Bolden’s band played in honky-tonks, consensus is that it happened in parades, and dances and eventually rose to become one of the most popular bands in New Orleans. New Orleans sometime between Pictured are Frank Lewis (clarinet), Willie Cornish (trombone), Buddy Bolden (cornet), Jimmy 1895 and 1914. Johnson (bass), Willie Warner (clarinet), and “Brock” Jeff Mumford (guitar). bility inherited from the earlier Congo variety of musical sources, including After the Civil War and Square slave dances began to blend minstrel tunes, marches, spirituals, and Reconstruction, the popularity of brass with the popular brass band marches, folk songs…. Finally, the arrival in New bands soared throughout the United waltzes, and polkas of the time, even as Orleans of thousands of unemployed States, especially in New Orleans. By New Orleans bands absorbed new cotton and sugarcane workers brought the 1880s there were many such bands musical influences such as “rags.” the final ingredients needed to form working in the city, and as the 19th Ragtime, a musical style made popular jazz music and imbue it with a soul: century drew to a close, a curious fusion by composer Scott Joplin, offered lively, black Baptist church hymns and their began to occur. The polyrhythmic sensi- syncopated dance songs that drew on a popular counterpart, the blues…. Fate Marable’s SS Sidney Band, ca. 1918 (92-48-L, MSS 532, f. 79), William Russell Jazz Collection, Clarisse Claiborne Grima Fund purchase. Fate Marable led what many early musicians called “The Conservatory.” His bands on the Strekfus Mississippi riverboat line served as a training academy for many of the great jazz musicians of the 1920s. Marable, who insisted that his musicians learn to read music, played piano and riverboat steam calliopes. The keys of the steam calliope sometimes grew so hot that Marable had to wear gloves to play it. The musicians shown here are, from left to right, Warren “Baby” Dodds, Bebé Ridgely, Joe Howard, Louis Armstrong, Fate Marable, David Jones, Johnny Dodds, Johnny St. Cyr, and George “Pops” Foster. Riverboat orchestras like this one did a great deal to spread New Orleans jazz to other river cities in America. 3 New Orleans musicians were the infinite variations and collec- first to blend European instrumenta- tive improvisation. In short, tion and melody with “ragging,” they were the first to play the African polyrhythms, and African music that would eventually American blues and church music. be called “jazz.” Their horns were the first to echo the moans of the congregation and to One of the more popular reproduce the joyful call-and- venues for dances was Economy response between the preacher and Hall in the historically black his flock. Their drums and pianos Tremé neighborhood, but there were the first to mimic the cross- were many others, such as Lincoln Brass band funeral march, Dumaine Street, rhythms of clapping hands and Park, the Masonic (or Odd Fellows) New Orleans, photograph by William Russell, stomping feet. And they were the first Hall, Perseverance Hall, San Jacinto 1946 (92-48-L MSS 520, f. 376), William Russell Jazz Collection, Clarisse Claiborne Grima to inflect their music with blue notes Hall, and the Union Sons Hall, better Fund purchase. In March 1946, jazz collector and to recall the three-chord, twelve- known as “Funky Butt Hall.” This last and historian Bill Russell made a series of photo- bar arrangements that would allow for venue was made famous by the leg- graphs to document a jazz funeral procession in endary cornetist Charles “Buddy” the historically black Tremé neighborhood. Bolden (1877-1931). This image shows Kid Howard’s brass band— featuring Jim Robinson, Louis Dumaine, and Bolden may have been the first George Lewis—on its way to a funeral home, jazz innovator, at a time when jazz from which the deceased and mourners would be was in its infancy….