Traditional music
It will surprise no one, but the Louisiana musical tradition is in every way singular. Very roughly speaking, it can be divided into two families that have always existed side by side and intermingled: Creole music (from which Zydeco is descended) and Cajun music.
Cajun music is that of the Cajuns of southwestern Louisiana. It has its roots in the old French folklore (from Poitou, where the Acadians come from), full of wild rhythms played on the diatonic accordion and the fiddle. A unique aesthetic and lyrics in French that, for a long time, were only transmitted orally. The old songs of one's parents or grandparents were played by ear and this is how this heritage was passed on between generations. Typically Acadian at the origin, Cajun music has been enriched with country and blues accents, nourished by the Louisiana melting pot of Creoles, Italians, Spaniards and African-Americans. Each generation has brought its own touch to Cajun music, which has seen the birth of musicians who have become emblematic such as Dennis McGee, a pioneer, The Hackberry Ramblers, very influential or Dewey Segura, a seminal figure through the duo he formed with his brother.
Today, while Wayne Toups is the most commercially successful Cajun musician and Steve Riley and The Mamou Playboys are at the top of the bill, there are other equally prominent artists who embody Cajun music, starting with Michael Doucet (1951). A Scott-born fiddler, he has been working for decades for the recognition and revival of Cajun music, of which he is considered one of the foremost experts. Through his work, Michael Doucet has revived many old Cajun tunes. In addition to his group BeauSoleil, he has collaborated extensively with the Savoy couple in the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band. This is an opportunity to talk about another very important figure in Cajun music: Marc Savoy (1940). Born in Eunice, this accordionist was trained in his family by playing in Cajun dances. A purist and defender of traditional Cajun music, the cultural center he opened in Eunice is a world-famous stop for all lovers of the genre who come to jam
or buy his accordions, which are reputed to be among the best in the world. Still among Cajun musicians, let's not forget to mention Zachary Richard, one of the most important artists of the North American French-speaking world, who succeeds in making his compositions a true blend of Louisiana flavors.A legend of Cajun music, Amédé Ardoin (1898-1942) was a great accordionist of his time, also considered a pioneer of Creole music, of which he made some of the first recordings in the late 1920s. Creole music arrived in Louisiana at the beginning of the 19th century, when tens of thousands of refugees, including freed ex-slaves, from the West Indies settled there - most of them from Haiti, a French-speaking country. Louisiana Creole music developed on the plantations of French and Spanish settlers, steeped in the syncopated rhythms of African origin. A century later, around the 1930s, these Creole sounds, combined with Cajun music and blues or rhythm'n blues (and later jazz and country), became the basis for zydeco. This exciting, unifying and very joyful mixture never leaves anyone unaffected and owes its name to a distortion of "beans" (" zarico ") in reference to a traditional song Les haricots sont pas salés. The essential performers of the genre are Clifton Chenier, the boss, Queen Ida Guillory, the first woman of zydeco, Cedric Watson, a must, or Rockin' Sidney Simien who wrote My Toot Toot
, the big hit of the genre.There's nothing like a live performance to savor Cajun and zydeco music - an opportunity to see in action that curious object called the washboard (also called "scrubber") which, along with the accordion, is the main instrument of zydeco.
Two unmissable events to taste the Cajun soul of Louisiana: first the Festival Acadiens et Créoles in Lafayette which, every October, multiplies the concerts of Cajun and zydeco music, then the Mudbug Madness in Shreveport, today one of the most famous events of the American Deep South honoring all the southern music (zydeco, cajun, blues, jazz...). Otherwise, in Breaux Bridge, the famous Saturday Zydeco Breakfast at Buck & Johnny's restaurant is a must.Jazz
What city better embodies jazz than New Orleans? For it is here that this great musical revolution full of contestation was born at the beginning of the 20th century. It originated in three directions: African traditions (songs and percussion handed down from generation to generation), ragtime, a black music inspired by the tunes of the quadrille, and finally the music of the marching bands that enlivened parades, funerals and dances.
If it is difficult to define precisely a genre as protean as jazz, it is even more difficult to determine the precise origin of the name. Derived from the French verb "jaser" for some, from erotic slang (" jizz ") for others, there is no shortage of anecdotes about the birth of the term jazz. In New Orleans, we like to tell that at the time when the word appeared - in the 1910's - when we went to the prostitutes' district (Storyville) we used to say " I am goin' jazzing " (in reference to Jezebel, a biblical character). As jazz was born in Storyville, it was called jazz music
by derivation. It was in the cabarets of the neighborhood that jazz had its first success. When Storyville closed in 1917, the musicians went into exile in Chicago and then in New York. This was the beginning of the jazz diaspora.The New Orleans style
reached its peak in the hands of musicians like King Oliver and Sidney Bechet. It is the purest, most traditional form of jazz, the one respecting the aesthetics of the origins, in the 1910s. Inspired by blues and ragtime, it takes the opposite of Chicago jazz, where the accent is put on solos, fast tempos and where the saxophone is more present. Musically, in the New Orleans style, the brass predominates and the trombone accompanies the trumpet in an offbeat manner. Generally, the trumpet is in charge of the melodic theme and the variations. The trombone takes care of the bass, while the clarinet embroiders from low to high. The creativity of the musicians is frequently expressed in the breaks that place them fleetingly in the position of soloists.In the 1930s, jazz left the intimate setting of cabarets to take over the big popular stages. It was then synonymous with joie de vivre and carefree living. Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie innovate, add new harmonies, it is the be-bop current of the post-war years. A real break with the original New Orleans style. Jazz was first praised in Europe where it was considered an art form, whereas in the United States it was considered " nigger music
". From 1960 on, Blacks and Whites expressed themselves equally in the same groups: jazz, a protest music, became universalist. It was a time of freedom and free jazz, freed from all formal constraints, triumphed, carried by giants such as John Coltrane and Ornette:Many New Orleans musicians played a major role in the development of the style, including Jelly Roll Morton
(1890-1941), born Ferdinand Joseph Lamothe, who claimed to have invented jazz in 1901. He composed an opera and ragtimes and was the first to play his repertoire on the rhythms of jazz.But if Morton is the first, the godfather remains the famous Bunk Johnson. William Geary Johnson, known as Bunk (1879 or 1889-1949), was born and died in New Orleans but spent many years in New Iberia. A trumpet player who learned his trade with Buddy Bolden, a pioneer in the field, he lived not only from music, especially aboard the paddle steamers that crossed the Mississippi, but also from his odd jobs in the Tabasco factory or at Conrad's rice mill. Rumor has it that he taught Louis Armstrong about jazz, but he certainly played a major role in the jazz movement and is a major part of the history of jazz. Fans of the artist visiting New Iberia should not hesitate to visit his grave (Bunk Johnson Grave) at St. Edward's Cemetery, the Bunk Johnson Jazz Collection Room, where you can consult documents, original scores, instruments that belonged to him, or the Bunk Johnson Mural
, a mural in his honor.In the next generation, a few local artists turned the genre into a revolution. Starting with the giant Louis Armstrong (1901-1971). We won't insult you by introducing you to the world's most famous jazz trumpeter. After his international tours, the man who was nicknamed Satchmo (from satchel, because when he blew his trumpet, it looked like he had saddlebags for cheeks), always came back to his hometown where he distributed dollars and gifts to the poorest. A statue has been erected in the park that bears his name (Louis Armstrong Park
).Next to him, Sidney Bechet (1897-1959) is the other major jazzman of the era who shaped the New Orleans style. Many discovered jazz through this talented clarinetist. Although a Louisiana native, he lived in France, his adopted country, which he particularly liked. He recorded there in particular Petite Fleur
, one of his greatest classics. Sidney Bechet lived most of his life in Garches in the Hauts-de-Seine where he died surrounded by his family. A bust of him donated by France to New Orleans is also installed in the Louis Armstrong Park. Let's not forget to mention another star of the era, Louis Prima, also a native of New Orleans, who gave the city's style a touch of Italian crooner.During the next generation, it was Al Hirt (1922-1999), the great local name. A trumpeter since the age of 6, he played in countless concerts across the country and around the world, taking jazz into more Latin, pop and classical territory. One of his companions, clarinetist and saxophonist Peter Fountain Jr . (1930-2016) was also a big name in New Orleans. This jazzman forged his own sound and his reputation continued to grow by playing with the best jazz bands in the country and especially by opening his own jazz club, a reference in New Orleans for decades. In the 1970's, New Orleans followed the very free trend of the genre with some experimenters like the fabulous drummer Idris Muhammad
.After them, the city continued to cultivate jazz intensely, with each generation seeing its share of exciting artists emerge. The most famous is undoubtedly Harry Connick Jr. the famous crooner who never stops paying tribute to his city (The Marsalis Family: A Jazz Celebration, or Oh my Nola). But the most interesting (and adored) is by far Wynton Learson Marsalis. Known under our skies for being the godfather of the Jazz in Marciac festival, in the Gers, this son of a pianist is the most prominent member of a family of jazz musicians
, his brothers Branford (saxophonist), Delfeayo (trombonist) and Jason (drummer) being also recognized musicians. In short, the Marsalis family is a reference in jazz and Wynton is by far considered as a composer and a trumpet player of genius. Less known than the latter, Nicholas Payton is also part of this generation that experiments with the avant-garde while refusing to ignore the traditions of old jazz. This elusive trumpeter-pianist-singer is committed and free, and stands out for his brilliant and powerful playing.Following in their footsteps, the young New Orleans generation is looking for hybridization, on the one hand with Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and his avant-garde jazz, a sorcery made of hip-hop, funk or electro, and on the other hand with artists looking for a little more sales like Trombone Shorty, who turns his city's jazz heritage into a mainstream R&B, or Jon Batiste
, spearheading a new pop-jazz scene.New Orleans is criss-crossed with jazz clubs and the hardest thing to choose from is the plethora of them. Among the must-see places, the Snug Harbor is a restaurant especially famous for its jazz scene, while the mythical Preservation Hall remains the most perfectly authentic setting for listening to New Orleans jazz. Finally, we can't advise you better than to go to Bacchanal for the quality of its concerts or to the Bon Temps Roulé
for its unique atmosphere. As for festivals, Louisiana is known for two major events: first, the Jazz Fest(New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival) which has become one of the most important in the South and which invites the cream of American jazz (end of April - beginning of May), and second, the Lafayette International Festival . Usually organized at the same time, the two festivals have many artists in common, except that in Lafayette, the festival is free. A good plan for the music lovers passing through at this period. Less known but just as good, every year, on the first weekend of August, takes place the Satchmo Summerfest, offering two days of conferences, debates, screenings and, of course, concerts on the theme of jazz. You can hear everything from the local brass band to the more famous national bands.Blues and R&B
Which American musical style will have left the biggest mark on world music? Very possibly the blues. It was born in the sugar cane and cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta. A style of music deeply connected to emotions since a joyful tune can suddenly turn into the deepest melancholy! It is necessary to wait until the middle of the 1950s to speak about R&B (rhythm'n'blues), evolution of the genre where the song was joined by various instruments: guitar, trumpet and drums.
More electric, it is at this time that the amplification appears. The genre also benefits from more varied structures, drawing from jazz, country or gospel. It began to invade the southern United States and then spread to the rest of the country and Europe. Many Louisiana artists launched the blues legend and were among the first to make recordings, from Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, a major figure in Southern blues, to Danny and Blue Lu Baker, to boogie heavyweight Champion Jack Dupree. The contribution of Louisiana musicians, composers, producers and sound engineers has greatly contributed to the development of R&B throughout the country. As New Orleans native Fats Domino became a national star with songs like Walking to New Orleans
, record companies in New York and Los Angeles began sending big-name artists like Little Richard to record in New Orleans. Pairing them with local musicians meant national hits! Other musicians like Smiley Lewis, Professor Longhair and Johnny Adams also contributed to the history of R&B. Today, this musical tradition is still alive and well in Louisiana clubs and with legendary figures such as Irma Thomas, the queen of New Orleans soul music, often compared to Aretha Franklin or Etta James, the Neville Brothers, the local R&B greats, or more recently Sarah McCoy. The latter, nicknamed the punk diva, has a powerful voice and plays a deep blues that evokes Tom Waits. For traditional blues tunes, fans will definitely go to the House of Blues. Even if the establishment is part of a chain (Chicago, Las Vegas...), the one in New Orleans has become a must in the city by offering very good concerts in this field.Rock, soul and funk
The richness and grandeur of the history of Louisiana black music naturally extends into the currents of the second half of the twentieth century, such as rock and funk. In the first, two major figures emerged here first, Jerry Lee Lewis (1935), singer and pianist known throughout the world thanks to his hits Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On and Great Balls of Fire
as well as for his very "rock'n'roll" private life. The other legend of the bayou is Dr. John (1941-2019), pianist, guitarist and singer whose work has brought together blues, boogie woogie, zydeco, Cajun music and rock'n'roll. As for funk, it is less well known that the city has really had a signature sound. The best way to understand it is to listen to the magnificent compilations of the label Soul Jazz Records soberly entitled New Orleans Funk where you can find the sweaty and sticky funk of the city as well as its emblematic artists: The Meters, Lee Dorsey, Eddie Bo or Betty Harris.Gospel music
Deeply rooted in Louisiana, gospel music was born from the songs of the first slaves, some of them tinged with the Anglo-Protestant tradition. The spirituals were the first forms of gospel music. Bringing their religious faith closer to their own existence and living conditions, the pre-war slaves expressed through these songs their sufferings and their hope for a better life in the afterlife. Gospel music still colors Louisiana religious ceremonies with its a cappella
vocal harmonies and rhythmic sacred songs. Every Sunday, from morning to night, quartets deliver masterful performances accompanied by organ, guitar and drums. Gospel groups also perform in clubs and at the many festivals in Louisiana. Gospel music can also be found in hybrid forms incorporating blues, jazz, soul and rap.One of the great ladies of gospel music is from Louisiana: the famous Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972). Born in New Orleans, she made her debut at the age of 4 in a Baptist choir. Her first recording dates from 1937. Thomas A. Dorsey, master of gospel music, became her mentor. She popularized more than 400 songs, including the masterful Precious Lord Take My Hand. In addition to appearances on television and radio programs, she toured Europe and especially France where she was acclaimed. During the 1964 Civil Rights March in Washington, she introduced Martin Luther King's speech and his historic I Have a Dream with a memorable spiritual I Been 'Buked and I Been Scorned. She attended his funeral and paid tribute to him by singing Precious Lord. The Mahalia Jackson Theater
was named in her honor. It is located in Louis Armstrong Park near the Municipal Auditorium. There is no shortage of opportunities to hear gospel music in Louisiana. Concerts open to the public are sometimes held, for example at St. Augustine Church, one of Treme's must-see venues. Otherwise, theAbita Springs Opry offers a year-round concert series featuring country, bluegrass and gospel music, among others.The rap
It's not just East Coast or West Coast rap in the United States. Louisiana and the South as a whole played a major role in establishing the style known as " dirty south
" in the early 2000s. In the early 1990s, rapper Master P and his label No Limit Records began to establish Louisiana in the geography of global hip-hop.But it was really at the turn of the 2000s that Louisiana rap exploded, first with rapper Juvenile, then with Lil Wayne, who many consider (still) the best rapper in history. Signed at only 12 years old by the rapper Birdman on his label Cash Money, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (his real name) disrupts the codes of hip-hop by imposing a new way of rapping, slower and intense. His sixth album, Tha Carter III, released in 2008, sold more than a million copies in the United States in its first week and established him as a star of the genre, thanks in particular to timeless hits such as A Milli and Lollipop . Lil Wayne has sold more than 120 million records worldwide and was the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the highest number of chart
entries. A phenomenon. Since then, Louisiana rap continues to do well in the hands of the new generation, including Kevin Gates or YoungBoy Never Broke Again, both from Baton Rouge or the more R&B Dawn Richards, from New Orleans.
