The birthplace of Jazz, the heartbeat of New Orleans is it’s love of music. Through celebrations and tribulations, music commemorates the history of the Cresent City. New Orleanians are passionate about family, faith, food, traditions and perhaps, most of all, about making a joyful noise.

Take Me to the River: New Orleans showcases the icons who’ve added to the rhythm and soul of the city with brassy expressions, funk-driven beats and tributes to the Creole roots.

Jazz is born, dies and is reborn every day in New Orleans. The history of jazz ripples through the streets with a melting pot of cultural and heritage leading back to the foundations of the city. Some say that jazz grew out of the drumming and Voodoo rituals that dated back pre-Civil War, other suggest that Buddy Bolden started jazz with his band in 1895. Although the exact date is in question, jazz and New Orleans are synonymous. Take Me to the River: New Orleans brings you to the barrooms, churches and streets where the wild, jubilant music comes to life. It’s a music that feels free, easy and alive.

One of the most mysterious and colorful pieces of New Orleans belongs to the Mardi Gras Indians. Wearing hand-sewn creations and tracing their roots back to a time when Native Americans helped shield runaway slaves before the Civil War, African-Americans began to celebrate in their own neighborhoods to honor those Native Americans. Today, there are more than 50 Indian tribes in the city including Big Chief Monk Boudreaux. Big Chief Monk is the recipient of the 2016 National Endowment for the Arts and is the leader of the Golden Eagles, a Mardi Gras Indian tribe of New Orleans.

Strutting, jumping and high-stepping, The Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club of New Orleans began showcasing a traditional Crescent City brass band in 1977. Assembling a house band in the late 70s, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band was brought to life. Celebrating over 40 years of traditional brass music with a blend of bebop jazz, funk and R&B, the Dirty Dozen create a unique sound described as “musical gumbo.” The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a world famous, high-octane group of performers that demand to be listened to.

Take Me to the River: New Orleans

October 21 at 7 pm

A Celebration of New Orleans Music