New Orleans Jazz Museum

The construction of a museum dedicated to New Orleans jazz began its design in 1950 by a New Orleans group of jazz enthusiasts and artists from the New Orleans Jazz Club, founded in 1949. The main inspirers of the idea of ​​building the museum were Edward "Doc" Souchon, Mayara Menville and Helen Arlt. The museum was opened in 1961 at 1017 Dumaine Street in the French Quarter, curated by Clay Watson. ^[one]

Despite the relocation of the main collection, the original location of the collection has been preserved in part of St. Peter's, including important memorial plaques. In 1969, the museum moved to the Royal Sonesta Hotel. However, in early 1970, the owner of the Sonesta Hotel changed and subsequently, in 1973, the museum moved to Conti 833. Soon after the next move, the museum closed due to bankruptcy. On September 15, 1977, the entire collection of the New Orleans Jazz Museum was donated to Louisiana residents and subsequently became part of the New Orleans Jazz Club collection at the Louisiana State Museum. ^[2]

In the early 1980s, an exposition of the Louisiana Museum's jazz collection opened on the second floor of the old United States Mint , curated by Don Marquis. Since then, the New Orleans Jazz Museum has been located in the Old Mint on an ongoing basis. In 2005, the museum, like the New Orleans Jazz Museum, suffered severe damage during Hurricane Katrina. The collections of the New Orleans Jazz Museum were exhibited in many museums until the Old Mint reopened its doors in 2008. In 2015, plans for the complete transformation of the Old Mint building into a full-fledged New Orleans Jazz Museum entered into development. ^[3]

The mission of the New Orleans Museum of Jazz is to preserve the musical style of “ jazz ” in all its manifestations and forms thanks to dynamic and interactive exhibits, a variety of educational programs, research projects and musical performances. The New Orleans Jazz Museum is an integral part of New Orleans' cultural renaissance, presenting various resources for musicians and music lovers of all cultures, languages ​​and nationalities.

The museum seeks to explore in detail the authentic American music genre in the city where jazz originated. The main task of the New Orleans Museum of Jazz is to expose and disseminate the history and traditions of jazz, directly in the city, where this genre originated. The New Orleans Jazz Museum will attract and connect music lovers from across the globe. Interactive artifacts tell the story of jazz, its African American origin, its birth and popularization in New Orleans, showcasing cultural connections, artistic forms of expression, musical innovation and global influence. All so that visitors can truly understand this form of authentic American art. ^[3]

Collections

The museum includes a famous collection from the New Orleans Jazz Club, collected for decades. The museum also owns a rare collection of jazz musical instruments, a series of vintage and truly unique photographs and other artifacts.

The rarity and uniqueness of artifacts varies, ranging from the first cornet of Louis Armstrong to the first jazz record recorded in 1917. Visitors to the New Orleans Jazz Museum can see the world's largest collection of instruments (trumpets, cornets, etc.), played and played by colossals of jazz art, such as Bix Baderbeck , Edward "Kid" Ori , George Lewis, Sidney Bennet and Dizzy Gillespie Other artifacts include more than 12,000 photographs from the early jazz period, more than 4,000 records from 1905 until the mid-1950s and several thousand twelve-inch records.

The collection also includes posters, paintings and prints, hundreds of musical notes, starting from the late 19th century and ending with popular compositions of the 1940s-1950s, many of which were original recordings that guaranteed the quality of jazz art ^[3] . Several hundred films of concerts, festivals, and parades are also an integral part of the New Orleans Jazz Museum collection. ^[2]

Exhibits

New Orleans Jazz Museum exhibits talk about the birth and history of jazz, its heritage, and its enormous significance. The museum is currently working on changing exhibits and is in the process of expanding the exhibition area. The future exhibition area will be about 8,000 square meters and will include a central reception area for visitors, the main exhibition space for permanent exhibits, classrooms for students, a rotating gallery of exhibits and four interactive, technological spaces for guests. ^[3]

Live Music

The New Orleans Jazz Museum is home to live music, also referred to as the “Mint Music”, and offers an ongoing series of performances organized around the world. The purpose of live performances in the museum is to familiarize the audience with the depth and beauty of jazz. The New Orleans Jazz Museum is also the venue for a number of annual festivals, including: French Quarter Fest , Satchimo Fest, Downriver Fest, Creole Tomato Fest, International Guitar Fest, Danny Barker Fest. ^[3]

Educational Programs

The New Orleans Jazz Museum is home to musical programming. Music Researchers The New Orleans Jazz Museum provides access to their world-class collections and research facilities through the Louisiana Historical Center. In addition, the New Orleans Jazz Museum links its audio collections to its website, providing access to its world famous Jazz Collection. For young people, the museum’s educational programs include music lessons, instrument workshops, guest musicians, and recording techniques. These educational initiatives are aligned with the museum’s stated goals and also include music camps. Many of these events are held in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz National Park. ^[3]

• New Orleans Jazz: A Family Album , by Al Rose and Edmond Souchon , 3rd Edition, Louisiana State University Press, 1984.

• Official website
• Music at the mint
• La. State Museum's "History of the Jazz Collection"