Exploring New Orleans Music History: Primary Sources & Essays on African Influence and Brass Bands

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Part 1:PRIMARY SOURCES (30 points total – 6 points each): List the Top 5 most Important Primary Sourcesrelated to New Orleans Music History covered in the class from Week 1- Week 8. Each item must be described, and then justified for its importance to New Orleans Music History. And, each source description and justification must be a minimum 3-4 sentences.
Students are welcome to be creative by citing musical compositions and/or performances. Students can access the primary sources as they are posted onCanvas and also included in the lecture slide presentations.
Part II:2 ESSAYS (70 points total – 35 Points each): Write a well-organized essay (with a thesis and specific evidence from the readings and class notes). Essays should be a minimum of 300 words. Formal citations are not required; MLA parenthetical references are acceptable. Essay 1.Discuss the legacy of African music and culture in the development of New Orleans music during the 1700s and 1800s.
Essay 2.Discuss the development of New Orleans’ processional and brass band traditions.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Step-by-Step Guide for Completing Your Assignment on New Orleans Music History

Part I: Primary Sources (30 Points Total)

In this section, you will need to list the Top 5 most Important Primary Sources related to New Orleans Music History covered in the class from Week 1-Week 8. You will then need to describe and justify the importance of each source in 3-4 sentences. Here’s how to approach it:

Step 1: Review the Class Materials

Go back to the Canvas course and look at the primary sources posted for each week. This could include musical compositions, performances, or documents mentioned in the lectures. These are the “primary sources” you’ll refer to for this section.
Focus on sources that were emphasized in the lectures or readings—these will be the most important ones to list.

Step 2: Select Your Top 5 Primary Sources

Choose sources that you feel are the most influential or pivotal to New Orleans music history. These could be:
- Musical compositions by prominent musicians (e.g., Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton).
- Performances that had a significant cultural impact on New Orleans.
- Historical documents related to the development of musical genres like jazz, blues, or brass band music.

Step 3: Write the Descriptions and Justifications

For each primary source, you will describe it in a few sentences (who created it, when it was created, and what it represents).
Then, you’ll explain why it’s important to New Orleans Music History. Think about how it helped shape music in New Orleans or how it influenced later developments. Be sure to mention the historical and cultural context of the source.

Example of what it might look like:

Source Name: Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” (1967)
- Description: This famous song by Louis Armstrong represents the smooth blend of New Orleans jazz with popular music. Armstrong’s powerful trumpet and heartfelt vocal performance make this track timeless.
- Justification: Armstrong’s music played a critical role in spreading New Orleans jazz around the world. This song is not only a masterpiece but also demonstrates how New Orleans’ rich musical tradition evolved and influenced mainstream music across the globe.

Part II: Essays (70 Points Total)

You need to write two essays, each addressing one of the following questions. Your essays should be 300 words minimum and well-organized with a thesis and evidence from class readings and notes. Follow these steps for each essay:

Essay 1: Discuss the Legacy of African Music and Culture in the Development of New Orleans Music during the 1700s and 1800s.

Step 1: Understand the Question

This essay is asking you to focus on how African music and culture influenced New Orleans music during the 1700s and 1800s. Consider how enslaved Africans brought their musical traditions to New Orleans and how these traditions fused with European and Indigenous influences to create unique styles of music (like jazz, blues, and rhythm).

Step 2: Build Your Thesis

A strong thesis might argue that African music, with its complex rhythms, call-and-response patterns, and percussive elements, was a foundational component in shaping the sound of New Orleans music.
Example thesis: “The African traditions of rhythm, polyrhythms, and improvisation laid the foundation for the distinct sounds of New Orleans jazz and blues that emerged in the 19th and early 20th centuries.”

Step 3: Gather Evidence

Use your class readings and notes to find specific examples of how African musical traditions influenced key aspects of New Orleans music. Some key topics to explore:
- Drumming traditions: how African rhythms influenced the drumming style in jazz and blues.
- The use of call-and-response in church hymns, African-American spirituals, and blues.
- The fusion of African, European, and Indigenous instruments and their roles in New Orleans music.

Step 4: Organize Your Essay

Introduction: Present your thesis and introduce the importance of African culture in New Orleans music.
Body: Provide evidence and examples from history, focusing on African influences on specific music genres.
Conclusion: Summarize your findings and emphasize the long-lasting impact of African culture on New Orleans music.

Essay 2: Discuss the Development of New Orleans’ Processional and Brass Band Traditions.

Step 1: Understand the Question

This essay will focus on how processional and brass band music developed in New Orleans. These traditions are central to the city’s music scene and are still present today in parades, funerals, and celebrations.

Step 2: Build Your Thesis

Your thesis should address how these traditions were influenced by African, European, and Caribbean musical elements and explain their significance to New Orleans culture.
Example thesis: “The development of processional and brass band music in New Orleans reflects a unique cultural synthesis, blending African rhythms with European brass band traditions to create a musical style that is both celebratory and deeply rooted in New Orleans’ cultural heritage.”

Step 3: Gather Evidence

Look for specific historical examples of the growth of brass bands and processional music. Key topics include:
- The role of brass bands in New Orleans funerals, parades, and celebrations.
- The influence of African rhythms and improvisation on brass band performances.
- Famous brass bands like the Treme Brass Band or The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and their contributions to the tradition.

Step 4: Organize Your Essay

Introduction: Introduce the importance of brass bands and processional music in New Orleans.
Body: Explain how these traditions developed over time and the impact they have had on both local culture and the broader world of music.
Conclusion: Wrap up by emphasizing how brass band music has continued to shape New Orleans’ identity, both in historical and contemporary contexts.

Important Tips for Both Essays:

Use Specific Examples: When discussing historical events or figures, always refer to specific people, songs, or bands that illustrate your point.
Support Your Ideas: Refer to class readings and notes to back up your arguments. Even if formal citations aren’t required, it’s important to mention where you got your information from.
Clear Structure: Organize your essays with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Make sure each paragraph has a clear point that supports your thesis.

Good luck, and remember: take it one section at a time! You’ll be able to write detailed and insightful responses by following this guide carefully. You’ve got this!

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