FREE PRJC Zoom Jazz Talk: Why is a Jazz Funeral Not a Jazz Funeral?

FREE ONLINE via Zoom: Why is a Jazz Funeral Not a Jazz Funeral? An exploration of the tradition's 190 year history.

PLEASE NOTE: RSVP ON MEETUP DOES NOT REGISTER YOU FOR THIS EVENT! YOU MUST REGISTER USING THIS LINK BY 5 PM ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT TO RECEIVE THE LOGIN INFORMATION TO ATTEND THE EVENT!

Jazz funerals are as New Orleans as red beans and rice. But what if I said jazz funerals are not actually jazz funerals? It’s a provocative question and one we will explore over the tradition's 190-year history.

Our speaker is a favorite of the PRJC. His presentations are thoughtful, engaging, and are full of wonderful audio-visual media. This is a "not miss" session.

John McCusker has been a photojournalist in New Orleans since 1983, working at the Times-Picayune and the New Orleans Advocate.

McCusker was part of the team awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. He is the author of “Creole Trombone: Kid Ory and the Early Years of Jazz” (2012) and co-author of “Jockomo: The Native Roots of Mardi Gras Indians,” (2019) both published by the University Press of Mississippi. McCusker founded the Cradle of Jazz Tour in 1994 with a goal of protecting and marking structures associated with the birth of jazz in New Orleans. In 2019, John founded the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House, a museum telling the story of the 1811 slave rebellion and the early life of jazz pioneer Kid Ory.

Register before 5:00p.m. the day of the presentation to receive the Zoom link. This is a FREE talk, but we appreciate contributions toward the program via "Donation Tickets" which help offset the cost of the program.

The PRJC has been bringing trad jazz and swing music to the DC area for 52 years in the way of concerts, jams, and talks. Our Jazz Talk series centers around early jazz topics and features top musicians and historians. As these are all hosted on Zoom, you can enjoy them wherever you are.

The PRJC began its Jazz Talk series during the pandemic shutdown as a way to support musicians who were less able to work. The series has blossomed into an ongoing project featuring speakers from across the country focusing on trad jazz and swing topics.

Registration for this talk is required by 5pm the night of the event. You will receive the link by email about 30 minutes before the program begins.

You can support the PRJC or our Educational Talks and Concerts with a donation using the Paypal link.

More info is on the Events page of the PRJC web site.

Video recording of the event will be posted on the PRJC YouTube channel after it is completed.

PRJC’s programs are supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County.