Product Description

Today, hundreds of thousands of people swarm to the New Orleans Fairgrounds to experience the cornucopia of culture that is the world-famous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Who could imagine that at the very first Jazz Fest, the musicians and volunteers outnumbered the members of the audience by about six to one?

Michael P. Smith, Allison Miner, and Quint Davis could not only imagine it, they knew it because they were there. Eventually, people began to sneak in, but that was just fine with the Jazz Fest organizers-at least people were there.

While Jazz Fest has grown tremendously since its humble beginnings, the stories and pictures of its early days remain as fascinating as seeing the Neville Brothers perform each year. Collected here are firsthand accounts of the history and evolution of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival from its inception. Allison Miner's unique personal memories and Michael P. Smith's soulful photographs provide a glimpse both onstage and backstage at what has become one of the best festivals in the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1335006 in Books
• Published on: 1997-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

From Library Journal
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival offers a musical history lesson to hundreds of thousands each year in what may be our country's most musical city. When the festival began almost 30 years ago, Miner was one of the volunteers who, along with the musicians, outnumbered the audiences by six to one. She stayed with the festival as it grew and over the years helped shape careers as she built friendships with performers from Professor Longhair to the Neville Brothers. An archivist at the William R. Hogan Archives of New Orleans Jazz at Tulane University the rest of the year, Miner has the advantage of a historian's eye and an unabashed fan's heart. Photographer Smith adds spice to this musical gumbo with dozens of sumptuous photos that bring the festival to life, both on stage and behind the scenes. A celebration of the glorious musical culture that arose from the hardscrabble existence of our most put-upon citizens, this book is well recommended for jazz collections.?Dan Bogey, Clearfield Cty. P.L. Federation, Curwensville, Pa.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Michael P. Smith is a veteran Jazz Fest photographer. His two previous books on the music of New Orleans, New Orleans Jazz Fest: A Pictorial History and A Joyful Noise: A Celebration of New Orleans Music, are both published by Pelican.

Allison Miner, one of the founders of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, helped to shape the careers of numerous musicians, including New Orleans' own Professor Longhair.

Quint Davis, another founder of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, is very active in promoting and discovering musical talent throughout Louisiana.