Buddy Bolden's Band; left to right, William Warner, William Cornish, Charlie "Buddy" Bolden, James Johnson, Frank Lewis (seated), Jeff "Brock" Mumford (seated). Courtesy of the New Orleans Jazz Club Collection.

Congo Square to the World: Early Jazz in New Orleans

New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint
Thu, April 11, 2024

Come discover how jazz was born and spread across the globe in the new permanent exhibition Congo Square to the World: Early Jazz in New Orleans, opening April 11 at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. The Crescent City’s rich musical culture started it all, from the rhythms of enslaved people at Congo Square to the lowdown dance halls featuring Buddy Bolden, Freddie Keppard, Kid Ory, and King Oliver. Pushed out by oppressive segregation and pulled toward opportunity, many great talents left in the 1910s, including Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Baby Dodds. They moved to places like Chicago and New York, sharing the New Orleans sound and changing music history forever. Explore these musical luminaries and more through their instruments, recordings, and photographs, all drawn from the museum’s rich collection. 

Image: Buddy Bolden's Band; from left to right, William Warner, William Cornish, Charlie "Buddy" Bolden, James Johnson, Frank Lewis (seated), Jeff "Brock" Mumford (seated). Courtesy of the New Orleans Jazz Club Collection. Louisiana State Museums 1978_118b_00514.