Sometimes it’s the notes that jump off one another giving you no choice but to tap your toe. Other times, it’s Ella Fitzgerald’s slip n’ slide voice that feels potent and omnipresent, like a perfume you can’t get out of your nose. Or maybe it’s just the calming music in the coffee shop that transforms every interaction out the window into a dance. These moments define jazz—a genre with an ever-changing definition.
This year, New Orleans canceled what would be the 50th anniversary of The Jazz and Heritage Festival. Not even a pandemic will keep New Orleans from the music that flows between every stitch of their cultural heritage. In wake of the crisis, they’ve managed to create a way for you to enjoy The Jazz and Heritage Festival from the comfort of your couch.
WWOZ created “Festing in Place,” where people from all over the world tuned in to hear over 100 of the most iconic archival jazz performances in history. The broadcast aired between April 23rd and May 3rd and featured big names like Fats Domino and Ella Fitzgerald. Listen to all eight days of the broadcast here for a soothing change to the quarantine monotony.
