Jazz, Jambalaya, and Jubilee in New Orleans: The Unique Culture That Birthed a Unique Music

When The Hymn Society gathers in New Orleans for its 2015 Annual Conference attendees will be introduced to a culture unlike any other in United States and Canada, culture that gave birth to jazz. What is it about New Orleans culture that spawned jazz? This article is intended not as a travel guide but rather as a descriptive survey of this melting pot of cultures, foods, and music Down by Riverside.Founded in 1718, New Orleans was a melting pot of cultures for nearly a century before becoming part of United States in 1806. French, Spanish, African, and many other national, ethnic, and racial groups settled in area creating a Creole culture. Early English residents were not allowed to live in French Quarter and so settled in Garden District. Another section of city is still referred to as the American sector where immigrants from America settled before Louisiana became a state in 1812. Germans came to farm surrounding areas for French. Native American peoples and Africans, both slave and free, became a formative part of cultural milieu. By 1840, with a population exceeding 100,000, New Orleans had become fourth-largest and one of wealthiest cities in America. There were four resident opera companies, a professional orchestra, professional theatre groups, and a budding musical culture unrivaled in rest of country.As a French, and later, Spanish colony, New Orleans was from beginning a Catholic city. A parish was established in 1720 and there has been a church on present site of St. Louis Cathedral since 1727. Hurricanes and fires were unkind to early buildings, but in 1789 a new building was begun which, with alterations, is current Basilica-Cathedral of St. Louis, King of France. The first bishop of diocese arrived in 1795. The Archdiocese of New Orleans is second oldest in continuous existence in United States. St. Augustine is oldest African American Catholic Church in country and New Orleans is believed to have more African American Catholics than any other city.King Louis XV sent Ursuline nuns to New Orleans in 1726 to provide health care for poor and education for young girls. The Ursuline Academy dates from 1727 and claims to be oldest continuously-existing school in United States. The Old Ursuline Convent in French Quarter is oldest extant structure in Mississippi River Valley. Africans were taught to read and write, unlike in other areas of South. New Orleans is home to Xavier University, only African American Catholic university in United States, as well as to two other Catholic colleges, Loyola University and Our Lady of Holy Cross College, and two other historically black universities, Dillard and Southern New Orleans. Tulane, University of New Orleans, Notre Dame Seminary, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary round out higher education institutions.At beginning of eighteenth century, Jesuits came to Louisiana to evangelize Native Americans. They founded St. Charles College at Grand Coteau (near Lafayette) and later Loyola University New Orleans, host site for 2015 Hymn Society conference. Loyola is only one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in United States that has a full college of music.Because city was Catholic, Christians of other traditions were late arriving in city. Small groups of Episcopalians and Presbyterians founded Christ Church Cathedral, Episcopal in 1805 and First Presbyterian in 1818. Methodists arrived in 1820s; German Lutherans, Evangelicals, and Baptists came in 1840s. Scottish Presbyterians and Irish Catholics came in large numbers soon after.French, Spanish, and German were heard along with Latin and English in early churches. Central/St. Matthew United Church of Christ continues to conduct a monthly service in German. Sicilians began arriving in large numbers around 1890s, adding yet another Mediterranean Catholic musical influence. …

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