Jazz Before Jazz was Jazz

Jazz Before Jazz was Jazz

27 Oct 2017

Every great saga needs a prequel. Long before jazz made it on record in 1917, its foundations had been laid in the slave songs of American plantations, African polyrhythms, and the European classical tradition. In recognition of 100 years of recorded jazz, The Arts Society and East London music dynamo, Kansas Smitty's are coming together to tell the story of the way jazz became Jazz. 

On November 12th, through talks, interactive workshops and performances by some of the best young musicians in the country, the people and sounds that enabled the greatest leap forward in popular music recording for a century will be brought to life at Two Temple Place. Performers and speakers will include members of the Kansas Smitty's House Band, Marcus Bonfanti, Joplin Parnell, and more. The day's events will follow the streams, cultural and musical, that led to the inception of jazz in its epicenter, New Orleans, LA. Speakers will set the scene for visitors, whilst musical performances will demonstrate a clever turn-of-the-century jukebox, playing opera, marching band music, slave songs and street cries.  

The evening will culminate in performances from members of the Kansas Smitty's House Band, hosted by University of Liverpool musicologist, Catherine Tackley. Led by commentary from Catherine, musicians from Kansas Smitty's East London musical community will show how distinct musical influences were consolidated into what we now know to be Jazz.

This event is supported by The Bulldog Trust and precedes a major exhibition, 'Rhythm & Reaction: The Age of Jazz in Britain', produced by The Arts Society and the Bulldog Trust, which opens at Two Temple Place  on Saturday 27th January 2018. The exhibition will kick off a year of celebrations for The Arts Society which marks its 50th anniversary next year

For further details and to book tickets visit: BOOK TICKETS

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