Up From The Cradle of Jazz

Chapters 1,2,& 4

Review Questions

Origins of New Orleans Rhythm-and-Blues

● Musical Families: The Founding Tradition

● Professor Longhair: At the Roots

4. The Lasties: A Ninth Ward Family

Review Questions

Chapter 1: Musical Families: The Founding Tradition

1. Who were first settlers to New Orleans and when was the French Quarter first
settled?

The French settled the area in 1728. The Vieux Carre was built and outside
the French Quarter, the city began as a series of plantations whose owners
eventually sold off to individuals, government, companies, and the church.

2. Why was New Orleans such an important city?

Port city at the mouth of the Mississippi.

3. Explain why are musical families an important aspect of New Orleans’ cultural
history.

The musical family tradition is an important pattern of cultural history. The

gift passes in bloodlines and through environmental influences. From tribal
units of our earliest ancestors came the grouping to organize sound in some
tonal order, a foundation for ritual. It enriches the continent.

4. What countries influenced the population of New Orleans in its history? In other
words, what was the composition of the various people in New Orleans?

French and Spanish. Mostly French influence though.

5. Many musicians came to New Orleans from the outlying areas of Louisiana and
Mississippi. However, many left. Name several musicians who became famous who
left New Orleans to make their name in music.
 King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Ed Blackwell, Dr. John, Wynton Marsalis, and
Harry Connick, Jr.

6. Explain the uptown and downtown jazzmen. Who came from each area? Who
were trained musicians and who were not?

Downtown meant below Canal Street and beyond the French Quarter and
adjacent neighborhoods to the parish line. The Downtown jazzmen were
Creoles of color descended from African mothers who bore children by
French or Spanish colonists. Uptown meant the poorer black sections across
Canal, upriver from the Vieux Carre.

7. What happened in the 1890s that basically brought Creoles closer together to
blacks?

With the harsh race laws of the 1890s, a different social currency emerged:
despite European customs, colored Creoles were people whose degrees of
darkness sent them closer to the blacks. Where the blacks were a generation
out of slavery, Creoles formed a more educated, financially stable community.

8. Name one of the first music educators who taught rural blacks and brought them
into the urban jazz scene.

James Brown Humphrey.

9. Name six white musical families that had an influence on the New Orleans music
scene.

LaRoccas, Brunies, Christians, Shieldses, and in later years, the Assuntos and
Primas.

10. Name six black musical families that had an influence on the New Orleans music
scene.

Manuel Perez, Sidney Bechet, Joe, and Buddy Petit, Chris Kelly, Lorenzo Tio,
and the Renas.

11. Between what years was the heyday of R&B?

1954-1963.

Chapter 2: Professor Longhair: At the Roots

1. What record label first recorded Professor Longhair and when?

 Mercury – 1950.

2. How did Professor Longhair receive his name?

While playing at the old Caldonia Inn in Treme, a few blocks outside the
French Quarter. An Italian proprietor once announced: “I’m going to keep
this band. We’ll call you Professor Longhair and the Four Hairs Combo.” It
was because they all had long hair at the time.

3. Define Byrd’s style of piano.

He incorporated dance styles into his playing as well as the drum-infused

movements of his feet and translated them to the piano, adding layers of
melody to intricate rhythm patterns.

4. Name two influences on Byrd’s piano style.

Sullivan Rock and Isidore “Tuts” Washington.

5. What were Rhythm and Blues called before 1949? Who changed the name?

Rhythm-and-blues replaced “race recordings” in the June 25, 1949 issue of

Billboard magazine.

6. Define Rhythm and Blues.

A fusion of the blues idiom with a variety of other forms such as gospel, jazz,
swing, Afro-Cubano, and hillbilly music.

7. Name three pianists who were influenced by Byrd.

Allen Toussaint, Huey Smith, Paul McCartney.

8. Name the person who resurrected Byrd’s career. What did he do to make this
happen?

Quint Davis. He got Byrd gigs at festivals and as well as re-releasing his
albums on Atlantic Records.

9. Describe the recording sessions in November 1979. How was it recorded? Who
were the musicians on the sessions?

Byrd, Iglauer, Kaslow, and Rebennack. In a cold, bare open room with a lone
parno and several folding chairs. Recorded live with a few overdubs.
10. Name some of the famous musicians who helped with Professor Longhair’s
funeral?

Allen Toussaint, Marshall Sehorn, Fats Domino, Paul McCartney, Irma

Thomas, the Neville Brothers.

11. Describe the funeral itself.

There was television coverage. Byrd was laid out in a formal white suit. Cold
slate-colored skies. The funeral followed by a second line – The Olympia and
Tuxedo Brass Bands played.

12. Name two reasons why Professor Longhair did not make it a real musical star.
Explain.

He was not commercial enough and did not have the fortune to ride the crest
of recording sales.

Chapter 3: Antonio Domino: The Fat Man

1. What was the highest grade Fats Domino attained in school?

Fourth grade.

2. Name several of his musical influences.

Amos Milburn, Roy Milton, Camille Howard, and Charles Brown.

3. Who was Dave Bartholomew and what was his importance in the career of Fats
Domino?

Dave Bartholomew was the man who shaped Fats Domino’s career both as a
producer and composer. He was a distinguished trumpet player.

4. What was the name of Domino’s first recording?

“High Society” and “Stardust”.

5. Name and describe the man who recorded Fats Domino. How was he important in
the whole R&B scene in New Orleans?
 Cosimo Matassa owned the J&M Record Shop where the recordings were
made. They sponsored events like live Sunday afternoon broadcasts.

6. Name the first big hit of Fats Domino. How was it important?

“Ain’t That a Shame” – Was important because it was the first song by a New
Orleans R&B artist to break the white charts.

7. How did television help his career? Name some of the shows he appeared in.

He was the first black star of the new music to appear on national television
and it billed him the newest rock and roll sensation. He appeared on the
Steve Allen Show, the Perry Como Show, the Big Beat Show, and American
Bandstand.

8. What was his biggest hit? Who else had recorded? Why was Dave Bartholomew
opposed to initially recording the song?

“Blueberry Hill” – It was recorded by Gene Autry and Louis Armstrong prior
to his recording. Bartholomew was opposed because it had been done a
“million” times before.

9. Explain the fading of rhythm and blues and when did this occur? What other
events influenced this decline?

It occurred with the British invasion led by The Beatles.

10. Although his recording career had declined, how did Fats Domino continue in
music?

Still recorded music and made it in the country-western charts. He continued

playing concerts and made nightclub appearances until the 1990s. He also
played for a while in Vegas.