A JAZZ FUNERAL

The History of a Traditional New Orleans Jazz Funeral is made up of two major parts:

The Wake: is the viewing of remains in a more social environment of family, friends and neighbors.

The Services:

First the band meets at the funeral home or the church where the services are being held.From there a procession travels through the neighborhood of the deceased and then to the cemetery. The band provides musical hymns the tone is solemn.  If the cemetery is to far away the procession will travel for a few blocks and then continue without the band to the cemetery.

Before reaching the cemetery we have a ceremony called cutting the body lose.  The band, the family and friend stand on the side of the street as the hures passes through and proceeds into the cemetery for final services.  After the services we play taps if the decease was in the Military or we play blues if he/she was a blues lover or jazz if they loved jazz.  When the services are finish the second part begins. Once we have left the cemetery and walked a respectable distance away the Cadiz of the drum changes and we start playing up temple music.

Leading the parade is a Grand Marshall who might be band member or part of a Social Aid & Pleasure club or a Benevolent Club. One of the duties of the Grand Marshall is to call for the music and leads the procession along through the route.  The Grand Marshall regulates the emotion and is look at a barometer.  A Grand Marshall must have the dignity and respect of his peers. Along the way people from the neighborhood join in the parade causing it to grow in size and intensity “These People or called the SECOND-LINE”; The First Line are the member of the benevolent associate and there invited guest family member and the brass band who are paid to be there.  People from every where join in to express Life Emotions and celebrate the life of the deceased.

There is reciprocity between the second-line and the brass band members.  This is a participatory event and culture.  This is unique to New Orleans for we are a pedestrian city.

Jazz Musician who has earned the right to have a Jazz Funeral is given one for there contribution to there craft. Some of the other people who receive this celebration are Civic Leaders, Mardi Gras Indians, artist and those who can afford one. 

But Jazz funeral have been around since the Twentieth Century and where call Brass Band funerals, but later change there name to a Jazz funeral in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. Though today funeral with music exist only exclusively in New Orleans, but in the Ninetieth century they where held throughout the United States.  Originally they where tied in with groups called benevolent societies which were established to help former slaves in America. They provided benefits such as doctor services, annuity for widows and educational funds for orphans.  The benevolent society was a means of self help for the African-Americans after the Civil War for social services was denied to African Americans so this was the need for benevolent society which offered Burial policies for $0.25 a week.  If the family wanted the band they gave them a band or if the widow wanted the money they gave her the money.

The Repast: The celebration and libation of family, friends, guest and others over food and drinks.

This is only a snap shot of the history of Jazz funerals.

“You rejoice when you die and you cry when child is born”