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Dancing To New Orleans

2003, Movie, NR, 89 mins

Dancing To New Orleans: Review

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This made-for-TV documentary filters the origins of American music through the sieve of Louisiana's history, examining the successive influence of immigrant cultures from Spain, France, Africa and other far-flung locales. The story starts with highlights of Louisiana's influence on pop music. In 1948, Hank Williams featured country music on his Shreveport radio program, "Louisiana Hayride;" soon after, Jerry Lee Lewis ignited the Rock and Roll revolution in Ferriday. As we hear the contemporary Raymond Myles Gospel Group, the influence of religious singing on Rock and Roll and the Blues is starkly apparent; in fact, two distinct styles of Blues developed in Texas and the Mississippi Delta before picking up a touch of the bayou. In another example of fusion, French-flavored Zydeco offers Canadian fiddle-playing with a Cajun beat. After a look at the Creole and Arcadian rhythms that evolved from the folk music of French and Canadian settlers, the film takes viewers on a whirlwind tour of jazz history. The legacies of ragtime and Louis Armstrong live on in bands like Lionel Frebos' Palm Court Jazz Band and the Dirty Dozen Marching Band, which takes its inspiration from the audience members who challenge the players to improvise. A detour to Mardi Gras allows the film to delve into the contributions of Africa, the Caribbean and the West Indies, and it closes with a celebration of the diversity of New Orleans' Rhythm and Blues, which stretches from Fats Domino to the Neville Brothers. Though the film suffers from trying to cram too much history into its 89-minute running time, the opportunity to hear both legendary players and up-and-coming stars makes it worth watching. leave a comment --Robert Pardi
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