We had a great time participating in Ask A Curator Day 2018, an annual Q&A with over 1,500 participating museums from 58 countries. We received questions from jazz fans all over the world. Check out some of the highlights below!
These hand painted drum heads were manufactured by Ludwig in the 1920s-40s. The factory paid artists to do oil paintings on calf heads, an extra $10.00 per painting. Ludwig's "Mountain and Lake" style head can be seen in this photo of Bix Biederbecke's band. #AskACurator pic.twitter.com/63vSmZ95Gj
— New Orleans Jazz Museum (@nolajazzmuseum) September 12, 2018
We collected heavily after Hurricane Katrina - damaged instruments including Fats Domino's pianos, Dr. Michael White's clarinets, & Gatemouth Brown's fiddle are some of the artifacts acquired after the storm. We sustained damage but were able to evacuate storage. #AskACurator pic.twitter.com/UfBWb3KTTs
— New Orleans Jazz Museum (@nolajazzmuseum) September 12, 2018
Our copy of the original and only known Buddy Bolden photograph! Fun fact, our 85-year old jazz curator emeritus Don Marquis is the expert on Bolden and authored the book In Search Of Buddy Bolden: First Man Of Jazz! #AskACurator pic.twitter.com/suZnrpATa7
— New Orleans Jazz Museum (@nolajazzmuseum) September 12, 2018
Louis Armstrong's first cornet has been on display at the Jazz Museum since 1965, save for a brief break when it was moved to Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina. Here is a display case from the late 1960's when the museum was housed in the @royalsonestanoh hotel! #AskACurator pic.twitter.com/BhdYrxJJ55
— New Orleans Jazz Museum (@nolajazzmuseum) September 12, 2018
Our oldest instrument on display is this violin, owned and played by a New Orleans Mint employee who started a band of staff musicians in the late 1800s! #AskACurator pic.twitter.com/9UP44HiUAd
— New Orleans Jazz Museum (@nolajazzmuseum) September 12, 2018
Our oldest artifact in the jazz collection is this photo of an unidentified Louisiana musician playing the accordion in 1850—a mere 21 years after the instrument’s invention in 1829! #AskACurator pic.twitter.com/mEnRnpzNPJ
— New Orleans Jazz Museum (@nolajazzmuseum) September 12, 2018
Dream dinner guests would be Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong, Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, Baby Dodds, and James Black! 🥁 #AskACurator pic.twitter.com/IX6m1v26iY
— New Orleans Jazz Museum (@nolajazzmuseum) September 12, 2018
Not that we know of, but our Museum does have old prohibition-era jail cells that are said to be haunted. We were featured in the Ghost Hunters episode “French Quarter Phantoms” a few years back! #AskACurator pic.twitter.com/ysLtyXxbBS
— New Orleans Jazz Museum (@nolajazzmuseum) September 12, 2018