New Orleans Jazz Museum Announces Drumsville! Exhibition Book
The New Orleans Jazz Museum is excited to announce a Drumsville: Evolution of the New Orleans Beat exhibition companion. The New Orleans Jazz Museum debuted Drumsville on November 8, 2018, in celebration of both International Drum Month and the New Orleans Tricentennial, along with the invention of the drum kit in New Orleans and the ongoing evolution of rich local drumming traditions. Drumsville is a highlight of our exhibit offerings, and we are excited to announce an accompanying book written by exhibit co-curator Dr. Robert H. Cataliotti.
New Orleans drummer Herlin Riley performing at the New Orleans Jazz Museum in 2020, by Eliot Kamenitz. Riley is featured in the book as a contributor and notable drummer.
The first book-length study of its kind, Drumsville: The Evolution of the New Orleans Beat is a companion to the Jazz Museum's exhibit that traces the history of drums and drumming in New Orleans from native populations and African and Caribbean roots to brass bands, drum kits, and the vibrant legacy of drumming which continues to evolve today. The main goal of Drumsville is to provide the keys to understand how this legacy led to the creation of the drum set, an instrument so pervasive that few people question its origin. Drumsville also pays tribute to many of the musicians who have been important in developing the drum set and in the transmission of these rhythms, particularly the city’s signature Second Line groove. The text of the book expands the narrative of the exhibit with historical backgrounds, musicological analyses, and biographies of New Orleans musicians and is accompanied by historic photos and images of percussion-related artifacts featured in the exhibit. A number of prominent drummers were interviewed for the book, including Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, Alfred “Uganda” Roberts, Willie Green, Adonis Rose, Ricky Sebastian, Johnny Vidacovich, Shannon Powell, Stanton Moore, Joe Lastie, Christie Jourdain, and Herlin Riley, who will also be contributing a preface to the book.
Editing, proofreading, and review of the Drumsville exhibit companion have been made possible through generous grants from the Jazz and Heritage Foundation and Threadhead Cultural Foundation. The New Orleans Jazz Museum continues fundraising to complete the book’s publication and prepare for distribution. “We look forward to sharing the legacy of the Drumsville exhibit with a wider audience thanks to the excellent study composed by Dr. Robert Cataliotti. We are looking to our community of friends and supporters to help us reach the publication goal of $15,000,” explains New Orleans Jazz Museum Director Greg Lambousy.
The New Orleans Jazz Museum would like to thank its sponsors for their generosity. If you would like to contribute to the development of the Drumsville exhibit companion, please consider making a contribution at nolajazzmuseum.org/drums. Your support will leave a lasting impact on the preservation of the drumming tradition of New Orleans.
About the New Orleans Jazz Museum
The New Orleans Jazz Museum celebrates jazz in the city where it was born, through dynamic interactive exhibits, multigenerational educational programming, research facilities and engaging musical performances. Through partnerships with local, national and international educational institutions, the Jazz Museum promotes global understanding of jazz as one of the most innovative, historically pivotal musical art forms in world history. The Jazz Museum is a
Louisiana State Museum. Founded in 1906, Louisiana State Museum is a system of National Historic Landmarks and architecturally significant structures housing a half-million artifacts that showcase the state’s history and culture. For more information, visit www.nolajazzmuseum.org, or follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NOLAJazzMuseum.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Greg Lambousy, Director
New Orleans Jazz Museum
504-427-2190
Baylee Badawy, Digital Strategist
New Orleans Jazz Museum
216-372-8268