Second line (parades)

Last updated

Members of Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs sponsor second line parades where they turn out in their finery. Low9InThe8thGreengals.jpg
Members of Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs sponsor second line parades where they turn out in their finery.
Local jazz singer Jane Harvey Brown leads the way as grand marshal for a brass band at a second line in the French Quarter in New Orleans. FQF 2010 Opening Second-Line 10.jpg
Local jazz singer Jane Harvey Brown leads the way as grand marshal for a brass band at a second line in the French Quarter in New Orleans.
"Sons of Hope and the Annual Parade of the Young Veterans", New Orleans c. 1902 JP Pemberton Sons of Hope published 1905.jpg
"Sons of Hope and the Annual Parade of the Young Veterans", New Orleans c. 1902
Exuberant dancing in the streets and sidewalks is part of the second line experience. AfroNOLA2ndLine29Oct2007DanceLeap.jpg
Exuberant dancing in the streets and sidewalks is part of the second line experience.

The second line is a tradition in parades organized by Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs (SAPCs) with brass band parades in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The "main line" or "first line" is the main section of the parade, or the members of the SAPC with the parading permit as well as the brass band. The second line consists of people who follow the band to enjoy the music, dance, and engage in community. The second line's style of traditional dance, in which participants dance and walk along with the SAPCs in a free-form style with parasols and handkerchiefs, is called "second-lining". It is one of the most foundationally Black American–retentive cultures in the United States. [1] It has been called "the quintessential New Orleans art form – a jazz funeral without a body". [2] Another significant difference from jazz funerals is that second line parades lack the slow hymns and dirges played at funerals (although some organizations may have the band play a solemn selection toward the start of the parade in memory of members who died since their last parade).

Contents

Origins

The second line has its origins in traditional West African circle or ring dances. The second line tradition was brought to New Orleans by enslaved Africans, [1] where it became a ritual for African Americans, especially in various processions, including funerals. Some scholars believe that the West African ring featured children drumming with adults dancing that in turn, forced the ring to straighten into a line. [3] Others note the similarity of the steps – exaggerated, stylistic strutting – to dances performed in Congo Square by the enslaved given the day off on Sundays. These dances were officially banned for a time because they were deemed threatening to the white inhabitants of the city, and their resurgence in the second line culture suggests a similar celebration of individual freedom. [1] [4]

An article from New Orleans states that the history of second line traditions in New Orleans' Black neighborhoods began during the era of enslavement. Enslaved and free Black people began second lines as neighborhood celebrations. "The neighborhood organizations offered social aid to freed slaves, such as loans and insurance, and used the second-lines as a form of advertising. Second lines were also used to honor members who died in their community, which launched the idea of second lines at funerals. Often, Mardi Gras Indians were and still are included in the procession." [5]

African and African-American traditions continued throughout the "Code Noir" and Jim Crow eras in New Orleans. [1] African-Americans formed Benevolent Societies and "Social, Aid & Pleasure Clubs" because white insurance companies often refused to cover free people of color and/or the formerly enslaved. SAPCs assisted members through illness and supported families with burial costs for deceased members. This is a carry-over from African traditions that believed in celebrating the member's spirit leaving the body to return to the ancestors and God. This led to what became known as a "jazz funeral", with the SAPC members marching in a dirge with a brass band before the deceased body being "cut loose" and a celebratory parade begins. The same club exercised their social aspect with a colorful, annual, public second line parade through their home community. [1]

Second line drumming

A second line snare drummer commonly follows the brass band, playing off the marching beat with improvised polyrhythmic figures that can inspire second line dancers or, if the band is improvising, the band itself. Second line drumming styles became a feature of early jazz drumming and the New Orleans Rhythm and Blues of the 1950s. The Rebirth Brass Band and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band feature traditional second line drumming styles. Drummers such as Billy Higgins and Idris Muhammad adapted second line drum figures to modern jazz.

Modern second lining

Second line parades are part of the cultural heritage of New Orleans.

The locally best known second line parades are held by clubs and benevolent organizations. Some have long histories; the oldest such organization still holding regular parades is the Young Men Olympian Junior Benevolent Association, founded in 1884. During the "second line season", lasting most of the year with breaks for holidays (including Mardi Gras) and the hottest part of summer, there are second line parades most Sundays. [6] Longer parades often make stops, commonly at bars, where refreshments have been arranged for members and those following the parade for fun can purchase something. There are often vendors selling soft drinks, beer, and street food, including barbecue and yaka mein.

Additional second lines, large or small, may be held for any event which people think merits hiring a parading band for such a style of celebration, including weddings and opening of businesses.

The historic predominantly African-American neighborhoods of Tremé and Central City are most strongly associated with the traditions, though second lines can often be seen in the Seventh Ward, Uptown, Marigny, Ninth Ward, Mid-City, and at least on occasion in most of the older neighborhoods of the city. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival holds second lines at the Fair Grounds each day of the festival to give visitors a taste of this New Orleans tradition.

A second line parade was featured in the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die . [7] In 2010, the opening scene in the pilot episode, as well as the season one finale of the HBO series Tremé featured a second line parade [8] and journalists championed second line culture. [9] The second line culture has maintained a dedicated, organized schedule throughout the history of SAPCs in New Orleans with clubs enjoying annual parades on their selected dates with those events contributing to the local economy. The clubs never lost their African-based traditions and mores and immediately restored their scheduled parades as soon as New Orleans reopened to its citizens after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The Black Men of Labor held the first SAPC second line parade in October 2005. [1] New residents of New Orleans embraced the second line tradition and parade routes were publicized online inviting outsiders to participate. [9]

Second line parades have been taking place since the late 1800s, and with innumerable SAPC events and jazz funerals, the sheer number of events with thousands of people since that time have been lively, fun and memorable, with most taking place without incident. [1] Violence has marred some parades in recent years, including the May 12, 2013 Mother's Day Parade shooting where 19 were wounded and one was trampled. [10] [11] On November 17, 2024, two people were killed and 11 others were injured in two separate shooting incidents that took place 45 minutes apart at second line parades in the St. Roch neighborhood. [12]

Other places

This African-culture-based/New Orleans phenomenon, has been captured and presented in other parts of the country; the HONK! Festival in Somerville, Massachusetts was started by the second line Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band. Asheville, North Carolina has the Asheville second line Band, which marches at parades and other local events. [13] Oakland, California has a growing Mardi Gras celebration including parades organized by the Oakland second line Project and the Brass Boppers. [14] In Duluth, Minnesota The Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe hosts their annual "Run, Smelt, Run!" second line parade every spring to celebrate the smelt run. [15]

The second line – the magazine of the New Orleans jazz club, started in 1950 – took its name from the second lining tradition, which by that time included fans of jazz music, both black and white. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mardi Gras Indians</span> African-American carnival organizations in New Orleans

Mardi Gras Indians are African American carnival revelers in New Orleans, Louisiana, who dress up for Mardi Gras in suits influenced by the cultural practices of Native Americans, West Africans, and Afro-Caribbeans. The music, dance, and regalia from these cultures created the Mardi Gras Indian tradition during the era of slavery in Louisiana that continues today. This cultural tradition is a part of the African and African diaspora decorative aesthetic, and is an African-American art form. Black masking Indians are a subculture in New Orleans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tremé</span> New Orleans Neighborhood in Louisiana, United States

Tremé is a neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. "Tremé" is often rendered as Treme, and the neighborhood is sometimes called by its more formal French name, the Faubourg Tremé; it is listed in the New Orleans City Planning Districts as Tremé / Lafitte when including the Lafitte Projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival</span> Annual music festival

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of visitors to New Orleans each year. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation Inc., as it is officially named, was established in 1970 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (NPO). The Foundation is the original organizer of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell Oil Company, a corporate financial sponsor. The Foundation was established primarily to redistribute the funds generated by Jazz Fest into the local community. As an NPO, their mission further states that the Foundation "promotes, preserves, perpetuates and encourages the music, culture and heritage of communities in Louisiana through festivals, programs and other cultural, educational, civic and economic activities". The founders of the organization included pianist and promoter George Wein, producer Quint Davis and the late Allison Miner.

The Krewe of OAK is a small neighborhood New Orleans Mardi Gras krewe and parade held in the Carrollton neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. The parade starts and ends on Oak Street, presumably the origin of the name, although members say that OAK stands for "Outrageous And Kinky".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebirth Brass Band</span> American brass band from New Orleans, Louisiana


The Rebirth Brass Band is a New Orleans brass band. The group was founded in 1983 by Phillip "Tuba Phil" Frazier, his brother Keith Frazier, Kermit Ruffins, and classmates from Joseph S. Clark Senior High School, which closed in the spring of 2018, in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans. Arhoolie released its first album in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jazz funeral</span> Tradition developed in New Orleans

A jazz funeral is a funeral procession accompanied by a brass band, in the tradition of New Orleans, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirty Dozen Brass Band</span> American brass band from New Orleans, Louisiana

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is an American brass band based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The ensemble was established in 1977, by Benny Jones and members of the Tornado Brass Band. The Dirty Dozen incorporated funk and bebop into the traditional New Orleans jazz style, and has since been a major influence on local music. They won the Grammy Award for Best American Roots Performance in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congo Square</span> United States historic place

Congo Square is an open space, now within Louis Armstrong Park, which is located in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, just across Rampart Street north of the French Quarter. The square is famous for its influence on the history of African American music, especially jazz.

KOE, formally known as the Krewe of Elvis, is a Mardi Gras parading organization that consists of members from around the world who meet in New Orleans for Mardi Gras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trombone Shorty</span> American musician (born 1986)

Troy Andrews, also known by the stage name Trombone Shorty, is a musician, most notably a trombone player, from New Orleans, Louisiana. His music fuses rock, pop, jazz, funk, and hip hop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masquerade ceremony</span> Rite or cultural event, especially in the Caribbean and Africa

A masquerade ceremony is a cultural or religious event involving the wearing of masks. The practice has been seen throughout history from the prehistoric era to present day. They have a variety of themes. Their meanings can range from anything including life, death, and fertility. In the Dogon religion, the traditional beliefs of the Dogon people of Mali, there are several mask dances, including the Sigi festival. The Sigi entered the Guinness Book of Records as the "Longest religious ceremony".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gert Town, New Orleans</span> Neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Gert Town is a neighborhood in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the home to Xavier University of Louisiana and is near Mid-City. Gert Town played a major role in the industrial development of the New Orleans region. The Blue Plate Mayonnaise Factory, Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, Sealtest Dairy, and Thompson-Hayward Chemical Company were all fundamental manufacturing bases of the working-class neighborhood. Gert Town was also well known for being a center of development for jazz and other music genres. Musicians such as Buddy Bolden, John Robichaux, Merry Clayton, Bunk Johnson and Allen Toussaint all came from the neighborhood and helped shape the musical influence of New Orleans.

"Big Chief" is a song composed by Earl King in the early 1960s. It became a hit in New Orleans for Professor Longhair in 1964, featuring a whistled first chorus in a rollicking blues piano style and subsequent lyrics written in mock-American-Indian pidgin. The tune became popular in New Orleans, frequently performed by local musicians such as Dr. John, and is now a staple of the repertory of most brass bands and musicians in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulane University Marching Band</span> College marching band in New Orleans

The Tulane University Marching Band (TUMB) is the marching band of Tulane University. It performs at every Tulane Green Wave football home game in Yulman Stadium, bowl games, and some away games. It is also marches in New Orleans Mardi Gras parades each year, having appeared in Le Krewe d'Etat, the Krewe of Thoth, the Krewe of Bacchus, and the Krewe of Rex, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backstreet Cultural Museum</span> Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana

The Backstreet Cultural Museum is a museum in New Orleans, Louisiana's Tremé neighborhood, founded by Sylvester Francis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Channel Corner Club</span>

The 'Irish Channel Corner Club is the second oldest marching club in New Orleans, La. organized in 1918. It is an all-male carnival organization that marches in parades during Mardi Gras, in which they don colorful custom carnival costumes and specifically design Corner Club beads, and St. Patrick's Day, in which they wear their traditional green vests. Their members walk with canes that have colorful flowers that are given away for kisses while they dance and drink in the streets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl LeBlanc</span> American guitarist and banjo player (born 1955)

Carl LeBlanc is an American guitarist and four-string banjo player. LeBlanc is most striking for his work in both avant garde jazz and traditional jazz—being the only musician to work with famed afrofuturist keyboardist/bandleader Sun Ra and Preservation Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick Tabb</span> American musician from New Orleans

Derrick Tabb is an American musician, a long-standing member of the Rebirth Brass Band and a co-founder of The Roots of Music, a non-profit organization that sponsors an after-school academic and music program for children in New Orleans. For onstage performances, Tabb plays the snare drum with cymbals mounted on stands. He was born and raised in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans.

Cha Wa is a Grammy-nominated Mardi Gras Indian funk band based out of New Orleans, Louisiana. The name Cha Wa is a slang phrase used by Mardi Gras Indian tribes, meaning "we're comin' for ya" or "here we come." Frontman Honey Bannister is known for dressing in traditional Mardi Gras Indian clothing during performances, including intricately designed headdresses.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Celestan, Karen (2018). Freedom's Dance: Social, Aid and Pleasure Clubs in New Orleans. photographs by Eric Waters. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press. ISBN   9780807168837. OCLC   991753954.
  2. ↑ Baum, Dan (2009). Nine Lives: Death and Life in New Orleans. New York: Spiegel and Grau. p.  120. ISBN   9780385523196. OCLC   229027459.
  3. ↑ Richard Brent Turner (August 11, 2009). Jazz religion, the second line, and Black New Orleans. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. p. 108. ISBN   978-0-253-22120-9 . Retrieved October 30, 2011.
  4. ↑ Abrahams, Roger D. (2006). Blues for New Orleans: Mardi Gras and America's Creole soul. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 31–2. ISBN   978-0-8122-3959-1 . Retrieved October 30, 2011.
  5. ↑ "New Orleans Second Line History". New Orleans. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  6. ↑ Cotton, Red. "Tis the season for second-line parades".
  7. ↑ accompli (October 28, 2009). "Live and Let Die". YouTube.
  8. ↑ List of Treme episodes#Season 1 .282010.29
  9. 1 2 "Celebrating, in Spite of the Risk". New York Times . May 14, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  10. ↑ Martin, Naomi (May 11, 2014). "Mother's Day shooting: Gang feud behind last year's violence target of authorities". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans, Louisiana. Retrieved November 20, 2024– via nola.com.
  11. ↑ Dreilinger, Danielle (November 23, 2015). "Bunny Friend Park shooting: What we know Monday morning". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans, Louisiana. Retrieved November 20, 2024– via nola.com.
  12. ↑ Carroll, Metia (November 19, 2024). "New Orleans police investigate mass shooting at second line in St. Roch". WDSU News. New Orleans, Louisiana. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  13. ↑ Marshall, Alli (February 14, 2015). "First rate Second Line: Asheville's Mardi Gras marching band". Mountain Xpress . Asheville, North Carolina.
  14. ↑ Tyska, Jane (March 16, 2018). "M.J.'s Brass Bopper's Second Line Project brings music and culture of New Orleans to Oakland". East Bay Times. Walnut Creek, CA. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Run Smelt Run: A Puppet Spectacle and Second Line Parade". Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe. April 22, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  16. ↑ Martin Halliwell (March 15, 2007). American culture in the 1950s. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. pp. 140–1. ISBN   978-0-7486-1885-9 . Retrieved November 6, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.