The Second Line

Greetings all Jazz Fans! This section is an experiment in starting a conversation about America's classical musical art form, jazz, and all that the Healdsburg Jazz Festival does - the classes, the Festival, the concerts, and the educational programs. Indeed, after the recent Jazz Appreciation Course, there were more than a few suggestions to begin such a conversation, and nurture the jazz community that surrounds the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. This being the 21st century, a blog seems like the natural thing to do!

This blog is dubbed "The Second Line". Most of us know that the second line in jazz is the "parade" of musicians that trails along in a traditional New Orleans funeral procession; the music the uplifting trad jazz of Dixieland. It has since come to mean more generally any festive parade of jazz musicians getting people up on their feet. But this blog is named for the original meaning of a second line, which referred to those listeners that trailed after the club, krewe, family, or friends of the deceased, attracted by the music.

While many of us do play instruments, even more are just such listeners attracted to the music. It is our hope that any and all that love jazz as much as we do will join us - online, at the Festival and concerts, as a member, and/or as a volunteer. Let the conversation begin!