Jazz Legend Danny Barker’s Influence Lives on at Jazz Fest

Can you imagine New Orleans without reverberating bass drums or trumpets? Thanks to Danny Barker, we don’t have to. The jazz legend is credited with saving the city’s brass band tradition.

In the 1970s, many local musicians preferred R&B and rock ‘n’ roll over jazz. Barker, a banjoist and songwriter, formed the Fairview Baptist Church Christian Band with young students, preserving the classic sound while creating a new generation of traditional jazz ambassadors.

Jazz Fest will feature a panel on Barker’s legacy on April 28. Gwen Thompkins, contributor to the new edition of Barker’s memoir (THNOC, 2016), will moderate.

— Lauren Noel, The Historic New Orleans Collection