Chord Changes on the Chalkboard

This work covers the role of teachers in the public schools of New Orleans who have fostered the musical tradition of jazz. It covers the efforts with which teachers brought the musical offerings of the city into the schools for the young people who would become generations of the city's musicians.

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Using over 90 original interviews, as well as his extensive research in a variety of New Orleans' archives, Dr. Kennedy deftly explores the role public school teachers had in the formative years of jazz, as well as the influence they continue to have on the musical life of one of America's foremost musical cities. As jazz and music mentors, these teachers employed creativity, innovation, and dedication in propelling some of the world's finest musicians forward into brilliant careers. Chord Changes on the Chalkboard includes a foreword by jazz legend Ellis Marsalis, Jr., and is a must for jazz fans and historians, music libraries, and for collections supporting the study of popular culture and African-American history.