Full Description
Roll With It is a firsthand account of the precarious lives of musicians in the Rebirth, Soul Rebels, and Hot 8 brass bands of New Orleans. These young men are celebrated as cultural icons for upholding the proud traditions of the jazz funeral and the second line parade, yet they remain subject to the perils of poverty, racial marginalization, and urban violence that characterize life for many black Americans. Some achieve a degree of social mobility while many more encounter aggressive policing, exploitative economies, and a political infrastructure that creates insecurities in healthcare, housing, education, and criminal justice. The gripping narrative moves with the band members from back street to backstage, before and after Hurricane Katrina, always in step with the tap of the snare drum, the thud of the bass drum, and the boom of the tuba.
Contents
List of Artwork vii
Prologue. Crossing the Threshold ix
Introduction. Forward Motion 1
1. Onward and Upward 13
2. Constraints 69
3. Progressions 109
4. Voices 143
Conclusion. Engagements 179
Afterword. Image and Music in the Art of Willie Burch / Willie Burch and Matt Sakakeeny 187
Acknowledgments 195
Appendix. List of Interviews and Public Events 199
Notes 201
Bibliography 213
Index 227
