Charley Gerard will present “Music of New Orleans,” from Jelly Roll Morton to rhythm and blues, at 10:30 a.m. on March 21 and 28 at The Jewish Community Center of Middlesex County, 1775 Oak Tree Rd., Edison.
On March 21, The music of Jelly Roll Morton, the first jazz composer will be discussed. Beginning with a short description about the French and Creole cultures of New Orleans, Gerard will present a few of Morton’s pieces. The lecture will end with an excerpt from “Storyville: The Naked Dance,” a documentary about the red light district of New Orleans where Jelly Roll Morton first gained fame as a brothel “professor” (pianist).
On March 28, the lecture will focus on how New Orleans became the center of rhythm and blues due to recording engineer Cosino Matassa, a nucleus of excellent musicians and singers and pianists, such as Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Dr. John and Little Richard. Selected songs, starting with “Junker Blues” will include the hit songs of the aforementioned pianist-composers and other musicians, such as Ernie K. Doe, The Meters and Eddie Bo.
Gerard has written several books on jazz and Latin music. He is a composer, plays the saxophone, is the director of a saxophone quartet and teaches at OLLI-RU and at the Si Beagle Learning Center of the United Federation of Teachers.
The cost is $16 for Jewish Community Center members and $22 for nonmembers.
For more information, contact Sue Horwitz, director of Senior Adult Services, at 732-494-3232, ext. 3603.