New Orleans, birthplace of Louis Armstrong, remains a fertile land of jazz

On every street corner in New Orleans (USA), there is a small open-air concert. Here, the musicians all seem inspired by the same thrill, that of jazz. Birthplace of Louis Armstrong and cradle of this musical movement where he is celebrated everywhere. Six years ago, Mahmoud Chouki, Moroccan, landed with his guitar and his oud. What was supposed to be a simple tourist trip turned into a love affair with the city. “The first thing I did when I arrived was come here to Frenchmen Street where there are jazz clubs, music from everywhere”he recalls.

Jazz appeared there in the 1910s

Today is the consecration for the composer. Mahmoud records his own album in the jazz museum. A disc with various influences between oriental music and the jazz sounds of New Orleans. But settling in the city also means following in the footsteps of the greatest artists of the genre. Armstrong played his first notes and took his first steps in poor neighborhoods, before becoming a legendary trumpeter. His gravelly voice and his playing contributed to the rise of the musical genre.

Born from the drums and percussion of slaves, jazz appeared in the 10s in New Orleans, before exploding throughout the country a decade later. Today, all generations mingle to listen to bass players, pianists or saxophonists after dark on Frenchmen Street. One thing is certain, there, jazz is far from dead.