For far too long, jazz scholars have neglected the influence of Native American cultures that succored self-emancipated individuals of African descent forge new lives and cultures throughout the U.S. Drawing on many hours of conversations with collaborators and archival research, I will show how the African and Native American drumming traditions carried on within New Orleans' Indian tribes combined with the brass marching band traditions to help shape jazz and were later recast and incorporated into popular music idioms, such as rhythm and blues (R&B), hip hop, and bounce.

Among the pieces being performed will be the 15-minute Orchestral Suite from the opera Queenie Pie (arr. Marc T. Gaspard Bolin). The suite will be premiered by the Lexington Philharmonic in collaboration with the University of Kentucky Opera Theater, and conducted by Guest Conductor, Tong Chen.

Featuring rehearsals, masterclasses, and side-by-side performances with area high school musicians and members of the FAU brass community, under the direction of Assistant Professor of Trumpet, Dr. Courtney Jones.