It is generally agreed that jazz was born in New Orleans, shaped in the early twentieth century by the twin talents of Louis Armstrong and Joe "King" Oliver from a diverse heritage of African and Caribbean slave music, Civil War brass bands, plantation spirituals, black church music and work songs. It suits the city well: hard to define, improvisational, and ranging from melancholic to jubilant, upmarket to downright seedy.

Local, world-class musicians , including the multitalented Marsalis family and trumpeters Terence Blanchard, Irvin Mayfield and Nicholas Payton all perform regularly. Of the pianists, don't miss Henry Butler - whose superb, superfast modern jazz is matched by his mean R&B and blues repertoire. Two of the city's best-loved performers, trumpeters Kermit Ruffins and younger pup James Andrews, can always be counted on for a good show. Both cut their teeth in local brass bands , the ragtag groups who blast out New Orleans' homegrown party music, born from the city's long tradition of street parades. Regulars on the circuit include the ReBirth (Ruffins' old crew); the Lil Rascals, New Birth and Hot 8 brass bands, whose ear-splitting spin on traditional tunes is as big a hit in the parades as in the jazz clubs; Soul Rebels and Coolbone, who mix a cacophony of horns with hard funk, hip-hop and reggae, have a fresh "street" sound.

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· Tony Parenti
· Red Nichols
· Johnny Dodds