Deuxième ligne

Deuxième ligne
Name	Deuxième ligne
Other names	Second line
Cultural origin	19th century New Orleans, Louisiana
Typical instruments	Trumpet, Trombone, Clarinet, Sousaphone, Snare drum, Bass drum
Derivatives	Jazz funeral, Brass band music, Rhythm and blues

Deuxième ligne

Deuxième ligne denotes the parade and musical tradition associated with New Orleans Louisiana social aid and pleasure clubs, funeral processions, and Mardi Gras parades. It links the ritual practices of African Americans in New Orleans with brass-band traditions and civic celebrations centered on venues such as Saint Augustine Church and neighborhoods like the Treme. Performers, parade-goers, and musicians from groups including the Onward Brass Band and Preservation Hall Jazz Band participate in waking, mourning, and celebratory contexts.

Etymology and meaning

The French term derives from the literal translation "second line" used in descriptions of social aid and pleasure club parades and funeral processions in Mardi Gras festivities, tracing relations to Creole of color culture and the linguistic milieu shaped by France and Spain colonial rule. Within the local lexicon, the "first line" refers to the main procession—club members, brass bands, and religious officiants—while the "second line" describes the informal followers and dancers who join behind, linking practices observed at St. Augustine and civic events such as St. Joseph's Night and neighborhood picnics. The phrase appears in reportage on events like the Hurricane Katrina aftermath and scholarly work on Cultural anthropology and Ethnomusicology.

Historical origins and evolution

Origins trace to 19th-century brass-band parades associated with African American benevolent societies and military bands returning veterans from conflicts like the American Civil War. Bands such as the Excelsior Brass Band and the Native Son's Benevolent Association blended European military march forms with African-derived rhythmic practices found in West African music and Caribbean traditions linked to Haiti and Cuba. The tradition evolved through contacts with performers at venues including Storyville and recording pioneers like Ralph Peer and labels that documented early jazz; later intersections with figures such as Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, and Louis Armstrong helped solidify brass idioms. Postwar shifts saw incorporation into parades organized by social aid and pleasure clubs like the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club and the Mardi Gras Indians, reflecting ongoing dialogues with Civil Rights Movement cultural expressions.

Musical and cultural role in New Orleans Mardi Gras

During Mardi Gras processions the deuxième ligne functions as participatory performance: band leaders designate calls and breaks invoking collective dance moves found in neighborhoods from Bayou St. John to the Faubourg Marigny. The second line serves as a space for social expression where masks, beaded regalia associated with groups such as Zulu and Boeuf Gras are displayed alongside improvisation techniques developed in Preservation Hall sessions. Events like the Krewe of Endymion parades and community gatherings around institutions such as St. Louis Cathedral illustrate how the deuxième ligne mediates civic identity, resilience after disasters like Hurricane Katrina, and contested urban redevelopment debates involving entities like the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority.

Instrumentation and arrangements

Arrangements foreground brass and percussion: Trumpet and Clarinet deliver lead melodies, while Trombone and Sousaphone provide counterline and bass. Percussive textures from Snare drum and Bass drum produce the syncopated second-line beat, drawing on patterns comparable to Cuban son and Haitian rhythmic motifs. Bandleaders employ call-and-response forms used by ensembles such as the Eureka Brass Band and the Treme Brass Band, applying arrangements that permit collective improvisation reminiscent of early Dixieland and later rhythm and blues adaptations. Notation practices vary; many parts are transmitted orally within institutions including neighborhood social clubs and educational settings like the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts.

Notable bands, performers, and events

Prominent brass bands and figures linked to the tradition include the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Treme Brass Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Eureka Brass Band, and historic aggregations such as the Onward Brass Band and the Excelsior Brass Band. Individual performers associated with deuxième ligne aesthetics include Kermit Ruffins, Dr. John, Al "Carnival Time" Johnson, Donald Harrison, Wynton Marsalis, Leroy Jones, and veteran second-line leaders like Paul Barbarin and Kid Thomas Valentine. Signature events highlighting deuxième ligne practice include funeral processions for public figures, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and neighborhood parades staged by clubs such as the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club and the White Boot Club.

Influence and legacy

The deuxième ligne has influenced international genres and artists through recordings, tours, and festivals that connect New Orleans to scenes in Paris, London, Tokyo, and Berlin. Its rhythmic vocabulary informed early rock and roll and later acts in funk and hip hop, with musicians like Dr. John and Allen Toussaint adapting second-line patterns in studio productions associated with labels such as Atlantic Records. Preservation efforts by institutions including the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and cultural initiatives by the National Endowment for the Arts continue to document and sustain the practice as both a living tradition and a subject of study within Ethnomusicology and public history.

Category:New Orleans culture Category:Brass bands Category:Mardi Gras in New Orleans