second-line (parades)

second-line (parades)
Name	Second-line parades
Caption	Parade participants with brass band instruments
Location	New Orleans, Louisiana; United States; diaspora communities
Founded	19th century
Genre	Parades, procession, jazz funerals, social aid and pleasure clubs

second-line (parades)

Second-line parades are processional celebrations originating in New Orleans that combine brass band music, dancing, and community participation. Rooted in 19th-century funeral rites and social aid and pleasure club traditions, they intersect with institutions such as St. Augustine Church, Saint Louis Cathedral, Treme, Storyville, and civic occasions associated with Mardi Gras. Second-line processions have been documented alongside events involving Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, Fats Domino, and later musicians connected with Preservation Hall.

History

The history of second-line parades traces to 19th-century New Orleans where funerary customs blended African, Caribbean, and European practices in neighborhoods like Treme, Bywater, and Faubourg Marigny. Early manifestations appear in conjunction with institutions such as the Black New Orleans social aid and pleasure clubs, Odd Fellows, and Knights of Pythias, and alongside civic ceremonies tied to Mardi Gras Indians and St. Augustine Church. Influences also include diaspora connections with Haiti, Senegal, Cuba, and Barbados, and musical contributions from figures linked to Storyville and venues like Preservation Hall and Tipitina's. The funeral parade customs evolved during Reconstruction and the Jim Crow era, intersecting with legal and political episodes involving Plessy v. Ferguson and municipal regulation, while performers such as Buddy Bolden and King Oliver helped shape the distinctive marching repertoire.

Music and Instruments

Music for second-line parades centers on brass bands and percussion ensembles found at venues such as Preservation Hall, Davenport House, and street corners in French Quarter. Typical instrumentation mirrors the lineages of Military bands and African drumming patterns, featuring trumpet parts associated with players like Louis Armstrong, Wentzel "Cissy" Houston-era session brass, trombone lines echoing Kid Ory, clarinet contributions reminiscent of Sidney Bechet, and rhythm from snare drum, bass drum, and sousaphone players who recall marching formations from organizations such as Jackson Barracks. Repertoire includes calls and breaks drawn from compositions linked to Jelly Roll Morton, standards performed at Preservation Hall Jazz Band concerts, and contemporary arrangements influenced by performers with ties to Irma Thomas and Allen Toussaint.

Cultural Significance and Traditions

Second-line parades serve as living rituals for community memory, social solidarity, and cultural expression in places like Treme and during events associated with Mardi Gras Indian masking and Jazz Fest. Traditions such as the parading of banners, the role of social aid and pleasure clubs modeled after groups like The Zulus and The Krewe of Rex, and the practice of throwing beads and folding fans reflect exchanges with institutions including St. Louis Cathedral celebrations and civic commemorations tied to Juneteenth National Independence Day. The practice has been documented in cultural studies involving Wynton Marsalis collaborations and ethnographic work referencing Amiri Baraka, while filmmakers and authors connected to Spike Lee projects and Anne Rice-era depictions have portrayed second-line aesthetics.

Organization and Route

Organization of second-line events frequently involves coordination among social aid and pleasure clubs, city departments such as the New Orleans Police Department, and venues like Frenchmen Street music clubs and Tipitina's. Routes commonly weave from funeral homes and churches such as St. Augustine Church through neighborhoods like Treme to cemeteries including Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1 or to public squares like Jackson Square and performance sites at Preservation Hall. Parade leadership roles echo military-derived structures found in historical units like United States Colored Troops formations, with designated brass band leaders, parade marshals, flag bearers, and club presidents organizing permits, insurance, and crowd control in coordination with municipal authorities including City of New Orleans agencies.

Notable Second-line Events and Groups

Notable events and groups associated with second-line practice include longstanding social aid and pleasure clubs such as The Original Big 7, Young Men Olympian Benevolent Association (YMOBA), and neighborhood bands affiliated with Treme Brass Band, Rebirth Brass Band, and Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Annual occasions incorporate second-line elements in Mardi Gras, French Quarter Festival, and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival programming, and high-profile funerals for figures like Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, and Sidney Bechet have featured prominent processions. International visibility rose through tours and media appearances alongside institutions such as Lincoln Center and festivals curated by organizations like GlobalFest.

Influence and Adaptations

Second-line aesthetics and practices have influenced music and parade cultures beyond New Orleans, inspiring adaptations in cities such as Toronto, Paris, London, Berlin, and Tokyo and in scenes connected to groups like Hot 8 Brass Band and expatriate ensembles that have performed at venues including Carnegie Hall and Olympia (Paris). Elements of second-line—brass-led arrangements, call-and-response, and participatory dancing—appear in fusion projects with artists and institutions such as The Roots, Dr. John, Trombone Shorty, and international collaborations with ensembles linked to Afro-Cuban and West African traditions. Preservation and promotion efforts involve cultural institutions including Smithsonian Folkways and local educational programs coordinated with universities like Tulane University and Xavier University of Louisiana.

Category:Parades