Harlem in Paris - The Birth of Jazz in France

Follow in the footsteps of Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong & other jazz pioneers of the 1920s & 30s. After World War I, Paris was a magnet for African American musicians & entertainers who settled mostly in Pigalle & Montmartre. By the late 1920s, there were over 300 jazz clubs in Paris, many of them owned & operated by African Americans. This tour relates the stories of the African American musicians who journeyed to Paris & introduced the French to Jazz. The French quickly adopted this new style of music & still love it - the city has numerous jazz clubs where musicians from around the world play to enthusiastic audiences. I will share the stories of the fascinating men & women who remade Paris into a Jazz mecca. The pioneers of a new music, a new lifestyle, who changed the culture of Paris forever. What makes this tour unique : using a tablet provided during the tour, you will watch videos of the period & listen to early jazz music, giving you a taste of what Paris was like during the Roaring 20s.

On this tour we "meet" the pioneers who introduced the syncopated rhythms of ragtime, dixieland & early jazz. We visit the location of Josephine Baker's nightclub. Called the Black Venus, she was the most famous female performer of her day. We visit Louis Armstrong's favorite café & hear one of his earliest recordings. Then on to the the club managed by Gene Bullard, the 1st black combat pilot in history. We visit the places where stars such as Bricktop & Valaida Snow worked. . . clubs that are long gone & stars who are forgotten today. We'll "see & hear" these pioneering women at work. Along the way, we listen to their music & watch videos of these artists. What makes this tour unique : you'll relive the Paris in the Jazz Age through the music, photos & videos of the time, rare original archival recordings. If you are a jazz fan, this is for you! Any special interests, let me know.