This event just came across my desk and I am so excited that the French Market and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park are presenting this all day FREE Back to School Celebration for our community! Everyone is welcome on September 13 to enjoy indoor live music and workshops from 11:30 am - 3:00 pm at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park Visitor Center. The address is 916 North Peters Street, Dutch Alley, in the French Market District. It's right near the intersection of Dumaine and Decatur Streets, riverside. Plus, there will be a really cool "instant playground" with large foam structures for outdoor fun!
Here is the line up for the day:
11:30-12:15 pm. Makin’ Music with Meryl! Led by local jazz singer Meryl Zimmerman
A music workshop for kids 0-3 years old and the grownups who love them. We will sing silly songs...dance, jump and wiggle...and jam with instruments! It will be interactive and educational and, most importantly, fun! This interactive music workshop will be taught early childhood music teacher and a local musician Meryl Zimmerman. Meryl is a Music Specialist with the New Orleans Jewish Community Center, a teacher at Lafargue Pianos and Westfall’s Music Together. She performs with her band at local music venues including Dos Jefes, Three Muses, Spotted Cat, and Maison.
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. The Swing Setters: Children's interactive sing-a-long featuring Jayna Morgan & her 8 piece band!
The Swing Setters is a fun and energetic band for children. Creators Jayna Morgan, Joe Kennedy, and Ted Long composed a super fun band designed specifically for kids. The band is comprised of all professional jazz musicians, whose goal is to entertain you and your children through fun, interactive music. Jayna Morgan is on the vocals, Alex Owen on trumpet, Greg Agid on clarinet and saxophone, David Phy on trombone, Ted Long on guitar, Joe Kennedy on piano, Alan Broome on bass, and Gerald French on drums. From Disney tunes to New Orleans tunes, they'll have you and your little ones tappin' your toes, snappin' your fingers, and dancin' in the aisles!
2:00-3:00 p.m. Let’s Move!! DANCING GROUNDS WORKSHOP Led by Brieze Levy
Participants will learn the "Let's Move" dance from the award winning CD, “Songs for Junior Rangers”. Brieze Levy is a dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist working as Studio Manager at Dancing Grounds. She attended Bard College in New York and received her B.A. in Dance and Religion. Brieze moved to New Orleans in September 2012 to join the dance community and contribute to the growing dance scene. During college, she was fortunate enough to be part of a partnership with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, now known as New York Live Arts.
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 pm PLAYBUILD
In addition to all this musical fun, enjoy outdoor play with Playbuild in the Jazz Park in Dutch Alley. Interactive outdoor playground hosted by the educational group Playbuild: “Inspiring Minds, Block by Block”. This open-air “instant playground” with large foam structures is perfect for little hands and imaginations. Instructors assist and encourage kids to build, play, and experiment with these large light-weight oversized blocks. Parents love playing, too! Find them set up just outside the Jazz Park before, during, and after the Kids Move and Sing Along Jazz Park performances. For more information on Playbuild, visit http://www.playbuild.org/.
