Snug Harbor, nestled on iconic Frenchmen Street in New Orleans, stands as one of the city’s most influential modern jazz venues.

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Jazz and the culinary arts share a deep kinship. Both are about improvisation, timing, and flavor.

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Gary Burton revolutionized the vibraphone. Known for his four-mallet technique, he expanded the instrument’s range, creating lush harmonies and textures that rivaled the piano.

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The role of the vibraphone is unique in jazz, blending rhythm, melody, and atmosphere.

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Jazz has always had a natural connection to film — its rhythms, moods, and improvisations lend themselves to storytelling on the screen.

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Few groups shaped modern jazz like Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Formed in the 1950s, the Messengers became the heartbeat of hard bop — soulful, blues-driven, always swinging.

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Wes Montgomery forever changed jazz guitar. Playing with his thumb instead of a pick, he created a warm, rounded tone that was instantly his own.

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Nina Simone was a singer, pianist, and force of nature. Born in Tryon, North Carolina, in 1933, she was classically trained but fused jazz, blues, gospel, and folk into a sound uniquely her own.

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