Chord Changes on the Chalkboard How Public School Teachers Shaped Jazz and the Music of New Orleans

Using over 90 original interviews, as well as his extensive research in a variety of New Orleans' archives, Dr. Kennedy deftly explores the role public school teachers had in the formative years of jazz, as well as the influence they continue to have on the musical life of one of America's foremost musical cities. As jazz and music mentors, these teachers employed creativity, innovation, and dedication in propelling some of the world's finest musicians forward into brilliant careers. Chord Changes on the Chalkboard includes a foreword by jazz legend Ellis Marsalis, Jr., and is a must for jazz fans and historians, music libraries, and for collections supporting the study of popular culture and African-American history.

Al Kennedy worked as a communications coordinator in the public information office of the New Orleans public school system for twenty-one years