03/11/2026
Explore how Jazz Fest, the Foundation, and WWOZ's relationship has impacted the modern tradition of brass bands and second lines.
The Jazz & Heritage Archive presents the Allison Miner Series—an initiative to highlight research, scholarship, and projects that utilize the historic collection of the Archive.
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fellowship Grant Recipient Jerry Brock's research explores the relationship between Jazz Fest, the Foundation, and WWOZ’s fundamental role in shaping the modern tradition as we know it. This Brass Bands, Second Lines, and Jazz & Heritage program begins with the early years of the brass band revival in the 1970’s and follows Brock’s research into the origins and transformations of this cultural tradition over decades.
About Jerry Brock:
Jerry Brock, along with his brother Walter, is the co-founder of radio station WWOZ. He is a Grammy Award-winning record producer, award-winning film documentarian, including his works "In That Number! The New Orleans Brass Band Revival (1986) and the PBS documentary "All On A Mardi Gras Day" (2003).
As Program Director at WWOZ, he produced the radio broadcasts from 1980 to 1986. Brock is also a researcher and author, and his work has been published in Wavelength, Offbeat, Gambit, William Ransome Hogan Archive’s Jazz Archivist, and Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ Cultural Vistas. Additionally, he has published liner notes for many records and is recognized today as an independent scholar contributing to New Orleans music and socio-cultural history.
In music production, he produced the first recording of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the Rebirth Brass Band, Tuba Fats and the Chosen Few, and the All Star Brass Band. He also produced the compact discs "Gimme My Money Back" by the Treme Brass Band and "Live at the Maple Leaf" by the Rebirth Brass Band. For approximately 10 years, he was Danny Barker’s business manager, booking agent, and consultant and remained Danny's close friend and confidante.
In 1992/1993, he started the Louisiana Music Factory with his partner, Barry Smith, to whom he sold his share of the business in 2001. Brock received two Jazz & Heritage Archive Fellowships to support his ongoing work.
Photo credit: John Messina
