Harold Batiste’s legacy runs deep through the history of New Orleans music and education. Among his many accomplishments, Batiste was the creator of the first Black owned jazz publishing company and record label in the world and worked closely with Ellis Marsalis to establish the University of New Orleans’ (UNO) acclaimed Jazz Studies degree. One of Batiste’s greatest contributions to contemporary New Orleans jazz performance and education is the Silverbook, a collection of 61 lead sheets of some of the greatest composers from the city, including works by Ellis Marsalis, James Black, Batiste and others. Batiste intended the book to be a guide to students of the music to learn through performance. Jesse McBride, director of the Black American Music program at Tulane University, and UNO alum, will share insights on these masterpieces and lead a band of fellow UNO alums through selections from Batiste’s seminal work.
