J.A.W.S Concert - Excelsior Band
Description
Live performance of the Excelsior Band. The Excelsior Band is known for playing a variety of musical genres; however, their main emphasis is Dixieland and conventional jazz. The band performed in the University of South Alabama Marx Library Auditorium during the Jazz Artists Writers South (J.A.W.S) Festival.
The Excelsior Band is an all-Black brass marching band that has, for generations, embodied the culture of the city of Mobile and its beloved Mardi Gras celebration. Originally organized as a firehouse band in 1883, Excelsior survived the crucible of Jim Crow while assuming a central role in Mobile carnival and becoming a beloved institution across cultures in Mobile.
Excelsior leads the parades for both the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association and the Mobile Carnival Association as Mobile’s official band, bridging a racial divide between the historically Black and white Mardi Gras celebrations. Excelsior’s longevity and artistry have made a long-term impact on Alabama’s music, education, and heritage. (https://www.arts.gov/honors/heritage/excelsior-band)