Traces the history of drums and drumming in the Crescent City, exploring more than three centuries of the instrument and the art form that transformed New Orleans into the musical powerhouse it is today.

"Drumsville! The Evolution of the New Orlean Beat traces the history of drums and drumming in New Orleans, tracing more than three centuries of drumming history that shaped the city into the musical powerhouse it is today. Created as a companion to the New Orleans Jazz Museum Exhibit of the same name, Drumsville! begins its story with the Native nations of Louisiana and moves through the arrival of European colonists and enslaved Africans bringing their cultures to New Orleans. The rich array of cultures that created the Crescent City are central to this visually stunning narrative, which traces the drummer's role in the evolution of brass bands, Black masking Indians, traditional and modern jazz, rhythm and blues, rock 'n' roll, and funk. The drum set is so central to our conception of music that its origins are rarely questioned. But like all instruments, the drum set had to be invented, and New Orleans musicians-many of whom got their start by improvising and tinkering with everyday materials to create a beat-were central in its development. Drumsville! pays tribute to many of the musicians who have been important in developing the drum set and in the transmission of iconic rhythms, particularly the city's signature Second Line groove. Each section of the book draws its visuals from the historic photos, graphics, and photos of the percussion equipment and artifacts, while the text shares historical backgrounds, musicological analyses, and biographies of New Orleans musicians, including the many women drummers who have shaped and been shaped by the city's unique sound. Drummers interviewed for this book include Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste, Alfred "Uganda" Roberts, Willie Green, Adonis Rose, Ricky Sebastian, Johnny Vidacovich, Shannon Powell, Stanton Moore, Joe Lastie, Christie Jourdain, Joe Dyson, and Herlin Riley. Seamlessly weaving together stories of New Orleans drumming culture over the centuries, Drumsville! is a landmark study of the influence and contributions of New Orleans' unique drumming style to the musical world"--