Music in Louisiana is a vibrant blend of Heritage and Harmony

Experience the magic of music in Louisiana, from soulful jazz to energetic zydeco, it combines heritage and rich cultural traditions.

We wanted to learn more about the history and culture surrounding the great music scene in Louisiana, so we created this guide to provide a good overview for first-timers of the vibrant music scene in Louisiana through all of its parishes and into New Orleans.

If you are heading to New Orleans and into the French Quarter, we highly recommend a stop at the iconic and world-renowned Preservation Hall. We did. Our writer, Sandra Thomas, talks more about our experience at Preservation Hall.

Watch for more stories on the cultural heritage of Louisiana we experienced by visiting four distinct areas of the state, Lake Charles, Shreveport, LaFayette and of course the Big Easy, NOLA, New Orleans or as some call it the Paris of the South.

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History of Music in Louisiana

Louisiana’s music scene evolved from a rich, diverse culture of influences woven with a fusion of unique sounds from each of its societies: Spanish, French, African, and Native American.

It’s where the infectious genre of Jazz began, along with Swamp Pop, Cajun and Zydeco. We dare you to sit still listening to any music coming out of Louisiana!

Jazz Music in New Orleans – Inside Preservation Hall, French Quarters Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Brass Bands

While brass bands did not originate in Louisiana, they’ve since become evocative with the state.  Historically, one of the first brass bands was started by the Salvation Army in Salisbury, England, in the mid-19th century. In fact, my great-grandfather was a soldier in the Salisbury Army and played in the marching band in the late 1800s and into the 1930s.

A brass band usually consists of some of these instruments; tubas, sousaphones, trumpets, clarinets, trombones, saxophones, bass and snare drums.

According to Eric Seiferth, historian and curator of the Historic New Orleans Collection Museum, both white and black brass bands joined the national craze in the mid-19th century after the Civil War. This lively style of music quickly became popular with New Orleans’ African-American and Afro-Creole populations.

New Orleans Brass Band by talented Lake Charles-born artist Troy Guilbeaux. Guilbeaux’s artwork can be found in galleries throughout Louisiana and in New Orleans’s Jackson Square. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Soulful Jazz Music in Louisana

During the slavery era, New Orleans had the largest population of free people of color. Starting prior to the Civil War, many would gather in Congo Square in Armstrong Park to celebrate African drumming, dance and voodoo rituals.

As time evolved, so did the music and the musicians found a good source of venues for early jazz players. From 1897 to 1917, saloons and bordellos in Storyville, the red-light district located just behind the French Quarter in New Orleans, filled that void until the area was shut down.

The exact date as to when jazz began is strongly debated. Some attribute Buddy Bolden, a cornet player, as starting the first jazz band in 1895. Others claim it did not start until 1917, when the first jazz record was recorded by Nick Rocca’s Dixieland Jazz Band.

But it was jazz legends like Louis Armstrong who really introduced the world to jazz. Today, there are many renowned jazz clubs in New Orleans, but for an authentic experience, we highly recommend attending a session at Preservation Hall. Tip: The hall is tiny, so purchase your tickets as soon as possible.

To learn more about the history of Jazz, visit the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

Louisiana music in the French Quarter New Orleans. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Jazz Music performed in front of Cafe du Monde’s original French March Coffee Stand. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Zydeco Music in Lousiana

Zydeco music makes you want to get up and dance. That’s how I felt, even when just walking by, when I heard the rhythm pumping and jumping out of so many venues in LaFayette.

Using many of the same instruments as Cajun music but electrified, this Southwestern Louisiana feel-good music is unique in its style and borrows from the French Creoles and Native American peoples. Band members create a mix of rhythm and blues using electric guitar, accordion (piano, or double/triple row), scrub board (frottoir) and drums.

Zydeco band at Lakeview Park and Beach Mardis Gras celebrations in Eunice, Louisiana, near Lafayette. Wendy Nordvik-Carr could not resist posing with the band.

Cajun Music

Cajun music comes from the French Acadian settlers exiled by the British in the 1700s from what is now Nova Scotia, Canada, after the Acadian migration and resettlement forcefully uprooted them. The Acadians and their descendants have kept their strong traditions alive in Louisiana’s Southwest through folk music, song, dance and storytelling.

Their music uses many of the same instruments as Zydeco, but in different ways. Typical instruments include fiddle, acoustic guitar, accordion, occasionally a triangle (titfer), drums, and, in the 1950s, electric guitars.

Swamp Pop Music

In Louisiana’s southern Acadiana region and nearby Texas, Swamp Pop was created in the 1950s by Cajun and Creole musicians. The music combines the flavors of traditional French Louisiana music; New Orleans rhythm and blues, and country and western.

Louisiana Music Festivals

• The French Quarter Fest, April 10-13, 2025, features the finest of New Orleans’ and Louisiana’s local music and cuisine.
• Baton Rouge Blues Festival, April 4-6, 2025, showcases local Cajun music, including swamp pop and zydeco.
• Lafayette – Festival International de Louisane is the largest international music festival in the U.S. The five-day festival is April 23-27, 2025
• Lake Charles Cajun Music and Food Festival is held annually in July.
• New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, April 24 – 27 and May 1 – 4, 2025, has 13 stages filled with jazz, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, blues, R&B, rock, funk, African, Latin, Caribbean, folk, and more.
• New Orleans Congo Square Rhythms Festival, March 29-30, 2025, is a jazz and heritage festival featuring music, dance, and food.

Jazz Music in French Quarter New Orleans in Jackson Square. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

One of the biggest music festivals in Louisiana takes place during the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Be sure to read our review of Virgin Hotels New Orleans. We appreciated the friendly service, great eats and eclectic vibe. Read about our visit to the iconic Preservation Hall New Orleans where you can be part of the incredible jazz scene. For more excellent lodging recommendations, check out our **Bienville House Hotel review** which highlights a charming and historic property in the heart of the French Quarter. It’s the perfect spot to experience the city’s rich culture and vibrant energy. Don’t forget to explore other local gems, from hidden speakeasies to beautiful art galleries nearby.

Sandra Thomas and Wendy Nordvik-Carr attended various locations throughout Louisiana as part of a press trip by Explore Louisiana, Visit New Orleans, Visit Lafayette, Visit Lake Charles and Visit Shreveport, which did not read or approve of this article before it was published.