I studied abroad in Manchester, U.K., for the spring 2022 semester — a city I chose mostly for my love of The 1975, a band from the region.

While abroad, I made blogs about literature; learned about acclaimed poets in the U.K., like Lemn Sissay and Andrew McMillan; rode at the top of double decker buses on the streets of Manchester; and made countless friends with local and international students in Europe.

I took four journalism classes while abroad from January to June 2022, but most of my time was spent admiring The 1975 and exploring Manchester’s music scene.

But my time abroad came to an end this summer. In June 2022, I found myself staying at my parents’ house in Patterson, Louisiana, for the next two months, crying and watching TikToks.

I was miserable.

I needed motivation to make life interesting in a small, south Louisiana town, so I hit the local library, where I rented a 1991 Richard Carlin book called “Jazz.”

Reading Carlin’s writing on jazz music reminded me of how much culture and history are present in Louisiana and how fortunate I am to be raised in such a beautiful state.

“The history of jazz is both a story of change and a story of continuity, with new musical forms emerging from a solid tradition,” Carlin said. Its birthplace is our own New Orleans.

Robert “Rob” Payer, a 55-year-old Baton Rouge musician, said he thinks jazz “is probably one of the very few genres of music where you can totally express yourself.”

“Jazz is a lot like hip hop or rap. You can go down any avenue, and it’s okay,” Payer said against the backdrop of a quiet, rainy day at Highland Coffees.

Payer is the program director for WBRH and KBRH, the radio training program stations at Baton Rouge Magnet High School.

Payer said his earliest memory of music is seeing his two older brothers playing records. His favorite artists include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding and Samara Joy. 

Payer said he thinks we in Louisiana and the U.S. could do more to appreciate jazz history.

“I think that we here in Louisiana, and Baton Rouge being the capital city, we take it for granted,” Payer said. “America as a whole, but especially in Louisiana, we take it for granted, the rich legacy that is jazz.”

“Just 90 minutes away is the birthplace of jazz,” Payer said.

Mechanical engineering sophomore Riley Craig holds the genre close to his heart. The 19-year-old Baton Rouge native is pursuing a jazz minor.

“Jazz moves and breathes,” Craig said. 

Craig’s favorite jazz artists are Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, and Art Blakey, and his favorite standards are “After You’ve Gone” by Django Reinhardt and “Almost like Being in Love” by Nat King Cole.

Craig believes jazz is a genre that transcends cultural boundaries. 

“You can play with someone that doesn’t even speak the same language as you and have no issues,” Craig says. “Jazz standards haven’t changed; they’re still jazz standards.” 

For locals wanting to connect with jazz music, events are open to the public this fall.

The LSU Jazz Showcase is planned for October 4, 2022, from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $18 for general admission and $11 for student and K-12 admission.

Besides showcases, there are also festivals nearby, like the famous New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, held annually in the spring.

Payer said residents can find festivals all across the state.

“Jazz is still there, you just have to look for it,” Payer said. 

Molly Redfield, an LSU assistant professor of jazz studies, wrote her dissertation on jazz hip hop. Her favorite jazz artists include Ray Brown, Esperanza Spalding and Robert Glasford.

Redfield said listeners can find jazz in all different places.

“You don’t have to just type in ‘jazz’ and listen to it,” Redfield said. “You probably won’t like what will come up.”

Instead, Redfield recommended different artists who fuse jazz into other genres.

For those who like hip hop, she recommends Robert Glasper. For rap fans, Kendrick Lamar. And for funk, Tower of Power. 

“Broaden your horizons and you’ll find that not only does it help you connect to popular culture, but also to the roots of Louisiana and this broader culture of the jazz funeral and Mardi Gras and these events that have brass bands,” Redfield said.

I found this to be true through the old favorite that brought me to Manchester. 

In a playlist created on Spotify by The 1975 is the Miles David song “It Never Entered My Mind,” a beautiful jazz tune strung with smooth trumpets and soft piano. This isn’t a song I would usually listen to over and over again – until reading Carlin’s writings on jazz and talking to Redfield. 

Diving into the world of jazz helped me cope with my reverse culture shock after returning to the U.S. — and taught me the beauty of a genre born so close to home.

Kathryn Craddock is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Patterson.