Devon Alexis Travel & Music Blog

February marks Black History Month on the calendar every year. Devon Alexis, music blogger, chooses to celebrate the occasion by listening to the Black musicians who changed music forever. Here are just a few of those incredible artists: Scott Joplin Known as the ‘King of Ragtime,’ this legendary composer had his heyday at the turn of the 20th century.  But his mark on music still lingers today.  In the ‘70s, his music was revitalized in popularity, when Joshua Rifkin released an album composed solely of Joplin’s pieces.  Joplin constructed unique ideas for harmony, complex bass patterns and syncopation which even contemporaries compete to imitate. Louis Armstrong Without Louis Armstrong, jazz may have never been what it was, or what it is today.  His ability to craft his own style in a time when black voices were very much silenced is incredible.  In the ‘30s, Armstrong broke barriers and was even featured in Hollywood flicks of his day like Ex-Flame (1930), A...

There’s more to New Orleans than Mardi Gras and mouth-watering Cajun cuisine. In a new three-part audio documentary, Grammy-winner, Leyla McCalla, explores the sounds of Haiti that add flavor, texture and rhythm in New Orleans. From the roar of brassy instruments echoing along the city streets to the bluesy jive imbued in bars and restaurants….  Nine times out of ten, the sounds you enjoy while visiting New Orleans are the result of a collection of cultural ties to Haiti.  In her new audio documentary, Kanaval, musician Leyla McCalla dives into the history and relevance of Haitian rhythm in the music scene of New Orleans.  The doc is appropriately paired with three volumes of playlists with musical goodness from Moonlight Benjamin, Dr. John, The Meters and many, many other Haitian musicians in New Orleans. To say the least, podcasts have picked up in popularity in the pandemic.  Reaching out for a contactless connection to the outside world, podcasts offer entertai...