When the Saints Go Marching In

The jazz funeral is a unique cultural ritual that synthesizes African, French, Spanish, and Caribbean influences. It's not just a ceremony—it's a carefully orchestrated emotional journey from mourning to celebration.

The Two Lines:

• First Line: The Grand Marshal, brass band, pallbearers, family, and clergy. They bear the weight of the ritual and lead the procession
• Second Line: The community—neighbors, friends, passersby who join the parade. They dance, wave handkerchiefs, and transform grief into collective celebration

The interaction between these lines traces back to West African circle dances, where adults formed an inner circle surrounded by children. In New Orleans streets, this circle straightened into a procession.

The jazz funeral follows a strict narrative arc designed for emotional catharsis:

Phase 1: The Dirge
The procession to the cemetery features slow, solemn hymns like "Nearer My God to Thee" or "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." Tempo is approximately 60-70 BPM. The drums are muffled, the mood heavy and tearful.

Phase 2: "Cutting the Body Loose"
After interment or when the hearse pulls away, the physical separation of the body signals the release of the spirit. The family has said goodbye; the obligation of mourning lifts.

Phase 3: The Celebration
The Grand Marshal signals the shift. Snare drums engage. The band launches into "When the Saints Go Marching In" at 160+ BPM. The Second Line erupts in dance—buck-jumping, strutting, umbrella-twirling. The funeral becomes a rolling street party declaring: the body is gone, but the spirit has ascended.

On May 13, 1938, Louis Armstrong entered Decca Studios and transformed a slow church hymn into a swinging jazz anthem. His recording revolutionized the song in several ways:

• "Reverend Satchmo": Armstrong introduced the track with a spoken preamble, adopting a preacher persona that bridged pulpit solemnity and jazz club joy
• Rhythmic innovation: The driving, syncopated rhythm departed radically from the "slow and stately" versions of the 1920s
• Standardization: This recording codified the structure for all future versions and sparked the Dixieland Revival

Armstrong had played the song at New Orleans funerals since the 1910s. His Decca recording simply exported this street practice to the world.

The transition from grief to joy isn't denial of death—it's an assertion of survival. In a city plagued by yellow fever, floods, and systemic poverty, refusing to remain in mourning is a radical cultural act.

The community "cries at the birth and rejoices at the death," celebrating the deceased's release from the "world of trouble." The umbrellas, handkerchiefs, and dancing aren't frivolity—they're defiance against death's finality.

Post-Katrina significance: After Hurricane Katrina, the jazz funeral took on renewed meaning. "The Saints" became an anthem not just of heavenly march but of citizens returning to reclaim their neighborhoods. The lyrics about the "new world" and "sun refusing to shine" resonated with a population rebuilding their destroyed world.

Allen Toussaint (2015): The legendary songwriter received a textbook jazz funeral. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band led the procession from the Orpheum Theater, transitioning from dirge to celebration with precise adherence to tradition.

Dr. John (2019): A massive public event with horse-drawn hearse and Mardi Gras Indians in full regalia. Thousands filled the streets singing "The Saints," turning downtown into a moving festival.

Walter Cronkite (2009): In a rare export of the tradition, a jazz band performed "The Saints" as the recessional at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York. Cronkite, a jazz fan, had specifically requested it—demonstrating the song's status as a universal American anthem of closure.

Ideal for:

• Musicians, especially jazz lovers
• Those who explicitly wanted celebration at their funeral
• New Orleans natives or those connected to NOLA culture
• Services where the family wants joyful closure
• Recessional (as the casket exits or mourners leave)

Practical considerations:

• Live brass band: The physical vibration of unamplified brass creates emotional impact a recording cannot match. Bands cost $400-$1,500 in New Orleans, $500-$2,000+ elsewhere
• If using a recording: Use Louis Armstrong's 1938 version. Consider explaining the tradition so the shift to celebration doesn't confuse mourners
• Placement: Always the recessional—playing it earlier disrupts the emotional arc

The introduction matters: Brief framing helps: "In the New Orleans tradition, we mourn the loss, but we also celebrate the homecoming. We invite you to clap and march with us as we send our beloved home."