I spoke by phone today with New Orleans trumpeter and educator Irvin Mayfield about his beautiful new book, “A Love Letter To New Orleans”.
Mr. Mayfield talks about the beauty of being influenced by the film Mo Better Blues, musical and cultural similarities between NOLA and places like Haiti, Cuba, Brazil, and the beauty of New Orleans and the people of the city.
Click below to listen to the interview, and find a link at the bottom of the page to purchase the book.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW
About the author
Irvin Mayfield was born and raised in New Orleans. In keeping with the continuing Jazz legacy of New Orleans, Mayfield began studying trumpet at the young age of 9, created and led his first brass band by the age of 12 and recorded his first record at 20. With 15 albums to his credit, Mayfield is a Grammy Award and Latin Billboard Award winning artist. He currently is a professor at the University of New Orleans where he also serves as Director of the New Orleans Jazz Institute. Mayfield is the founding Artistic Director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and currently serves as the Artistic Director of Jazz for the Minnesota Orchestra. Mayfield was nominated to the National Council on the Arts by President George W. Bush and was subsequently appointed to the post by President Barack Obama. Mayfield resides in New Orleans and is the proud father of two sons, Irvin III, and Richard.