Matt Sakakeeny Roll With It Analysis

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Matt Sakakeeny took to the streets in February 2007 as he participated in a second line parade alongside the Tremé Sidewalk Steppers and the Rebirth Brass Band. Comparing the festivity to New Orleans’ vivacious jazz funerals, Sakakeeny writes about his observations and thoughts of his experience in the piece Roll With It: Brass Bands in the Streets of New Orleans (Refiguring American Music). Initially, Sakakeeny points out the changes in wardrobe, compared to that of what he has witnessed six years prior. He further sets the scene by introducing his consultants, a group of elite musicians and the core of the Rebirth Brass Band.
Painting a vivid image of the scene, Sakakeeny begins his pattern of tracing through the scene in order to illustrate the challenges New Orleans-based brass band musicians face. Rather than begin with his …show more content…

For example, when describing the upbeat tempo and movement of the performers, Sakakeeny interrupts his description of the scene with a quote from Kieth commenting that he thinks that “it really does go back to second line dancing,” opening the doors to one of the pivotal details in the minds of the musicians. Furthermore, this pause in the scenic description provides a smooth transition from the actions of the musicians to the reasoning behind them. “We try to play continuous to keep everybody going, to keep the energy rolling” adds Philip Frazier. Finally, once this evidence is provided, Sakakeeny begins to draw conclusions based on already substantiated claims by saying “There is not a single tempo that generates audience participation in

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