‘Harlem in Montmartre’ retraces musical history of African-Americans in Paris

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Don’t know if any of you caught this on PBS stations in the United States last night, but a FABULOUS documentary highlighting called “Harlem in Montmartre” walked viewers through the roots of African-American jazz in Paris and the forces that shaped this incredible musical genre. As many of you know, Paris is my favorite city in the world, the one place I’d choose if told I could never leave. And when there, I love to stroll around the colorful 18th arrondisement where Montmartre, the city quarter spotlighted in the film, is located. 

As the documentary showed, this was where black American musicians, artists and writers often settled when they arrived in the City of Light between the First and Second World Wars. There were nightclubs owned and run by black folks – even strong African-American women like Ada “Bricktop” Smith, whose club was the place to be. It was here that jazz greats like New Orleans native Sidney Bechet earned their fame; where entertainers like the beloved Josephine Baker (whose do-it-your-own-way life story never ceases to amaze and inspire me) performed and hung out. This was no small thing, as these black Americans found a personal and creative freedom they were denied back “home” in the United States. The French embraced them, and African-Americans in Paris embraced them right back. Surely it wasn’t utopia, but compared with an often violent and discriminatory Jim Crow existence in the States, it probably felt like heaven on earth.

I first learned about some of Montmartre’s place in African-American history by taking one of Ricki Stevenson’s Black Paris Tours many years ago. This combination walking-bus-Metro tour not only introduced us to haunts frequented by Baker and writers like James Baldwin and Richard Wright, but gave us the historical context needed to understand just what was so special about this “Harlem Renaissance” on the other side of the Atlantic. For the first time in their lives, these black artists had the freedom and the right to JUST BE.

Even if you’re not a music or jazz enthusiast, you’d find “Harlem in Montmartre” fascinating TV, complete with commentary from both American and French historians and musicologists. (Not sure when PBS will make the video available, but click here to at least view a video excerpt.) Talk about bringing history to life. I’ll bet it makes you want to book an airline ticket to Paris so you can check out this fascinating place for yourself!

And if you DO happen to be a jazz fan, here are a few spots (not located in Montmartre, but throughout Paris) you might want to try:

  • Caveau de la Huchette. Located in the 5th arrondisement on the Left Bank, you’ll listen to jazz in a centuries-old underground cave. Great music, great scene.
  • Au Duc des Lombards. Housed on a street not far from the Pompidou Centre that’s home to a string of quality jazz joints, the Duc is one of the most popular and best-known. (Note: this Web site’s all in French.)
  • Jazz Club Etoile. This spot, located in the Le Meridien Etoile hotel in the 17th arrondisement, used to be known as the "Lionel Hampton Jazz Club." But check it out, as it often hosts top names across genres including soul, blues, gospel and "world music."
  • Anywhere along rue des Lombards. As I mentioned, there’s a host of jazz venues on this street in the very centrally located 1st arrondisement (although I can’t remember all the club names). Even if you don’t have pre-arranged reservations, stroll this street, see who’s playing at the different clubs, and duck inside for an unforgettable cultural experience.

Would the world be different if more of us had traveled to Iran?

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You know what struck me watching the post-election events unfold in Iran this week? How something as seemingly simple as the act of traveling can make SUCH a difference when it comes to intercultural understanding. Thank goodness we in the United States now have a president who’s thoughtful and respectful of other folks in the world… but there are still some who still see the world as “us” versus “them.” I just wonder what our country’s – and the world’s – relationships would be like if more of us traveled to “their” nation, saw how “they” lived, understood how “they” thought.

And that reminded me of a thought-provoking and in hindsight, truly prescient new book I just picked up from acclaimed travel writer (and of course, PBS television star) Rick Steves. In Travel as a Political Act, Steves explains that there’s far more travel than “good-value hotels, great art and tasty cuisine.” While he writes about travels throughout Europe (the main focus of his travel business), El Salvador, and Morocco, it’s his “Mission: Understand Iran” chapter that speaks most to me now. Last spring, Steves and his crew traveled to Iran for filming, a real rarity for Western  and especially American crews. And his latest book incorporates this trip, as well as many other fascinating ones over the years.

I got a chance to hear Steves live last November at one of his weekend Travel Festivals in scenic Edmonds, Wash. He spoke to a more-than-packed house that clung to his every word as he showed the hour-long film, then thoughtfully answered questions about his 12-day filming trip. The timing was extra-powerful, as the conference fell soon after the historic election of now-President Barack Obama. For those of us who believe in giving peace a chance, Steves’ mission in Iran sounded in lockstep with our new Commander in Chief’s philosophy of approaching folks with open minds and respect rather than tired old stereotypes and automatic distrust. If you haven’t seen “Rick Steves’ Iran: Yesterday and Today,” it’s SO worth checking out—especially in light of what’s happening in Iran right now. And not surprisingly, media outlets like PRI’s The World radio show have been seeking him out lately, hungry for perspective on what life’s REALLY like in Iran these days. It makes for fascinating listening. His life’s a testament to what he writes: “thoughtful travel comes with powerful lessons.”

I love what he writes in the Iran chapter: “I’m convinced that people-to-people travel experiences can be a powerful force for peace. People traveling to the Soviet Union helped us get through the Cold War without things turning hot. Travel to Vietnam has helped heal wounds left in the aftermath of that war. And, as the USA and Iran continue their dangerous flirtation with an avoidable war, travel there can help build understanding between our nations.”

On the back cover of Travel as a Political Act, Steves says, “We can’t understand our world without experiencing it.” Amen to that.

I’m curious, though. How has traveling abroad rearranged your OWN “cultural furniture,” as Steves calls it? How do those experiences make you rethink assumptions you held about other people, other countries? I’d love to know, and I’ll bet the rest of you would, too.