TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
Snug Harbor, nestled on iconic Frenchmen Street in New Orleans, stands as one of the city’s most influential modern jazz venues.
It opened in the early 1980s and played a major role in transforming Frenchmen Street into the vibrant cultural district we know today. At a time when many historic jazz rooms had disappeared, Snug Harbor offered an intimate, musician-centered space dedicated to acoustic, straight-ahead jazz.
Its stage became legendary thanks to Ellis Marsalis, who performed there weekly for decades. His influence shaped generations of musicians and introduced countless listeners to the soul of New Orleans jazz.
Snug Harbor remains a cornerstone of the city’s modern jazz identity — blending tradition with ongoing innovation.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.