Discoveries…America National Parks: New Orleans Jazz & Acadian Culture

In Louisiana, even the approach to national parks is a little different. In this latest entry from Jim and Kelly Watt's high-def-filmed Discoveries…America National Parks series, viewers visit the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, which celebrates the birth of jazz in six city neighborhoods, including the French Quarter, as park rangers provide guided tours along famous streets. Celebrating the area's musical heritage, tourists dance to a sidewalk-musician performance of “Li'l Liza Jane,” and a hot combo plays in a small club called the Funky Butt. A somewhat different vibe reigns at the Jean Lafitte Historical Park and Preserve, which encompasses multiple sites that showcase (among other things) Acadian agriculture and Cajun and zydeco music via a museum, as well as various events in Eunice, where (in contrast to New Orleans) no alcohol is allowed and the refreshments include Coca-Cola and popcorn. Other attractions visited here include Natchitoches, the state's oldest city (settled by the French in 1714), and the Creole Nature Trail, a 180-mile road that winds through wetlands and wildlife refuges along the Gulf Coast. As the camera captures distinctive images, voiceover narration is supplemented with occasional commentary from locals to provide a colorful portrait of a unique segment of American culture. Recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)