New Orleans Conference Program - Council on International ...

Plenary Speaker ProfilesLolis Eric ElieOpening Plenary SessionWednesday, November 16, 6:00pm–7:00pmDocumentary ScreeningWednesday, November 16, 8:15pm–9:30pmLolis Eric Elie is a <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong>-based writer and filmmaker. Most recently, he joined the staff of the HBO seriesTremé, set in post-Katrina <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong>. Working with the award-winning director Dawn Logsdon, he co-producedand wrote the PBS documentary, Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong>. His essay, “America’sGreatest Hits,” is included in Best African American Essays: 2009.From 1995 to 2009, he wrote a thrice-weekly column for the <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong>’ Times-Picayune. He is a recognizedexpert on <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong> food and culture, a contributing writer to The Oxford American, and his work hasappeared in Gourmet, The Washington Post, The <strong>New</strong> York Times, Bon Appetit, Downbeat, and The SanFrancisco Chronicle among other publications.A former commentator for CBS <strong>New</strong>s Sunday Morning, he has also appeared often on National Public Radioprograms. He has an M.A. from the Columbia School of Journalism in <strong>New</strong> York and an MFA from the Universityof Virginia.Michael WhiteAnnual LuncheonFriday, November 18, 12:15pm–2:30pmDr. Michael White is a leading figure in traditional <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong> jazz and one of only a few to creativelycarry on the rich clarinet sound and style of that city. He is a descendant of several first-generation jazzmusicians and began his jazz career playing in local brass bands for social club parades and jazz funerals.Today, Dr. White has an active career as one of the most respected and visible of <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong> musicians. Hehas performed all over the world in many major jazz festivals and concert venues and has played on over 40recordings with legends such as Wynton Marsalis, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, and Marianne Faithful. He alsohas ten recordings under his own name.Dr. White received his Ph.D. in Spanish from Tulane University and currently teaches African AmericanMusic at Xavier University. Dr. White has also distinguished himself as a jazz historian, writer, producer, andcomposer. He is frequently interviewed and profiled on international radio, television, and for documentaryfilms, books, essays, and major publications.The history, sound, and meaning of traditional <strong>New</strong> <strong>Orleans</strong> Jazz—the original form of America’s greatestartistic contribution—will be discussed by Dr. White. Important figures, song types, musical makeup, socialsignificance, and the international cultural implications will also be presented in a manner that is botheducational and entertaining.2