At last weekend’s Music Hack, a music-related hackathon, the All That Philly Jazz team, Mark Headd, Mike Lamond and the writer, developed the Philly Jazz App, a web-based app where we will tell the story of Philadelphia’s rich jazz legacy.
All That Philly Jazz is mapping historic places and markers, Walk of Fame plaques and public murals. We will take visitors back to the days when jazz legends performed at the Uptown, the Royal, and the Earle and Lincoln Theaters. To contextualize the images, we will include data curated by Echo Nest and audio samples from Rdio. We’re jazzed that All That Philly Jazz won a one-year subscription to Rdio for the best hack.
Much of Philly’s jazz history has fallen victim to urban upheaval and urban removal. To preserve the history for future generations, we must tap the memories of Philadelphians and visitors. So All That Philly Jazz will be crowdsourced. We will use social media and traditional media, including community newspapers and radio, to ask folks to share their memories and photos.
We will also use technology, including augmented reality and Google Goggles, to breathe life into legendary jazz clubs like the Showboat, Pep’s, Blue Note, Up Jumped the Devil, Fantasy Lounge, and joints along West 52nd Street, aka “The Strip.” Clubs like the Aqua Lounge, Top Shelf, Mr. Silk’s Third Base and Foo-Foo Ragan’s.
Indeed, All That Philly Jazz is at the intersection of technology, art and civic engagement. To get involved, contact us via email or Twitter: @PhillyJazzApp.
