THE commemorative events around the centenary of the First World War led Jazz Notes to recall Jazz A Film by Ken Burns, still shown occasionally on the American PBS TV channel.

The USA entered the war in April 1917 and among the thousands of US soldiers were 2,000 men of the 15th New York Regiment, who landed in Brest, Britany. The French were astonished to see that although the officers were white, all the enlisted men were black, as were all the members of the regimental band, which launched into The Marseillaise.

Such was the spirit and rhythmic drive, it took the French a little while to recognise their own national anthem and have them snap to attention. Director of the band was Lieutenant James Reece Europe, a much sought-after society dance band leader from New York.

When training in South Carolina, Jim Crow's rule was absolute and the men of the 15th were insulted and attacked on the streets, so it was deemed best to complete their training in France, where there was no such attitude.

In a Lincoln's Birthday concert in Nantes opera house, the men played French marches, plantation melodies and ragtime pieces, all new to the French. The atmosphere ignited with W C Handy's Memphis Blues, which lifted the roof. The music was still orchestrated ragtime, but filled with the jazz elements of breaks, riffs, trombone smears and rhythmic excitement.

The men of the 15th endured 191 unbroken days of combat, won 171 decorations for bravery (more than any other US unit) and took special pride in the name the French gave them – the Hellfighters. After the war many black soldiers stayed in France and gravitated towards Paris.

It is ironic that as jazz, of a sort, came to France, it was a white jazz band which made the first jazz recording back in America in 1917, the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

Racial discrimination persisted and it was as recently as 1990 that Nelson Mandela was released from prison. In celebration of his life and achievements a three-day event of great music, food and frolics, free to attend, the Hull Freedom Festival opens tomorrow night. Wall-to-wall entertainment in the Pier/Fruitmarket area will include star guests Ruby Turner, Roland Gift and the Riot Jazz Brass Band (freedomfestival.co.uk).

Look out Poppleton, jazz is returning to your tranquil village for the first time since the First Lady of York Jazz Joan Whitehead held sway in the 1990s. Don Lodge of Bejazzled has found a great place to continue the habit of Thursday night jazz, once again alternating with the Mardi Gras Band. The new venue will be the Red Lion, Poppleton, on the A59 and tonight's band will be Bejazzled, with the Mardi Gras Band next Thursday (01904 781141). Saturday's guests at Jazz in the Spa will be the White Eagles Jazz Band Smith at Kennedy's Café Bar, Little Stonegate (01904 620222).

Later on Sunday, the Firebird Quartet will be at The Phoenix, George Street (01904 656401), and the same night Jen Low and Karl Mullen will be close by at the Rook and Gaskill, Lawrence Street (01904 652050). The Phoenix jam session will be open to all ages and abilities once more next Wednesday 10 September.