NEW ORLEANS — As a jazz historian, John McCusker collects century-old vinyl records and Edison cylinder recordings of some of the most influential songs of the early 20th Century.
What started with songs, however, naturally progressed for McCusker, a former Times-Picayune and Advocate photographer. He went further, saying, "If you're going to collect 78s and old Edison cylinder recordings, you've gotta have something to play them on."
McCusker is helping to bring the earliest of New Orleans jazz recordings to life, restoring vintage phonographs and Victrola record players of the past.
"This music playing device that was made before the U.S. entered World War I is still perfectly functional with a minimum amount of maintenance," McCusker said.
WWL-TV photojournalist Neil Giurintano brings the McCusker's story, who has run the city's oldest jazz history tour for the past 25 years.