Photos and Review by LUIS MORENO
Mardi Gras came to town and the Venice West Club celebrated with New Orleans-style music and was adorned in the spirit of purple, green and gold. The sounds of Brass Band music and Zydeco filled the air and people’s spirits.
Like the great food of New Orleans, such as Gumbo and Jambalaya, the music of Brass Band and Zydeco are spicy and well-seasoned.
First up to get the crowd percolating was Nathan & The Zydeco Cha-Chas. The band’s been the catalyst for many toes-tapping and 2 stepping dance steps. The band is flavored by Nathan Williams (accordion, singer), Dennis Paul (guitar), Allen (7 string bass), Djuan (rubboard), and Clifford Alexander (rubboard).
Nathan has fashioned his own imprint on Zydeco, he never neglets his champions and classmates and venerates them with several covers throughout the set. Nathan sprinkles flavorful musical tones that opens plenty of room for delicious solos on guitar or scrubboards. The night just kept adding more flavor till the patrons were shuffling, side-stepping, two stepping, swinging, or just swaying.
Nathan & The Zydeco Cha-Chas are more than a plate full of delicious Creole music.
Our next dinner course served The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. DDBB have been serving up their flavored menu since 1977. The beauty of DDBB is full of several ingredients with Soul-R&B, Funk & Bebop Jazz and hip-hop. The band describes itself as “musical gumbo.” The gumbo is cooked by Roger Lewis (sax/vocals), Kevin Harris (sax/vocals), Gregory Davis (trumpet, vocals), Kirk Joseph (sousaphone), TJ Norris (trombone/vocals), Julian Addison (drums), Takeshi Shimmura (guitar).
Brass Bands were known for following funeral processions and would eventually bust out into joyful dance tunes. And that’s who showed up at The Venice West. After the break and setup time between shows, the fans were just about ready to sit down. But the chefs of the DDBB had another course to serve up. And serve it up they did, with a giant ladle of stompin’, rompin’ energy brass instruments can deliver.
Dirty Dozen Brass Band stayed accurate to its tradition of street music and jazz, but also infusing its passionate contemporary sound. The aural vibrations of brass instruments were so intense it fed the entire body. The end conclusion was showcased by the audiences that had already yielded to the appetite for dance and fun.
