Alright, here in New Orleans Mardi Gras season is revving up (bigtime!), and Saints fever is at an all time high. My plans for the weekend included catching as many parades as possible and cheering on the Saints as they take on the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV (44). As I stated in last week’s edition of the OG, we’ll be marching along brass band style. This week I’ll be focusing on the one and only Dirty Dozen Brass Band… the group, which, more than any other, has shaped the sound of the modern-day brass band. Founded in 1977 as a spinoff of the Dirty Dozen Kazoo Band (a marching carnival troupe), the DDBB went on to craft a sound that built upon the roots laid by groups such as Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band, incorporating elements contemporary jazz, funk, rock, and R&B licks atop a spicy, New Orleans second line.

Before attaining worldwide acclaim, the DDBB perfected their stride in the streets of the Crescent City, performing at second line parades, jazz funerals, neighborhood parties, and bars… basically anywhere that they could be heard. The group of young men who had come together to form the Dozen, all of whom were either in their early twenties or late teens, represented a generational shift in the brass band tradition. Though they were met with some resistance early on, it wasn’t long before the whole city was shaking to their freewheeling, jazz-funk grooves. Stories from the DDBB’s six-year run at the Glass House (’79-’85) remain etched in the city’s lore. Their weekly, Monday night romps attracted onlookers ranging from jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie to New Orleans legend Fats Domino. They also garnered the attention of teenager trumpet player Kermit Ruffins and sousaphonist Philip Frazier, both of whom would later go on to form the widely acclaimed Rebirth Brass Band. It wasn’t until 1984 that the Dozen released it’s first studio album, the New Orleans classic, My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now. Since then, the DDBB has release a sting of formidable albums, traveled around the world, toured with groups such as the Grateful Dead and Widespread Panic, and recorded alongside others such as Elvis Costello and Modest Mouse. Just last year they played alongside Lil Wayne at the Grammys, and indie favorites Spoon invited them up during their set at Jazzfest. Even though, the group has gone through multiple personnel shifts in it’s storied history – none greater than replacing the traditional standing bass and snare drummers with a drumkit, not to mention bringing a keyboardist and guitarist into the fold – the DDBB remains the absolute funkiest band in all the land. It’s also important to note that founding members trumpeters Gregory Davis and Efrem Towns as well as tenor saxophonist Kevin Harris and baritone saxophonist Roger Lewis have remained with the group since their inception.

The songs I’ve got for you today are a real treat. Released in 1983 on their own Mad Musicians imprint, this 45” single, containing the original composition “Feet Can’t Fail Me Now” along with a lively arrangement of the traditional standard “Lil Liza Jane,” represents one of two discs issued by the DDBB prior to the release of their debut album (the other containing “Blackbird Special parts I and II”). It also represents the beginning of a new era in the brass band realm. “Feet Can’t Fail Me Now” literally went on to redefine the sound of the entire genre. The track begins with the unmistakable groove of sousaphonist Kirk Joseph. His bounding strut anchors the tune throughout. Then the rhythm kicks in… The drums race; hands clap; various percussive knickknacks chime in the background, and the horns start to swing. Soon the trumpets take off on a spicy Afro-Cuban junket, and before long the saxes barge in and break it down. Feel it… That’s the second line. The B-side, “Lil Liza Jane,” showcases the DDBB’s knack for turning a familiar staple into a festive jam. An uptempo groove, a syncopated pulse, horns squealing in the background… it’s Mardi Gras now... In fact, “Lil Liza Jane” is easily my favorite song of the season. I don’t know about you guys, but it’s time for me to head out to the parade!

MP3: Dirty Dozen Brass Band – Feet Can't Fail Me Now
MP3: Dirty Dozen Brass Band – Lil Liza Jane

If you’ve been following Groovescapes for a while, you might remember this post featuring local, indie group Sun Hotel… If not, here’s another chance to get to know them. Last weekend these college-rock do-it-yourselfers released their second EP Team Spirit. As for myself, I’ve listen to the disc a handful of times over the past few days, and I’m picking up some heavy Crooked Rain-era Pavement vibes – a mix of smashing drums, jangling guitars, irreverent feedback, and astutely bewildering lyrics… Ahhhh, the beauty of blissful belligerence. Also at it again is Caddywhompus guitarist Chris Rehm, who, when left to his own devices, churns out eerie, ambient soundscapes and creepy, electro-acoustic pop tunes by the boatload. Before releasing his most recent EP, Salivary Stones, digitally, Rehm made the six-song set available for $5 on cassette tape – that’s right, cassette tape! Who even has a tape player anymore… Apparently quite a few people because last I heard Rehm had already moved all of the copies he packaged, 50 in total (if I remember correctly). Luckily for you, you can download both of these albums for FREE… So, give a listen below, and head on over to sunhotel.bandcamp.com and chrisrehm.bandcamp to snag the rest of the tracks!

MP3: Sun Hotel – Plantation Land
MP3: Sun Hotel – Honey
MP3: Chris Rehm – Soggy
MP3: Chris Rehm – (Not Thinking About the Future)

It seems like ages; though, actually it was roughly two weeks ago that I saw The Wood Brothers perform at The Parish. Since then, a lot has happened – namely the Saints making it to the Super Bowl and glorious citywide celebration that has ensued. But there was much celebration taking place that night in The Parish as well. The French Quarter was abuzz following the Saints’ defeat of Arizona Cardinals. When I walked into venue, the eerie yet intimate room was bustling and alive. Good cheer flowed, and the crowd filled in. By the time I got settled, the group of chairs which were placed in front of the stage (something I’d never seen before at The Parish), had already been taken. Excited, I huddled in as close as I possibly could. This would be the first time I caught The Wood Brothers in well over three years. It was also the folk duo’s first trip to the Crescent City since forming in 2005. At the end of the night, it turned out to be one of the largest crowds I’d ever been a part of in The Parish.

Last night the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation unveiled this year’s official Jazzfest poster. Over the years, collecting these posters has become quite a pastime for many fans of the Fest. This year’s poster featuring iconic New Orleans trumpeter Louis Prima should garner particular attention, as it was painted by Anthony Benedetto, the birth name of legendary lounge singer Tony Bennett, who, incidentally, performed at last year’s festival. Now maybe I’m out of touch, but until this morning I had no idea Bennett was an accomplished painter. So, I was rather surprised to learn that his work has received worldwide acclaim. As for Louis Prima, he is best know for his work in the big band arena during heyday of Swing. His trademark song “Sing, Sing, Sing” remains a jazz favorite. Later, much like Mr. Bennett, Prima led an illustrious career on the Vegas club scene. Though he died in 1978, his biggest hit “Just A Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody” was revived in the mid-Eighties by Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth. A fitting subject for this year’s poster, 2010 marks the 100 year anniversary of Prima’s birth. For more information on the poster including ordering information, visit Jazzfest online. Also, fans of Jazzfest prints should expect the unveiling of the 2010 Congo Square poster soon.

With the Super Bowl on the horizon and Mardi Gras less than a month away, emotions are riding high in the Big Easy. Now anyone who’s visited New Orleans during Mardi Gras season knows that there’s only one way to kickoff this time a year… with a big brass band. So in keeping with the festival spirit, I’ve decided to dedicate the next few weeks of The OG to brass bands. To start things off, I’m featuring the group (which, I believe, is safe to say, and I’m sure most will agree) primarily responsible for fathering the contemporary brass band tradition, Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band.

The legacy of the Olympia Brass Band dates back to the 1880s. Following the tradition of French military bands, the Olympia Brass Band (the first black band of its kind out of New Orleans) performed funeral marches for members of the black society. Following the funeral service, a brass band would lead a procession to the area where the deceased was laid to rest. Mourners who followed the band to the burial ground came to be known as the second line. Though this tradition is still observed today, the term second line has gone on to apply to those who dance behind brass bands during Mardi Gras parades. Today, second lining is associated with an exuberant, strutting dance style that permeates throughout the streets of New Orleans. Keeping with the theme of The OG, there's no disputing that Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band did their part to shape the legacy of both.

Founded in 1958 by saxophonist Harold "Duke" Dejan, the Olympia Brass Band went on to leave a lasting imprint on New Orleans’ musical landscape. They embraced their rich, historical tradition, yet, at the same time, they incorporated contemporary influences into their music. Lively, boisterous, free-wheeling, and often including upwards of a dozen musicians, their sound would pave the way for the brass band renaissance which saw groups like the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Rebirth Brass Band rise to prominence. Listen to the first track I’ve got cued up for you here. It’s a cover of Ray Charles’ classic “I Got a Woman,” fittingly entitled “Gotta’ Woman,”as arranged by beloved New Orleania, trumpet player, and member of the OBB, Milton Batiste. It begins with a squealing trumpet that’s soon swept up by the pounding of the bass drum. Before long, the snare is rolling along and the whole band is swinging. Then, as the bounding sousaphone strut of Tuba Fats holds down the groove, the tenor sax goes for a ride. Though better know by his nickname, Tuba Fats, the late Anthony Lacen dedicated his life to preserving the legacy of the music and culture he loved. For many years, he would lead a band of young musicians, many of them children, around Jackson Square in the French Quarter. The second song I’ve got cued up, simply titled “Tuba Fats and Drums,” is an absolute treasure. I also believe that Groovescapes may be the only place you can find it, as I’ve come across versions of “Gotta’ Woman” on a few compilations, but I’ve never seen this. For those of you who have experienced a brass band parade, you already know that once the tuba takes off and the drums break down, the ensuing moment when the horns jump back in, the celebration erupts. For those of you who don’t… listen up!

**Interesting Note: Dejan's Olympia Brass Band played a part in the iconic James Bond flick Live and Let Die (1973).

MP3: Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band – Gotta’ Woman
MP3: Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band – Tuba Fats and Drums
Amazon Music: Dejan's Olympia Brass Band

The current kings of bluegrass… ahem newgrass, the Yonder Mountain String Band is slated to play the House of Blues tonight (Doors 8p, Show 9p). The band’s recent release The Show marks their third consecutive album to reach number 1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Charts. The Show has also managed to crack the top 20 on the Heatseekers Chart, which shows their growing popularity and crossover appeal. I first came across the YMSB in my days chasing jambands, and it was about a year ago, Lundi Gras night to be exact, that I last saw them perform in New Orleans. Below, you’ll find a few tasty tidbits of what you can expect from tonight’s show… Fair warning, be ready for a foot-stomping, hooting-and-hollering good time!

MP3: Yonder Mountain String Band – Night Out (Live)
MP3: Yonder Mountain String Band – Out of the Blue (Live)
Amazon Music: Yonder Mountain String Band

While the Saints going to the Super Bowl remains the talk of the town, this week the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation made a bit of news when they announced the daily lineups for this year's Jazzfest. Though the real squabbles won’t begin until the times and stages are announced, there are a few points of interest worth mentioning… none greater that the addition of Dominican megastar Juan Luis Guerra (winner of two Grammys and nine Latin Grammys) to the lineup on Sunday, April 25th. Disappointingly the ultimate anti-icon, spoken-word-soul pioneer Gil Scott Heron will not be leading a revolution at the Fairgrounds this spring. Also, fans of the Band of Horses should plan to head to the Big Easy the first weekend of May (May 1st to be exact)… not the last weekend of April as previously announced. At first glance, I can see a conflict brewing on Saturday, May 1st, where guitar god Jeff Beck and grunge gods Pearl Jam are set to headline. For the full schedule, keep on reading…