The Orion Online

Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: Online Exclusives

Nov. 13, 2008

As darkness begins to fall earlier and earlier, crowds shuffled quietly into Laxson Auditorium in anticipation of a lively jazz performance.

Chico Performances continued its tradition of delivering high quality entertainment from all corners of the globe. With the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the cajun and creole culture was the center of attention.

The premise behind the eight piece band's live set was simple: relax, close one's eyes, and imagine oneself in New Orleans in the 1940s. The rich cultural diversity, the broad cultures and the sweet smells, sans the swamp. All of this should swirl in one's mind while enjoying this group.

Dan DeWayne did his usual job of emcee for the night, giving the audience a slight glimpse of one of the night's major themes.

"The first word that comes to mind is 'uplifting,'" DeWayne said

During the band's first 45-minute set, that theme became quite apparent. Songs about love, home and family consistently stressed the power of positivity.

The group has a storied history, with the original line-up having been formed more than 45 years ago. Now one of the original member's kin has continued the band.

Of the eight members, some have had 40 or more years of musical experience, while some even carried the title of third and fourth generation New Orleans jazz musicians.

The band hit the stage donning suits and ties, dressed quite honestly for a night of fun and festivity.

The members of the band all took turn soloing and singing, each adding a little something unique to the set. Often times, duets dueled with their instruments in hand, giving the audience something to clap and dance to.

Given Laxson Auditorium's wide spaces between the seating and the side walls, a few younger couples took the opportunity to dance. As soon as the first song started, two different couples began swing dancing with full force.

One of the jubilant concert goers, Danielle Marden, explained how nice it was to go to a show where one can get up and groove.

"It's torture to hear the music and not be able to dance," the former student said.

Her male dancing counterpart, Bryant Bingham, said that they knew that this style of music was going to be on display and looked forward to having a good time at the show.

The band was amiable as could be, telling jokes in between songs and casting aside all ambitions by dancing and having no fear of looking foolish.

Band leader Ben Jaffe joked with the crowd, asking how many were from the South. After getting a pretty strong response, he followed with a simple question.

"Is there anywhere good to eat around here?" the tuba player asked.

The blaring of brass from the stage culminated in a group project of sorts. During the classic "When the Saints Go Marching In," the band began walking through the audience, leading a sort of Mardi Gras congo line up and down the aisle. It ended in the inclusion of a couple dozen audience members being brought up to the stage to join in the fun.

Couples danced, people cheered, and everyone had a great time.

Playing old favorites may seem niche, but in fact it is important to the very nature of a band that originated from the roots of New Orleans jazz. To play anything else would be uncharacteristic and unfulfilling.

For people interested in the band's studio outputs, the contribution of Galactic's drummer Stanton Moore should pique the interest of younger jazz fans. If the live performance was any measurement of the group's refined outputs, there is something for everyone to enjoy with this classic group.

Jesse Seilhan can be reached at
jseilhan@theorion.com

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