Frenchmen Street celebrates Jazz, both the old and the new

16th October 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

“It’s one of the few venues that we play where people are really there to dance,” says drummer Gerald French who brings his historic Original Tuxedo Jazz Band to the free Nickel-A-Dance series on Sunday, October 22. “Traditional New Orleans music at one time was strictly for dancing,” he continues. “The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band got its name from the Tuxedo Hall in Storyville and the band was primarily a dance band back in the early 1900. So it’s like bringing the band full circle back to playing for dances.”

Gerald took over leadership of the Tuxedo in 2011 on the retirement of his uncle, drummer and popular WWOZ programmer, Bob French. Bob had become the leader of the group, which was founded in 1910 by cornetist Oscar “Papa” Celestin, on the death of his father and Gerald’s grandfather, banjoist Albert “Papa” French in 1977. Thus, the famed ensemble has now been in the able and respected hands of the French family for three generations.

The present edition of the Tuxedo performing at the Sunday afternoon series at Frenchmen Street’s Mason bar and restaurant, includes French, pianist Larry Sieberth, saxophonist Roderick Paulin, trumpeter Andrew Baham, bassist Richard Moten and vocalist Yolanda Windsay. Some of these musicians might be more familiar to modern jazz fans though as French points out, “Everybody in the band can go in every direction – they’re all very versatile.” When it comes right down to it, to be able to “play it all” is almost a prerequisite for New Orleans jazz musicians who genre jump at ease.

French takes into account the historic reputation of the Original Tuxedo in choosing the repertoire for the Nickel-A-Dance show. “We just play a lot of the older songs that other bands don’t play anymore,” he says naming rarely heard chestnuts like “Fidgety Feet,” and “Over the Waves.” We try to stick to the hard line traditional numbers. We also do some swing kind of stuff too – “A Train” and “Stompin’ at the Savoy” – especially if we have swing dancers in the audience who want get up and do their thing. We kind of switch the music up a little bit.

Adding further diversity, vocalist Windsay, the daughter of veteran singer Topsy Chapman, will step in for two or three selections each set. “She does a broad range of material,” French says mentioning tunes from across the musical spectrum from the old-timey “Make Me a Pallet on the Floor” to the more modern “Fever” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love.”

French, who traveled to Thailand and Japan this summer, heads directly up the street after the 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Nickel-A-Dance gig to play at the nearby Palm Court Jazz Cafe on Decatur Street where the band, led by trumpeter Mark Braud, strikes up at 8 p.m. Every other Sunday, the drummer can be heard at Buffa’s in a trio that features his father, bassist and vocalist George French. Next time up, Sunday, October 29.

Gerald French has performed both as a leader and a sideman at the Nickel-A-Dance series, which began in 1994, many times. He remembers back in the day when it was held at the now-defunct Cafe Brasil and he was behind the drums with clarinetist Michael White.

“Bring your dancin’ shoes,” French recommends. “We’re going to have a good time – we’re going to get down.”

The Nickel-A-Dance series continues on Sunday, October 29, with clarinetist Louis Ford & the New Orleans Flairs and Sunday, November 5, with fretman/vocalist Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Sextet.

Mid-Week Gospel-Tinged Jazz by Guys to Watch

Bassist Grayson Brockamp and the New Orleans Wildlife Band offer a taste of its new, self-titled EP and a sneak preview to more material from it upcoming album, A Dream or a Nightmare, at the Marigny Brassiere on Wednesday, October 18. Though the ensemble at the live gig differs somewhat from the recording, all of the musicians represent those making their respective marks on the jazz scene. Notably, too, is that trumpeter/keyboardist great Nicholas Payton is the co-producer of the EP and springtime release and the recordings appear on his Paytone Records label. Some might recognized Brockamp for his nine-month tenure at the bar area of the Tableau restaurant where he forged a relationship with Payton who was also there weekly at the incredible, now-defunct gig headed by pianist David Torkanowsky. Brockamp is also a member of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO).

Let’s start with the EP and the album to come. It includes Brockamp, his brother-in-law, Mississippi resident vocalist Bailey Hinton and saxophonist/clarinetist Ricardo Pascal all of whom will appear at the Brassiere. Talk about today’s talent, the group also includes the remarkable pianist Shea Pierre, trumpeter Ashlin Parker and drummer Simon Lott. The EP opens with “Got Your Back, Yes Indeed” a spirited and spiritual number the melody of which is, according to Brockamp, well known in the New Orleans gospel community. Unable to find out its name or composer, Brockamp gave it a title and lyrics that are beautifully interpreted by Hinton. Hinton, who also plays piano and will do so at the Brassiere gig, obviously has a rich gospel background though he also displays his adeptness at jazz phrasing as heard on Brockamp’s original “The Night You Never Made It Happen.” Brockamp, Shea and Lott make for an energized and imaginative rhythm section throughout with the horns of Pascal and Parker emphasizing the freedom that jazz allows.

Jamison Ross steps in on drums at the Brassiere Wednesday night. A New Orleans resident, Ross, a Thelonious Monk Institute award-winning drummer doesn’t play in his hometown often because his debut album, the self-titled Concord Jazz CD was such a hit he immediately hit the road. On the release Ross also displayed his superb vocal talents and will be doing some background singing with the Wildlife Band as well. The free performance begins at 7 p.m.

This article originally published in the October 16, 2017 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.