Dixieland/New Orleans-style jazz in the Boston area?

February 15, 2016 9:29 AM

Where can I hear Dixieland/New Orleans-style jazz in the Boston area? Dunno if I'm using the right terms - it's the jazz I hear on the show Treme, in Somerville's Honk! parade, and at Mardi Gras parties and parades.
posted by cadge to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

Another good term to look up is trad/traditional jazz.

Boston Swing Central occasionally has live bands, and these are even more occasionally traditional jazz bands. It's worth checking them out intermittently to see who'll be playing there.

It's a one-time event, but Trombone Shorty (who was in Treme) and Sharon Jones are on tour and they'll be in Mansfield and Bangor over the summer.
posted by ChuraChura at 10:26 AM on February 15, 2016

Keep an eye out for Soggy Po Boys - they play a lot around the Seacoast (they'll be at The Press Room in Portsmouth on 3/3), and make it down to Boston on occasion. I was having dinner with a friend from New Orleans across the street from one of their shows one night and she dragged me into the dance hall, exclaiming how it sounded like home, and forced me to have an unexpected and fabulous time dancing the rest of the night away.
posted by amelioration at 12:20 PM on February 15, 2016

You'll also want to look out for "brass bands" and "New Orleans funk."
posted by radioamy at 2:16 PM on February 15, 2016

Look out for popular New Orleans bands that tour nationally. I'll throw out some that come to the top of my head:

Anders Osborne (he's on tour right now)
Galactic (on tour soon)
Rebirth Brass Band tours a bit
Dirty Dozen Brass Band tours a bit too
posted by radioamy at 2:21 PM on February 15, 2016

You can hear (and play) New Orleans-style brass & percussion music every Sunday from 3-5pm with School of HONK in Somerville. I've been playing with them for a few months, and it is super fun. We generally spend the second hour parading and playing in the streets.

You mentioned the HONK! festival that happens in Somerville/Cambridge in mid-October every year. There's a list of bands who've played the fest here. I'm personally a fan of the What Cheer? Brigade and Emperor Norton.
posted by acridrabbit at 5:04 PM on February 15, 2016

This is great! Thanks!
posted by cadge at 5:15 PM on February 16, 2016