The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Brings New Orleans To Scottsdale

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band are bringing the New Orleans spirit, along with the unstoppable Nathan Williams and the Zydeco Cha-Chas, to Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 11.

The band has been celebrating their love of jazz for more than 40 years since their founding in 1977, when they began showcasing a traditional Crescent City brass band to the people of New Orleans in a joining of two proud, but antiqued, traditions. Social and pleasure clubs date back over a century to a time when the clubs would often provide proper funeral arrangements to Black southerners. Brass bands followed the funeral procession, playing somber tunes, until the family was out of earshot, when they would burst into jubilant dance.

By the time the band was formed in the late 1970s, very few existed, except for the Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club, which assembled its own house band and adopted the venue's name, becoming The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

"This performance will be held just a couple of weeks prior to Mardi Gras, and it will make you wish you had some beads to throw and King Cake to eat," said Gerd Wuestemann, president and CEO of Scottsdale Arts. "Dirty Dozen is a classic NOLA brass band and Nathan and the Cha-Chas is an old-school Zydeco band from Lafayette, Louisiana, my former stomping grounds. This will be one of the most fun shows all year."

The Dirty Dozen's music is a departure from the traditional New Orleans brass band sound, taking that classic foundation of brass band music and incorporating a blend of genres, including bebop jazz, funk and R&B/soul to their tunes. This unique sound, described by the band as "musical gumbo," has allowed the band to tour across five continents and more than 30 countries, record 12 studio albums, and collaborate with a range of artists, from Modest Mouse to Widespread Panic to Norah Jones.

The members of Dirty Dozen Brass Band have become pioneers in the modern New Orleans brass band movement, recognized nationwide, achieving OffBeat Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 and influencing a wide variety of bands, from the Rebirth Brass Band to Wisconsin's Young Brass Band.

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will be joined by Nathan Williams and the Zydeco Cha-Chas. Their music is the expression of a remarkable south Louisiana family. Williams formed The Cha-Chas in 1985, and since then he has brought his unique take on this regional south Louisiana music to all corners of the globe. From Lincoln Center in New York to The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Williams' music has crossed all barriers to speak to the very heart of his audience.

Valley audience members can get their Mardi Gras groove on in person at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale, Arizona. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11. Tickets start at $36. For information, visit ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/events or call 480-499-TKTS (8587).

All guests age 12 and older must provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test, taken within 72 hours of the performance date, along with photo ID to attend performances. As an alternative, guests may provide proof of full vaccination. Masks are highly encouraged to protect artists, staff and patrons. For full health and safety protocols, visit ScottsdalePerformingArts.org/covid-19-response.

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