Brass band gets down and dirty

Fans of the funk were given a real treat Monday night when jazz veterans the Dirty Dozen Brass Band brought their unique style of groovy, hip-shakin' bebop to the Bluebird Nightclub, 216 N. Walnut St.\nFormed more than 20 years ago in New Orleans, the DDBB has helped revive the city's brass band tradition, started by such legends as Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong. Indeed, New Orleans is known for great parties and great music, and the DDBB create both with their live shows.\nThroughout their illustrious career, they have performed with artists such as Miles Davis, Elvis Costello and the Grateful Dead, and the band appears on Widespread Panic's new live release, Another Joyous Occasion.\nFor the show Monday, the lineup consisted of a guitar, drums and a full horn section, including a trumpet, tenor sax, baritone sax, trombone and a sousaphone, which resembles a tuba and produces the bass melodies for traditional brass band music.\nFrom the start of their 10-song set until the encore, the DDBB packed each jam with a high level of energy, making it virtually impossible to sit still. Even the band members couldn't resist, taking advantage of each other's solos to dance. \nDuring the jams, members of the horn section also played percussive instruments like the tambourine and various cowbells. \nWhile most solos were carried out by the horns, several songs featured guitarist James McLean. His funky guitar riffs were a definite plus to the upbeat, jazzy sound of the horns. \nA standout from the horn section was sousaphone player Julius McKee, who was dwarfed by the enormous instrument perched on his left shoulder. His bass lines were consistently groovy and easy to dance to, adding the deepest flavor of funk to the mix.\nThe set featured the original tune "Dead Dog in the Street" and Louis Jordan's "Run Joe" from the band's 1999 release, Buck Jump, produced by John Medeski of Medeski, Martin and Wood.\nDuring "Run Joe," a tune laced with a hint of calypso, the band showed us the "uncensored Dirty Dozen," inviting girls on stage to dance. \nThe crowd went wild as the band members danced with the audience members.\nTo close the set, the band first played a triumphant rendition of "The Saints Go Marching In," in honor of their hometown hosting Super Bowl XXXVI. During the tune, trombone player Sammie Williams joined non-student Kristin Miller on the dance floor for a 22nd birthday dance and solo.\nAs they finished the song, the show appeared to be over, but McLean began to strum a riff from the Stevie Wonder tune "Superstition." The band quickly followed suit, capping the night off with a true, crowd-pleasing funk classic.