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The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Brought the Sound of New Orleans to Cheekwood Estate & Gardens in Nashville
by Rich and Laura Lynch
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is an accredited historical park located in Nashville, Tennessee that was the former residence of Mabel and Leslie Cheek. Among its many highlights is the mansion which is now a museum surrounded by cultivated gardens and natural beauty which includes large scale sculptures. It is a scenic and serene spot to spend the day but wait there is even more to explore at this estate which frequently presents art exhibits, live music and themed events.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band take the stage on the Great Lawn at Cheekwood.
Jazz Under the Stars and Art gave us two very good reasons to visit Cheekwood on July 19, 2024. During the day we checked out Thomas Dambo's TROLLS: Save the Humans which featured six young yet rather large trolls who are enjoying the wonders of Cheekwood through September 1st. They are in Tennessee to encourage humans to reconnect with nature and take better care of the earth.
At night was Jazz Under the Stars starring The Dirty Dozen Brass Band who are celebrating 45 years of cooking up their flavorful "musical gumbo" that blends bebop, funk, jazz and R&B. Also, on the bill was the well-respected Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra. Ryan who is a composer and player is also the Director of Jazz Studies at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band brought their big jazz band stylings to Music City.
There was a sizable stage set up on the lawn at Cheekwood along with plenty of space for people to plant their blankets and chairs. Adult and soft drinks were available. Plus, a lot of food trucks from some of Nashville's most popular establishments were on site including the Loveless Cafe. Of course, the main draw of the evening was music. First up the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra who took up most of the space on stage as they had lots of horn players along with a rhythm section and guitars.
The mission of the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra is to create high quality music, collaborate within and across musical genres, and educate the community about the diverse music called jazz. Mission accomplished at Cheekwood with a program of complex compositions packed with soaring solos.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band brought their big jazz band stylings to Music City.
During their set Ryan introduced those featured and shared some insights about the pieces that they performed. The first two were more traditional whereas "Sorry, Not Sorry" as explained was an 80's montage and "Don't Push" had elements of gospel melding with jazz tones. The Orchestra delivered an engaging experimental live performance.
Grammy-winning, genre-defying New Orleans icons - The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - were up next. Gregory Davis (vocals/trumpet) greeted the crowd and encouraged them to come closer so quite a few people moved to the front of the stage to dance to the good time grooves of the group.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band invited fans to get up off of their lawn chairs and dance.
Despite a few technical difficulties they presented a feisty and fun set that included "I'm Walkin'"(Fats Domino) along with expansive instrumentals and plenty of opportunities for fans to clap and sing along. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band lived up to their legend of presenting an energized, genre-bending show that left folks smiling.
Jazz Under the Stars is one of many musical events that Cheekwood has hosted. Upcoming concerts include the Black Arts Bash on August 17, 2024, Songwriters Under the Stars and Bluegrass Under the Stars scheduled for September 06, 2024. Also, Thursday Night Out (5:30-9:00 pm) which runs through October invites guests to sample specialty beers, cocktails and bites from popular food and drink companies including Cafe 29. An eclectic lineup of music is also part of the festivities. Please visit Cheekwood's website for more information on art, concerts, special events, the gardens and more.
The Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra got the large crowd warmed up and ready for the headliner.
Related Links:
For more information on the DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -
Dirty Dozen Brass Band |
Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra |
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens |
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens Sets Up a Whimsical Trail Full of Trolls in Nashville
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