Join in the Mardi Gras celebration this winter with the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra (1/27)! This upbeat and spirited concert will feature thumping parade brass, plenty of improvisational jazz, and our George Mason University Jazz Faculty will be there to lead the way.
Artistic Director and virtuoso saxophonist Jim Carroll, shares “Our repertoire will feature Bala Com Bala by João Bosco e Aldir Blanc; a nice arrangement of Sonny Rollins St. Thomas; Portrait of Louis Armstrong by Duke Ellington; and two compositions by our own Graham Breedlove. We will also, of course, be playing our traditional in-the-pocket big band charts.”
Mason Jazz Professor Graham Breedlove from Lafayette, Louisiana has a long and personal history with Mardi Gras:
“As a kid growing up in Lafayette, LA. in the heart of ‘Cajun Country,’ Mardi Gras season was always one of my favorite times of the year,” he said. “My hometown of Lafayette has what is generally regarded to be the second largest Mardi Gras celebration in the U.S., behind only New Orleans just down Interstate 10. While the celebration in New Orleans brings in tourists from all over the world, the party in Lafayette is more about the locals. Music is everywhere. Parades featuring local middle school and high school bands go on throughout the day, there are stages set up all over downtown featuring a heavy dose of local Cajun and Zydeco music, and nearly every tailgate party will have something blaring from a set of speakers. Along with the music, the smell of food everywhere is one of my favorite memories. King Cake from Keller’s Bakery, homemade gumbo, crawfish pies, and chicken and sausage jambalaya cooking outdoors in a cauldron so big the cook stirs it with a boat paddle. And yes, there were a few cocktails here and there. I can’t imagine a better place to grow up if you want to be a musician or a chef! The unique, local music and legendary food are unforgettable, and both play an integral part of our annual tradition where people join together to laissez les bon temps rouler, cher!”
Dewberry School of Music’s Jazz Faculty members Juan Megna, Victor Provost, and Darden Purcell will also be on hand for this not-to-be-missed concert. Join in the Mardi Gras merriment on January 27 and grab your tickets today!
