The Dirty Dozen Band and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas shake things up New Orleans style at the McAninch Arts Center at 7 p.m., Sunday, March 6. “The Dirty Dozen Brass Band continues to be a national treasure; steeped in both the past and the present, impossible to categorize and mighty funky,” says The New York Times; and BluesAccess says, “Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas are ready to take the music to the next level.” The festive evening includes Mardi Gras drink specials, beads and more. A free MAC Chat will follow the concert.
The Dirty Dozen Band. Photo courtesy of the McAninch Arts Center
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band features Roger Lewis (Baritone Sax/Vocals), Kevin Harris (Tenor Sax/Vocals), Gregory Davis (Trumpet/Vocals), Kirk Joseph (Sousaphone), TJ Norris (Trombone/Vocals), Julian Addison (Drums) and Takeshi Shimmura (Guitar).
The Dirty Dozen Social Aid and Pleasure Club in New Orleans began in 1977 as a traditional Crescent City brass band. It was a joining of a proud tradition of social aids and pleasure clubs dating back over a century to a time when Black southerners could rarely afford life insurance, and the clubs provided proper funeral arrangements. Brass bands, early predecessors of jazz, would often follow the funeral procession playing somber dirges, then once the family of the deceased was out of earshot, burst into jubilant tunes as casual onlookers danced in the streets. By the late '70s, few of these clubs existed and The Dirty Dozen Social Aid and Pleasure Club decided to assemble this group as a house band.
Today, 45 years later, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is world-famous as the pioneers of the modern New Orleans brass band movement incorporating the traditional foundation of brass band music into a blend of genres including Bebop Jazz, Funk and R&B/Soul. They have toured this unique sound across five continents and more than 30 countries. Additional achievements include 12 studio albums and collaborations with a range of artists from Modest Mouse to Widespread Panic to Norah Jones and The Doobie Brothers.
Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas
Growing up in a Creole-speaking home in St. Martinville, La., band founder Nathan Williams sought out the music of Zydeco originators. Later, while recovering from a serious illness, he decided to dedicate himself to learning the accordion. That dedication blossomed into a successful career and, in 1985, he formed The Cha-Chas. Since then, Williams and the band have shared their unique take on regional South Louisiana music around the world and nationally at esteemed venues including New York’s Lincoln Center, Washington’s Kennedy Center and Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. Nathan’s personal honors include induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and the Zydeco Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Additional band honors include having been voted the top Festival Band in the country, and securing the coveted Big Easy award for Best Zydeco Band for several years running. Nathan and his band have been featured in the New York Times, Essence and People magazines, and on the cover of USA Today. They have worked with artists as diverse as Cindy Lauper, Michael Doucet and Buddy Guy.
In addition to Nathan (accordion/vocals), other members of the band include Dennis Paul Williams (lead guitar, backing vocals), Wayne “Blue” Burns (bass), Allen “Cat Roy” Broussard (alto and tenor saxophones), Gerard St. Julien (drums) and Mark Anthony Williams (rubboard).
Tickets
Mardi Gras Mambo featuring the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas comes to McAninch Arts Center, located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage, 7 p.m. Sunday, March 6. Tickets are $55-$65. For tickets or more information, visit www.AtTheMAC.org or call the MAC Box Office at 630.942.4000. The Box Office is open Tuesday through Sunday, 12 noon to 6 p.m. and one hour prior to performance.
MAC COVID-19 Policy for Seated Events | Effective Jan. 1, 2022
Masks that cover both the nose and the mouth and are required as is proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test (regardless of age).
For the safety of audiences, as well as artists and staff, the MAC will not admit any guests to seated events who do not provide documentation of vaccination as required. Full refunds will be made available to any parties needing to cancel their tickets if these policies cannot be met. All policies, including ticketing and attendance, are subject to change based on evolving guidance from the College, DuPage County Health Department, the State of Illinois and the CDC. As this guidance is rapidly evolving, so may MAC protocols.
About the MAC
McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage is located at 425 Fawell Blvd., 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355. It houses three indoor performance spaces (780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; 186-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; versatile black box Studio Theatre), and outdoor Lakeside Pavilion, plus the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and classrooms for the college’s academic programs. The MAC has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 100,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season. The mission of the MAC is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. Visit www.AtTheMAC.org or www.facebook.com/AtTheMAC for more information.
The MAC’s 2021-2022 Season is made possible in part with support by DoubleTree by Hilton Lisle/Naperville, WDCB 90.9 FM and the College of DuPage Foundation.
Established as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization in 1967, the College of DuPage Foundation raises monetary and in-kind gifts to increase access to education and to enhance cultural opportunities for the surrounding community. For more information about the College of DuPage Foundation, visit www.foundation.cod.edu or call 630.942.2462.
Programs at the MAC are partially supported through a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.