Agent: Tom Gold
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A Musical Journey to the Birthplace of Jazz in 1920s New Orleans
The Squirrel Nut Zippers Jazz from the Back ‘O Town show is an intriguing look at the birth of Jazz, focused on the prodigious musical neighborhood of New Orleans called Back ‘O Town. From the late 19th century through the Roaring 20s, New Orleans’ Back O’ Town neighborhood was the most “happening” part of a generally “happening” town, boasting a concentration of saloons, social halls, dance clubs, and vaudeville theaters- the sweaty drinking dens that would become the birthplace of early jazz. This place in time encapsulates the multicultural melting pot that was, and still is, America, and the intense creative forces that gave rise to jazz, rhythm and blues, and ultimately rock and roll. With their Jazz From The Back O’ Town show, The Squirrel Nut Zippers present a delightful view into this magical era with reverent yet exciting renditions of such seminal NOLA classics as Jelly Roll Morton’s “Animule Ball,” Louis Armstrong’s “Back O’ Town Blues,” as well as favorites from their own catalog adapted and arranged to more closely echo the sounds of 1920s New Orleans. Throughout the show, the band offers humorous, insightful musings on both the musical history of one of America’s most fascinating cities and the stories and inspirations behind many of the Zippers’ most beloved songs. Jazz From The Back O’ Town provides a uniquely historic look at the origins of Jazz and the evolutions of the Squirrel Nut Zippers music over the course of their career, highlighting the role 1920s New Orleans music has played in forming and shaping their sound. Performed in era appropriate attire, but not so much a period piece as a living peek-behind-the-curtain of inspiration and celebration. The Platinum selling group has sold over three million albums to-date, with their watershed album, Hot (1996), making them a household name. Recorded in the heat of New Orleans, fueled by a smoldering mix of booze and a youthful hunger to unlock the secrets of old-world jazz, this pivotal release was just the beginning for the band. Since then, SNZ has unveiled such hits as Beasts Of Burgundy (2018), which debuted at #4 on the Billboard Jazz Albums Chart, and Christmas Caravan (1998), which went on to sell a quarter of a million copies and reach #12 on the Billboard Holiday Albums chart. Their most recent record Lost Songs of Doc Souchon debuted in late 2020. It featured 10 tracks – a combination of newly-penned Zippers songs, along with a few tunes from past times – and has received acclaim from fans and critics alike.