Swamp Donkey Speakeasy
“Young
devotees whose balance of spunk and funk keeps the heart of traditional jazz
beating.” ~ The New Yorker
On May 26th, the spirit of New Orleans will
blow in from the south and take the Valley by storm. If you’ve ever set foot on
Frenchman Street after dark, you know what I’m talking about; that
foot-stomping, hip-shaking, musical vitality that seems to emanate from the
cobblestone streets of the Crescent City.
Help us welcome the Swamp Donkeys to the fertile banks of the
Connecticut River, just beyond the bend, in the Big Easthampton. Join us for
two evenings of utter exuberance at the New City Brewery, where we’ll revel in
traditional jazz, Creole gumbo, and the Brewmaster’s finest handcrafted
libations (ginger-mint julep, anyone?).
The Swamp Donkeys channel hot jazz from the Dixieland era,
which was better know as “Jass” in the speakeasies of the 1920’s. The all-star
cast demonstrates deep reverence for the forms and sounds of the era while
bringing youthful energy and modern sensibilities to their repertoire. The band
is led by James Williams, who evokes the great Satchmo in his vocal styling,
backed by the polyphonic sounds of the tuba, trombone, trumpet and banjo.
The Donkeys recently won the Battle of the Bands at the 2016
French Quarter Fest (video here), adding to the list of prominent
performances that have earned them international acclaim over the last year:
Megève Jazz Festival, Monte Carlo Sporting Summer Fest, Red Cross Gala of
Monaco, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, New
Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Ascona Jazz Festival, Vitoria-Gasteiz
Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott’s, The Blue Note, The Hamilton, Ginny’s, BB King’s,
Cliff Bell’s, dba, The Spotted Cat, Howlin’ Wolf, The Red Rooster, and The
Cutting Room.