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It was February 12, 2009 when I started following the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. They are marching through nearly 200 dates this year, did the Obama inauguration back in ’09, been to St. Petersburg, Russia, quite the swoop of engagements and I think the trickle down effect is this: brass bands are now sprouting up in strange non-New Orleans places, perhaps across the planet. One proof would be the Black Bottom Brass Band of Osaka, Japan for instance. How my infatuation with them started? I was in the throes of trying to orchestrate horns on my upcoming album and heard the Dirty Dozen were in Seattle, I literally ran over for inspiration. It was an amazing show with Trombone Shorty as their guest – they covered Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On album. When they finished, I bought this new tribute album and went to the stage directly to meet Roger Lewis, affectionately heralded to the audience as “the dirty ol’ man.” Roger is a long, lean baritone saxophone player with a touch of silver in his hair. He greeted me and signed my CD. I thanked him for the great show. How impressive they had 
been! As we chatted further, I let him know I played piano. My specialty was songs of the 1930’s besides writing originals. He then took the CD back and gave me his email and his phone number for when I visited New Orleans again, I could get in touch! That was very endearing. I had just been there a couple months prior, for the first time, and was certainly enamored with their city.
Our paths would cross sooner though. In the summer of ‘09 I was in Montana and there they were again! The Dirty Dozen Brass Band were playing The Filling Station in Bozeman, a midweek pick-up gig that helps get a working band from A to B. I was staying outside of Bozeman, but my brother lived there so I blew into town, with my keyboard of course and as I did, drove by the bar on the eastside of town. Under a baking hot summer sun, the tour bus was already parked at the “Filler” so I thought I’d stop in and say hi to Roger before the show. He was there playing pool and we got reacquainted over a game. This was however the day Michael Jackson was reported dead. Roger solemnly gave me the news, what a dreary dark cloud on that clear day. But we made the best of it conversing about the impact of MJ’s contribution. The bar was isolated on the perimeter of town and the food was just pub 
grub. Roger, world traveler that he is, saw the opportunity to have me drive him somewhere else for better food. He had to sound check first though. In the interim, as Roger took the stage, and I waited to taxi him elsewhere, a soft, warm southern voice came up along side me and I heard, “I’m Gregory Davis.” Slightly startled I said, “Oh! I’m Sheryl, are you playing in the band too?” Now this is hugely funny in retrospect. Gregory Davis is one of the founding members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, which has been touring for 20 years. He answered with a wry smile, “Yes, I play trumpet.” I frowned, “I don’t remember you being in Seattle.” That got him! So it was as if he had to explain his absence to me, before I could take him seriously. So he did, slowly and in great detail. Then Roger returned and without alerting their ranks, they both slipped out the front door with me and into my waiting Volvo station wagon. We went to a Chinese restaurant in Bozeman, really! Where Roger seemed very tired and was kind of quiet, so Gregory explained even more things. Over dinner we realized we seemed to have a lot in common. When we got back to the club they looked at each other and Roger said, “ how we gonna get that keyboard on stage?” I laughed incredulously, “I am so not ready for that Roger!” The stage was already too small for all of them! But it was the thought that counted … that customary New Orleans inclusivity. That night they closed the show, Gregory and Roger, playing on trumpet and baritone saxophone making tribute to Michael Jackson with “Shake Your Body Down to the Ground.” It was a slow jazz funeral and somewhere beyond heart-rending and beautiful.
Since Bozeman, I got to catch up with them last summer on August 14th at the Festival of the River, a Pow Wow on the Stillaguamish River, north of Seattle, where I went prepared to sing Proud Mary, a river song right?! When I asked if they knew it and informed them that I could sing it … (hint, hint) Gregory looked at Roger and then back to me and said, “That isn’t jazz.” Rather dismayed, as I was really mentally prepared to do that song, which I thought was perfect for the event, but they didn’t even know it, because it’s a classic rock song…. I just aimlessly kicked a pebble, bummed a bottle of water and faded to the front to watch them perform. It was 94 degrees that day. When I came backstage after their set, Roger said, “where’d you go?” He was dismayed that I’d disappeared; he had wanted me to dance during his dirty ol man number! Well, I didn’t think they’d do that song with all the kids there! But they did, because they are true to form the “dirty” Dirty Dozen Brass Band! What was I thinking? I was thinking I was gonna sing, but I can dance! Standing there in my Daisy Dukes I felt appreciated. I suddenly felt like Betty Grable who famously said, “There’s only two things that got me here and I am standing on both of them.” So it was quite accidentally, that I did not get on stage. Again!
For Halloween, I flew to New Orleans with the purpose of seeing Art Neville with the New Mastersounds from England, again seeking musical influences as I always do. But I also coordinated getting to the Dirty Dozen’s show at the Lakefront Arena so I could visit Roger and Gregory. They were opening for Widespread Panic. This time I was mentally prepared to dance in my furry brown bunny outfit for “the dirty ol’ man,” but then Gregory reported calmly, they weren’t doing the dirty ol’ man number that night. “What!?” I took off my stripper pumps and put on regular heels. Having just arrived from Pompano Beach, Florida, a few hours before, the whole band was looking burned out. Except for Efrem (trumpet) in his Big Balls Pimp Suit, we both looked pretty ridiculous and certainly brightened up the backstage area a bit because yes the Dirty Dozen Brass Band do appreciate a “well defined” bunny or so Kevin (tenor sax) said. They then went out to a packed arena and rocked their set like they weren’t tired at all! That’s the level of play these fellas are at.
The culmination of my contact with them has been that I have been given assignments, songs to learn. Jelly Roll Morton to study. Roger mandated that I should, “never tell” my age. Roger who has a profound musical history reaching back to playing with Fats Domino, doesn’t look his age and I can not tell you his age, which he did slyly tell me, but now I’ve forgotten. Gregory targets me with hard facts, he seriously says, “Math was my best subject” or “Can you do the math?” or “You could lose a lot of money on that tour.” He teaches a course at Loyola, “Concert, Tour and Venue Management.” So I’ve been asking him a lot of questions about touring. He told me a great story about how in the very beginning of their experiences touring, they got two great paying dates in Los Angeles a week apart, so rather than stay and pay for lodging, they drove out to the first gig and then all the way back to New Orleans, then returned a few days later to Los Angeles. He tells me they could do that drive, New Orleans to Los Angeles in 28 hours. Ever wonder what it takes to make it? Obviously a lot of drivers can help! Gregory has told me that every member of the band has their job to do. They are all partners. Since that L.A. date they’ve toured to all over the U. S., Slovakia, Yugoslavia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Spain, England, Ireland, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, Holland, France, over 30 countries and Bozeman, Montana!
Backstage at the arena gig, Gregory asked me how long I had been coming to their shows? I said, “Well, since I met Roger in Seattle, a year and a half ago.” Gregory laughed. “Why? Didn’t you know about us before then?” I laughed right back, “Well, of course I’d heard of you! But I didn’t really need you guys until NOW because I just started trying to learn how to orchestrate horns!” He mused about how he too was trying to re-orchestrate horns from compositions he’d lost in the flood. “It takes a lot of time.” Their losses are palpable when they speak of Katrina. By the way, I’ve had a major epiphany studying the Dirty Dozen Brass Band: delegate orchestrating horns to the horn players! Because frankly, they do it best!
– Sheryl Diane is a singer-songwriter based in Seattle, Washington. Her upcoming album, Dream Carnival spins with retro soul and wanton carnival allure. It talks up an irreverent American sensibility, mocking the slick sell. It deftly toys with your needs and wants, delivering driving rhythms, swaying horns, and soaring vocals. Record release party’s at Seamonster Lounge 2/18/2011 in Seattle.
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