New Orleans Jazz at Diana Wortham

ASHEVILLE -- Trombonist Rick Trolsen and his traditional jazz sextet, The New Orleans Po' Boys, will perform at 7 p.m. June 6 at the Diana Wortham Theatre in downtown Asheville. The WNC Jazz Society invited Trolsen and his sextet to perform as part of its 2010 jazz season series after members witnessed a performance by the musicians on Bourbon Street in New Orleans during the French Quarter Festival.

With the help of an Arts and Audiences grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, concert-goers can experience authentic jazz music without the trip to the city that gave the musical genre to the world, New Orleans. All band members are long-time residents of the Crescent City, a prerequisite to capturing genuine "Trad Jazz" spirit.

Band leader Trolsen's trombone blends with other front-line instruments -- such as the trumpet and clarinet -- and then merges with piano, bass and tuba, as well as drums, to create contemporary heat in traditional jazz classics such as "Struttin' With Some Barbeque," "Mahogany Hall Stomp" and "The Royal Garden Blues." Where Y'at, a New Orleans magazine, captured the excitement of a Po' Boys performance: "The feel from the ragtime piano, bass back beat, and rough brassy sound of Trolsen's trombone and the soaked-in-New Orleans sound of entire band make the Po' Boys a can't miss experience."

Trombonist Trolsen has been a fixture on the New Orleans music scene since 1984.
Performing with all varieties of the city's music life, he has demonstrated virtuosity and versatility in many genres, including contemporary and traditional jazz, blues, reggae, big band and show music.

Trolsen has performed or recorded with leading musicians, including The Woody Herman Band, The Dukes of Dixieland, Harry Connick Jr., The Temptations, The O'Jay's, Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow, Bob Hope, Steve Allen, Aretha Franklin, Boz Scaggs, Keely Smith, Dr. John, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Henry Mancini, Rosemary Clooney, Allen Toussaint, Al Hirt, The Four Tops, Doc Severinsen, Johnny Cash, The New Orleans Nightcrawlers and Al Belletto's Big Band.

Master class
Rick Trolsen and the New Orleans Po' Boys will conduct a master class for members of the Youth at Jazz Orchestra, and an open rehearsal and audience discussion beginning at 2:30 p.m. June 4 at the Diana Wortham Theatre.
There will be no charge for admission to these events.

At the Society's pre-concert reception from 6:15 to 7 p.m., audience members are invited to enjoy a sampling of Frankie Bones restaurant's American-Italian cuisine as they offer complimentary tastes of signature items from their lunch and dinner menu as well as specialties from the chef. While there is no charge for these items, donations of cash or food for MANNA food bank will be appreciated. All proceeds will go to MANNA.
Tickets are $25 for members, $35 for non-members and $10 for students with ID under age 25.

To purchase tickets, call 828- 257-4530, visit the box office between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays or visit http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=354. Persons purchasing memberships at concerts will receive discounted admission to the show and for all remaining concerts in 2010. For information, visit http://www.wncjazzsociety.org/.
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