Someone once said to me, “Jon Pult, you’re a sap.” It was after I said that my favorite tune was “A Porter’s Love Song to A Chambermaid.” Furthermore, I continued to say that my favorite line in the tune was “I would be your dishpan if you’d be my dish, we’ll meet after meals dear, what more could you wish.” I stand before you guilty, but at the same time would like to point out that the sweet little number was composed by the great and heralded James P. Johnson with lyrics by the great and unheralded Andy Razaf. I bring this up because I’d like to devote this space to the only band in New Orleans I know that plays the song and sings those wonderful lyrics, the Rites of Swing.
I like the Rites of Swing; they’re a string band and they play really nice music. When asked to describe their sound, Roy Liuzza, who plays guitar and sings replied, “it’s a cross between Django Reinhardt’s Quintette of the Hot Club of France and the Country Bear’s Jamboree.” It’s an apt description. Certainly each member is an accomplished musician, but their approach in this context is generous, spirited, and joyous. Attending a performance by the Rites of Swing is kind of like going to a house party, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the band has an easy rapport with the audience. Vocals are spread around and always pleasant. But what’s most appealing about the Rites of Swing, is that it feels like you have gone to a house party where the host has a really great record collection, and he wants to share it with everyone.
And what sort of music is in that collection? The Rites of Swing concentrate on the popular music of the 1930s, of the period just before the big bands came to the fore, but with the twang associated with a string band. Their varied book includes such pop gems as “I Would Do Most Anything for You,” “My Walking Stick,” and the ever lovely “Chasing Shadows,” to Hawaiian numbers (the popular “Hula Medley” includes “On the Beach at Waikiki” a personal favorite), and western tunes like “Boots and Saddle.”
Not only is this band one of the most tasteful in terms of material, they are perhaps the most erudite musical aggregation in town. They count among their members three attorneys, Ed Newman, the who plays ukulele, tiple (pronounced tee’ play, a ten string super uke), mandolin, tenor guitar and sings, Gilbert Buras, who plays guitar and sings, and Rick Perles (for many years a member of the New Orleans Klezmer All Stars) who plays the violin and doesn’t sing and a Tulane English professor, the aforementioned Liuzza, who recently published a new verse translation of Beowulf, and who in his younger days toured New Zealand as part of a “Pub Rock” duo. Their ringer is bassist Tim Paco, he’s a full time musician who tours the country with big bands, plays with Johnny Angel, a host of traditional jazz musicians including Jack Maheau, and was an original member and musical force of Egg Yolk Jubilee.
Their fondness for the music which comprises their varied repertoire served as the genesis for the formation of the Rites of Swing. Newman, Buras and Liuzza were members of The Bad Oyster Band which specialized in music associated with Jug Bands of the early part of this century. After awhile, the three wanted to indulge their interest in 1930s pop and jazz oriented material rather than jug band staples preferred by the Bad Oyster Band’s leader, bassist Dr. Frank Cole. In 1996 the Rites of Swing sprung, first as a trio, and then supplemented by the bass playing photographer Kerry McCafferty, Bad Oyster/good violinist Nancy Butler, and on guitar and melodica the writer Tom Piazza. The present line-up, with Paco and Perles, debuted at the Maple Leaf in September of 1997.
Over the past years the band has had a popular and long running engagement at the Column’s Hotel, appeared at Donna’s, Cafe Brasil among many other venues around town. The Rites of Swing are a staple at the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, providing food themed music to the annual New Orleans Cooks and Books panel, where they dish up a delicious batch of tunes (!) such as “When I take My Sugar To Tea, “You’re Not the Only Oyster in the Stew,” “The Rump Steak Serenade,” and Danny Barker’s “Save the Bones for Henry Jones.”
Even with their busy schedules in the courtroom and the lecture hall, the band manages to fit in a weekly rehearsal. This month, the fruits of their musical labors will be featured on Sunday, June 18 at the Cafe Brasil, and on Saturday, June 24 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Pontchartrain Vineyards, just north of Covington at 81250, Hwy 1082. This performance is part of the Jazz’n the Vines series of outdoor concerts at the Vineyard that will take place on the second and fourth Saturday of each month through October. There is a $5.00 cover charge, and folks are encouraged to bring a blanket and a picnic dinner. The vineyard will be selling their 4 varieties of white wine as well as their red by both the glass and bottle. For more information you can call the winery at 504-892-9742, or visit their website at www.pontchartrainvineyards.com.
Briefly noted: In this space in April I mentioned a singer at the El Matador that went by the name “Mad Dog.” Turns out his real name is Donald Waites and according to posters around town he’s looking for a band. Please remember, you read about “Mad Dog” here first. Also regarding the Matador, band leader Kevin Clark is not only handy with a trumpet, turns out he’s also handy with a hammer, as is his wife Meg. They were awarded the highest honor from the City of New Orleans’ Historic Districts Landmark Commission for the renovation and restoration of their Algiers Point home. Good work.
Jon Pult can be reached via e-mail by typing [email protected].
