Benny Jones Sr., the renowned snare drummer for the Treme Brass Band and founder of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, will serve as king of the 2022 krewedelusion parade. The satirical Carnival parading organization will return to the streets with its 12th-annual procession on Saturday, February 12, after a year’s hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Jones has previously been honored as the grand marshal for the Sudan Social Aid and Pleasure Club, but he has never served as king of a parade.
“I know about krewedelusion and I’m very honored to have been chosen to be the next ruler,” said Jones. “I want to make everyone happy and feel good and I’ve tried to do that through music my whole life. I’ve played for thousands of parades and danced in dozens—so let’s hope for good weather! Everyone come out and enjoy The Night of Delusion.”
Jones grew up under the tutelage of his father, the late Chester Jones Sr. of the Onward Brass Band. The younger Jones played bass and snare drums with Onward and learned from jazz greats as Danny Barker, Shannon Powell, Herlin Riley, Zigaboo Modeliste, Placide Adams, Harold Dejan, Earnest Watson and Dave Bartholomew. In 1977, Jones founded the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, a group that revolutionized the New Orleans brass band style by incorporating funk and bebop into the traditional New Orleans jazz style. A traditionalist at heart, he later founded the Tremé Brass Band thus becoming a major influence both in the evolution and preservation of traditional New Orleans brass band music. He is among the founding members of the Black Men of Labor, who will join the krewedelusion parade for the first time.
In a press release, krewe captain Oscar Diggs noted that Jones’ longtime association with the Dirty Dozen was an intentional numeric match for the krewe’s 12th parade. “Benny is one of those rare New Orleans gentlemen whose life personifies both the preservation of his cultural traditions and the duty to guide the generational evolution of those traditions,” said Diggs. “Benny Jones leads the band. Benny Jones dances in the streets. And as our King Goliath, he shall be a role model for us all!”
As part of their mission “to save the Universe,” since its inception krewedelusion has put the “green” in purple, green and gold by using “mule-free, fuel-free” hand-operated floats, forbidding the use of plastic beads, and encouraging revelers to offer handmade throws crafted from naturally abundant or recycled materials.
Membership remains open to all and krewedelusion encourages the creation of new innerkrewes. For more information on dues and other details, visit here or email [email protected].
The krewedelusion parade will be the final parade on the night of February 12, beginning at approximately 7:15 p.m. on a route that begins in the Faubourg Marigny and proceeds through the French Quarter. A post-parade ball will also be held though the location has yet to be announced.
