Die Botschafter aus New Orleans kennen sich schon lange aus verschiedenen Gruppen der Südstaaten-Metropole. Als aber George Gruntz, langjähriger Leiter des JazzFests Berlin, für eine spezielle Produktion eine Mardi-Gras-Band aus New Orleans suchte, rief er seinen Freund Matt Perrine an. Dieser trommelte einige seiner besten Freunde zusammen. Geboren waren die Ambassadors of New Orleans. Die Ambassadors verstehen sich als Botschafter des reichhaltigen musikalischen Erbes von New Orleans: Mardi-Gras-Brassfunk trifft auf Blues trifft auf Jazz trifft auf Cajun trifft auf....
Das ist kein museales Herunterleiern von repräsentativen Standards, sondern witzig-fröhliches Musizieren auf höchstem Niveau mit eigenen Kompositionen und Klassikern. Die gute Laune steckt an und fährt in die Beine.
Der bekannteste Vertreter der Ambassadors ist der Sousaphonist Matt Perrine, der seit Jahren in Ray Andersons Pocket Brass Band durch Europa tourt. Er legt als einer der weltbesten Sousaphonisten unterstützt von einer packenden Rhythmussektion einen treibenden Bassbeat, über den die weiteren Bläser brillieren. Rick Trolsen brachte sich das Posaunenspiel selber bei, bevor er noch Musik studierte und während drei Jahren in einer US-Navy-Band spielte. Später blieb er in New Orleans hängen und ist heute aus der lokalen Musikszene nicht mehr wegzudenken. Tenorsaxophonist Brent Rose hingegen ist in New Orleans geboren und studierte hier an der Universität Musik. Eric Lucero, gebürtiger Mexikaner, kam nach New Orleans, um bei Elis Marsalis Musik zu studieren. Seither lebt er dort und arbeitet in zahlreichen Bands aller musikalischer Richtungen. Die Schlagzeuger Caytanio Hingle und Kerry Hunter schliesslich wuchsen in der Mitte von New Orleans auf und gehören heute zu den gefragtestens Musiker der Szene.
THE AMBASSADORS OF NEW ORLEANS:
Matt ‘Tubop’ Perrine – sousaphone
Rick ‘Neslort’ Trolsen – trombone
Eric Lucero – trumpet
Jason Mingledorff – tenor sax
Kerry ‘Fatman’ Hunter – snare drum
Cayetanio Hingle – bass drum
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MATT PERRINE
Born and raised in Sacramento, CA, Matt Perrine began his musical career, modestly enough, at the age of 10, playing trombone in his school band. At the age of 11 he began playing tuba with his fi rst Dixieland band. By 12 he had taken up the electric bass, and started writing arrangements for his group. By the ripe old age of 15 he had picked up the acoustic bass and begun composing his own pieces, as well as writing big band arrangements. It wasn‘t long before his skills and drive brought him work with professionals in the Sacramento area and the opportunity to work with Jessica Williams, Diane Shure, Joey Calderoza, and the Artie Shaw Orchestra. Matt‘s move to New Orleans was an obvious choice, steeped as he was in jazz and dixieland. Since his arrival in 1992, he has crossed many musical boundaries. A triple threat, excelling on upright bass, acoustic bass and sousaphone, his reputation as a consummate musician has opened doors into almost every genre in the New Orleans musical arena. On electric bass his prowess extends from rock and roll to reggae to avantgarde and fusion with bands like The Fifth Dimension, Sista Teedy and Cool Riddums, Loose Strings, Aaron and Charles Neville, Jason Marsalis and Neslort. He is a fi rst call jazz player on upright bass, whether it‘s swing, latin, traditional or be-bop, with world renowned artists like Elis and Branford Marsalis, Lillian and John Boutee, Kermit Ruffi ns, The Johnny Vidacovich Trio, the Danza Quartet featuring Tom McDermott and Evan Christopher, Henry Butler and Leigh „Li‘l Queenie“ Harris. All these accolades aside, it is on sousaphone where Matt‘s abilities and imagination soar. Noted as a „virtuoso sousaphone player“ by Downbeat magazine, Matt‘s work on sousaphone has kept him busy, at home and abroad. In 1995 he co-founded The New Orleans Nightcrawlers, acting as tubist, chief composer and arranger, as well as producer of their fi rst eponimously titled recording and co-producer of their third, Live at the Old Point. Combining brass band, jazz and funk elements, the Nightcrawlers have garnered local awards, toured domestic and European festival circuits and produced three recordings which sell internationally. In 1997 Matt brought his talents to the table for the fi rst solo recording by Galactic drummer, Stanton Moore. Joining forces with Stanton and progressive guitarist Charlie Hunter, All Kooked Out is receiving worldwide acclaim and distribution. On the funk front, Matt lends his horn to a longtime musical mainstay of the New Orleans music scene, All That. Acting as the sole bass instrument in a funk / brass-band / hip-hop format, an octave pedal and bass amplifi er turn the sousaphone into a sonic atom bomb. Equally comfortable in an acoustic environment, in 1998 Matt began work with trombone legend Ray Anderson, touring the world and recording with „Ray Anderson‘s Pocket Brass Band“ on the Enja label. The Sydney Morning Herald said this: „It was a revelation that the mighty sousaphone could be played so dexterously. Perrine huffed and puffed great, fat funk lines, slid easily into be-bop walking bass and made solos that could describe yearning as readily as beefy effervescence.“ From traditional jazz and dixieland to brassband to the occasional rock and roll foray, Matt and his tuba have seen work with the likes of New Orleans legend Pete Fountain, Bonerama, Better Than Ezra, Bruce Hornsby, Nicholas Payton and Howard Johnson‘s tuba ensemble, Gravity. All of this has not gone unnoticed, either creatively or academically. In the states and abroad, Matt has acted as a teacher, from private to specialized college level classes and clinics. In New Orleans he participates in the Young Audiences Program, bringing special musical presentations to grade school children in an interactive environment. Before his move to New Orleans he worked in a similar program doing presentations and classes through much of northern California. For 7 years Matt was on staff of the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society Jazz Camp, taking responsibility for private lessons on tuba and bass as well as ensemble lessons in arranging, theory and performance. He‘s been repeatedly commissioned by Copenhagen‘s Rhythmik Music Conservatory to give academic and performance clinics on brass band music. He‘s brought the same program of study to the Conservatory‘s sister school in Aahus, Denmark as well. On the home front, Matt has also taught in the music studies program at the University of New Orleans under the direction Elis Marsalis and still accommodates private students.
His compositions and arranging accomplishments, while not as high profi le as performance credits, are broad and expansive as well. His original compositions can be heard on all three New Orleans Nightcrawlers records as well as All Kooked Out with Stanton Moore and ...Now Get Out with Guitar Vic and the Slicktones. His musical arrangements, spanning the gamut from jazz standards to original rock and roll can be heard on: Pledge to my People, -Cool Riddums and Sista Teedy; Jubilee , -Stan Mark; Louisianthology, -Tom McDermott; Club Deuce, -Johnny Angel; The Whop Boom Bam, -All That; ... Now Get Out, -Guitar Vic and the Slicktones; New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Funknicity, Live at the Old Point, -The New Orleans Nightcrawlers; Greyhound Afternoons, - Royal Fingerbowl; House of Secrets, Polychrome Junction, - Leigh Harris; Live at the Old Point,-Bonerama, Today, Matt travels internationally with the New Orleans based band, Tin Men, in which he plays the sousaphone. In this band, Matt is joined by songwreiter/guitarist/vocalist Alex McMurray, and Washboard phenom „Washboard Chaz“ Leary. The Tin Men‘s fi rst release, „Supergreat Music for Modern Lovers“, was nominated by the Big Easy Awards comitee for Album of the Year. When in town, Matt also continues to play in the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Tin Men, Bonerama, the Danza Quatet, the Hot Club of New Orleans, as well as many other local bands.
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Rick Trolsen
Largely self-taught, Rick began playing trombone at the age of twelve. After studying with Phil Wilson at Berklee College of Music, he volunteered three years of duty with the U.S. Navy Band, stationed in New Orleans. Upon his „discharge“ he quickly fell into good company, and was adopted as a regular call sideman in town. From 1991 to 1998 he led the jazz/rock group „Neslort“ as a vehicle for his original compositions. A perennial favorite for 4 consecutive years at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, „Neslort“ featured some of the fi nest musicians in town, and has recorded 2 CDs. His latest release, Gringo Do Choro was Recorded in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and features primarily Choro music from the early part of the 20th century, with a few Bossas and Sambas thrown in. As a freelance trombonist Rick has enjoyed featured performances with all walks of the local music life, and has proved Rick to be versatile and at ease with contemporary and traditional jazz, blues, reggae, big bands, show music, avante garde, and club dates. Performances and/or recordings include The Broadway show “Chicago”, Dr. John, Clarence ”Gatemouth” Brown, Earl King, Marva Wright, Allen Toussaint, Al Hirt, The Dukes of Dixieland, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Henry Mancini, Rosemary Clooney, Black Top Records, Stan Musial, The Woody Herman Band, The Temptations, Al Grey, Barry Manilow, Bob Hope, Steve Allen, Aretha Franklin, Boz Scaggs, The Four Tops, Doc Severinsen, Johnny Cash, Harry Connick Jr., The CAC Jazz Orchestra directed by Ellis Marsalis, Johnny Adams, Eddie Louiss, as well as many gigs he’d rather not mention.
Other Honors Musicians for Music Louisiana Jazz Composers Award and Grant 1993 Southern Arts Jazz Federation Jazz South Radio. Selected to appear on two compilation CDs and to be interviewed on their internationally syndicated radio broadcasts in recognition of the recording’s Mother’s Call (1995) and Martian Circus Waltz (1998) Offbeat Magazine’s Awards recipient 1998 New Orleans Magazine’s Jazz All Star 1998 Adjunct instructor University of New Orleans 1998
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Jason Mingledorff
A graduate of the University of New Orleans Jazz Studies Program, Jason Mingledorff has played with a wide variety of bands in and out of town. In addition to the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Jason has toured with country artist Clint Black, bluesman Mem Shannon, and funksters Galactic and Smilin‘ Myron. He has also performed with The Band, The O‘Jays, and The Four Tops. Jason has also established himself as an arranger, writing for the Shim Shammettes Revue, Vic Shepherd and the Slicktones, and Johnny Angel and the Swingin‘ Demons.
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Eric Lucero (Trumpet)
A native of New Mexico via California, Eric Lucero arrived in New Orleans to study Jazz at the University of New Orleans with Ellis Marsalis. For more than ten years following this arrival Eric has gone on to perform in a wide array musical styles and bands that New Orleans has to offer. Currently he is working with the hard hitting Latin Jazz sextet Otra, Blues and zydeco of ‚Sunpie‘ Barnes, the modern jazz orchestra The Naked Orchestra, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra lead by Irvin Mayfi eld. Along with these bands he is also one of the top calls for the work in New Orleans playing in street parades, partys as well as studio work. Also leads his own band ‚Electric People‘ that includes all of the styles that New Orleans serves up from street beats to brazilian music, to reggae, salsa, mordern jazz and Mexican music. And now you can hear his trumpet with the Ambassadors of New Orleans.
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Cayetano „Tanio“ Hingle (Band Leader / Bass Drum)
Tanio grew up in the Seventh Ward of New Orleans. At the age of nine, he began playing the snare and bass drums at Covert Elementary School. While Tanio is strongly infl uenced by traditional players such as Lionel Batiste and Benny Jones, he also enjoys playing a more funky, up-tempo style. He has played with The Bucketman Brass Band, The Allstars and The Jr. Olympia Brass Band.
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Kerry „Fat Man“ Hunter (Snare Drum)
Kerry grew up in the Seventh Ward of New Orleans. He started playing the snare drum in the seventh grade at Colton School. As a baby, Kerry would beat on everything he could get his hands on around the house. He and his little pals would mimic the second line bands in the streets. „Fat Man“ is a member of Tambourine and Fan, a community second line club that introduces young kids to the New Orleans cultural traditions. Kerry played with the Jr. Olympia Brass Band under Milton Batiste before joining The New Birth Brass Band at the age of 18.
