The Dixie Diehards, the band of New England Yankees with the New Orleans soul, returned to the Marion Art Center on Saturday evening, May 2, performing their brand of authentic big river jazz and blues to a houseful of appreciative music fans. Billed as a Spring Cabaret by the Art Center, the Diehards took the audience on a riverboat ride down the big muddy to New Orleans for an evening of some of the finest Dixieland this side of the Mississippi River or the Mason Dixon Line.  “I’d like to thank all of you Celtic fans for coming out tonight and missing the game,” vocalist Rick Foster told the audience shortly after the band finished their first number then adding, “Oh yes, all of you Red Sox fans too.” Competing against both the Sox and a Celtics playoff game seven, the Diehards held their own on this night in Marion drawing a near capacity crowd for their fourth trip to the Art Center in just over a year. The people who made their way to the corner of Main St. and Pleasant St. on Saturday evening were treated to a nice little evening  on the town, compliments of both the musicians and the venue. The Marion Art Center took reservations for parties of four or more for the tables nearest the stage and allowed patrons to bring their own food and beverages giving the room the feeling of a big city dinner club. The band provided the dessert as they piled on a healthy helping of smoked jazz featuring many popular American  songs from the fi rst half of the twentieth century mixed  together with a few rare chestnuts culled from the traditionof the New Orleans deep and rich musical heritage.  While the Foxboro based band played many of the standards that they have become known for as they have made their way across New England over the last several years, they also gave their listeners something new as they dedicated the second half of their show to the music of Fats Waller much to the delight of the audience. The nine piece ensemble, which includes Marion’s own Bill Kiesewetter on the piano, have become not only a regular part of the jazz circuit in Massachusetts and New England, but have also become great friends of the Marion Art Center, as they have played regular shows there and at the Center’s summer Art in the Park Festival and fundraiser last season.  In addition to the music being played at the Art Center’s play house on Saturday evening, patrons had an opportunity to browse the galleries and take in the MAC’s current show of works by painter Hans Fisher and photographer Dennis Santoro. This outstanding show of medium to large scale works will be on display at the MAC through May 21.

Both the Diehards and the Marion Art Center will be very busy this summer with events planned for nearly every week between now and Labor Day. If you would like to find out more about the band, search for upcoming shows, or hear some of their music, you can go to the group’s website at www.dixiediehards.com.

For those who would like to find out more about the Marion Art Center’s schedule of events, they are open to the public Tuesday through Friday 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM or on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The Art Center is closed each Sunday and Monday. The Art Center can also be found on the Web at: www.marionartcenter.org.

reprinted courtesy of The Wanderer