The night the Weweantic River filled in as the understudy for the mighty Mississippi and the Marion Art Center was transformed into Preservation Hall as the Dixie Diehards brought their brand of New Orleans Jazz to the Center for an evening of great Dixieland music on Saturday night, April 26. The band played several hours worth of early twentieth century jazz standards and classics to a packed house in the group's second appearance at the old Unitarian Church on the corner of Main and Pleasant Streets.

"We'd like to take you on a trip down to New Orleans, Louisiana," vocalist Rick Foster told the audience, drawing out the vowels of the name like a native Cajun so that it sounded more like New Awww-leans, Looo-see-anna. The audience was more than happy to go along for the ride as they sang and clapped along with each number throughout the evening. As he strutted in place while crooning along to the tunes being played by the band, Mr. Foster was every bit the Dixieland Jazz singer. At times his enthusiasm for both the music being played and the audience he was singing for became so animated one could imagine him producing a fringed parasol and leading the entire group out into the streets of Marion in a Mardi Gras-style parade.

On the Cover:  Members of the lively Dixie Diehards brought their brand of New Orleans Jazz to the Marion Art Center for an evening of great Dixieland music on Saturday night, April 26.  The band played for several hours worth of early twentieth century jazz standards and classics to a packed house in the group's second appearance at the facility on the corner of Main and Pleasant Stretts.  If you would like to find out more about the band or hear some of their music, you can go to the group's website at www.dixiediehards.com. (photos by Robert Chiarito ) Return to Home Page

The Dixie Diehards are a group of jazz enthusiasts who love the music that they play. On Saturday evening the catalogue they drew from began in the early 1900s with the newest songs being written in the '40s. This does not mean, however, that they are on a nostalgia trip. Far from it, this band lives and breathes the music of Old New Orleans just as the young musicians in the streets and clubs of that fair city do each time they play. Playing off one another and sharing the spotlight, these are pure musicians who would probably be playing with one another even if there were no audience. Thankfully on this night, however, there was not just an audience but a fevered crowd of equally enthusiastic jazz lovers, clapping, singing and stomping along with every song.

Though mostly a boys club, the Dixie Diehards also featured singer Dolly Fruzzetti's smokey vocal on several numbers. Ms. Fruzzetti vamped and camped it up hitting the stage with a smile brighter than any spotlight and a feather boa taking the mike to sing, "Hannah From Savanah." While the crowd gave polite applause to each musician as they took their solos, it saved the biggest cheers for clarinetist Santo Pullara whose lyrical style of playing recalled the great New Orleans native Pete Fountain.

The Diehards, while coming from all walks of life including a physician, a computer programmer, a retired college professor, businessmen and an investigative news reporter, put aside their day jobs when they come together to play the music they love. The group has a regular gig at Ma Glocker's in Bellingham the first and third Thursday of each month and have become a favorite throughout New England since they formed in 2006.

Alan Shapiro Trumpet, Santo Pullara Clarinet, Paul Peterson Sax