Kermit Ruffins Spreads the Word

Franz A. Matzner

Columnist since 2002

Franz Matzner has contributed interviews and coverage from the Kennedy Center since 2002.

Recent articles (178 total)

Published: July 23, 2005

Demonstrating his flexibility as a performer, New Orleans trumpeter and vocalist Kermit Ruffins brought his Barbecue Swingers to the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage for a free concert last week and found himself greeted by the distinctive blend of audience members one can only find at the Kennedy Center's Millennium stage.

Featuring free concerts daily, the Millennium Stage draws a diverse mix of tour groups, aficionados, students, families, retirees, opera fans arriving early, and sundry other individuals from all over the country and the world who have come to visit the Kennedy Center. In short, an ideal showing for a jazz proselytizer like Ruffins, dedicated both to putting on an entertaining performance and to spreading the message of swing-jazz revivalism to new audiences.

Deploying his trumpet skills and vocal stylings in equal measure, Ruffins took advantage of this opportunity to guide the audience on a tour of old-school jazz classics, like "Pennies From Heaven , "What A Wonderful World , "and "Ain't Misbehavin' . A devotee of Louis Armstrong, Ruffins has shaped his sound, performance style, and stage demeanor into a careful homage to the great master, as well as an era of music he clearly feels lies at the center of jazz. Ruffins and his band-mates are canny enough musicians, however, to infuse just enough modern spirit into their arrangements to keep the music from becoming a stale exercise. And while Ruffins is obviously the driving force behind the Barbecue Swingers, he is also a leader with enough experience to know how to share the spotlight'"especially when someone is having a particularly good night.

Stealing the show, that person was trombonist Corey Henry. From start to finish, Henry blasted out one riveting solo after another, impressing the audience over and over again with his energy, force, and clever manner. Twisting inventively through the classic tunes without violating their integrity, Henry peaked with an insightful and refined solo during "What A Wonderful World . Henry then wowed the audience further, taking the lead on an untitled instrumental featuring his pyrotechnic skills.

It appeared to take a few songs for the crowd to fully warm up to Ruffin's merry, anything-goes attitude, but by the end of the show, the kids were clapping on their parents' laps, couples were dancing, and the whole audience was having a good time. Indeed, at Ruffins' urging, the crowd of assorted folks eventually ended up on its feet, "partying New Orleans Style .

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Date	Venue	Tickets
May24	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
May25	Hyatt Regency New Orleans, LA	buy
May26	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
May27	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
May28	Worldwide CD Release Day! Worldwide
May29	Lafayette Square New Orleans, LA
May30	WYES TV New Orleans, LA
May31	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun02	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun03	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun04	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jun06	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Jun07	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun08	Tipitinas Uptown New Orleans, LA
Jun09	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun10	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun11	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jun13	Jazz In The Park - Louis Armstrong Park New Orleans, LA
Jun14	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun15	Little Gem Saloon New Orleans, LA
Jun16	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun17	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun18	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jun20	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Jun21	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun22	Little Gem Saloon New Orleans, LA
Jun23	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun24	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jun25	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jun27	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Jun28	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jun29	Little Gem Saloon New Orleans, LA
Jun30	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul01	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul02	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jul16	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jul18	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Jul19	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Jul21	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul22	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul23	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Jul26	Space Evanston, IL
Jul27	FitzGerald's Night Club Berwyn, IL
Jul28	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul29	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Jul30	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Aug01	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Aug02	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Aug03	Island View Casino Gulfport, MS
Aug04	Satchmo Summerfest New Orleans, LA
Aug05	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug06	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Aug08	Highline Ballroom New York, NY	buy
Aug11	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug12	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug13	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Aug15	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Aug16	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA
Aug18	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug19	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug21	Sweetwater Music Hall Mill Valley, CA
Aug22	Brick and Mortor San Francisco, CA
Aug23	Brick and Mortor San Francisco, CA
Aug25	The New Parish Oakland, CA
Aug26	Kermit's Treme Speakeasy New Orleans, LA
Aug27	Bullet's Sports Bar New Orleans, LA
Aug29	Vaughan's Lounge New Orleans, LA
Aug30	The Blue Nile (balcony Room) New Orleans, LA