Songs of the South
by Jan Richards

There is no mistaking the style. It is jazz and it is played New Orleans style, with no electric instruments or sheet music. The microphone is used only by the singer or to announce the name of an occasional song. The costumes include straw hats and red vests. Members of the audience are encouraged to tap their toes, clap their hands, dance or just sing along as the New New Orleans Band performs a concert of Dixieland music.

When Larry Zuk formed the New New Orleans Jazz Band he wanted to continue the traditional of Dixieland music, so he asked a group of professional musicians to join him in his efforts to keep jazz alive.

The band played its first performance in l984 and since has played throughout the area in a variety of venues. They play in club lounges and restaurants and at jazz concerts.

In addition to popular and well know jazz tunes, the band put together a repertoire of tunes that put the music in context with the time and place it began.

Jazz was born and stayed in New Orleans for a period of time. If a person wanted to hear jazz, they had to travel to the city. In l917, the first jazz commercial records were made, and l920 s music was played on the radio. Jazz became so popular it swept the country.


Until the 1920s most popular music such as jazz was consigned to memory. Then in the l920’s , this music was written down and organizations were formed that assumed payment of royalties.

Zuk, is a one man band, acting as band manager and publicity and booking a gent. He plays the tuba, or bass violin, as well as an occasional trombone and banjo.
Most come to hear the music that is unique to America, a music born in a part of our country steeped in myth and tradition. They come to hear the music of such greats as Fats, Louis Armstrong and Duke Wellington.