by Kevin Williams 16C

On January 12, 2014 Grammy-winning Irving Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO) performed for a full house. They didn’t disappoint. More than just a group that performs jazz, NOJO ambitiously supports and encourages jazz through educational endeavors that provide free experiences for young jazz musicians. Their most recent project, set to be completed later this year, is the New Orleans Jazz Market which will house a performance space for them as well as other renowned jazz ensembles, educational areas for tourists, and a jazz archive. We were gently reminded of their mission to support jazz at various points in the concert. With a tongue n’cheek humor, Irving Mayfield masterfully connected the audience. Early in the program, he claimed that as part of NOJO’s educational mission they had picked someone off the street taught him to play an instrument and had him compose a song only to make the audience chuckle as one of their band members came out, picked up the microphone and sang a Frank Sinatra classic.

At the end of the performance they did indeed bring out a local high school saxophone player to perform with them, showcasing the talent within Atlanta that is flourishing.

A large ensemble, consisting of trombones, saxophones, a rhythm section, trumpets and a tuba, the band has a rich, full sound and is still able to be extremely nimble and versatile. On a more serious note, the band played a moving song dedicated to all the African Americans that are incarcerated. “We’ve got a problem” Mr. Mayfield said, “and we can’t jail ourselves out of it.” The rest of the repertoire spanned jazz from its inception to the modern era. Mayfield kept everyone on their toes, so you couldn’t anticipate what was coming next. Surprises are relatively rare in a musical concert, and the big surprise in this one may have been one of my favorites. Towards the end of the concert, Irving told everyone to close their eyes and remember their favorite childhood toy. While this happened the tuba player got out and started singing You’ve Got A Friend in Me from Toy Story. It is a wonderful thing when a band can unite the audience in a special moment like that, and it happened more than once that night. A remarkable concert from a remarkable ensemble.