Grammy Award-Winning Adonis Rose and NOJO 7 Bring a Little Bit of New Orleans to the Irvine Barclay Theatre in the OC
The Irvine Barclay Theatre in Orange County, California, continues to bring world-renowned performances to its amazing 750-seat theatre, and they did not disappoint this weekend with a performance by NOJO 7 led by Grammy Award-winning drummer and Artistic Director Adonis Rose.
This 7-piece ensemble brought the heart and sounds of New Orleans and its musical traditions that make up the full New Orleans Jazz Orchestra for a night of jazz in Irvine. NOJO performed the music of New Orleans’ piano legend Allen Toussaint. The band has collaborated with names like Eric Benét, Slick Rick, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and several other major performing artists and regularly tours with Ledisi.
If you have never had a chance to visit New Orleans (run, don’t walk,) rubbed shoulders with Ellis Marsalis at dinner, or danced in the streets of the French Quarter when the band took the music from the bar to the stars as I have, this performance was able to give you a little taste of the rich and beautiful history and music that New Orleans continues to give birth to.
Adonis is a seasoned veteran and began playing drums at the age of three, following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps. As a teen, he became enamored with the music of fellow New Orleanians, Wynton, and Branford Marsalis, and later studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) with their father, Ellis. If you have heard these greats play live, then you recognized that same quality in Adonis and NOJO 7. Rose has over 50 recordings to his credit, five as a leader. He has performed and recorded with the biggest names in jazz for over two decades, including Terence Blanchard, Betty Carter, Dianne Reeves, Marcus Roberts, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Harry Connick, Jr, Wynton Marsalis, and six recordings with longtime friend Nicholas Payton. He still currently performs and tours with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nnenna Freelon, Ellis Marsalis, and Kurt Elling.
That said, make sure to find out more about NOJO at thenojo.com and for more amazing nights at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, head over to their website.
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