We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Secret Six

by Secret Six Jazz Band

/
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ham And Eggs 04:17
5.
6.
7.
Climax Rag 03:46
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

about

March 15th, 2020 saw me playing one of my weekly gigs on Frenchman Street in New Orleans when the police came in and showed us their digital badges on their phones and told us to stop playing. We indicated that we would stop after the song we were playing and they indicated that we were to stop immediately. That was the beginning of the pandemic lockdown. After a few months of live streaming shows over the internet and applying for grants and unemployment I decided that I wanted to continue playing live music. I started playing safe socially distanced shows with other like minded musicians. I returned to the streets and started playing in parks and playgrounds for the local people of New Orleans. We played flea markets, church picnics, kids birthday parties, levee lunches, porch parties and backyard gatherings. We went all over the city playing music for people outdoors and often we played to just a few socially distanced people who were out getting some fresh air. No matter what it took or what the money was like we just kept playing. We met people with tears in their eyes because they had not heard live music in months. We met people who asked us to play for their lonely family members outside their windows. At times we played as a duo or a trio or a quartet or whatever we could muster. Part of the inspiration for the name comes from famed abolitionist John Brown and his “Secret Society of Six” from 1859. It seemed to fit during a summer filled with civil rights protests and of course, the core group of six musicians.. When we wanted to record the band we called our friend Earl Scioneaux and asked him to record us outdoors because we were all apprehensive about being indoors. As the pandemic begins to subside we are developing into a classic New Orleans traditional jazz band evoking the rich style of collective improvisation and ensemble playing and specializing in stomps, blueses, rags and no frills hot jazz. We are delving into the deep cuts of King Oliver’s Creole Orchestra, Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five, 1920’s dance tunes, songs of the New Orleans revival era and much more. We hope you take the time to check out our new recording. If you would like to support the band you can purchase a digital download here on our website or a CD at one of our live shows. We are having a great time developing our repertoire and will be making more recordings soon. The Secret Six is one of the silver linings we found in the pandemic, thank you for helping us keep live music alive!

credits

released March 30, 2021

"One of the best new albums in 2021"
- Offbeat Magazine, New Orleans

James Evans - clarinet or saxophone on all tracks, trombone track 4
Mike Voelker - drums, washboard
John Joyce - upright bass, vocal on track 6
Russell Ramirez - trombone, vocal on track 10
Reid Poole - trumpet, vocal on track 11
Hunter Burgamy - banjo, vocal on track 4
Jory Woodis - clarinet on tracks 4, 7, 9, 10, 11
Meschiya Lake - vocal on tracks 1, 3, 8, 12

Recorded & Engineered by Earl Scioneaux III

1. My Life Will Be Sweeter Someday (G. Presley) *Bunk Johnson 1944
2. Potato Head Blues (Armstrong) *L. Armstrong’s Hot 7, 1927
3. Looking The World Over (L. Douglas)  *Memphis Minnie 1933
4. Ham And Eggs (Barker) *Danny Barker 1960
5. Burgundy Street Blues (Lewis) *George Lewis 1944
6. I Can't Escape From You (R.Whiting)  *Bunk Johnson 1946
7. Climax Rag (J. Scott)  *George Lewis 1945
8. When I Get Low I Get High (M. Sunshine) *Ella Fitzgerald 1937
9. Canal Street Blues (Oliver) *J.Oliver, L.Armstrong 1923
10. Bye Bye Blues (F. Hamm) 1925
11. Beale Street Blues (W.C. Handy) *Kid Ory 1945
12. My Daddy Rocks Me (B. Barbour)  *Trixie Smith 1922


Played with respect and admiration for the artists who wrote, performed and lived these songs.

* Our favorite recording.

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Secret Six Jazz Band New Orleans, Louisiana

The Secret Six are a New Orleans traditional jazz band evoking the rich style of collective improvisation and ensemble playing. Specializing in stomps, blueses, rags and no frills hot jazz.

contact / help

Contact Secret Six Jazz Band

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Secret Six Jazz Band recommends:

If you like Secret Six Jazz Band, you may also like: