Half performance, half party, all fun

The holidays in Boston are about to get a jazzy twist: Grammy Award-winning jazz trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra will present a festive concert, Big Easy Holiday Bash, this weekend at Arrow Street Arts in Cambridge.

Half performance, half party, the Big Easy Holiday Bash includes jazz tunes with R&B beats from the heart of New Orleans, crooning from the moody streets of New York City and classical influences from the grand European music halls. Vocalist Nicole Zuraitis, also a Grammy winner, will perform with the orchestra.

“We are going to bring a bit of the New Orleans brass band sound, mix it with the sophisticated orchestral sounds of Duke Ellington and a bit of the nightclub sound for a unique experience you won’t find anywhere else,” said Marsalis.

A good example of that blend is Duke Ellington’s snappy version of the “Nutcracker Suite,” which Marsalis will perform accompanied by a dance performance from the mind of award-winning choreographer and teacher Adrienne T. Hawkins. Russell Ferguson, a Boston native and winner of season six of the television show “So You Think You Can Dance,” and Tron Hunt, co-founder of Slaughter House Poppin Sessions, assisted with the choreography.

“The music was composed in the late 1800s, Duke Ellington upgraded it to a jazz feel in 1960 and we are upgrading the jazz feel to a contemporary visual,” said Hawkins. “We have everything from krumping and popping to ballet.”

The eclectic dance composition will mirror the agility and creativity of jazz music itself, which broke barriers by incorporating improvisation and casting off the stiff rules of classical composition. Combined with Marsalis’s foot-tapping melodies and Zuraitis’ powerful vocals, it may be impossible to keep from dancing.

The show is presented by Bresette + Company and Arrow Street Arts with additional support from the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame. It’s also a bit of a teaser for more jazz programming to come.

“We are so pleased to be co-presenting with Arrow Street Arts on this very special show in this exceptional new venue,” said Suzanne Bresette, founder of Bresette + Company. “We will also be presenting a new jazz series beginning soon.”

The Big Easy Holiday Bash runs at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow St., Dec. 11-13 with three evening performances. Tickets start at $54.

Marsalis and Uptown Jazz Orchestra perfectly capture the atmosphere in their track “Jazz Party.” “We’re gonna have a jazz party all night long,” croon the lyrics. “We’re gonna have a jazz party and have some fun … so if you’re feeling bad come on and party ’til the blues is gone.”

ON THE WEB

Learn more at arrowstarts.org