Event

Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers

New Orleans is the only place on the planet that could have produced native son Kermit Ruffins. Whether he's blowing trumpet on a Louis Armstrong classic or one of his own hot numbers, Ruffins embraces the tune with the true spirit of the city. Ruffins' music, like New Orleans itself, swings hard with a big heart as it remembers tradition and the importance of good-timin' fun. Ruffins is a modern hipster in possession of an old soul.

New Orleanians display their love for Ruffins nightly by packing the house at every appearance. In recognition of his talents and contributions to the community, Ruffins has received a steady stream of awards for his recordings and performances from Gambit Weekly's "Big Easy," OffBeat magazine's "Best of the Beat" and New Orleans Magazine's "Jazz All-Stars."

Ruffins is an eager player and active in the New Orleans music community. If he isn't gigging with his Barbecue Swingers, he'll often pop up at local clubs to sit-in with friends. When a fellow musician passes, Ruffins is there in his "black and whites" blowing in tribute as part of a traditional jazz funeral procession. It's not unusual to find Ruffins hanging out with the older musicians he respects so much seeking their guidance and soaking up their stories.

"The most important thing is how much I love the music," declares Ruffins with unabashed sincerity. "From the time I wake up in the morning, I'm just all hyped for the gig late that night. The suspense of waiting for that gig every day of the week like that is so exciting to me. It's crazy. You just have to know much I love this New Orleans style music."

As Ruffins invitingly announces at the start of a tune, "All aboard!"