Wild Man Woody

Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band. At the Lobero
Theatre, Sunday, December 17.

Reviewed by Will Engel

Having once remarked that “80 percent of success is showing up,”
this neurotic New Yorker did that and even more with his New
Orleans jazz band on Sunday at the Lobero. Sure, it was clear at
this show that wild man Woody Allen is not a technically brilliant
clarinet player. However, he certainly does know his instrument,
and the performance proved to be worth the hefty price of
admission, since it was such a rare treat to see an artist of his
caliber bring such a sincerely compulsive artistic passion to work
that he so thoroughly enjoys.

Musical director Eddy Davis played an
impressive jazz banjo and led the seven-member band as they jammed
on a variety of early 20th-century standards including blues,
ragtime, hymns, and more. Even the set list was improvised, which
added to the overall freshness of the performance. While Allen’s
clarinet was solid, the band’s chemistry proved most musically
rewarding, as they clearly relished their shared love of each and
every phrasing. The evening peaked with the first encore, a rousing
version of “Sweet Georgia Brown” with Eddy Davis on the vocals.