Florida Street Blowhards Jazz Band

Looking for a band that will electrify your event with foot-stomping energy and nostalgic charm? Look no further than the Florida Street Blowhards Dixieland Jazz Band! Hailing from Baton Rouge, La., we specialize in delivering the lively and infectious sounds of Dixieland jazz.

Picture yourself transported to the vibrant streets of 1920s New Orleans, where the spirit of joy and celebration fills the air. Our music captures the essence of this era, offering a lively and fun atmosphere for any occasion. From weddings to sit-down concerts, and second-line parades to jazz funerals, we can tailor our performance to suit your unique vision.

Our ability to "Laissez les bon temps jazzer!" (Let the good times be jazzy!) is what sets us apart. We have the musical chops, but it's also our ability to create fun that makes us memorable. Our traditional jazz band takes pride in our funny name, a nod to our playful nature and commitment to delivering an experience that will leave your guests gleeful. So, if you're looking to add a touch of vintage magic and unmatched style to your party, then the Florida Street Blowhards Dixieland Jazz Band is the perfect choice!

With an extensive repertoire that spans the spectrum of New Orleans jazz, we can cater to your specific preferences. You want the traditional tunes that will transport you to the Roaring Twenties? We got 'em. You want the rollicking brass band jams that magically take your wedding party to a French Quarter state of mind? We play ‘em. Our talented musicians are at your service and will deliver a dynamic performance that will have everyone dancing to that crazy beat. As the man said, "If your toe ain't tappin', call the doctor!"

Don't settle for just any band. Choose the Florida Street Blowhards Dixieland Jazz Band and enjoy an unforgettable journey through the sounds of yesteryear. Book us today for a truly unique and lively musical experience that will leave your guests begging for an encore!

FLORIDA STREET BLOWHARDS
Baton Rouge’s Only Traditional Jazz Band

Birth of the Blowhards

Band leader Sam Irwin picked up his trumpet the day after Allen Toussaint died on November 10, 2015 and began practicing. He was inspired by the brilliant trumpet work of Nicholas Payton on Toussaint's "The Bright Mississippi" and that was the birth of the Blowhards.

We began playing front-yard concerts during the virus days and we're still playing Dixieland trad jazz music in Baton Rouge's lawns. If you love music and bands, we're the group for you.

Sam Irwin, a Breaux Bridge native and former honky-tonk proprietor, knows all about Cajun music, but his Florida Street Blowhards band of Baton Rouge has been exploring traditional jazz, the “other” Louisiana music born in New Orleans, since 2015.

The Florida Street Blowhards, despite losing their regular indoor gigs caused by pandemic-related restrictions, were undeterred. Because of the portability of their acoustic instruments (trumpet, clarinet, trombone, banjo, tuba, drums) they literally took their music to the streets and have performed a series of “front yard concerts” for the last 18 months.

“We played music outside,” said bandleader Sam Irwin. “We social distanced in the Glasgow Elementary parking lot and played jazz. Even though there was no publicity, we attracted a crowd, and folks asked to host us in their front yards. I think we spread a lot of cheer during that bleak time because trad jazz is such fun music. Even the sad songs sound happy.”

Irwin has been researching the music created by the jazz musicians of New Orleans. He’s learned the Creole, French, Spanish, Italian and American cultures all played a role in the development of early jazz. He’s written a new book on the subject, “The Hidden History of Louisiana’s Jazz Age,” which will be released in January 2023 by History Press.

“Jelly Roll Morton said there was a Spanish tinge in jazz music,” Irwin said. “Jazz historians have said that’s because New Orleans was ‘West Indian in origin, French in speech, Catholic in belief and European in its dominant taste.’ And Wynton said, ‘every strand of American music comes from Congo Square.’ Jazz is a lot of things but it’s certainly New Orleans born.”
“A lot of the great musicians who invented jazz were from New Orleans, like Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton,” Irwin said. “But others came from the small towns along the Mississippi River, like LaPlace, Donaldsonville, Thibodaux, and Plaquemine. But there were lots of great jazz players from Parks, New Iberia, Opelousas, and St. Martinville. There was a great trumpet player from Crowley, Evan Thomas. Many said he was the equal of Louis Armstrong, but few heard him because he was murdered on the bandstand. We’re touch on all these musical stories in our shows.”

Irwin, a former music major at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, is the author of “Louisiana Crawfish: A Succulent History of the Cajun Crustacean” and “It Happens in Louisiana: Peculiar Tales, Traditions and Recipes from the Bayou.” The day after Allen Toussaint died, he heard trumpeter Nicholas Payton play on Toussaint’s “The Bright Mississippi.” He picked up his horn after a 30-year layoff and started practicing. He hasn’t stopped yet.

FSB is a mixture of young and old players. David Seymour is a 35-year-old wood wind player from California. Trombonist Ben Herrick of Cleveland, Ohio, is Ph.D. candidate in music education at LSU. Gary Stewart, retired military, played in military band during his stint in the U.S. Army and is the principal tuba player in the Baton Rouge Concert Band. David Randall plays banjo but also fills in on guitar and string bass if necessary. Randall is the host of WHYR’s Sunday Songwriter Showcase. He has played with too many rock groups to mention. Drummer James Bourdier is a music educator in the Livingston Parish School System. Others who have performed with the FSB are the 92-year-old John Dupaquier (formerly of the Last Straws and the Rampart Street Six), LSU jazz director Doug Stone, church musician and thespianTerry Byars, LSU adjunct music prof John Bishop, Dr. Chris Bellau (Gatemouth Brown, Boogie Kings), Betsy Braud (the Jazz Nurse), guitarist/arranger Brian Breen, and LSU music student/percussionist Casey Bateman.

Charter members of the band live off Florida Street in Baton Rouge, hence the Florida Street Blowhards name. The band’s website is (link hidden).

The Florida Street Blowhard can perform as a quartet, quintet, sextet or a septet. Trumpet, woodwind, trombone, banjo, piano, drums, bass, tuba and piano are part of our regular group. We provide a public address system. We wear white shirts, ties and slacks for more formal type performances. We also wear monogrammed shirts for informal settings. We will wear New Orleans tyle marching band hats for second line parades.