Bringing New Orleans-style jazz to America from abroad might sound like carrying coals to Newcastle—except when those coals burn hotter and brighter than what is generally available in the vicinity. By that token, we were thrilled at the chance to hear the legendary French quartet Paris Washboard when they appeared at Jeff and Joel’s House Party in Branford, Connecticut last October.
The House Party, initiated by pianist Jeff Barnhart and banjoist/impresario Joel Schiavone in 2012 to spark new interest in traditional jazz and its best musicians, is a stellar weekend-long jam session with constant changes of personnel on the bandstand. Seating is limited to ensure the intimacy of the setting. Friday night, however, is generally reserved for a special guest band. In October 2016, that band was Paris Washboard.
We were delighted to speak with the members of Paris Washboard, who stayed through the weekend to jam with the other musicians. Daniel Barda, a classically-trained multi-instrumentalist, founded the group in 1988 after two decades playing trombone with groups such as Les Haricots Rouges, the Claude Bolling Quintet, and the Anachronic Jazz Band, among others. He also became one of the best basketball players in France in the early 1960s.
Jeff Barnhart and Louis Mazetier at Jeff and Joel's House Party[/capt
