These nine musicians found common ground in the music of New Orleans, a burbling cauldron of rhythm, rhyme and harmony specific to its own world – the music of Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint, the Meters, Lee Dorsey, Ernie K-Doe, and so many others. Like gumbo and jambalaya, once you develop a taste for the flavors, anything else seems almost boring.
“Fully Dressed” captures the informal sessions between these like-minded pals, driven by tuba monster Luke Kirley, sparkplug of the Bay Area salsa scene. Surrounding Kirley are a wide variety of master musicians; from Hollywood session man Dean Parks, perhaps the most recorded musician of the day, star of Steely Dan records and many more, to baritone saxophonist Aaron Lington, director of jazz studies at San Jose State University.
Raspy-voiced vocalist, keyboardist and occasional trombonist Tim Hockenberry was a finalist on “America’s Got Talent.” Trombonist Dan Gordon was a restaurateur who invented garlic fries. Musical director Dillon O’Brian, who wrote the theme song to TV’s “The Office,” has worked with a vast assortment of music’s top names; Brian Wilson, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt, Neville Brothers. Organist Jimmy Pugh served many years with the Robert Cray band – Etta James called him “The Librarian” – and is the executive director of the Little Village Foundation, sponsors of the recording.
Trumpeter Brian Switzer is another jazz educator currently touring with Bob Weir. Drummer Gary Novak is a session musician with a list of credits as long as your arm. From all these different backgrounds and disciplines, these men bring one common vision – a desire to feel the sweaty humidity of New Orleans in their music. All Things Swamp pursues an infectious, intoxicating voodoo fever dream of beignets and bayous, steamboats and alligators, Mardi Gras and jazz funerals. Bon temps roulet.
All Things Swamp originated as an impromptu New Orleans Second line funk and blues band to entertain some Sonoma County residents and fans of the second line horn band style popularized by the Dirty Dozen, Rebirth and New Orleans Nightcrawlers. The anchor and engine room of the group is tuba-helicon virtuoso Luke Kirley. The band had no name at conception, but when Dillon O’Brian (keyboards) was asked if he knew of a drummer, he mentioned his buddy as being perfect and referred to him as “All Things Swamp”.
The band is distinctively not swampy, as it is comprised of West Coast stars, half Socal and half Norcal, such as Brian Switzer on trumpet, Aaron Lington on Baritone Sax, Dean Parks on tenor sax and guitar, Tim Hockenberry trombone and vocals, Dan Gordon tenor and bass trombone, Gary Novak drums and Jim Pugh on B-3 organ. The common denominator of the band is the tight sound and the camaraderie between the players both while performing as well as the fun hang that always ensues after every gig.
Dressed, the name of the album, has many meanings in New Orleans slang. The most prevalent interpretation refers to your po’ boy sandwich being fully garnished. We hope you think the same of our music. We like to think of it as a clean West Coast interpretation of the down and dirty New Orleans brass bands.
The musicians:
Aaron Lington Bari Sax (Norcal)
Grammy award winning saxophonist and composer Aaron Lington is Director of Jazz Studies at SJSU, Artistic Director of Music in Place, and is board president of Little Village. He is the 2003 winner of the Sammy Nestico Award, a 2015 Silicon Valley Artist Laureate, and has been recognized multiple times in Downbeat Magazine’s Critic’s Poll. Aaron is a performing artist for Selmer Saxophones and D’Addario/Rico reeds.
Luke Kirley Helicon (It’s a kind of tuba) (Norcal)
Luke comes from a long line of plumbers, which might explain why he plays the trombone and tuba. Born and raised in Northern California, Luke received a BA in Music from the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2003, he relocated to Oakland, CA where he took a deep dive into the local salsa scene, playing regularly with Avance, Montuno Swing, and many others. For over nine years, Luke displayed his dance moves along with his trombone playing with the MJ tribute band Foreverland. But his true passion has been the brass band music of New Orleans. In addition to Swamping, you’ll see Tuba Luke holding it down with MJ's Brass Boppers, St. Gabriel's Celestial BB, Honor BB, Brass Animals, and anyone looking for that NOLA tuba sound.
Tim Hockenberry trombone and vocals (Socal)
Tim is a multi-instrumentalist (piano, bass, trombone, trumpet, vocals) and songwriter. Tim gained national fame when he performed and made it to the semi-finals (last singer standing) on America's Got Talent in 2012. He was a favorite of judge Howard Stern. Tim Hockenberry's voice is reminiscent of Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, and Tom Waits, but you only need to hear a few bars of Hockenberry singing "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" to understand that this is an artist who has a refreshingly authentic approach to great songs. He has shared the stage with performers such as Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, and Robert Cray and has established himself as one of the most compelling and important artists in the Bay Area and LA music scene.
Dillon O’Brian Piano, Vocals (Socal)
Dillon is best known as an L.A. songwriter, studio musician and singer working in records, film, TV and advertising. As a studio musician, he’s heard by millions daily on the iconic opening piano theme from the syndicated comedy series The Office, as well as dozens of other hit shows. O’Brian is a Grammy™️, Emmy™️ and ACM™️ nominated songwriter who has worked with many legendary artists and producers including Keith Urban, Shakira, Vince Gill, Bonnie Raitt, Brian Wilson, Amy Grant, Don Was, Mariah Carey, Ringo Starr, Gwen Stefani, Cheap Trick, The Bangles, Joe Cocker, The Temptations, and many more. He has been awarded three golden Pollie Awards™️, (known as the “Oscars™️ of Politics”) by the American Association of Political Consultants for outstanding achievement in political advertising. Within the L.A. live music scene, O’Brian is well-known as the leader and musical director of The Deductions, a modern-day Wrecking Crew featuring the cream of the crop of L.A. studio musicians, who perform every Friday night as the house band at The Write-Off Room.
Dean Parks tenor saxophone and guitar (Socal)
Parks was a member of the North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher in 1970. In 1980, he was a founding member of the Christian Jazz Fusion band Koinonia. Parks is best known for his many contributions to albums by Steely Dan, Michael Jackson, and Bread. Notably, he played guitar on Steely Dan's Royal Scam track “Haitian Divorce." Parks is also a long-time collaborator on David Foster albums, such as Gordon Lightfoot’s Shadows. Parks features on Cat Beach's albums Letting Go and Love Me Out Loud. In 2008, Parks participated in the production of the album Psalings, the debut release of Canadian musician John Lefebvre. Parks is very prominently featured on Viktor Krauss’s 2007 album Viktor Krauss' album II (2007), where he plays a plethora of other stringed instruments in addition to electric and acoustic guitars. He played on eight Lyle Lovett albums.
Gary Novak Drums (Socal)
Gary is a session drummer who has collaborated with numerous artists as varied as George Benson, Maynard Ferguson, Chick Corea Elektric Band, Brandon Fields, Lee Ritenour, Michael McDonald, Natalie Cole, David Sanborn, Anita Baker, Bob Berg, Allan Holdsworth, Robben Ford, Michael Landau, Eros Ramazzoti, Tiziano Ferro, Alanis Morrisette, David Crosby, Larry Carlton and Travis Carlton. Gary is a Gretsch artist.
Brian Switzer trumpet (Norcal)
Mr. Switzer toured the world from 2012-2014, playing solo trumpet for the Grammy award winning band, Train, followed by a stint touring with the band Muse. He performed the hit single “50 Ways to Say Goodbye” with them live on The David Letterman Show, The Today Show, VH1, The Talk and a live concert on PBS. He is currently touring with Bob Weir and the Wolfpack. A prominent Bay Area jazz educator, Mr. Switzer is the creator of the jazz deck, which has made learning jazz improvisation theory much more approachable for promising young jazz musicians.
Dan Gordon bass and tenor trombone (Norcal)
Dan has recorded with blues artist Curtis Paul Campbell, Michael Davis’ Absolute Trombone and also on the Chris Walden LMR Jazz recordings of Missa lubileum Aureum. Bay Area born, Dan is known among musicians as the beer guy, having founded Gordon Biersch Brewery. Dan endorses Butler trombones.
Jim Pugh B3 Organ (Socal)
Track Listing:
Sidewalk Strut - Composed by Steve Masakowski (Sony/ATV Music Publishing), Arr. Kirley, Soloists Aaron Lington Baritone Sax, Luke Kirley tuba, Gary Novak drums
Dancing Machine - Composed by Hal Davis, Don Fletcher, and Dean Parks (Jobete Music Co Inc. and Stone Diamond Music Corp.), Arr. Parks
How Much Fun - Composed by Robert Palmer (UNIVERSAL POLYGRAM INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING INC), Arr. Kirley, Vocal Dillon O’Brian
Mercy Mercy Mercy - Composed by Joe Zawinul (Zawinul Music), Arr. Kirley, Soloists Dan Gordon bass trombone, Jim Pugh B3 Organ
Rockin’ Chair - Composed by Hoagy Carmichael (Songs of Peer, Ltd.), Arr. Hockenberry and Kirley, Vocal Tim Hockenberry, Soloist Aaron Lington Baritone Sax
Blues for Ben - Composed by Luca Fredericksen (Freds Lunch Music), Arr. Switzer, Soloists Tim Hockenberry trombone, Brian Switzer trumpet, Luke Kirley tuba
Bah-Duey-Duey - Composed by Sammie “Big Sam” Williams (BMG Firefly), Arr. M. Rinta, Soloists Dean Parks guitar, Jim Pugh B3 Organ
- 1. Sidewalk Strut (5:55) - Steve Masakowski
- 2. Bah-Duey-Duey (4:24) - Sammie “Big Sam” Williams
- 3. Dancing Machine (2:52) - Hal Davis, Don Fletcher, and Dean Parks
- 4. Mercy Mercy Mercy (4:28) - Joe Zawinul
- 5. Rocking Chair (4:17) - Hoagy Carmichael
- 6. Blues for Ben (4:33) - Luca Fredericksen
- 7. How Much Fun (3:19) - Robert Palmer
- 8. Take it to the Street (3:16) - Rebirth Brass Band
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