The newly renovated Circle Bar is the setting tonight for one of the most interesting projects to come out the fertile musical mind of cellist and singer Helen Gillet. The group performs at 10 PM.
The Wazozo Zorchestra evolved out of Gillet’s all-string small group Wazozo, which focuses on her interest in French chansons. These ditties, which are sung by Gillet in French, evolved out of a centuries-old tradition. She incorporates modern tunes by well-known French artists like Jacques Brel and Édith Piaf in the group’s repertoire.
While Wazozo includes only stringed instruments, the playfully named Zorchestra features clarinetist Christopher Kohl of the Hot Club of New Orleans, sousaphonist Jon Gross and drummer Doug Garrison.
I had a chance to check out the band during the French Quarter Festival. They have a much fuller sound than the small group and the added instrumentation gives Gillet a chance to focus more fully on her vocals.
Gillet is known for her edgy jazz improvisational work with some of the city’s most adventurous musicians, but this group presents a more gentile vibe. It is another interesting addition to the wide range of options available to listeners in New Orleans and in a subtle sense touches on the essential “French-ness” of the Crescent City.
