Squirrel Nut Zippers

Step into the Swing Era: The Squirrel Nut Zippers Live at MBT

The iconic jazz rockers, Squirrel Nut Zippers (SNZ), will be taking you on a magical, musical voyage to the birthplace of jazz as SNZ presents “Jazz from the Back O’ Town” — a four-show love letter to the prodigious New Orleans neighborhood known simply as the “Back O’ Town”! These intimate, yet devilishly entertaining shows will explore the late 19th century through the Roaring 20s NOLA jazz scene. The Zippers provide a delightful view into this mystical era with renditions of such seminal classics as Jelly Roll Morton’s “Animule Ball,” Louis Armstrong’s “Back O’ Town Blues,” and many others.

SNZ founder Jimbo Mathus will lend his humorous, insightful musings on both the musical history of one of America’s most fascinating cities, and the stories behind many of the Zippers’ most beloved songs. “Jazz From The Back O’ Town” will provide a uniquely historic look at the origins and evolutions of SNZ throughout their career and the role the music of 1920s New Orleans has played in shaping their sound. The show is not so much a period piece as a living “peek-behind-the-curtain” of inspiration and celebration, and it makes for a very entertaining evening!