The Dirty Dozen Hopes to Keep ‘Em on Their Feet

If you catch the Dirty Dozen Brass Band next Thursday night, Dec. 28, at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, don’t expect to spend much time sitting.

The New Orleans-based band has taken the instrumentation of a New Orleans marching band and brewed a tangy gumbo for the ‘80s and ‘90s: pulsing bass and sousaphone, with fast-moving rhythms, synchronized horn parts and plenty of improvisation slathered liberally on top.

“I’m not satisfied until people are on their feet,” said trumpeter and band leader Gregory Davis.

The year has been busy for the Dirty Dozen, which took its name from a New Orleans club but only has eight members.

Early this year, the band’s new album “Voodoo,” recorded in 1987, was finally released on CBS Records after more than a year during which attorneys negotiated a new contract for the group. Downbeat promptly accorded 4 1/2 of five possible stars.

Financially, it was worth the wait; the band signed a six-record deal. But the delay may have slowed their career in other ways.

“If you don’t have name recognition, it helps to have records coming out,” Davis said. “Then you have something for critics to talk about, and it gets you out in the market and keeps you moving.”

The band has been much in demand among musicians. Elvis Costello used them on his last album, “Spike,” and liked their work on the song “Stalin Malone” so much he decided to leave off his vocals. He returns the favor by singing a tune on the Dirty Dozen’s new album, due for February release.

With rock stars such as David Byrne and Paul Simon warming audiences to the possibilities of a variety of musical influences, the Dozen appears poised for more success.

To its New Orleans roots--including funeral marching bands, Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet--the band adds blues, be-bop, and improvisations ranging from subtle twists of melody to unchained honking and screaming.

Although their eclectic sound is impossible to categorize, that’s been a virtue in the world of radio, according to Davis.

“Because we play a mixed bag of things, we’re able to get on some of the blues stations, some jazz formats, college radio.

“Lots of people still don’t know what we do. They think they do, from pictures or that scene in ‘Live or Let Die,’ the James Bond movie where we did a typical New Orleans funeral scene. We have to overcome that. Call us what you want. We play music you can dance to.”

Five months ago, a group of San Diegans decided to form a serious salsa band. Already, the 12-piece unit calling itself La Predilecta (“The Chosen One”) has drawn the attention of top Latin players. In recent weeks, the ensemble has opened local shows for such spicemasters as Eddie Palmieri and Tito Puente.

This Saturday night, the group plays a dance benefit for La Casa de Puerto Rico, a charitable organization that raised money for Puerto Rican hurricane relief last October, helps feed the homeless and gives scholarships to needy students, primarily of Puerto Rican background.

Martin W. Padilla, La Predilecta’s lead singer and founder, says the music is aimed at making people dance. The band’s repertoire includes about a dozen original tunes, plus several fresh Latin arrangements of jazz standards.

Admission to the Christmas dance at the downtown Marriott Hotel, which begins at 8 p.m., is $10 in advance, $12 at the door. For information, call 461-6148.

Now that Liberace’s gone, who will carry his flamboyant torch? One possibility is San Diego pianist Peter Robberecht, who brings back memories of glittery suits and giant candelabras.

“The way to define what I’m after is, I will be a New Age Liberace,” said Robberecht, who hopes to get a career break with some of his slow, dreamy demo tapes, though his true love is cutting loose on stage.

Robberecht starts his audiences out low-key. But, halfway through his set, he kicks away the piano bench, dons dark glasses and launches into his version of Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire.” The number peaks when Robberecht executes his famous “bun run,” a cheeky slide across the keyboard.

“That gets a hoot and holler,” Robberecht said. “You spend your life trying to become a major artist, then you slide your butt across the keys and people go crazy.”

Despite traces of Liberace, Barry Manilow and Elton John in Robberecht, his musical background is classical. His mother plays classical piano, and Robberecht cut his chops on Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart and such modern pianists as Van Cliburn and Vladimir Horowitz.

Robberecht plays happy hours Wednesday through Saturday at the Catamaran, and will also be on the night shift Fridays and Saturdays through January.

RIFFS: San Diego will gain another resident jazz giant in the New Year. As of Jan. 1, guitarist Barney Kessel joins saxophonist James Moody and guitarist Mundell Lowe in a line of recent immigrants. . . . Diego’s Loft weekend: Friday, John Best and Bobby Gordon; Saturday, Algo Caliente. . . . Mose Allison will appear on KPBS-TV’s “Club Date” program at 5 p.m. Friday.