New Orleans Jazz Quartet Astral Project Headlines MOJO’s Jazz Jambalaya at Carmen’s Club Monday

MOBILE, Ala. — Veteran New Orleans jazz quartet Astral Project will bring its genre-blending sound to downtown Mobile on Monday, Oct. 26, as the Mystic Order of the Jazz Obsessed presents its monthly Jazz Jambalaya at Carmen’s Club, 522 Dauphin St.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the music begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available online.

Nearly five decades of New Orleans jazz

Astral Project was founded in 1978 by saxophonist Tony Dagradi and has become one of New Orleans’ established jazz ensembles. The group is known for blending modern jazz with funk, rock and world music influences, often stretching out into long, improvised passages that let each member shine.

The quartet features:

• Tony Dagradi — saxophone
• Johnny Vidacovich — drums
• James Singleton — bass
• Steve Masakowski — seven-string guitar

Each member is a well-known figure in the New Orleans music scene in his own right. Vidacovich is widely regarded as one of the city’s most distinctive drummers, with a loose, conversational style rooted in New Orleans street rhythms. Singleton is known for his adventurous approach to the upright bass. Masakowski’s use of a seven-string guitar gives the band an expanded harmonic range, letting him cover bass lines and chords while also playing melody. Dagradi, the group’s founder, has long been a fixture of the city’s modern jazz scene.

Several members have also spent years teaching jazz at universities in New Orleans, helping train new generations of musicians.

What is Jazz Jambalaya?

The Mystic Order of the Jazz Obsessed, better known as MOJO, hosts Jazz Jambalaya concerts on the fourth Monday of each month. The series brings local, regional and nationally recognized jazz musicians to Mobile.

MOJO’s name nods to Mobile’s Mardi Gras tradition of mystic societies, but its mission is music. The organization works to support and promote jazz in the Mobile area, giving audiences a regular chance to hear live performances in an intimate setting and giving musicians a consistent stage.

A monthly series like Jazz Jambalaya helps keep a local jazz community active between larger festivals, and it offers newcomers an easy way to experience the music without traveling to New Orleans.

Mobile and New Orleans: a shared musical heritage

Mobile and New Orleans share deep cultural ties, from Carnival traditions to Creole cooking to music. Mobile is home to the oldest annual Mardi Gras celebration in the United States, and brass bands, jazz and rhythm and blues have long been part of life along the Gulf Coast. Bringing an ensemble like Astral Project to Dauphin Street is a reminder of how closely the two port cities are connected, separated by only about a two-hour drive along Interstate 10.

About Carmen’s Club

Carmen’s Club sits at 522 Dauphin St. in the heart of downtown Mobile’s entertainment district, an area known for its restaurants, bars and live music venues. Dauphin Street is one of Mobile’s oldest and best-known streets and a central part of the city’s Mardi Gras parade routes.

Tips for concertgoers

• Buy tickets in advance. Tickets are available online, and smaller venues can fill up for well-known acts.
• Arrive early. Doors open at 6 p.m., giving guests time to find a seat before the 6:30 p.m. start.
• Plan for parking. Downtown Mobile offers street parking and nearby garages.
• Make a night of it. Dauphin Street’s restaurants make it easy to grab dinner before or after the show.

If you go

• What: MOJO Jazz Jambalaya featuring Astral Project
• When: Monday, Oct. 26; doors 6 p.m., music 6:30 p.m.
• Where: Carmen’s Club, 522 Dauphin St., downtown Mobile
• Band: Tony Dagradi, saxophone; Johnny Vidacovich, drums; James Singleton, bass; Steve Masakowski, seven-string guitar
• Tickets: Available online
• Series schedule: Fourth Monday of each month