Haywood County Arts Council brings the high-spirited Firecracker Jazz Band to Waynesville at 3 p.m. Nov. 29 at the Performing Arts Center in Waynesville.

Firecracker Jazz Band features Je Widenhouse on trumpet and cornet, Reese Gray on piano, Mike Gray on drums, Henry Westmoreland on sousaphone, Earl Sachais on trombone, and Jon Corbin on guitar and banjo. The group describes its music as twenty-first century hot jazz or traditional jazz with New Orleans and Dixieland influences.

Widenhouse has been traveling the world and playing professionally for 15 years. Previous projects include Squirrel Nut Zippers, Sex Police and Hobex. ?Gray is an impressive stride pianist in the style of Fats Waller. He embodies the early American jazz scene in both dress and passion producing a winning combination that keeps the music fresh. Former projects include Squirrel Nut Zippers and Asylum Street Spankers.

Michael Grays’ drumming drives the rhythm of the band with an energy and expressiveness rarely observed in traditional jazz music. A native of Baltimore, and the younger brother of pianist Reese Gray, Michael Gray’s musical influences include Baby Dodds, Papa Joe Jones, and Buddy Rich.

Westmoreland incorporates a funk, zydeco, and boogie woogie rock and roll influence in his tuba playing. Westmoreland is a graduate of Brevard College with degrees in music theory/composition and music performance. He also plays baritone saxophone in the popular band Squirrel Nut Zippers.

Sachais is a former music instructor and New York City “hired gun” for performing ensembles such as Warren Covington and the Tommy Dorsey Band. He has backed Barbara Streisand and Sammy Davis Jr., among many others. Sachais earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s of music degree from the Manhattan School of Music.?Corbin adds a steady swing to the rhythm section on guitar and tenor banjo. He fashions his playing style after Eddie Lang and Django Reinhardt, the preeminent guitarists of the early jazz era. Former projects include The Rib Tips and the Eliza Lynn Band.?The Nov. 29 performance will include pieces from Firecracker Jazz Band’s newest CD “Red Hot Band,” their internationally acclaimed second album “Explodes,” their first release “Hot Vintage Jazz,” as well as other music. Although the Firecrackers originated in Asheville and continue to perform in the region, they have held concerts all over the United States and abroad. Additional information about Firecracker Jazz Band and samples of their distinctive sound may be found on www.firecrackerjazz.com.

See the show

Tickets for Firecracker Jazz Band are $10 and may be purchased at the Haywood County Arts Council at 86 North Main Street in Waynesville, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by phone at 828.452.0593.

A special pre-concert brunch is being offered from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grandview Lodge at 466 Lickstone Road in Waynesville for $30 per person. The brunch includes a menu with more than 30 items including an omelet bar, a personal “meet and greet” with members of the Firecracker Jazz Band, and one ticket to the 3 p.m. concert.

The Firecracker Jazz Band concert is sponsored by Oldtown Bank, John Highsmith, DDS and Sandra Hayes, WCQS Radio 88.1, the Grandview Lodge, and New Meridian Technologies. Get a sneak preview of the concert on from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27, as Dick Kowal with WCQS Radio, 88.1 present a live studio broadcast featuring the band.

For more information about the Firecracker Jazz Band performance or other programs and events, visit the Haywood County Arts Council Web site at www.haywoodarts.org or call 828.452.0593. This program is funded in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.