The outdoor jazzman

By GRAHAM REID

You can catch Tuba Fats playing for free most days. But you have to be in his hometown of New Orleans where the big man and his white tuba are a fixture on the famous Jackson Square, a place which history books will tell you was the cradle of jazz.

Born Anthony Lacen, he was always big for his age and so could get into the city's jazz clubs unhindered even as a teenager. He was also so big at school that when he said he wanted to play trumpet the teacher directed him to the tuba because he was the only kid who could carry it.

And Tuba Fats has carried his instrument with some of New Orleans' most famous jazz bands, including a 16-year stint in the Olympia Brass Band. He's learned his craft from the old musicians at Preservation Hall where he also played, and was in bands backing Count Basie and Lionel Hampton; he sat in with Dave Brubeck when the pianist's bassist didn't turn up, and has taken his music as far afield as Carnegie Hall in New York, Europe and South America.

But playing and singing in Jackson Square is what he loves. "I'm fine, I don't want to be a millionaire. If I want to play on the street that's my business. We're not beggars, we're not homeless. People should wake up and realise we're playing on the street because we're playing for some old folks who can't get out at night."

Tuba Fats is bringing his distinctive New Orleans sound to Auckland for a concert with the Tauranga seven-piece band Dr Jaz on Saturday.

The band's frontman, Dr Jaz - aka banjo-playing Neil McKenzie - met Tuba Fats in Jackson Square and the two have played together many times. But this will be their first concert together in Auckland. And it's a style of music that, despite the vagaries of fashion, seems never to go away.

"People come to New Orleans to hear music," says Tuba Fats, "but they don't get it on Bourbon St. It's not there any more. When I'm on the square playing, I can see the joy in people's hearts - they're really enjoying the music. New Orleans music is something that will never die."

* Tuba Fats with Dr Jaz, Grand Hotel, Whangarei, tonight; Auckland Club, 34 Shortland St, Saturday.