An absolutely not-to-be-missed evening is guaranteed when this stellar 19-piece big band, led by New Orleans-born octogenarian, Junius Courtney, miraculously packs itself onto the Freight stage and then proceeds to get down for a study of the blues, swing, and gutsy improvisation.

Junius has led bands since 1945 and never misses a beat; on "Jeep's Blues," his signature tune, Junius' trumpet strains to plaintive understatement, and he lends a Crescent City flavor to a Nat "King" Cole-inflected version of "Sweet Lorraine."

This aggregation offers lush classics and sophisticated interpretations of contemporary tunes for an evening of delicacy and soul.