Jazz a la Count Basie seems an unlikely choice for the Black Cat. Yet, for more than a decade, Peaches O’Dell and her Orchestra have been swinging D.C. revelers into the next year. The bandleader is the subject of a special holiday edition of Three Stars.
Even the most talented dance band can take a mental backseat to counting steps or following spins. The magnetic O’Dell is an exception to this rule — and several others. A rarity both as a female bandleader and a working swing musician, her performances pre-dated the genre’s revival and continue beyond its subsequent backlash. The reason for her success is evident when she takes the stage.
A rainbow of sequin gowns and matching wigs, O’Dell’s energy radiates through the room. Based on our previous experiences with Peaches O’Dell’s New Year’s Eve events, at first it seemed many at the Black Cat were content to let the swing stalwarts have the floor, preferring to chat about jobs they hated and resolutions they had no intention on keeping. However, by midnight even the most cynical/shy observers were attempting a shimmy. After the countodown and “Auld Lang Syne” (here are the lyrics, so you’ll get past the first line this year) her band delivered a bright midnight rendition of “Sing, Sing, Sing” that filled the first moments of the new year with an ebullient optimism. Through costume changes and conga lines, O’Dell kept the crowd engaged, entertained and dancing.
Good gimmicks can’t make up for a bad band, so O’Dell ensures there’s a lot of steak to go with her sizzle. The music is definitely on point. Typically playing for public events (weddings, coporate galas, etc) her band is remarkably polished, but not plastic — far surpassing typical wedding band schlock that has driven many a happy couple to DJs. The band’s sound is crisp with luminous horns, trilling woodwinds and strong percussion driving all the action. At the helm is O’Dell, crafting the mood of each piece. Across tempos, all songs sound distinct and interesting. Together, the music and her stage presence add up to a great way to end one year and begin another.
