Woody Allen to Perform in Athens with his New Orleans Jazz Band

Woody Allen will perform at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, beneath the glow of the Athens Acropolis accompanied by his New Orleans Jazz Band, for one night only.

The highly expected concert will take place on September 9.

Allen is a passionate fan of jazz, which appears often in the soundtracks to his films. He began playing clarinet as a child and took his stage name from clarinetist Woody Herman. He has performed publicly at least since the late 1960s, including with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on the soundtrack of Sleeper.

Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band have been playing each Monday evening at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan for many years specializing in New Orleans jazz from the early 20th century.

In a 2011 review of a concert by Allen’s jazz band, critic Kirk Silsbee of the Los Angeles Times suggested that Allen should be regarded as a competent musical hobbyist with a sincere appreciation for early jazz:

“Allen’s clarinet won’t make anyone forget Sidney Bechet, Barney Bigard or Evan Christopher. His piping tone and strings of staccato notes can’t approximate melodic or lyrical phrasing. Still his earnestness and the obvious regard he has for traditional jazz counts for something.”

Athens included in Woody Allen’s last world tour as a musician

In 2023 he will carry out his last world tour as a musician, visiting other European countries including France, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

The band’s sound comprises a diverse collection of early twentieth-century popular tunes, hymns, spirituals, marches, blues and rags, and draws inspiration from such legendary artists as Sidney Bechet, George Lewis, Johnny Dodds, Jimmie Noone and of course, Louis Armstrong.

In keeping with the spontaneous nature of the music every performance is an energetic collection of improvisations. There is no playlist, nor do the musicians know what song from their diverse repertoire Allen would call out next.

It’s been a rough road back for the band, as their band leader for many decades, Eddy Davis, passed away during the pandemic. There was word about a return to regular shows in New York, but that has yet to be announced. It remains to be seen who is in this new line up of the band.

Allen occasionally mixes his music with filming, sometimes accounting locations or even production around the times that he tours. This could suggest another European film is in the works. But more likely Allen will be in Europe to promote the release of his next film Coup de Chance.

The film is an upcoming French-American thriller film. It stars Lou de Laage, Valerie Lemercier, Melvil Poupaud and Niels Schneider. It is scheduled to be released in France on September 27.