Krewedelusion will be kicking off its 13th annual parade on Sunday, February 5 starting at 7:00 p.m. The parade will move through downtown New Orleans and will end around 9 p.m. for krewedelusion's Bedlam Ball at D.B.A. 618 Frenchmen Street. This year will mark the first time that the parade will march on Sunday, thus, it will mark the end of the downtown season.
Leader of the Treme Brass Band and founder of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Benny Jones Sr., will rule over the parade for the second year in a row.
"He is one of those rare New Orleans gentlemen whose life personifies both the preservation of his cultural traditions and the duty to guide the generational evolution of those traditions—and it is the tradition of krewedelusion to reappoint any Ruler whose float breaks down during the celebration of their Rule! Benny Jones led the band; Benny Jones danced in the streets, and The Sultan of Syncopation shall be a role model for us all," said krewedelusion's Captain, Oscar Diggs.
Benny Jones Sr. was previously honored as the grand marshal for the Sudan Social Aid and Pleasure Club in past years.
"I want to make everyone happy and feel good and I've tried to do that through music my whole life. I've played for thousands of parades and danced in dozens - so let's hope for good weather! Everyone should come out and enjoy The Night of Delusion," said Benny.
Benny has followed in the footsteps of his late father, Chester Jones, Sr., who was a member of the Onward Brass Band. As he got older, Benny would play bass and snare drums with the group, learning from Jazz legends such as Zigaboo Modeliste and Dave Bartholomew, among many others. In 1979, Benny founded his own band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and revolutionized the New Orleans brass band scene by introducing a funk and bebop sound into traditional jazz sound. Later on, Benny would found the Tremé Brass Band. Benny has marched with the Tremé Sports, The 6th Ward Diamonds, The Money Wasters, and is one of the Founders of the Black Men of Labor, who walked with him last year in the parade as his Honor Guard.
The parade will start with Roots of Music, followed by Krewedelusion's numerous Innerkrewes including The WeatherGirls, The Baby Dolls, …and Boleyns, Kreweleidoscope, Krewe de Mayahuel, The AlKreweists, Trashformers, Krewe du Jieux, and other "Krewes of Just one Person." Debuting as Innerkrewes of krewedelusion for the first time this year will be The Krewe of Mad Hattas and The Mystic Krewe of Conus.
As per tradition, the parade's theme will be kept a secret until the day that it rolls. Krewedelusion has also vowed to take a more environmentally friendly approach to Mardi Gras, promising to use "mule-free, fuel-free" hand-operated floats, encouraging members to give handmade, D.I.Y. throws crafted from naturally abundant or recycled materials, and forbidding the use of toxic plastic beads.
For more information, you can visit krewedelusion.net.
