Ronnie Magri

Born in New York, drummer Ronnie Magri is at the forefront of burlesque revival today, after functioning as the premier bandleader, musical director, and drummer of this countrys only authentic 1950s style burlesque show.
Magri left New York for New Orleans in 1995 and by 1999 helped form the Shim Shamettes, New Orleanss first burlesque revival troupe, performing at the Shim Sham Club in the French Quarter. He assembled six of the hottest working jazz musicians to form Ronnie Magri and his New Orleans Jazz Band. Besides performing in the burlesque show, Magri performed with smaller version of his band, known as The Port of New Orleans Jazz Band, and won Offbeat magazines "Best Emerging Traditional Jazz Band" award in 2000. Magri and the Shim Shamettes were featured prominently in the two-hour A&E documentary, Its Burlesque!, which premiered in March 2001. That same year, his band backed some of the top names in new burlesque at the first annual Tease-O-Rama convention and showcase, which was held in New Orleans.
When the Shim Shamettes disbanded in 2002, Magri was instrumental in putting together The Shim Sham Revue only a few months later.
The Shim Sham Revue featured a comic emcee, comedienne, singer (Ingrid Lucia), and the Southern Jezebelles, a six-girl burlesque troupe. The Shim Sham Revue was the first old-style burlesque revival show to perform on a weekly basis in its own venue, the Shim Sham Club, with a live house band.
Also in 2002, Magri released his CD Shim Sham Revue, which featured music of burlesque shows of the Thirties, Forties, and Fifties. He was nominated for two Offbeat awards for "Best Album by a Louisiana Artist" and "Best Emerging Band." In 2003, he was also nominated for a Big Easy award for "Best Traditional Jazz Band.In 2005, Bravo TV licensed several tracks from Shim Sham Revue for Zalman King's reality series, Forty Deuce as well as Showtime Televisions Sexual Healing series in 2006.
On stage, Magri and his band have backed the biggest star of burlesque revival today, Dita Von Teese (Playboy Covergirl December 2002)on several occasions as well as performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and French Quarter Festival.Magri frequently tours outside of the U.S., most recently South America, Germany, France and Hungary and has also recorded and worked with LITTLE RICHARD, JOEY RAMONE, THE THROBS, STIV BATORS, CHEETAH CHROME, DICK WAGNER (Lou Reed), BOB EZRIN (Alice Cooper), CAMUS among others.
As reported in Time, Newsweek, Wall St. Journal, Rolling Stone, Maxim, Playboy, and other media sources, burlesque fever is taking over the country. Ronnie will surely continue to be recognized as the most talented and entertaining bandleader behind every bump and grind that will keep the spirit of burlesque and jazz alive for years to come!
Mon Epoux L'Absintheur by Charlene Lanzel 2008 Pirates Alley, New Orleans