Musician and leader of the Bunk Johnson Brazz Band, Dwalyn Jackson, shares something in common with Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan in admitting he is “actually a shy person.” But once he gets on stage a mission takes over, a reminder that he is keeping the legacy of jazz great, Bunk Johnson, alive through the band he co-founded.

“I didn’t know about Bunk Johnson, myself, until a music festival in his honor was started in New Iberia around 1998,” says the New Iberia native. His music was more popular overseas than in the U.S. Every year for the festival the coordinators would get a jazz band from New Orleans to perform. After a few years, I suggested coordinating a band in New Iberia. I worked with New Iberia locals Charles Porter and Doc Thomas; I recruited a couple of musician friends, former students and my brother and in a matter of three months, in 2010, we formed The Bunk Johnson Brazz Band.

Initially the band’s music was a combination of brass and jazz (hence brazz,) but Dwalyn, and his band, have updated the traditional parade rhythm sound to a combination of R & B, Soul and Funk.

Before long, the Brazz Band was playing banquets, fundraisers and Jazz brunches. Eventually they were asked to play concerts in New Iberia and then the Zydeco Festival in Opelousas, and have gone on to appear in Houston and Mississippi.

More importantly to Dwalyn, the band has inspired unity in the community rallying residents at events like Beneath the Balconies where the band encourages audience involvement, like joining in their dance routines. “We also like to sing to the crowd – which most instrumental bands don’t do,” he adds.

Motivated by the audiences he says, “I like to see the crowd getting into the music. When you pick someone out there to sing a song to and they dance, that’s a great feeling.” That feeling is amplified when Jackson says he especially connects with the elderly or handicapped. “When you see them in the moment, enjoying the music with a smile on their faces, that’s the joy and you know music is touching them.” Dwalyn and his brother, Murray, also perform as a duo outside of the Bunk Johnson Brazz Band at smaller events.

Long before Dwalyn became the principal of Anderson Middle School, that he is today, he was intent on becoming a classical trumpet player until a college professor asked him one question: “What’s your plan if you don’t make it as a musician?” “Classical trumpeters don’t normally retire until they’re about 70,” Dwalyn tells us “so your chances of getting your foot in the door are not great. My professor suggested education. Once I got into it, I liked it.”

He spent 14 years as band director at area high schools and the accomplishments got him featured in the industry’s magazine “The Instrumentalist” for his technique on effective sight reading.

Last year, he was named Middle School Principal of the Year.

Dwalyn has worked to be a community champion outside of school. As a member of the Lafayette Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, he actively participates in food and toy drives and the Adopt-a-Highway program. Each Easter, he helps organize egg hunts at several elementary schools.

However, he remains focused on two missions: keeping the legacy of Bunk Johnson’s music alive and raising the quality of the musical experience for children. “I think music in schools is dying,” he predicts. “Parents don’t encourage kids to play instruments any more. Music is the ultimate escape. It’s the only thing that shows what you’re feeling, and is a good way to get your feelings in check. When I have a tough decision to make – at school or in my personal life – I’ll play my horn to cool my mind down. During the coldest freezes this year, I played many slow ballads and it eased my mind.”

Dwalyn also took the downtime of COVID as an opportunity to learn new tunes – and work on original arrangements. “I have enough original music to put out two or three cd’s,” he smiles. “I’m still perfecting a sound that bridges smooth jazz and hip hop. (Clips of some can be heard on his Facebook.)

It would appear that Dwalyn’s music curiosity was influenced early on. His mother plays piano and clarinet; an uncle plays trumpet; one brother is a sax player and another, in his band, plays trombone. Dwalyn began on the trumpet in 5th grade but reveals, “I wanted to play the drums, but my uncle already had a trumpet I could use.” In later years, he added bass guitar, piano and saxophone to his musical accomplishments.

As a musician, principal and former school band leader, he’s seen the positive impact music has on students. “Student musicians are likely to stay in school to achieve in other subjects. Early music training develops the areas of the brain related to language and reasoning and develops a child’s imagination. Introducing music in the early childhood years can help foster a positive attitude toward learning and curiosity and helps build pride and confidence. In a school band, students learn how to work together and build camaraderie,” he could go on.

All this is what Dwalyn says prompted him to establish the Creative Arts Academy, a building next to the Shadows-on-the-Teche where students, 4th grade and up, could go once a week to learn to play different genres of music and study their history, all for free. Once COVID guidelines allow for the playing of instruments indoors, the Academy will open and Dwalyn says, “We’ll start off teaching how to play big band music by Glen Miller and Duke Ellington and the history behind that sound. The intent was to give the kids something to do and, at the same time, teach them a love of this art. We have a list of students already interested. We’ll eventually add dance and art. It’s a big dream in a small town.”

You can hear the Bunk Johnson Brazz Band, April 9, on Main Street in New Iberia during the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival. Check Facebook for details of The Bunk Johnson Jazz Festival usually held Memorial Day weekend in New Iberia.

Dwalyn Unplugged

Little Known Talents: Draws cartoon characters

Most Admired Performer: Winton Marsalis

Favorite Musicians: Trombone Shorty & Chris Botti

Recommended Read: “The Secret” Rhonda Byrnes

Favorite Concerts: Sade, Prince, Bobby McFerrin and Stanley Jordan with Winton Marsalis