Jazz Group Revolutionary Snake Ensemble Bridges Happiness, Sadness

The Cambridge-based jazz band Revolutionary Snake Ensemble's new album, "Live Snakes," draws heavily on the tradition of the New Orleans Jazz Funeral, which mixes the somber with the ecstatic.

We caught up with the group recently at a party at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge. Band members dress in colorful sequined jackets and feathered head-dresses, which adds to the fun and exuberance of their music.

Their latest album is called "Live Snakes." The group will be performing a free concert on Friday night at Magazine Beach in Cambridge. They are also playing a free concert on Saturday night in Boston's South End as part of "Fete de la Musique - Make Music Boston."

Ken Field, saxophonist and composer