Brent Hart, music director, performs this Thursday with his 11-piece Cure-All Dance Band, focusing on original 1920s and early ’30s arrangements from Tin Pan Alley.

They dress authentically in period attire and feature instruments from the era, recreating the feel of the hotels, roadhouses and steamships of the 1920s. The authenticity goes much further these days: Cure-All Dance Band offers you an opportunity to tap your feet to the rhythms of the Great Depression.

This is the band’s first appearance at the Georgia Straight Jazz Society’s Thursday night performances during the 2009-2010 season.

Jazz club regulars will recognize the players from other combos with which they share their talents. Many will also know the band’s founder and virtuoso banjo player Greg (Doc) Sumner, who will make a guest appearance with the band for this session. Tom Spratt is filling in for Jim Grinder on tenor sax, and Paul Charter, the Cure-All Band’s new drummer, will make his debut.

Brent Hart has plumbed the archives for selections such as Alabamy Bound, Wild Man Blues, and Hello Swanee Hello. As well, he has added new tunes for this gig, including Copenhagen, Louisiana, Black Bottom Stomp, and Animal Crackers.

The band will play two exclusive sets. Plan on arriving early to get a good seat — full houses are becoming the Thursday norm.

The third set of the evening will be open for members of the audience to sit in on renditions of tunes from the Great American Songbook as local musicians are invited to jam with the host performers.

The Georgia Straight Jazz Society sponsors the jazz club every Thursday, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., offering you the chance to hear great live music with no cover charge.

— Georgia Straight Jazz Society