It begins with the ba-dum-dum-dum of the bass. Then the tricky trills of the piano and the mandolin-like vibrations of the banjo. Add a wild clarinet, outrageous trombone, droll cornet, brisk drums, and white socks, and what you got is the reddest, hottest New Orleans jazz this side of Don Stratton’s Bagel Shop Quartet. And on Friday night at the Maine Center for the Arts, the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble was one red-hot band with the blues — and a whole lot more.

The seven-piece ensemble is made up of musicians with long backgrounds in New Orleans jazz. Their loose, easy relationship set the tone for the evening of equally relaxed tempos and virtuosic playing. They moved easily from one style to another, and throughout the evening offered samplings of blues, ragtime, marches, Caribbean tunes, waltzes, and rowdy dance numbers.

Noted jazz historian and clarinetist Frederick Starr emceed the program, which was devoted to resuscitating the traditional arrangements and instrumentation of jazz written between 1890 and 1930. With warmth and light humor, Starr introduced songs, explained styles, and created a charmingly old-fashioned mood.

Those old bands — The New Orleans Owls, King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, Armand J. Piron’s Orchestra, the Dixieland Jazz Band, and Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers — were not just a bunch of old duffers, but practiced, cool, disciplined musicians, said Starr, who is also president of Oberlin College, an authority on Russian architecture, and author of books on jazz and New Orleans culture.

Much of the music played throughout the evening is available only on recordings of poor technical quality, in a small amount of written music, and in the sharp memories of some old timers. But this group of enthusiastic musicians bubbled with the rich melodies and harmonies that marked the exciting birth of jazz in America.

With hell-raising hamminess, they exploded with classics such as “The Canal Street Blues,” “The Livery Stable Blues,” “Tiger Rag,” “Bouncing Around,” and “It’s Jam Up.” Rarely heard pieces like “The West Indies Blues” (flavored with Caribbean rhythms) and a fragment from Louis Gottschalk’s mid-19th century”Bamboula,” rounded out the popular program.

Throughout the evening, the musicians were models of period showmanship — calling out whoops, wearing animated expressions, and smiling at the audience and among themselves.

But outstanding musicianship — never heavy-handed or cocky — ruled the airwaves. Fred Lonzo’s huge-toned trombone whined with deep, permeating wa-wa’s. Walter Payton bopped on the bass. Pianist Terry Waldo and banjoist John Chaffe seemed to have a good secret about the pluck and sparkle of their strings. Drummer John Joyce had an imaginative touch on the wood blocks, and cornet player Lewis Green crackled, blasted, and crooned. Alternating between clarinets and a saxophone, Starr kept the evening lively and lusty.

Happily and often, the audience broke into loud applause and cheers.

A surprise appearance by leading jazz violinist David Goloshokin, currently in town with the Leningrad Jazz Music Ensemble, was a delightful addition to the show. He joined the American group in a sprightly rendition of “Over the Waves,” and reappeared for a raucous encore of jazzy jamming.