If you want to catch the Squirrel Nut Zippers performing in support of their upcoming album "Bedlam Ballroom," you might want to cut a couple eyeholes out of a bedsheet and toss it over your head.

The North Carolina jazzbos will release their next album on October 17, and shortly thereafter the group will hit the streets of New York to perform in the 27th annual New York Village Halloween Parade. On Tuesday, October 31, the band will wind its way up 6th Avenue along with thousands of costumed revelers.

"We're really excited to be a part of this year's parade," head Zipper Jim Mathus said in a statement announcing the news. "The whole band is looking forward to having a good time with everybody in New York City."

The Halloween gig will come amid a short string of dates for the band that kicks off on October 14 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. This year's parade will be broadcast live on the Sci Fi Channel beginning at 7 p.m. (ET) with comedian Kathy Griffin serving as host.

If you can't make it to New York (or if you can't handle Kathy Griffin), you can pick up the Squirrel Nut Zippers' "Bedlam Ballroom" in stores on October 17, or you can check out the band at the following shows:

• 10/14 - Clarksdale, MS @ Hopson Music Festival
• 10/25 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
• 10/27 - Boston, MA @ The Roxy
• 10/28 - Providence, RI @ Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
• 11/8 - Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
• 11/9 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
• 11/13 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
• 11/14 - San Diego, CA @ 4th & B
• 11/16 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
• 11/17 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
• 11/19 - Medford, OR @ Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater

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As they prepare a new album, the North Carolina jazz revisionists in Squirrel Nut Zippers took the time to visit "Sesame Street" recently.

The band spent quality time with Grover and a host of Muppets while performing a reworked version of its 1997 single "Put A Lid On It."

The group hits a supper club on Sesame Street (yes, apparently they have supper clubs) and uses its performance to soothe a customer who grows increasingly frustrated with Grover's lackluster abilities as a waiter.

The band's "Sesame Street" appearance will debut on Friday, April 21 and will air again on June 9.

The Zippers follow in the footsteps of the Goo Goo Dolls, R.E.M., Ben Stiller, Garth Brooks, Gloria Estefan, and other notables to visit the Muppets on their home turf in recent years.

In less Muppet-oriented news for the band, the Zippers expect to release their new album (the band's first since the departure of guitarist and vocalist Tom Maxwell) in late summer with a tour to follow. Saxophonist Tim Smith, trombonist Dave Wright, and pianist Reese Gray have been added to the fold, and the group finished recording its as-yet-untitled new album last fall in New Orleans.

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A revamped version of the Squirrel Nut Zippers will be heading out for a brief series of concert dates to promote the group's seasonal "Christmas Caravan" CD and to presumably road-test material for a new album to be released in 2000.

• 12/5 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theater Of The Living Arts
• 12/7- New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
• 12/14 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
• 12/16 - Carrboro, NC @ The Cat's Cradle
• 12/31 - Seattle, WA @ Stadium Exhibition Center

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Five months after leaving the Squirrel Nut Zippers, former frontman Tom Maxwell has taken to the Web to release a special limited edition of his new solo album, "Samsara," the regular version of which is due out next spring.

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After six years with Squirrel Nut Zippers, singer-songwriter Tom Maxwell has decided to leave the band in order to pursue a solo career.

A representative for the Zippers told MTV News that the group plans to continue on without Maxwell, who sang lead vocals on the band's biggest hit to date, "Hell," from its 1996 LP, "Hot."

The remaining Squirrel Nut Zippers will head into a studio in October to start recording its new album, the follow-up to 1998's Yuletide collection, "Christmas Caravan."

In a statement announcing his departure to fans, Maxwell wrote: "I can say in all honesty that I left the band with an open heart, harboring neither ill-will or resentment. Basically, all things must pass and it was time to go... In my letter to my bandmates I said that who I am as a musician is a result of the Squirrel Nut Zippers... In the future, I will continue to hold myself to the high musical standard set by the [band]."

No word yet on when Maxwell plans to deliver a solo record or with whom he might work with, although the Zippers' Ken Mosher wrote on the band's official Web site that he would "continue to work with [Tom] if he needs me."

Maxwell, Mosher, and the Zippers' Je Widenhouse had just completed a road stint as backing musicians for Ben Folds Five's summer tour when Maxwell made his decision to leave the Zippers.

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Squirrel Nut Zippers singer Katherine Whalen is putting out a solo album May 25 titled "Katharine Whalen's Jazz Squad" and is planning a short tour with a band of the same name beginning in June. The group features three other members of the Zippers, namely co-founder Jim Mathus (vocals, guitar, trombone), Stu Cole (bass) and Je Widenhouse (trumpet) as well as another five local players from hometown Chapel Hill, NC, namely Robert Griffin, Ted Zaras, Cecil Johnson, John Kennedy and Mike Mingus.

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When the Squirrel Nut Zippers say that they don't want to be considered part of the neo-swing movement, you better listen up.

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Squirrel Nut Zippers and Whiskeytown are giving a bit back to the North Carolina area that helped shape them by donating tracks to a recently released benefit CD titled "The Garden Place; Songs By Our Friends."

The Zippers kick in a live version of "I've Found a New Baby" and Whiskeytown offers up the studio track "Me and My Ticket" for the album, which also features Carolina acts like Hobex, Two Dollar Pistols, and Portastatic.

Proceeds from the CD will benefit Chatham County Family Violence and Rape Crisis Services as well as the emergency housing facility Garden Place. In addition to housing, the Garden Place offers both victims and batterers an opportunity for counseling.

The Carolina indie label Yep Roc Records and it sister company Redeye Music Distribution (which handles the back catalog of Southern singer gone mainstream Shawn Mullins) are distributing the CDs nationally.

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It's only September, but the Squirrel Nut Zippers are already well into in the Christmas spirit.

The Zippers have finished recording a new Christmas album, entitled "Christmas Caravan," which is due out on October 27 on Mammoth Records. The Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based band just released its newest studio album, "Perennial Favorites," a little over a month ago.

The Yuletide album will feature eight new songs and several cover tunes, including "Winter Weather" by Fats Waller, an instrumental version of "Sleigh Ride" by Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish, and "Hanging Up My Stockings," a song originally written by the grandfather of Zipper's drummer Chris Phillips.

True to the band's form, the original songs range in sound and style from bluesy rock to jazz and swing, and sample titles include "Christmas in Carolina," "Indian Giver" and "Johnny Ace Christmas."

The Zipper's Christmas songs were completed in July at Daniel Lanois' Kingsway Studios in New Orleans. Though there are no plans to shoot any videos as of press time, the group does intend to perform some of their Christmas numbers on various television shows during the holiday season.

In related news, the Dust Brothers have just finished remixing the Zippers' current single, "The Suits Are Picking Up the Bill," and the new version will be released to radio next week.

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The Squirrel Nut Zippers have been hand-picked by legendary crooner Tony Bennett to open his show on October 17 at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

"I'm really looking forward to a great evening of song and dance," Bennett said of the show. "I'm thrilled that a whole new generation of listeners are being exposed to this kind of music."

The revered singer is out on the road in support of his upcoming child-friendly album "The Playground," which is due out September 29. On the album, Bennett duets with the Sesame Street characters, Elmo and Kermit the Frog, as well as actress/comedian/talk show host Rosie O'Donnell.

As for the show itself, the Zippers, who are currently out on tour in support of their album "Perennial Favorites," tell MTV News that they are looking forward to sharing the stage with the vocal icon.

"It's a tremendous thrill and honor to be performing with Bennett," said singer and multi-instrumentalist Tom Maxwell, "we wouldn't have missed it for the world."

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