Dumpstaphunk at Wisdome.LA on 12/31 - New Year's Eve!

Dumpstaphunk stands out among New Orleans’ best as one of the funkiest bands to ever arise from the Crescent City. Born on the Jazz & Heritage Festival stage, and descended from Neville family bloodlines, these soldiers of funk ignite a deep, gritty groove that dares listeners not to move. Their performances combine ingenious musicianship and complex funk and jazz arrangements with soulful melodies that are simple enough for anyone to enjoy. In Big Easy tradition, dueling baselines from Tony Hall and Nick Daniels III set off one of the dirtiest rhythm sections on the planet, while Ivan Neville lights up the Hammond B3 keys and cousin Ian Neville’s funky guitar riffs send the groove into overdrive. The band recently welcomed their newest member, Alvin Ford Jr. to the quintet, a New Orleans born and raised powerhouse drummer. Dumpstaphunk tosses around lead vocals and four-part harmonies the way Sly & the Family Stone did, but with three studio albums under their belt, Dumpstaphunk stands on the merit of their own material. Songs like “Dancin’ To The Truth” off their latest record, Dirty Word (July 30, 2013, Louisiana Red Hot Records), offer an escape into the funky sublime, sharing the true spirit of New Orleans with every note. Ring in the New Year the funkiest way possible … with Dumpstaphunk at Wisdome.LA!

Photo by: SilverbackMusic [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

Motel Radio at The Moroccan Lounge on 12/15/19

Harmonies aren’t dead, at least not in Motel Radio’s case. The four piece from New Orleans builds silky, melodic guitar waves for their stacked vocals to surf across. Breezy, but intentional; pop-minded, yet psychedelic, their tunes are as likely to stick with songwriter buffs as they are deadheads. The group is taking time to record their debut full length after a couple years of heavy touring behind their first 2 EPs.

Maggie Koerner at La Poubelle - 12/15

Maggie Koerner describes herself as “Shreveport bred, New Orleans fed. Singer, songwriter & touring woman who enjoys good coffee and long walks with Tom.” She can also be described as a powerful, versatile performer who should not be missed. Catch her (and maybe Tom, the Tour Dog) at La Poubelle!

Dragon Smoke at The Mint on 12/3/19

Dragon Smoke is a band that formed as part of the New Orleans Jazz Fest tradition known as the “Superjam”. The “Superjam” idea is to put together a band of people who don’t normally play together and see what happens. With the dual vocals of Neville and Lindell, matched with the Galactic rhythm section, the band quickly realized, “We are on to something” and has played every Jazz Fest since it’s inception in 2003. This inception took place at the famed Dragon’s Den, hence the name of the band. 

The music centers around Lindell’s blue eyed soul , Neville’s funk and R&B, and Galactic’s groove. Besides a few trips to the West Coast, this band has been strictly playing in New Orleans. With everyone in the band being a leader on their own, it is rare to get this band together. And when it does, it shows that these guys are really having FUN! From the interplay between the members, you would think that Dragon Smoke has been playing shows forever. 

Dragon Smoke is looking towards the future, with plans to write and record an album and to do more touring outside of New Orleans and the Bay Area. So be on the lookout for the Smoke—IF YOU SEE SMOKE, YOU KNOW YOU WILL SEE FIRE!

Adonis Rose & NOJO 7 of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra play the music of Allen Toussaint on 11/24/19 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre

Possessing an inimitable swinging style, the mighty NOJO 7 has performed and recorded with a veritable who’s who of artists across all genres. Led by Grammy Award-winning drummer and Artistic Director Adonis Rose, this 7-piece ensemble, which honors the dynamic traditions of New Orleans brass & rhythm, is drawn from the full New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Ingrained with soulful grooves and energetic group interplay, NOJO 7 performs the music of New Orleans’ legendary pianist and songwriter Allen Toussaint, whose music influenced generations spanning more than fifty years.

Boyfriend at The Regent Theater on 11/20/2019

Boyfriend, the singer, songwriter, producer, rapper, and performance artist, brings her “rap-cabaret,” to The Regent Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, supporting New Orleans’ own Big Freedia. A New Orleans denizen herself, Boyfriend’s performances are not to be missed!

Photo by Hunter Holde