Jazz Fest 2012: Galactic members spread across the city for various side projects

One of the great things about New Orleans during Jazz Festival is that different musicians that rarely play together form special super groups. Today I’d like to feature 3 such super groups, all of which feature members of New Orleans’ own Galactic.

First up is Good Enough For Good Times, which features Jeff Raines on guitar and Robert Mercurio on bass, both members of Galactic. In addition, an up and coming drummer that you want to know about, Simon Lott. And rounding out this Meters-esque quartet is Chris Spies on organ. On this night they were joined by guest saxophonist Lucas Ellman (the younger brother of Galactic’s own Ben Ellman). Check ’em out:

Good Enough For Good Times
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison

Hey! Last Minute (Meters cover):

Good Enough For Good Times
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison

unknown tune #1:

Good Enough For Good Times with Lucas Ellman
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison

Jack Rabbit (Greyboy Allstars cover):

Good Enough For Good Times with Lucas Ellman
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison

Play It Back (Dr. Lonnnie Smith cover):

Good Enough For Good Times with Lucas Ellman
May 3, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ Maison

Play It Back (Dr. Lonnnie Smith cover) (continued):

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Next up is Garage A Trois, which, as many of you already know, consider New Orleans their homebase. Their early show at One Eyed Jack’s on Friday of the second weekend has become a tradition for many. This year it was hosted by our friends at Live Music Blog NOLA.

Below you will find a few videos I was able to capture. Although I will admit that the songs I happened to shoot are rather tame compared to some of the other stuff they got into this night (including a punk-rock version of Ween‘s “It’s Gonna Be A Long Night” and an extended “iPhone/Android rap”, both led by Mike Dillon, and both of which I captured with my eyes but not my camera.)

Garage A Trois
May 4, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks

Electric Door Bell Machine:

Garage A Trois
May 4, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks

Dugout:

Garage A Trois
May 4, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks

Assault On Precinct 13:

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The last super group I want to feature is Dragon Smoke. It consists of Ivan Neville, Stanton Moore, Robert Mercurio and Eric Lindell. This group, put together by Boom Boom Room Presents, began as a Tuesday night tradition in 2003 at the Dragon’s Den, moving to the Blue Nile in 2006 and to One Eyed Jack’s in 2009. Every Tuesday between 1st and 2nd weekend of Jazz Fest you can find these four musicians catering to the locals and any other hardcore fester’s that make it down for the full 10 days of debauchery.

These videos of Dragon Smoke were shot by the incomparable Marc Millman. Check out his photos from this show and more more of his Dragon Smoke videos.

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s

Jet Airliner (Steve Miller Band cover):

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s

Valerie (The Zutons / Amy Winehouse cover) – Be Thankful For What You Got (William DeVaughn cover):

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s

Padlock:

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s

If Love Can’t Find A Way:

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s

Grandma’s Hands (Bill Withers cover):

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s

Hercules (Aaron Neville cover):

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s

Country Livin’:

Dragon Smoke
May 1, 2012 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s

Lullaby for Mercy Ann:

The AM Sessions (Eric Krasno, George Porter Jr, Marco Benevento & Johnny Vidacovich) – NOLA Jazz Fest Late Night 2012

New Orleans Jazz Fest late night. 2:15am start time at the House of Blues Parish (the small room), right after the sold out Original Meters gig at Howlin’ Wolf. It don’t stop.

Improvisation:

Junco Partner:

Improvisation:

Thanks to Jon Prins of Transcendental Photography for the use of his stellar images.

Meanwhile, Picklemic has been posting several A+ audio recordings of Johnny Vidacovich from 2nd weekend of jazz fest, including:
this gig, May 5, 2012 at House of Blues Parish,
May 4, 2012 at Howlin’ Wolf with New Orleans All Stars,
May 3, 2012 at Maple Leaf with George Porter, Marco Benevento & Skerik,
May 2, 2012 at Maple Leaf with George Porter Jr, June Yamagishi & Ivan Neville.
Applause to Picklemic for pulling off all these SBD + on-stage matrix audio recordings. And he tells me his next upload is the May 4, 2012 Maple Leaf late night James Booker tribute with Marco Benevento & James Singleton.

Dumpstaphunk closes out the 2011 Bear Creek Music Festival with guests & unusual covers

Dumpstaphunk
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Live Oak, FL @ Bear Creek Music Festival
Part 1 of 2: Deeper (w/ Skerik), Put It In The Dumpsta, Liar [The Meters cover], Heart Shaped Box [Nirvana cover]

Dumpstaphunk
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Live Oak, FL @ Bear Creek Music Festival
Part 2 of 2: Blueswave (w/ Skerik), Africa/New Orleans (w/ George Porter Jr) > reggae improv (w/ George Porter Jr & Pee Wee Ellis), Fame [David Bowie cover], Water [Graham Central Station cover] (w/ Ryan Zoidis, Rashawn Ross, Sam Kininger, Jonathan Lloyd & Skerik)

VIDEO: Canon Vixia HF21 by RLBayers
AUDIO: LiveMusicNola‘s mix (32 channel multi-track using all channels from the stage)
AUDIO (on first 3 songs): Sony ECM-MS908C (front row on video camera) + LiveMusicNola‘s mix (32 channel multi-track using all channels from the stage)

Dumpstaphunk
Ivan Neville: keys, vocals
Tony Hall: bass, guitar, vocals
Ian Neville: guitar
Nick Daniels: bass, vocals
Nikki Glaspie: drums

Guests:
Skerik – sax
George Porter Jr – bass, vocals
Pee Wee Ellis – sax
The Shady Horns (Ryan Zoidis on sax, Rashawn Ross on trumpet, Sam Kininger on sax)
Jonathan Lloyd – trombone

Dumpstaphunk
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Live Oak, FL @ Bear Creek Music Festival
Encore: Meanwhile (w/ Louis Cato) [Filmed by Sewell Film Productions for the Bear Creek Music Festival 2011 Video Archives]

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