Tag: Greyboy Allstars

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:

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe – Cinco De Mayo Celebration 2011 Late Night at Tipitina’s

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Talk about a party! Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe had Tipitina’s rocking from 2am to 5:30am on a Thursday night / Friday morning. We were in New Orleans after all, it was 2nd weekend of Jazz Fest and it was Cinco De Mayo! Well, it wasn’t actually Cinco De Mayo anymore as it was Friday morning by the time they started, but try telling that to the Professor Longhair bust in the Tipitina’s foyer: he was a sporting a huge sombrero all night!

This show had an insane amount of guests: Terence Higgins on a 2nd drum kit for the entire show, Ivan Neville, Eric McFadden, Nigel Hall, Tony Hall, Marco Benevento, Steve Molitz, Mike Dillon, Nikki Glaspie, The Shady Horns, Maurice Brown, Mark Mullins, etc… The most surprising guest was American Idol Taylor Hicks who demonstrated his harmonica skills on a wacky (at least it seemed wacky to me) cover of Wall of Voodoo’s “Mexican Radio”!

The full 3 hour audio recording is available to stream or download at Live Music Archive or to download via torrent at etree.

A big thanks goes out to Cosmicsoul420 for recording this audio and allowing me to use it on these videos.

This first video is a slamming cover of a Cold War Kids song that really shows the grittier side of Karl D’s voice. I can’t get this one out of my head, especially the a capella ending. Just feel that intro riff Chris Stillwell lays down on bass.

The second video is a Los Lobos cover that features Ivan Neville on organ & Eric McFadden ripping an acoustic-electric guitar like I’ve never seen.

This third video also features Ivan Neville & Eric McFadden, but don’t forget that Terence Higgins is guesting the whole show on that 2nd drum kit. This tune, Satisfied, really allows the dual drummers to show off a little with a drum breakdown near the end. We also find Karl D playing “more cowbell,” as well as a lengthy flute solo in the middle.

The fourth and final video features 8 horn players, Nikki Glaspie (Beyonce’s drummer) on one of the drum kits and Steve Molitz from Particle on organ. The horn players, in order of their solos are: Chris Littlefield on trumpet, Rashawn Ross on trumpet, Sam Kinninger on alto sax, Maurice Brown on trumpet & Ryan Zoidis on tenor sax. The video cuts here because my hand was too tired to record any longer, but the tune ended with an organ solo by Steve Molitz, a big horn blowout by everyone and a short Karl Denson sax solo. Two other horn players are present but don’t solo: Mark Mullins on trombone & Anthony Reed on sax. Of all of those horns, Maurice Brown’s solo really stands out for me.



Thanks goes out to Marc Millman Photography for the use of his images.
His site has some great image galleries, so check it out.