Funk79rs Gang
The 79rs Gang is led by musicians Jermaine Bossier and Romeo Bougere, the Big Chiefs of two rival Mardi Gras Indian tribes (the 7th Ward Creole Hunters and the 9th Ward Hunters). These young talents interweave traditional Mardi Gras rhythms with vibrant contemporary hip hop stylings and sophisticated lyrics. Their fresh takes on timeless themes delight and energize audiences with funky hits like “79ers Bout to Blow,” and collaborations with members of LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire.
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Bass / Drums / Guitar / Keyboard / VocalNew Orleans
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Americana / PopAlynda Segarra
Alynda Segarra is a singer-songwriter best known as the founder and driving force behind the internationally-acclaimed folk-punk band Hurray for the Riff-Raff. National Public Radio describer their voice as a “morning-after alto,” and the talented artist writes songs that speak to both eternal truths and political realities. Segarra was raised in the Bronx, NY, and landed in New Orleans in 2007 after traveling the country – sometimes by hopping freight trains – absorbing hard core punk, folk tunes, and Motown along the way, including two years as part of the self-described hobo punk band Dead Man Street Orchestra. In 2008, Segarra released the first Hurray for the Riff Raff album, and immediately caught the attention of the music press and audiences hungry for their honest, edgy folk music. They were featured in the HBO series “Treme,” and on the BBC, and gained international acclaim. The band has since toured the world and released several albums, including the critically-acclaimed 2022 “Life on Earth,” on the Nonesuch label, with themes of nature steeped in a folk-punk musical brew. Hurray for the Riff Raff has won numerous accolades, including kudos from Spin for their song “St. Roch Blues,” and “Best Music Video” at the SXSW Film Festival for their tune “Pa’lante.”
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Guitar / VocalNew Orleans
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Blues / CajunAmanda Shaw
Fiddler Amanda Shaw has grown from a child prodigy to a mature and enduring force in contemporary Cajun music. The festival favorite, born in 1991, grew up in Mandeville, Louisiana, took her first classical violin lesson at age four, and at age seven became the youngest soloist to ever appear with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. Living in New Orleans, Shaw encountered a wide variety of music, and began developing an interest in Cajun music at an early age. She learned by sitting in with other musicians, adding her own spin - jazz, blues, and rock - to traditional Cajun fiddle stylings. When she was 10, she launched her professional career with her band, The Cute Guys. (The line-up has included drummer Mike Barras, bassist Ronnie Falgout, and guitarist Brint Anderson - all considerably older than Shaw.) Her first album, Little Black Dog, was a hit, and the follow-up, I’m Not a Bubble Gum Pop Princess, included originals and Cajun-flavored versions of rockers such as The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” Other CDs include Pretty Runs Out, Good Southern Girl, and Please, Call Me Miss Shaw, featuring the hit single “How Lucky You Are.” Appearances on Rosie O’Donnell’s talk show, Emeril Live, and other national programs put Shaw in the spotlight, first because of her youthfulness and later due to the enduring popularity of her music and focus on the Cajun culture and musical art form. Shaw has also starred in films, including two Disney Channel movies: Stuck in the Suburbs and Now You See It… She was one of four musicians featured in the IMAX documentary Hurricane on the Bayou, about wetlands loss and Hurricane Katrina. (The other three were Allen Toussaint, Chubby Carrier, and wetlands activist Tab Benoit.) Today, the fiery redhead can be seen on stages across Louisiana and around the world, and she continues to collect awards and honors. In 2018 she launched the Amanda Shaw Foundation, which focuses on strengthening Louisiana families through music, food, and culture. In 2019 Shaw served as the first female Grand Marshal for the Krewe of Toth Mardi Gras parade. She was a featured performer (and played “Auld Lang Syne”) on the 2019-20 national broadcast of Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, hosted by Billy Porter and co-starring Sheryl Crow and Usher.
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VocalNew Orleans
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JazzAmber Rachelle
Amber Rachelle, being a professional vocalist since she was a teen, spent most of her early career leading bands in Seattle. She started out at 17 as a busker and steadily worked her way up to playing local clubs and venues. When she was 19, she toured down the west coast to New Orleans and absolutely fell in love with the crescent city. A few years later in 2019, Amber officially moved to New Orleans in pursuit of learning as much as she could about New Orleans’ music, history, and culture. In late 2021, She founded Amber Rachelle & The Sweet Potatoes, a high energy, 6 piece jazz band. Originally focusing primarily on Swing, they are now expanding their repertoire to include Jump Blues, Early R&B, New Orleans Funk, and more. Last year, The Sweet Potatoes recorded their first album “Too Sweet" and are currently working on their next album which will include some of Amber’s original compositions. In two years time, they have already played venues such as, The New Orleans Jazz Museum, The Spotted Cat, Three Keys, and are currently looking forward to their debut at French Quarter Fest 2024. Information Provided by Artist
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VocalNew Orleans
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Blues / RockAnders Osborne
Anders Osborne is a singer-songwriter-guitar rocker who sailed into New Orleans from his native Sweden, lit the town on fire, and never looked back. Some 40 years later, with an international reputation and following, an impressive catalog, and several shelf-loads of awards and honors, Osborne remains a serious force on the American blues-rock scene. His recent album, Picasso’s Villa , is his 17 th studio recording and includes impeccable tunes like “Bewildered” and “Dark Decatur Love.” Osborne is a stellar guitarist and vocalist. A prolific performer, he has toured relentlessly, with his own band and with numerous co-conspirators, including the North Mississippi All-Stars, The Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars, Toots and The Maytals, Stanton Moore, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Keb Mo, Phil Lesh, Jackie Greene and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. He's produced and played on critically acclaimed albums by Tab Benoit, Johnny Sansone, Monk Boudreaux, the Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars, Cyril Neville, and Mike Zito. Osborne is also a gifted and prolific composer – indeed, Guitar Player calls him "the poet laureate of Louisiana's fertile roots music scene.” Starting with his 1989 debut recording, Osborne Orchestra , he has written virtually all of his own material and contributed memorable songs to a wide variety of artists. His breakthrough album, the 1995 Which Way to Here, contained two breakout hits, including “Pleasin’ You,” which was covered by Jonny Lang and got Osborne noticed by the Nashville songwriting community. Country superstar Tim McGraw scored a #1 hit with “Watch The Wind Blow By,” while two tunes co-written by Osborne appear on Keb Mo's Grammy-winning 1999 release Slow Down . Osborne's compositions have been covered by artists as diverse as Brad Paisley, Tab Benoit, Edwin McCain, Sam Bush, Trombone Shorty and Aaron Neville and Kim Carnes, and have appeared in multiple feature films. He spent several years in the Music City writing for labels, but eventually wound his way back to New Orleans and his own creative projects. Osborne has toured the world, and has played at a long list of major venues and festivals. He’s won an equally long list of awards, including Big Easy and Offbeat ’s Best of the Beat honors for songwriting, guitar playing, and recording. He can also be seen performing in an episode of HBO's New Orleans-based drama, Treme . Osborne struggled with substance abuse issues over the years and in sobriety has worked closely to support sober lifestyle efforts, particularly the “Send Me a Friend” project.
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Guitar / VocalNew Orleans
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BluesAndrew Duhon
Andrew Duhon is a pure songwriter from New Orleans with a weighted, soulful voice and stories that rhyme with the traditions of folks like Jim Croce and John Prine as well as Louisiana natives, Bobby Charles and Jesse Winchester. He has released 4 albums, including “The Moorings,” which was nominated for a Grammy in 2014. The usual touring outfit is the Andrew Duhon Trio featuring Myles Weeks on upright bass and Jim Kolacek on drums singing three part harmony. There’s a sense of down home New Orleans groove alongside the soul of Acadian Louisiana that gives the band its sense of place. A new album called “The Parish Record” is due out in ‘24, which the band recorded in Vermillion Parish, and continues the story told by the songwriter from New Orleans, bringing it back home with a collection of songs, sometimes wry, sometimes heavy, but always true. Information Provided by Artist
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Guitar / Harmonica / VocalNew Orleans
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Gospel / JazzAntoine Diel
Antoine Diel is a powerful, soulful singer who has performed across the pantheon of secular and religious music. Diel is a native of the Philippines, and grew up there and in Southern California, Like so many vocalists, he got his start singing in church, and he took his abundant talent to the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where he earned Bachelors and Masters of Music Degrees - Vocal Arts. He now calls New Orleans home, and can be found singing in clubs and in sacred settings as a solo artist, with his band, New Orleans Misft Power, in collaboration with groups like Matt Perrine’s Sunflower City and the Lena Prima Band. He is a popular festival act, and also stays busy recording voiceovers, and teaching voice at Loyola University and for private students. Antoines' credits range from operas, musicals, plays as well as solo and choral concerts in both secular and sacred music, ADR/voice-over and singing on recordings and demos for movies and various projects. He now calls New Orleans home and astounds audiences all throughout the city with his outstanding soulful singing. His band, the New Orleans Misfit Power, is comprised of some of the hardest working, talented musicians in the city as well as joining forces with the NOLA Dukes band. Antoine is also currently an Adjunct Professor, Instructor of Voice in the Popular Commercial Music Department of Loyola University in New Orleans. His rendition of “His Eye is on the Sparrow” is not to be missed.
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VocalNew Orleans
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Pop / SoulAriee Jackson
Ariee, a talented music artist, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She discovered her passion for music at a young age and began singing in her church at the age of 8. As she grew, Ariee realized that mastering her craft was essential to her success. By backing other accomplished musicians, she developed her voice and expanded her vocal range. Ariee has performed with many renowned musicians, including Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Mystikal, Glen David Andrews, and Kermit Ruffins, among others. She set fire to the stage as a background singer and captivated the audience with her exceptional voice. As a solo artist, Ariee has performed at various events and arenas, including Essence Fest Center Stage, New Orleans Jazz Festival, and Lincoln Center in NYC. She established herself as a gifted entertainer and earned the title of New & Next Artist. In 2018, Ariee went on tour with High School Nation, where she performed for schools in the DMV Metro Area & Chicago. The proceeds from the tour went to build music studios inside each school she visited. Ariee's debut EPs, 8 & The Sequel, showcased her musical diversity and the magic she has curated in the studio over the years. Under her record label, Ariee Music Group LLC, she landed a distribution deal with XLP Distribution. Her brand is currently expanding in Atlanta, GA, not just in music as an independent artist but also in the beauty industry through her company Fox & Co. Beauty. Ariee's voice and presence are soul-laced with uniqueness and clarity, whether in person or on stage. Her style and distinctive expression redefine what is possible within contemporary R&B & POP. In the music industry and beyond, Ariee is establishing herself as a self-made entrepreneur. Bio Provided by Artist
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VocalNew Orleans
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JazzAstral Project
Astral Project , with its original all-star roster and 40-plus-year history, easily ranks as New Orleans’ premier modern jazz ensemble. Founded in 1978 by saxophonist Tony Dagradi, the group also includes seven-string guitar whiz Steve Masakowski, the impeccable drummer Johnny Vidacovich, and the dynamic, passionate bassist James Singleton. (Pianist Dave Torkanowsky left the group in 2001.) The group cut its teeth on Bourbon Street, drawing on New Orleans’ rhythms and musical influences as they charted their own course into the waters of contemporary jazz modes. Bobby McFerrin often sat in on those early gigs at the Old Absinthe House, and the band and its members have since performed and recorded with a Who’s Who of jazz. But Astral Project doesn’t need guest stars. Each prolific musician brings a lifetime of professional success and high-caliber performance to the ensemble’s sound. Dagradi is a university professor with an active teaching and concert schedule, Masakowski is a retired teacher who plays with his musician offspring, while Vidacovich and Singleton are considered to be among the top jazz rhythm players in the city, if not the nation. Together, the group continues to explore the boundaries of modern improvisation, rooted in the steamy streets of the Crescent City. Astral Project has toured across the globe, won numerous awards, and recorded several albums, including “Blue Streak,” “Big Shot,” and “The Legend of Cowboy Bill.” They remain a jazz fan favorite at The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and other area venues. Masakowski, Dagradi, Singleton, and Vidacovich can also be heard individually on their own solo recording efforts and performing with countless other New Orleans jazz musicians.
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Bass / Drums / Guitar / SaxophoneNew Orleans
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Funk / GospelBig Freedia
Big Freedia emerged after Katrina as one of New Orleans’ most dynamic performers, specializing in the energetic hip hop variant known as bounce music. The Third Ward native caught stardom by the tail, and now has a string of hit collaborations, their own reality show, and a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor. Born Freddy Ross, Freedia began performing in the late ‘90’s, backing up neighbor and fellow drag queen Katey Red. They adopted the name Big Freeda-Queen Diva and went on their own in 1999 with the single, “An Ha Oh Yeah,” and their first CD, “Queen Diva,” in 2003. A breakout performance at the 2009 Voodoo Festival exposed them to a national audience, and soon afterwards they guested on Galactic’s hit record, “Ya-Ka-May” and began touring. Positive reviews in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and other major publications followed, as did television appearances on Last Call with Carson Daly and Live with Jimmy Kimmel. In 2013 they began starring in a reality show on Fuse TV, “Big Freedia Bounces Back,” which ran for six seasons and gained them a world-wide following and the attention of some of pop music’s biggest stars. They can be heard on Drake’s “Nice For What” and Beyonce’s Grammy-winning “Formation,” as well as a host of other hip-hop releases. Capping off a meteoric decade, Big Freedia released “3rd Ward Bounce” in 2018, featuring rising star Lizzo. In the summer of 2019 Ben and Jerry’s ice cream issued “Big Freedia’s Bouncin’ Beignets” limited edition flavor, and they published a memoir, “God Save the Queen Diva!” Big Freedia flourished despite the pandemic, collaborating with Beyonce on her 2022 hit “Break My Soul,” with stars ranging from Drake to New Kids on the Block, and releasing a 2023 album, Central City.
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VocalNew Orleans
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Americana / BluesBon Bon Vivant
Bon Bon Vivant celebrates the bon vivant spirit of the Big Easy with energetic shows and music that crosses the genre map, ranging from dark, persistent ballads to catchy dance grooves on songs like “Gone, Gone, Gone” and the ska-spiced “Ship is Sinking.” Bon Bon Vivant includes frontwoman and songwriter Abigail Cosio, singer and saxman Jeremy Kelley, bassist Jason Jurzak, and percussionist Deacon Marrquin; the band employs a full palette of instruments, and frequently augments their unique sound with surprising guest stars. The band is closely entwined with the Krewe of Red Beans Mardi Gras group and parade, a perfect fit for their quirky, intelligent, and spirited sound.
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Accordion / Guitar / VocalNew Orleans
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Funk / RockBonerama
Bonerama is a New Orleans-based brass funk-rock band that puts the horn section up front. The band took shape in 1998, when trombonists Craig Klein and Mark Mullins, both members of Harry Connick Jr.’s big band, were looking to feature their trombones on original tunes and more hard-driving rock covers. With its funky grooves and powerhouse horns, the band quickly became an “only in New Orleans” club favorite, but that didn’t last long. Bonerama’s first CD, “Live at the Old Point,” was released in 2001 to much acclaim, and the word was out. The group’s first East Coast tour sold out, and, thanks to their infectious grooves and skilled musicianship, they soon developed a world-wide following. Klein, long a fixture with the Storyville Stompers and other classic brass bands, brings his well-honed sense of showmanship to the Bonerama stage, while Mullins – complete with wah-wah pedal – adds a rock sensibility and song-writing skills to the group. Original members also included trombonists Steve Suter, Rick Trolsen, and Brian O’Neill (Suter and Trolsen left the group in 2009 while O’Neill passed away just after Hurricane Katrina), sousaphonist Matt Perrine, guitarist Bert Cotton, and drummer Eric Bolivar. Perrine and Cotton remain with the band; the current lineup also includes trombonist Greg Hicks and drummer A. J. Hall. Mullins, Klein, and Hicks are also known as The Bonerama Horns, and can often be found backing up visiting artists, serving as the horn section for festivals and benefits, or in the studio with the likes of R.E.M. and Alec Ousworth. Bonerama has toured around the world and headlined both clubs and major festivals. In 2008 they performed the single, “A Million Ways” on The Late Show with David Letterman with vocals by Damian Kulash of OK Go, and released a joint EP with OK Go, “You’re Not Alone,” that same year. They’ve appeared on CNN and on Comic Relief, and can be heard at festivals, clubs, Jam Cruise, and other venues. They’ve engaged in numerous collaborations with artists ranging from Jill Sobule to Michael McDonald of The Doobie Brothers. Bonerama has released eight full-length and EP CDs. True to the band’s eclectic tastes, their 2017 album “Hot Like Fire” included several originals, covers by Allen Toussaint and Radiohead, with a third song dedicated to New Orleans’ vegetable-purveying legend Mr. Okra. Their 2019 “Bonerama Plays Zeppelin,” offers homage to the classic rock group with creative, energetic interpretations. Most importantly, perhaps, by putting the trombone up front, Bonerama set the stage for the success of New Orleans stars such as Trombone Shorty and Sam Williams of Big Sam’s Funky Nation, and keeping the spotlight on the ever-evolving sound that is New Orleans music.
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Drums / Guitar / TromboneNew Orleans
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