2025 ARTISTS
MASTER P FEAT. THE SOUL REBELS
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DUMPSTAPHUNK: DUMPSTA PLAYS SLY
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FUNKY METERS 2.0
FEATURING GEORGE PORTER JR., IVAN NEVILLE,BRIAN STOLTZ, IAN NEVILLE & TERRENCE HOUSTON
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TONY HALL & THE NEW ORLEANS SOUL STARS FEAT. FRED WESLEY: TRIBUTE TO JAMES BROWN
Legendary bandleader, trombonist and author Fred Wesley is a forefather of funk who at 81 is maintaining the standard -- individually and with his band The New JBs. Together at its core for more than 30 years, the band is a living celebration of roots funk, jazz, soul and blues, including music he made with James Brown, George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. Born in Columbus, Georgia, and raised in Mobile, Ala., Fred began his career as a teenage trombonist with Ike and Tina Turner. He later was music director, arranger, trombonist and a primary composer for Brown from 1968-1975, then arranged for and played with Parliament-Funkadelic and Bootsy’s Rubber Band. With Brown, Fred became “the world’s most famous sideman, orchestrating the sinuous grooves and contributing the bold, surgically precise solos that defined the language of funk.” He helped take funk to the next level with George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. Fred has recorded a dozen solo albums including the cult favorite “House Party,” and his latest, “From The Blues and Back,” released in 2024. He is featured in the Oscar-winning documentary “When We Were Kings” and countless other documentaries and books about funk. His critically acclaimed memoir “Hit Me, Fred: Recollections of a Side Man” (Duke University Press, 2002) chronicles in hilarious stories a half century of music history through the eyes of one of the world’s most-sampled musicians. Also a veteran of the Count Basie Orchestra, Fred has shared the stage with scores of other artists, from Ray Charles to Trombone Shorty. His other current projects include the jazz organ trio Generations and backing Martha High’s Funky Divas.
THE HEADHUNTERS
"Remarkably masterful, fresh-sounding, and creatively restless...For over 50 years, The Headhunters have continually reinvented themselves.” - ALL MUSIC The Headhunters, the legendary jazz-funk ensemble co-led by percussionist Bill Summers and drummer Mike Clark with NEA Jazz Master Donald Harrison on alto saxophone, celebrated the band’s 50th anniversary in 2023, having formed around Herbie Hancock's classic recordings, Head Hunters, in 1973, Thrust in 1974 and Man-Child in 1975. The band continued without Mr. Hancock and has released 8 albums under the Headhunters name starting with Survival of the Fittest in 1975 and on Straight from the Gate in 1977 (featuring the smash hit “God Make Me Funky” sampled on over 350 hip hop and pop songs), and most recently Speakers In the House in 2022 and Live From Brooklyn Bowl in 2023. The band’s new album The Stunt Man comes out October 11th, 2024 on Ropeadope recorded at the legendary Hyde Street Studios. Few bands can boast a history as fortuitous and storied as The Headhunters. What each member brings to the table forged a history that most bands can only dream of. Their blend of jazz with funk and rock would go on to sell over a million albums worldwide, while the band's legacy would inspire musicians of every genre for years to come, be sampled by hundreds of hip-hop artists throughout the '80s and '90s, and influence countless musicians' playing today. The Headhunters' impact remains a global phenomenon, and their time with Hancock proved to be a life changing experience. "What Bill and I and The Headhunters do is experience the moment and explore. We're not in a gym, this isn't a competition. This is art. The Headhunters is an act of passion, of love for humanity, and for our planet." - Mike Clark "We live this every day. We have some secrets to give to the youth of the world. We’re not musicians, we are physicians. We heal people." - Bill Summers. The current band consists of a top notch quintet with Clark, Summers and Harrison joined by bassist Chris Severin (Dr. John, Diana Krall, The Neville Brothers) and pianist Kyle Roussel (Preservation Hall Jazz Band), both staples on the New Orleans music scene. The band is poised for success in 2024, and will be embarking on European tour in July 21-28 including Bologna Jazz Festival, Birkenhead at Future Yard and two nights at the London’s Ronnie Scott’s.
JON CLEARY & THE ABSOLUTE MONSTER GENTLEMEN
After thirty-five years of being at the forefront of the ever-evolving musical landscape of New Orleans, Grammy Award winner Jon Cleary decided to bring that sound back home, both figuratively and literally. He assembled his Absolute Monster Gentlemen (his acclaimed all-star big band) in his home studio in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans, drew up a setlist of some of his most beloved songs– and some new favorites– and rolled tape. “We set out to capture that sound in the old-fashioned way: everybody in the room, playing together,” Cleary explains. The result is The Bywater Sessions, a musical tour-de-force that showcases the grit, funk and joy that’s packed concert halls from New Orleans to Tokyo and beyond. Co-produced by Cleary and John Porter (Roxy Music, The Smiths, Taj Mahal), it’s a stunning collection of performances that affirms Cleary’s place in the New Orleans musical vanguard. “There’s a lot to be said for the ‘lean and mean’ sound of a piano trio, stripped down to basics, simple and direct,” Cleary says. “But recently, I’ve been experimenting with different combinations; adding horns, guitar, percussion and even another keyboard player. This expanded line-up has allowed the arrangements to blossom in new directions.” As for the musicians, it’s the best of the best. Long time Monster Gentlemen Cornell Williams and A.J. Hall anchor the band on bass and drums, respectively. They are joined by Nigel Hall (Lettuce) on Hammond organ, Pedro Segundo (Ronnie Scott’s All Stars) on percussion, Xavier Lynn (MonoNeon, Ledisi) on guitar, and an all-star horn section of Aaron Narcisse (Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra), Charlie Halloran (Squirrel Nut Zippers, Preservation Hall All Stars) and Jason Mingledorff (Galactic). “Sophisticated, nasty, good-time, low-down funk is the folk music of New Orleans,” Cleary says. “Everyone playing on this recording is a New Orleanian by birth or by choice, having learned their craft at the feet of the masters who in turn were taught by the old lions in their day - it's a tradition stretching back over two hundred years. The roots go deep, but each generation, growing up with street parades and second-lines, absorbs the old and introduces the new, gently coaxing the essential essence into and out of each succeeding decade.” It’s an apt description of Cleary’s career thus far. Born in London and on a plane to New Orleans before he turned twenty years old, he grew up absorbed by the sounds and rhythms of the Crescent City. His mastery of the city’s music landed him gigs playing as a session musician in the bands of local legends Earl King, Johnny Adams, Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington, Snooks Eaglin, Ernie K-Doe, Jessie Hill– and as a guitarist for Dr. John. He later toured extensively with icons like Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal. His solo career began in earnest in 1989 and includes beloved records like their self-titled band debut and his 2015 Grammy winner, Go-Go Juice. In fact, his first job in New Orleans was as a painter at beloved local club the Maple Leaf Bar, and it wasn’t long until he was playing piano in that very room. To this day, he and his band continue to pack that room to crowds that gather from around the world, playing their unique and ever-evolving take on New Orleans funk and R&B. “These grooves are not museum pieces, they are alive, breathing and fresh - and that’s why joints like Tipitina’s, The Maple Leaf Bar and Chickie Wah Wah are always packed when the locals, young and old, come out to hear the Gentlemen do they thang,” Cleary proudly adds. On The Bywater Sessions, the band that Rolling Stone’s David Fricke called “as broad, deep and rolling as the Mississippi river” is finally captured as intended– live, in the room and as funky as ever. And with that comes an invitation from Cleary himself: “Close your eyes, imagine you’re in the room with us, me and the band, Mike Dorsey the engineer, John Porter the producer and Reed the manager. Turn it up and enjoy the experience. I hope you have as much fun listening as we did playing.”
GEORGE PORTER JR &
RUNNIN' PARDNERS
George Porter Jr. is an award-winning bassist, songwriter and vocalist. He is a founding member of New Orleans’ seminal funk band, The Meters and widely recognized as one of the greatest bass players of all time. Formed alongside Art "Poppa Funk" Neville, Leo Nocentelli and Joseph Zigaboo Modeliste, the pioneering R&B funk outfit hit the scene on the streets of the Crescent City in the 1960s, to ultimately become one of the progenitors of the funk music genre. The groundbreaking collective carved out syncopated polyrhythms and grooves inherited from New Orleans’ deep African musical roots. Porter’s heavy pocket and fat notes formed the rubbery bass lines behind funk classics like their signature “Cissy Strut,” the now classic 1969 funk instrumental released as a single from their eponymous debut album, which reached No. 4 on the R&B chart and No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 respectively. While the group rarely enjoyed massive mainstream success, they are widely heralded alongside James Brown, Sly Stone, and George Clinton’s Parliament/Funkadelic as the founding fathers of funk. The Meters have been nominated four times for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (most recently in 2017), and were presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018. At the outset of his young career, Porter developed his signature style on sessions in his hometown New Orleans, with early musical pioneers Johnny Adams, Irma Thomas, Snooks Eaglin, Eddie Bo and The Lastie Brothers. While Porter developed his pedigree, The Meters were gaining notoriety, soon becoming the house band for Allen Toussaint’s recording label, backing classic records from Dr. John, Lee Dorsey and Earl King, while later supplying the musical foundation for classic hit albums and singles from modern artists Robert Palmer, Paul McCartney, Tori Amos, Taj Mahal, not to mention Patti Labelle’s No. 1 R&B hit “Lady Marmalade.” George and The Meters toured with the Rolling Stones in '75, were embraced by Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, and became primary influences to modern artists such as Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Beastie Boys. Porter’s rhythmic work with drummer Modeliste also became the building block behind primary samples used by the most relevant hip-hop artists of the 1980’s and 1990’s, including A Tribe Called Quest, Run DMC, N.W.A. and Queen Latifah. Porter has accompanied the stage as a band member or special guest with the likes of David Byrne, Dead & Company, Jimmy Buffet, Warren Haynes, Widespread Panic, Tedeschi Trucks Band, John Scofield, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart and various members of Phish, to name a few. He continues to be the bandleader of current projects, George Porter Jr. and Runnin' Pardners and George Porter Jr. Trio; with both incarnations still playing often locally, and touring prolifically, garnering respect not only as quintessential New Orleans' bands, but also as major national attractions within the jam band and festival scene. On special occasions, Porter still anchors Foundation of Funk, a current Meters "reinvention" with original drummer Zigaboo Modeliste, boasting a rotating line-up which has featured members of Widespread Panic, Medeski Martin & Wood, Dumpstaphunk and 2018's now infamous Lockn Festival sit-in by Bob Weir, John Mayer and Grateful Dead drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, the latter of whom George played with in the popular side project, The 7 Walkers. Currently, Porter still maintains a healthy touring schedule with his trio and Runnin’ Pardners projects with a cast of seasoned and talented musicians including long-time collaborator Michael Lemmler (keyboards), Terrence Houston (drums) and Chris Adkins (guitar). George and his Runnin' Pardners recently released their highly acclaimed first new studio album in six years, Crying For Hope in March 2021. The album garnered national coverage with Billboard, Tidal, MOJO, Premier Guitar and Bass Player, along with Porter's hometown publication, Offbeat, which declared: "While the title cut harkens back to the social commentary lyricism of some of the best Meters songs and references the déjà-vu all-over-again experiences of Black America in these fraught times, the rest of the album remains emotionally upbeat and hopeful. For a band that is known for its stop-on-a-dime tightness when performing live, this album proves over and over that with the right musical ingredients the magic can actually be bottled." During the course of his career spanning more than four decades, Porter has made a deep impression as an elite player; acknowledged as one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s 50 Greatest Bassist of All Time. At 74 years young, George Porter Jr. plans to keep a smile on his face and often says, "I feel like I am working towards something that will be remembered." For more information, visit georgeporterjr.com
BIG SAM'S FUNKY NATION WITH JELLY JOSEPH
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NEW ORLEANS SUSPECTS WITH JENNIFER HARTSWICK
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ERICA FALLS
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BIG CHIEF JUAN PARDO'S TRIBAL GOLD
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THE RUMBLE
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HONEY ISLAND SWAMP BAND WITH MARK MULLINS
Honey Island Swamp Band are a thrilling, eclectic band that defies genre conventions, renders song structures elastic, and wholeheartedly stresses that the song reigns supreme. Since they formed in 2005 in San Francisco after their displacement from New Orleans via Katrina — and subsequently relocated back home — the band has evolved to embody contemporary roots music. The fivesome — bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Wilkinson, guitarist and vocalist Lee Yankee, bassist Sam Price, keyboardist Chris Spies, and drummer and vocalist Garland Paul — is about to release their most satisfying, consolidative album to date: Custom Deluxe, out October 27 on Color Red Music. Songs like the kinetic “High River Rag,” authoritative “Wildfire” and blues-rocking “Sugar for Sugar” display these musical omnivores at a new zenith. “We’re definitely melody-driven, vocal-driven, lyric-driven,” Wilkinson explains of Honey Island Swamp Band’s modus operandi at this juncture with Custom Deluxe. “We like something that’s new yet sounds like it could have been a hit that you didn’t know about.”
THE NEVILLE SONS
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GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOOD TIMES
GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOOD TIMES is the side project from Robert Mercurio and Jeff Raines of the popular New Orleans funk band Galactic (www.galacticfunk.com) Good Enough For Good Times formed in December 2005 - The setting was post Hurricane Katrina—New Orleans was devastated and there were very few people in town. Due to the scarcity of musicians in New Orleans at that time, a lot of the club owners were calling around asking local musicians to put projects together to fill their empty stages. GEFGT came together to play for them (and for us) - the New Orleans people and workers who came home quickly after the storm and needed to hear some good music to get their minds off of the crazy SH*T that was going on around them. Good Enough For Good Times had such an immediate chemistry and intensity that it was obvious that they were not just a stage filler for Karina victims. They have now been touring the Southeast and West Coast for almost 20 years - it is only because they love to do this. The sound of the band is best described as New Orleans Soul Funk. Definitely for the dance floor in mind. The band members are: Robert Mercurio bass (GALACTIC) Jeff Raines guitar (GALACTIC) Simon Lott drums (Charlie Hunter trio) Joe Ashlar (just a general bad ass)
SPACE & HARMONY
Space & Harmony is a four-piece funk/fusion outfit consisting of members of The Revivalists and Naughty Professor. Tight but loose, technical but raw, their live performances channel the deepest reaches of the cosmos, the margins of reality where ancient things dwell. When Space meets Harmony, things get weird.
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SLUGGER
In early 2017, acclaimed New Orleans drummer Terrence “Groove Guardian” Houston was looking for inspiration. Already in the midst of a successful career that included work with The Funky Meters and George Porter Jr’s own projects, Houston knew it was time to find a sound of his own. He contacted bassist Noah Young, known as a member of post-jazz powerhouse Naughty Professor. What started as a few casual jam sessions in Houston’s practice space in a storage facility soon became the beginnings of a new project. Young tapped childhood friend and guitarist Max Bronstein, a relative new-comer to the city, to join in on several writing and recording sessions. When the group added keyboardist/vocalist Sam Kuslan they knew they had something special. Slugger has quickly become one of New Orleans most exciting new bands, drawing praise from both fellow musicians and the avid listeners who frequent the city’s vibrant live music scene. Combining elements of fusion, funk and gospel music, Slugger represents the confluence of styles that makes New Orleans a unique musical and cultural hub. As the group finds themselves on a trajectory few anticipated, one thing is certain- Houston and his collaborators have found their inspiration.
BUCKTOWN ALL-STARS
Est. 1992, The Bucktown All-Stars are a brass-driven New Orleans party band specializing in 1960s Classic R&B and Soul, 70s Funk and New Orleans jams. Multi year winner of Gambit Readers Poll, "Best Band That Doesn't Fit Any Of These Categories" and 11-time winner of the prestigious Offbeat Magazine Best of the Beat Awards. The All-Stars' New Orleans shows are legendary in the Crescent City. The band has earned their place as the top call party band for weddings, Mardi Gras balls, fundraisers, galas, festivals and corporate gathering across the greater New Orleans area and the country. Below are examples of the festivals, Mardi Gras balls and corporate/fundraising clients for whom we've had the pleasure of performing over the years...
RIVER ECKERT
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SOUL PROJECT
The Soul Project NOLA has been a staple of the New Orleans music scene for over 20 years during which bandleader, guitarist and vocalist Jon Cristian Duque, protege of the late great Walter “Wolfman” Washington, has led the band through many changes. Amidst the pandemic,of 2020, Cristian teamed up with drummer Wayne Maureau, a 15-year member of the Wolfman’s Roadmasters and a 30-year veteran of the local music scene, and saw the opportunity to revamp the band and take it to a new level. Together with Grammy Award winning bassist and vocalist Wanda Joseph, a new era of Soul Project was born. This core rhythm section of Duque, Maureau and Joseph is a tight and funky unit that provides the infectious grooves and precision arrangements for which the band is known. Augmented by some of the best musicians in the city, Mikey “B3” Burkart on Vocals and Keys, Eric “Bernie” Bernhardt on sax, and long time Soul Project member David Ludman on sax and flute, the band has toured the country coast to coast in the United States and has traveled as far as Northern Europe to play clubs and festivals, including the performances captured on their newest release “Live From Norway!” THE BAND JON CRISTIAN DUQUE, GUITAR/VOCALS (WALTER “WOLFMAN” WASHINGTON AND THE ROADMASTERS, SERABEE AND THE ROOTS REVIVAL BAND), WANDA JOSEPH BASS/VOCALS WAYNE MAUREAU, DRUMS (WALTER “WOLFMAN” WASHINGTON AND THE ROADMASTERS, MIA BORDERS) MIKEY B3 BURKHART, ORGAN. KEYS & Vocals (MB3, PAPA MALI, THE WILD MAGNOLIAS FEAT BO DOLLIS JR, RAW OYSTER CULT) ERIC BERNHARDT, SAX (MARCIA BALL, JOHN LISI'S DELTA FUNK, NOGGIN) DAVID LUDMAN, SAX/Flute (SERABEE & The Roots revival band, Cheick Hamala Diabat, Sierra Green and the Giants, Tri-Fi)
THE ORIGINAL PINETTES BRASS BAND
Whoever said, “A dream can’t become a reality” didn’t know the Original Pinettes Brass Band. The Original Pinettes Brass Band, The World’s Only All Female Brass Band, was formed by Jeffery Herbert in 1991. Each member, born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, attended St. Mary’s Academy High School, an all-girl Catholic school. Beginning, with 16 or more members, the Original Pinettes ended up with not only St. Mary’s females, but other females around the town. The Original Pinettes Brass Band can be seen at many different venues, such as: The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, The Essence Festival, The Satchmo Festival, The Krewe of Muses parade (An all female parade in New Orleans, Louisiana), and The French Quarter Festival, just to name a few. The ladies also have a long resume around the town for doing parties, weddings, conventions, school events, nursing homes, etc. The Original Pinettes played their first international festival when they toured the cities of Turkey in 2011. They also performed on the series Treme, seasons 3 and 4. The band has very much in common with the other male brass bands around the city, the only difference is the Original Pinettes are all females. The ladies gained more respect when they earned their crown and became the winners of the 2013 Red Bull “Street Kings” Brass Band Blowout competition where they beat three other male brass bands changing the name to Red Bull “Street QUEENS!” Some of the ladies specialize in other careers as well. From a school teacher to the head of a technology department, these ladies have full schedules including being mothers and wives. Nothing will get in the way of these ladies who consider each other sisters. Riding down the disloyal roads of the entertainment business, the ladies still haven’t had a chance to show much of the world their skills. Knocked down so many times, the ladies remain standing tall and faithful. “Not even Hurricane Katrina could stop us from doing what we love”, said band leader Christie Jourdain of the band. “The band members were misplaced after the storm hit. We were in six different cities not knowing if everyone (and their families) had made it out safely. But now, we are back like you never heard us before. The Original Pinettes Brass Band is here to stay…….Thank you, God!” Today, the band is still on a journey of becoming the best in the industry and to take over this male dominated industry. The Original Pinettes Brass Band’s dream is to travel worldwide and show everyone that music is definitely a universal language.
JAMAL BATISTE BAND
New Orleans' Jamal Batiste is a renowned music master playing percussion-charged rock, jazz, funk, soul, gospel, hip hop and RnB around the world. He has performed in nearly every corner of North America, as well as in the Caribbean, South Africa, Morocco, Japan, Ireland, Scotland, France, Austria, and England. He writes, record and perform on the Jam-All Pro. Music Group independent record label. “I enjoy the passion, love, creativity, motivation, excitement, energy, enlightenment, and peace of music,” writes Jamal Batiste of his love of sound. “Music is one of God's greatest gifts to this earth. I can use it to help and heal people – and it's fun to create, compose, arrange, record, produce, and perform.” Jamal Batiste released two official singles in 2017 leading up to his most recent LP collaboration, “A Beautiful World,” which didn't stop climbing charts until it hit No. 1 on Billboard Jazz and on Heatseekers. Other popular full-length releases include “T.U.D. Just Jamal” (2010), “David Batiste & The Gladiators: New Orleans Is Coming Back”, “Jamal Batiste The Unorthodox Drummer: The First Assemblage” (2008), EP “All Rock’d Up” (2017), and “Beatz N’ Vibez Vol. 1 (2023). Jamal Batiste has performed in cinema (“Get On Up,” the James Brown story starring Chadwick Boseman, 2014) and has received awards and accolades from the New Orleans City Council and the mayor of New Orleans, as well as from President Barack Obama (Lifetime Achievement Award). He has been working with students (youth and young adults) as an instructor for NOSACONN at Batiste Cultural Arts Academy & Smothers Academy, for How Big Is Your Dream Academy, and A Star Is Born Performance Camp at the historic Carver Theater. The Jamal Batiste Band has performed at “the world’s largest trade-only event for the music products industry” (NAMM in Anaheim, CA) and with Grammy Award Winning musicians such as Leo Nocentelli, Art Neville and George Porter (The Meters), Ledisi, PJ Morton, 2 Chainz, and Jon Batiste, and that's just to name a few, the list goes on and on. Jamal has appeared on the Today Show with Hoda & Jena, Good Morning America, CNN, CBS Nightly News and USA Today. Also to include several local news stations, newspapers and magazines as well. When Jamal isn't making an in person appearance one can still catch his extraordinary drumming talents in Disney's very first African American princess movie entitled "Princess and the Frog" he also played acoustic guitar in Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger TV series, and spoke at the 2014 Cutting Edge Music Conference about the audition process for his role in “Get On Up.” Then he was invited to be the musical director for a tribute band called The Gladiators, congratulating his father David Batiste, Sr. receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Best Of The Beat Award Show 2023. Jamal Batiste writes to fans, “Just want to thank you for your prayers, love and support on my continuous journey in music and in life. Thank you for continuing to share my music with everyone you know. It is my goal to motivate, inspire and impact people to fight for a positive outlook despite of one's circumstances. I truly appreciate each and everyone of you! Let's continue to build together and share a genuine positive atmosphere, quality sound and high energy! God bless you and your family. Peace!”
UNCUT
Rooted in the power of *uncut funk* we then turn it into a vehicle for transformation. Whether you're in the room or vibing from afar, join us to harmonize the vibrations of love, peace, understanding, and healing—one deep pocket groove at a time. This is not just a show—it’s a *funk-powered awakening*. Are you ready to ride the funk?