Fool’s Paradise is less than a month away, and we’re starting to get excited about all the amazing music that’s in the works for the event! The two-day St. Augustine event promises out-of-the-box collaborations all weekend long, in addition to the already-announced lineup with Lettuce x2, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (with Jeff Chimenti), The Floozies, The Motet, Manic Science (a special set with Manic Focus & Break Science) The Main Squeeze, Organ Freeman, and Oteil Burbridge & Antwaun Stanley as artists-at-large. 

Anyone who went to Fool’s Paradise last year knows that the event is a breeding ground for collaborations. Griz joined Lettuce for a unique collaborative set; Corey Henry used his artist-at-large title to sit in with Vulfpeck; Weedie Braimah added some percussive thunder to one of Lettuce‘s sets, and Chris Robinson invited George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, The Shady Horns, Neal Casal, and more to the stage for his Soul Revue. Of course, who could forget the many members of Lettuce that sat in with Vulfpeck during the “Fools For Funk” late night, which featured members of Lettuce, Vulfpeck, Goldfish, and more. The whole weekend was a non-stop barrage of exciting sit-ins, and we expect this year’s edition of Fool’s Paradise to feature more of the same vibe.

With that in mind, we’ve put together a wish-list of collaborations that we’d love to see at this Fool’s Paradise 2017. Check out the list below, and get on our level of excitement for this unmatched weekend of music!

1. The Main Squeeze + Antwaun Stanley 

The Main Squeeze will bring their blend of soul, hip-hop, funk, and rock to Fool’s Paradise, with their aim to blow away the St. Augustine crowd with their addictive grooves, their tight playing, and their positive vibes. With resident Vulfpeck vocalist Antwaun Stanley on hand as artist-at-large, we can’t think of a better combination at Fool’s Paradise. Thinking about Stanley and The Main Squeeze’s Corey Frye trading vocals on a choice cover is giving us all the feels already.

2. The Floozies + The Shady Horns

The Floozies know how to throw a party. Their energetic live show attracts new fans at each stop,  winning them over with their infectious electro-funk sounds. What could be better than adding the impressive duo that is The Shady Horns to the mix? Saxophonist Ryan Zoidis and trumpet player Eric “Benny” Bloom will be in St. Augustine with Lettuce, and would make perfect sense as special guests with The Floozies. Their work in the Break Science Live Band, with Gramatik, and with the Coomes Brothers at Brooklyn Comes Alive are proof that these two are some of the most versatile players in the game. We hope they hop on stage and add their inimitable skills to The Floozies’ set.

3. The Motet + Nigel Hall

If you were on Jam Cruise 13, you had the chance to catch The Motet present “Funk Bingo.” The band would play a classic funk song, and the first fan who guessed the song would win a small prize, while the fan who completed their funk bingo card first won the grand prize. Let’s just say that the fun-loving Jam Cruise crowd wasn’t the quickest to recognize these songs. Nigel Hall was in the room, and was incredulous that the fans weren’t quick to the take on these tracks. He insisted on jumping on stage and, without rehearsal, played keys for each and every amazing funk track that The Motet busted out, one-by-one. We can only hope for more of the same at Fool’s Paradise when The Motet hit the stage on Saturday evening.

4. Joe Russo’s Almost Dead + Oteil Burbridge

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead has quickly elevated themselves into legendary status in the modern music scene. Their take on the Grateful Dead is inspired, with a youthful energy that fans have latched on to in a major way. The same can be said about Oteil Burbridge‘s contribution to Dead & Company, a project that has reinvigorated the masses of Deadheads throughout America. With Burbridge set to join the Almost Dead at Brooklyn Bowl for three nights in a few weeks, and Dead & Company organist Jeff Chimenti already set to join them for their set at Fool’s Paradise, one can only imagine that Oteil will be itching to join them once again to form Joe Russo’s Almost Dead & Company!

5. Lettuce + The Floozies

To complete the first night of Fool’s Paradise 2016, Lettuce teamed up with GRiZ for a special set of funk and electronic music that blasted the St. Augustine Amphitheater into the stratosphere. It was a truly special moment watching these funk kings who occupy different ends of the musical spectrum meeting in the middle to create a special experience that could only be experienced at Fool’s Paradise. We hope that these forces combine for a similarly exciting musical journey that can’t be topped when they’re both on the bill on April 1st!

Honorable Mention: Members of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead + Eric Krasno & Oteil Burbridge’s “The Infinity Jam”

Friday night at Fool’s Paradise, Oteil will team up with guitar maven Eric Krasno for “The Infinity Jam,” a special, one-time only collaboration. While the artists have been tight-lipped about what to expect during this special late night performance, the fact that Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will have just finished up their headlining set means that Joe Russo, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger, Dave Dreiwitz, and Jeff Chimenti will all potentially be up for grabs for a guest spot with Kraz and Oteil.

We can’t wait for the return of Fool’s Paradise on March 31 & April 1 at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre! For more information on the festival, late-nights, and lodging options, head to the website.