My NOLA Jazz Fest memories date back to my high school days when my jazz program took me there for a national high-school jazz competition. It was the beginning of me traveling a few thousand miles to play music. We won that competition, and I boarded the plane with powdered sugar from Cafe Du Monde on my shirt and a smile on my face. Sixteen years later, I’m coming back with that same smile and a show of my own, Z-Funk—a mash-up of two bands that have had a profound influence on my career: Led Zeppelin and P-Funk (Parliament Funkadelic).
With a great partnership with Live For Live Music, I’ve put on a dozen of my own shows in New York City over the last couple years, but putting one on during Jazz Fest feels different. The stakes are higher, everyone wants to do their absolute best, and we can play with truly great musicians. There is no shortage of them at Jazz Fest.
I’ve tapped Roosevelt Collier and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer for the guitar line. Those two are ridiculous. Roosevelt’s new album, Exit 16, just came out on GroundUP’s label, and it’s superb. Michael League of Snarky Puppy did a stellar job as always. Taz was just on Jesus Christ Superstar with John Legend—on national TV. So, yeah, those two, huh?
Rob Walker from The Main Squeeze was an exciting choice for me. We played together on Jam Cruise this year, and I fell in love with his groove. I had to get more of that shit, so here he is. Then, Steve Swatkins on keys and talkbox—nuff said. Mike “Maz” Maher and Chris Bullock of Snarky Puppy on horns, plus Shira Elias [vocals, Turkuaz] and lots of special guests. I work with the three of them as often as I can, and they never let me down. They’re some of the best in the business, and I’m proud to have them.
This show, for me, is about letting people know where I come from. This is it. Think about John Bonham roasting a bone and climbing onto the Mothership. It’s gonna be a party. Heavy on the one, and full of all that good ol’ late-night Frenchman St. madness. See y’all there…
If you’ll be down in New Orleans for Jazz Fest, don’t miss Z-Funk: A Tribute To Led Zeppelin & Parliament Funkadelic featuring Michelangelo Carubba & Shira Elias (Turkuaz), Roosevelt Collier, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, Steve Swatkins (Allen Stone), Rob Walker (The Main Squeeze), and Chris Bullock & Mike “Maz” Maher (Snarky Puppy) at The Maison on Sunday, April 29th. For more info, click here; to purchase tickets, click here; and for our full guide to Jazz Fest late nights, click here.
The Z-Funk show is sponsored by Denver-based company, Pure CBD Exchange, which creates and sells a number of CBD/cannabidiol products (What is CBD?) from concentrates, tinctures, extracts, lotions, creams, and more. The use of CBD has gained much notoriety as of late, for use as both a health and wellness supplement and to treat conditions such as epilepsy, PTSD, cancer and a number of mental disorders and is also used for anti-inflammation, nausea reduction, sleep aid, and more. Pure CBD Exchange was co-founded by Gregg Allman Band organist/keyboardist Peter Levin back in 2017.
Pure CBD Exchange focuses on low-THC cannabis products with high CBD content. We work within the Colorado Industrial Hemp pilot program to distribute non-psychoactive tinctures, extracts, lotions, and more all over the world. The company has featured by companies like VICE, High Times, Leafly, and more.