Fans can relive the funky collaboration between original members of The Meters and Phish keyboardist Page McConnell with newly shared footage from their set on the main stage at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2013.
Few bands have had as big an impact on the history of funk as The Meters. Formed in New Orleans in 1965, the band churned out a staggering string of classic songs like “Cissy Strut”, “Look-Ka Py Py”, “Hey Pocky A-Way”, and many more before disbanding in 1977. After performing with various incarnations and names (The Funky Meters, The Original Meters, etc.), original members George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste, and Leo Nocentelli later reunited to form a trio, debuting as The Meter Men at the 40th New Orleans Jazz Fest in 2009. Their set was well-received, but after a followup performance at Lake Eden Arts Festival, their busy schedules precluded the possibility of wide-scale touring.
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A few years later, The Meter Men reunited once again and linked up with Phish’s Chairman of the Boards, Page McConnell, to perform a series of shows as a quartet. The funky foursome played classic Meters tunes. In fact, when they asked McConnell what Phish songs he wanted them to learn, he instead requested that they relearn older, more obscure Meters songs like “Pungee”, which Phish often played during rehearsals in the band’s early days. They had rarely played the song since its release in 1969, but they obliged, breaking out the tune during a Halloween run at B.B. King’s Blues Club in NYC in 2012.
They returned to Jazz Fest the following year with McConnell in tow. Watch pro-shot video of the set below.
The Meter Men, Page McConnell – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — New Orleans, LA — 5/5/13 — Partial Video
[Video: Axila]