With three extra microphones on the center of the stage at Tipitina’s last night and a sousaphone on a stand to the right of drummer Bill Kreutzmann, it was obvious from the start of the show that the jam band supergroup intended on welcoming some local musicians.
About half way through the first set, Papa Mali, the group’s guitarist and principal vocalist, invited trombonist Sam Williams on stage. He performed a rousing solo during the Grateful Dead standard, “Eyes of the World,” which was sung with grit and vigor by bassist George Porter Jr. His vocal transformed the very nature of the tune from pastoral to passionate.
Williams returned to the stage with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s trumpeter Ephram Towns and saxophonist Kevin Harris. Along with Joseph, the four guest players formed a full horn section and filled out the sound of the four-piece group. It was augmented even more when keyboardist Matt Hubbard added his own trombone to the mix.
The biggest treat of the night came while some of the large crowd was still basking in the first cool evening of the fall on the banquette outside the uptown club. Aaron Wilkinson and Chris Mule from the Honey Island Swamp Band joined the band on mandolin and acoustic guitar respectively for the first song of the second set. The two guests took the lead vocal, Papa Mali switched to acoustic and everyone in the band except Kreutzmann, who did not address the crowd all night, harmonized on a stellar version of the Grateful Dead’s acoustic anthem, “Ripple.”
Williams departed briefly and uber-sousaphonist Kirk Joseph (pictured above with the band) climbed the stage. His presence was not unexpected by the dedicated audience since he has substituted for Porter Jr. numerous times since the band formed last year. They presented a formidable two-pronged bottom end during the Meters’, “Just Kissed My Baby.”
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will be performing this afternoon at Lafayette Square with Jon Cleary opening.
