On Thursday August 13, vibraphonist and percussionist Mike Dillon returns to New Orleans with his new band featuring guitarist Cliff Hines, bassist Nathan Lambertson, and drummer Claude Coleman, Jr. Lynn Drury will open the show at Chickie Wah Wah with her duo act with guitarist Chris Atkins.
Dillon has been touring relentlessly since putting the new act together. I had the opportunity to see them before they left town at Tipitina’s back on July 17. The set took on a more jazzy tone given that Hines and Lambertson are two of the leaders of a new generation of jazzmen who also are seemingly versed in every style of music.
Hines recently toured with Hildegard, his art rock project with singer Sasha Masakowski. He is also known around town and increasingly across the country for his uncanny channeling of David Byrne during a Talking Heads tribute show with electronic funkateers Gravity A.
Lambertson plays upright bass with the Hot Club of New Orleans, a string and clarinet ensemble that takes the songs of Django Reinhart as a starting point for exploring all manner of early jazz tunes. He also leads an intermittent project, The Kirk Nasty (it’s also his nickname), which has him playing electric bass and veering into considerably more modern fair.
I don’t know all that much about Claude Coleman, Jr. other than the fact that he was a longtime member of the eclectic rock band Ween which disbanded in 2012. His performance at Tipitina’s, was superb.
The show Thursday night is the first of an “August Musical Trifecta” at Chickie Wah Wah. Friday night features a Tribute to the Isley Brothers with Eric Bloom and Sonic Bloom. Nashville- based guitarist and singer/songwriter Pat McLaughlin plays Saturday night with a local band featuring guitarist John Fohl, bassist Rene Coman, and drummer Carlo Nuccio.
