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NOLA Community Blog

New Orleans is the city that lives in you, no matter where you live. And this website is for all of us who don’t live in New Orleans to stay connected with the Big Easy. Welcome to Church of New Orleans!

 

Filtering by Tag: NOLA funk

Happy Birthday, Leo Nocentelli!

John Dunlop

Singer songwriter and guitarist Leo Nocentelli was born in New Orleans on June 15, 1946. Best known as a founding member and lead guitarist of The Meters, he wrote the original versions of several funk classics such as "Cissy Strut" and "Hey Pocky A-Way". He has recorded with a variety of notable artists such as Dr. John, Robert Palmer and Etta James. In 2018, Nocentelli received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as a member of The Meters. In a life filled with music and achievement, we are fortunate to celebrate this day with Leo. Happy Birthday!

Photo by: Francisco Daum

Happy Birthday, Zigaboo Modeliste!

John Dunlop

Drummer and songwriter Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste was born in New Orleans on December 28, 1948, and is best known as a founding member of New Orleans funk band The Meters. He grew up in New Orleans’ 13thWard and was nicknamed Zigaboo at 10 by his teens the name had stuck. His first drum set was a three-piece bought by his grandmother, and he learned by watching and emulating New Orleans drum greats such as Smokey Johnson. He started playing gigs at an early age, including with Art Neville’s band that evolved into The Neville Sounds, and ultimately, The Meters in 1965. Allen Toussaint’s record label eventually signed The Meters, and in 1975 and 1976 they opened for the Rolling Sotnes, and they also backed acts such as Dr. John, Robert Palmer, Lee Dorsey, and Paul McCartney. In the late 1970s when The Meters disbanded, Modeliste toured with various musicians, including The New Barbarians, featuring Keith Richards and Ron Wood. 

Modeliste's work is credited on hundreds of recordings by a variety of artists, including hip hop artists such as Run DMC, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Ice Cube, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pepa, who have all sampled his drum patterns. Modeliste released three studio albums and a live album as a leader, and in 2011 he collaborated with producer-musician Mark Ronson, Erykah Badu, Mos Def and Trombone Shorty for the song "A La Modeliste", named his influence on funk drumming and the New Orleans sound. 

In the 1980s Modeliste moved to California, ultimately settling in Oakland He got involved in the business side of the music industry, starting the label, JZM Records, and a music publishing company, Jomod Music. Fortunately for music fans, he continues to perform regularly, and in 2018, as the Recording Academy honored Modeliste and The Meters with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. Today we celebrate this innovative musician’s many achievements and wish him a happy birthday!

Happy Birthday, George Porter, Jr!

John Dunlop

Bassist and songwriter George Joseph Porter, Jr, was born in New Orleans on December 26, 1947. Best known for his work in the Meters, progenitors of funk and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners, George has performed and recorded with a Who’s Who list of artists from around the world, as well as performing regularly in several bands.

Porter grew up in New Orleans next to Joe "Zigaboo" Modeliste, his future Meters bandmate, and as teenagers, they played jam sessions together with Porter playing a box guitar. Porter was inspired to play bass guitar by another New Orleans native, Benjamin "Poppi" Francis, and when Porter was still in his teens, he sat in with legendary New Orleans R&B and blues guitarist Earl King. The beginnings of The Meters came after one of those shows when Art Neville approached Porter to start a band called Neville Sound. After a short time, the band’s four core members - Art Neville, Zigaboo Modeliste, Leo Nocentilli and Porter Jr., played six nights a week at a bar called Ivanhoe on Bourbon Street. Allen Toussaint ultimately signed the band to a record deal, but changed their name to something that better reflected their sound, “The Meters”. 

In 1975, they opened for the Rolling Stones, but by 1977, The Meters broke up, and Porter Jr. formed a band called Joyride. He played with Joyride and other New Orleans musicians in the 1980s, and in 1989 he reunited with Art Neville and Leo Nocentelli as The Meters, with Russell Batiste, Jr., on drums in place of Zigaboo Modeliste. In 1990, he started The Runnin Pardners, and he also became a highly sought after studio bass player. In 1994, Porter and Neville formed The Funky Meters to carry on The Meters sound, including Brian Stoltz on guitar and Russell Batiste Jr. on drums. 

In 2000, the original four Meters reunited for a show, and they did not reunite again until the first New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival after Hurricane Katrina in 2006, which meant a lot to the city. Porter, Leo Nocentelli, Joe Modeliste, Phish keyboardist Page McConnell, have performed a limited number of shows as The Metermen in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Sadly, Meters keyboardist Art Neville passed away on July 22, 2019. Porter still performs with Joyride and The Funky Meters, and tours consistently with the Runnin Pardners. Porter also frequently collaborates with other musicians, many from New Orleans, to the delight of his many fans. Happy birthday, George! 

Celebrating the Birthday of Art Neville

John Dunlop

Three-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and keyboardist Lanon “Art” Neville was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1937. He was a founding member of The Meters, The Funky Meters, and part of one of New Orleans’ storied musical families, the Neville Brothers. He was best known for New Orleans funk, soul, and rhythm and blues, and was a staple in the New Orleans music scene for five decades. He performed on many recordings by noteworthy artists from New Orleans and elsewhere, including Paul McCartney, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, Labelle, Robert Palmer and Lee Dorsey. Neville’s musical style helped set the tone of New Orleans funk, influencing upcoming musical styles such as hip-hop as well as jam bands including Galactic, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Phish. Sadly, Art passed away on July 22, 2019, at the age of 81, but his music lives on. Today let’s remember Art and celebrate his legacy. 

Photo by: https://www.flickr.com/photos/robbiesaurus/

Happy Birthday, Leo Nocentelli!

John Dunlop

Singer songwriter and guitarist Leo Nocentelli was born in New Orleans on June 15, 1946. Best known as a founding member and lead guitarist of The Meters, he wrote the original versions of several funk classics such as "Cissy Strut" and "Hey Pocky A-Way". He has recorded with a variety of notable artists such as Dr. John, Robert Palmer and Etta James. In 2018, Nocentelli received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as a member of The Meters. In a life filled with music and achievement, we are fortunate to celebrate this day with Leo. Happy Birthday!

Photo by: Francisco Daum

Happy Birthday, Zigaboo Modeliste!

John Dunlop

Drummer and songwriter Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste was born in New Orleans on December 28, 1948, and is best known as a founding member of New Orleans funk band The Meters. He grew up in New Orleans’ 13thWard and was nicknamed Zigaboo at 10 by his teens the name had stuck. His first drum set was a three-piece bought by his grandmother, and he learned by watching and emulating New Orleans drum greats such as Smokey Johnson. He started playing gigs at an early age, including with Art Neville’s band that evolved into The Neville Sounds, and ultimately, The Meters in 1965. Allen Toussaint’s record label eventually signed The Meters, and in 1975 and 1976 they opened for the Rolling Sotnes, and they also backed acts such as Dr. John, Robert Palmer, Lee Dorsey, and Paul McCartney. In the late 1970s when The Meters disbanded, Modeliste toured with various musicians, including The New Barbarians, featuring Keith Richards and Ron Wood. 

Modeliste's work is credited on hundreds of recordings by a variety of artists, including hip hop artists such as Run DMC, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Ice Cube, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pepa, who have all sampled his drum patterns. Modeliste released three studio albums and a live album as a leader, and in 2011 he collaborated with producer-musician Mark Ronson, Erykah Badu, Mos Def and Trombone Shorty for the song "A La Modeliste", named his influence on funk drumming and the New Orleans sound. 

In the 1980s Modeliste moved to California, ultimately settling in Oakland He got involved in the business side of the music industry, starting the label, JZM Records, and a music publishing company, Jomod Music. Fortunately for music fans, he continues to perform regularly, and in 2018, as the Recording Academy honored Modeliste and The Meters with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. Today we celebrate this innovative musician’s many achievements and wish him a happy birthday!