5th Annual Backbeat Jazzfest Series Announces Shows

5^th Annual Backbeat Jazzfest Series Announces New Shows

Gene Ween, Grupo Fantasma, Hill Country Revue And More

New Orleans, LA – The Backbeat Jazzfest Series has just announced many new shows to the already packed lineup, including shows at new venue addition Maison at 508 Frenchmen Street. Shows at Maison include:

* Apr 23^rd Grupo Fantasma w/ Jose Conde y Nola Fresca

* Apr 24^th Big Sam’s Funky Nation / Dirty Dozen Brass Band

* Apr 30^th Gene Ween (solo) w/ special guest tba (On Sale Wednesday March 24 At Noon.)

The newest additions to the series at Tipitina’s French Quarter include:

* April 22 NEVILLUTION, A Multi-Generational Celebration of Neville Music & New Orleans Culture With Neville Family, Friends and Special Guests

* Apr 23^rd, an extraordinary 3 band event in association with ropeadope:
-10pm Marco Benevento & Friends: Billy Martin (Medeski Martin and Wood),

Dave Dreiwitz (Ween), and Mark Mullins (Bonerama)

-12am Hill Country Revue w/ special guests

- 2am George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners

Other recently confirmed shows include the following artists: Benjy Davis Project, Bonerama, Cyril Neville & Tribe 13 followed by Toubab Krewe, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Suenalo Sound System, Theresa Andersson w/ Mia Borders and more. More shows to be announced.

Backbeat Presents is a collaborative effort between New Orleans-based entertainment company Hypersoul, The Backbeat Foundation and New York City-based independent concert promoters Creative Entertainment Group (CEG).

Dates: April 22^nd -25^th; April 28^th –May 2^nd, 2010

Artists: Anders Osborne, Benjy Davis Project, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Cyril Neville, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Geen Ween, George Porter Jr.’s Runnin Pardners, Grupo Fantasma, Hill Country Revue, Marco Benevento, Mia Borders, The Slip, Soulive, Suenalo Sound System, Tim Reynolds, Theresa Andersson, Toubab Krewe, Trombone Shorty & more

Venues: Blue Nile 532 Frenchmen Street New Orleans, LA

Maison 508 Frenchmen Street New Orleans, LA

Tipitina’s French Quarter 233 N. Peters New Orleans, LA

Ages: All events are 18+ to enter and 21 to drink

Tickets: Tickets are available through Backbeatpresents.com or (866) 468-7619

Series Websites: Backbeatpresents.com, Backbeatfoundation.org and Nolafunk.com

Publicity Contact: Donna Santiago, Backbeat Foundation, Donna@backbeatfoundation.org

Backbeat Jazz Fest Series 2010 Initial Lineup

All shows are Smoke Free

All shows are $20 except where noted.

All shows are 18+ to enter and 21 to drink.

Tipitina’s French Quarter

Fri April 23 Three bands, one ticket! In association with ropeadope

$25/10pm Marco Benevento & Friends: Billy Martin, Dave Dreiwitz (Ween), Mark Mullins (Bonerama) more tba

Marco Benevento initially garnered national attention playing Hammond B-3 organ and Wurlitzer in The Benevento-Russo Duo. He proves himself one of the most compelling sonic innovators of his generation, re-imagining the instrument by running it through pickups, delay and distortion pedals and a Fender Reverb amp.

12am Hill Country Revue

THE modern Southern Rock / Blues band for the new generation. Formed by Cody Dickinson from the North Mississippi Allstars in 2008, it features Chris Chew, Kirk Smithhart, Ed “Hot” Cleveland and Daniel Coburn.

2am George Porter Jr. and Runnin’ Pardners

Few bass players in the history of modern New Orleans music are as storied as George Porter Jr. Back in 1965, Porter joined on with the Meters, considered by many to be the ultimate fusion of rock, funk and R&B, and gained recognition as one of the scene’s elite bass players. Today, Porter is back at home with a smaller Runnin’ Pardners Band five down from seven pieces.

Sat April 24 Anders Osborne / Eric Lindell

10pm Show LA Daily News calls Eric Lindell ““Passionate blue-eyed soul smothered with a big heap of percolating New Orleans funk.”

Osborne combines classic American musical forms such as blues, rock and roll, and Crescent City funk to create a sound that acknowledges no borders as they're usually understood.

Sat April 24 The Slip / Surprise Me Mr. Davis / Marco Benevento Trio

2am Show

Sun April 25 Time Reynolds & TR3 w/ The Benjy Davis Project

9pm Tim Reynolds has been playing music all of his life. From his breakthrough band in the 80’s, TR3 and forward to recording with & touring with DMB and the Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds Acoustic Duo. Tim’s progression has continued through his last 8 years on the road.

Fri April 30 Some Cat From Japan: Music Inspired By Jimi Hendrix

2am Show Featuring guitarist Will Bernard (Stanton Moore Trio), singer Nigel Hall (Lettuce), guitarist Scott Metzger (RANA), bassist Ron Johnson (Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe/Brett Dennen) and drummer Eric Bolivar (Anders Osborne, Bonerama).

Sat May 1 Theresa Andersson plus Mia Borders

10pm Show Theresa Andersson hardly sounds like conventional pop. That's because the New Orleans singer-songwriter chose to approach her craft from different perspectives before she even began composing. "I stopped thinking in terms of traditional songwriting," Andersson explains. "I worked on shapes, forms, and textures, scents and colors. Elements which are more earthy and organic inspired me."

Sat May 1 Bonerama w/ special guests

2am Show When New Orleans’ Bonerama takes the stage, you can guess it’s not like any brass band you’ve seen. Founded by Mark Mullins and Craig Klein, former members of Harry Connick Jr.’s Big Band, Bonerama carries the brass band concept to places unknown.

Blue Nile

Thurs Apr 29 Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

$25/10pm Orleans Avenue is Troy “Trombone Shorty”Andrews’ funk/pop/hiphop mix. Things reach a fever pitch as Andrews starts his circular breathing-one note sustained in pristine beauty while the band vamps on a second line beat. Virtuosity and exuberance, Orleans Avenue effortlessly combines both.

Fri Apr 30 Soulive

$25/10pm Since forming Soulive in 1999, guitarist Eric Krasno, organist Neal Evans and drummer Alan Evans have developed a reputation as one of the most sought after instrumental soul-funk trios around, a hard-touring live act that's thrown down everywhere from small rock clubs to opening arena shows for the Rolling Stones.

Fri Apr 30 Big Sam’s Funky Nation w/ Suenalo Sound System

10pm Show Between solos and trombone riffs, Big Sam, formerly of Dirty Dozen Brass Band, second lines and gets the crowd going both in movement and in replies to his call/response style of MC. This talented jazz-trained group of musicians deemed Funky Nation, are known for their exuberant dancing and playing.

Sat May 1 Soulive

$25/10pm (See above)

Sat May 1 Toubab Krewe

2am Show Blending American and West African influences into a sound all its own, Toubab Krewe has set "a new standard for fusions of rock 'n' roll and West African music" (Afropop Worlwide).

Maison 508 Frenchmen Street

Apr 23^rd Grupo Fantasma w/ Jose Conde y Nola Fresca
10pm Show

Apr 24^th Big Sam’s Funky Nation / The Dirty Dozen Brass Band

10pm Show

Apr 30^th Gene Ween (solo) w/ special guest tba

$25/10pm Tickets go on sale March 24 at noon.