Upcoming: 4th Annual Export NoLa

Big Sam's Funky Nation  website HILL COUNTRY Jan 6th: 11:20pm- 12:30am As the former trombone player of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Big Sam always entertains audiences with his exhilarating brand of high-voltage funk, rock, jazz, and hip-hop, termed "Noladelic Powerfunk." The San Francisco Chronicle asserts "[Big Sam is] the top man on the slide trombone in the birthplace of jazz." Big Sam's Funky Nation engages and delights audiences across the country with their high energy performance and showmanship. Big Sam's Funky Nation has wowed crowds at major festivals/events, including the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Antibes Jazz Festival, Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Berlin Jazz Festival, SXSW, Jam Cruise and countless others. BSFN has also been featured in HBO's original series, "Treme,". Big Sam plays himself in multiple episodes, including scenes with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint as they recorded the acclaimed Grammy-nominated album, River in Reverse.  Amanda Shaw website HILL COUNTRY Jan 6th: 10:05-11pm BROOKLYN BOWL Jan 7th: 8-9pm  When Amanda Shaw takes the stage, the petite fiddler commands the attention of the audience with a poignant and rhythmic sound that only a Louisiana prodigy could deliver. Amanda Shaw is a powerful performer, composer, and arranger who has been touring nationally and internationally since she was eight years old. She has recorded three critically-acclaimed albums, won a Big Easy Award for Best Female Entertainer and has even had two feature roles in Disney movies. The New Orleans native is a pioneer of the new breed of young, roots-based musicians who have embraced both the traditional sounds of Louisiana and the pop sounds of the mainstream. Mia Borders website HILL COUNTRY Jan 6th: 9-9:50pm HILL COUNTRY Jan 8th: 8-9pm  As a native of New Orleans, Mia Borders is an artist that represents the calliope of sounds that influence contemporary New Orleans' music. With a sound which may best be described as bayou flavored, funky, rhythm and blues with a sprinkling of rock n' roll, Mia is a dynamo on stage delivering songs that come with a sense of urgency. Mia has won over audiences at such festivals as New Orleans Jazz & Heritage, San Jose Jazz, Santa Cruz Blues, Bay Bridge, Houston iFest, Taos Mountain Music, and Telluride Cajun Fest. Chris Gray of the Houston Press wrote "Artists like Mia Borders are what makes festivals like iFest worth going to - walk up to the stage with no idea who this person is and walk away a fan." Mia will release her third CD early in 2012. Stooges Brass Band   website HILL COUNTRY Jan 6th (technically Jan 7th): 12:45-2am BROOKLYN BOWL Jan 7th: 10:45-Midnight Stooges Brass Band has been a premier New Orleans Brass Band since 1996. While appealing to the emotions of traditional jazz, the brass band fuses urban, pop and hip-hop influences to create a performance that speaks to the diversity of their audience. The band takes you on a musical journey with brass band arrangements of jazz classics like "Spain" by Chick Corea, a tribute to Michael Jackson, New Orleans secondline favorites and original compositions. The Stooges have developed an extraordinary history performing with Jessica Simpson, Jadakiss, Questlove, Black Star, Trombone Shorty, Galactic and Black Joe Lewis. The Stooges have toured nationally and internationally in Asia, Europe, and South America. In October, the Stooges Brass Band were crowned Red Bull Street Kings, besting the other New Orleans Brass Band competitors for the title. Stooges Brass Band will release a new CD in early 2012. Shamarr Allen and the Underdawgs website BROOKLYN BOWL Jan 7th: 9:20-10:20pm HILL COUNTRY Jan 8th: 10:45-12am Music has been a part of Shamarr Allen's life for as long as he can remember. A native son of the Crescent City, Shamarr is a former member of Rebirth Brass Band and Hot 8 Brass Band. After honing his skills in the brass band tradition Shamarr formed his own band, The Underdawgs, and forged a new sound layering elements of hip hop, rock, soul and pop over New Orleans roots. The band delivers a powerful wallop of fun, good music and genre bending blends producing an original sound which Shamarr has dubbed "hip-rock". Shamarr has shared the stage with Lenny Kravitz, Harry Connick Jr., Branford Marsalis, Willie Nelson, and R.E.M and performed at the White House for President Obama. The band toured Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as cultural ambassadors for the U.S. State Department. The Iguanas website HILL COUNTRY Jan 8th: 9:20-10:20pm  The pan cultural rhythms of New Orleans' musical heritage course through the heart of The Iguanas and their music. Latin shuffles, gritty funk, dark cinematic jazz and Basin Street horns all join hands to create world music in the true sense of the term. New Orleans is the singularity of the universe that is American Music and The Iguanas are some of its most skilled ambassadors. The Iguanas have released seven albums including a live recording from their performance at Wolf Trap. In 2008 The Iguanas received two Best of the Beat Awards for Best Country/Folk/Roots Rock Band or Performer and Best Country/Folk/Roots Rock Album for "The Iguanas: If You Should Ever Fall on Hard Times". The Iguanas will release and tour in support of a new full length CD in 2012.