Live Review: Daze Between Band 5/4/2022 Live @ Tipitina's New Orleans, LA

Daze Between Band 

5/4/2022 

Live @ Tipitina's New Orleans, LA 

One of the hottest tickets in town during Festing time was to the Daze Between Band who put a fitting funky cap on the few days between the Jazz and Heritage Festival weekends down in New Orleans. The group played to a sold out house at the world famous Tipitina's late on Wednesday night May 5th as the infectious music kept flowing.

Opening the event was Butcher Brown from Richmond, VA who brought their mix of jazz/funk/hip-hop to the uptown venue, fitting perfectly into the city's melting pot sounds. With Corey Fonville on drums Marcus Tenney on sax/trumpet and vocals and DJ Harrison delivering funky keys the group's “black American music” was inventive while still paying tribute to those who have come before. Songs like “Gum In My Mouth” allow Tenney to rhyme over the beats and riffs from the band while big guitars and dramatic key work from Henderson ended the set on more of a fusion jazz tone.

After a leisurely break the Daze Between Band took to the stage just after midnight. The group is an all-star collective featuring Eric Krasno, Adam Deitch, Ivan Neville, George Porter, Jr., Ryan Zoidis, Eric "Benny" Bloom, & Jennifer Hartswick. On this night the music was based heavily on The Meters funk with Porter leading the charge and the rest of the group gladly supporting.

The opener was a long drawn out version of “Pungee” as the collective got their feet under them before “Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley” found Porter singing and Zodis shining bright during a strong sax solo. “Africa” kept the deep NOLA funk thumping as Neville and Porter changed the famous refrain to “New Orleans” to celebrate the historic host city.

“Work To Do” found Hartswick taking over lead vocals while Krasno riffed out a few “Fire On The Mountain” licks to smiles and cheers from the crowd. Ivan Neville moved the crowd with “Funky Miracle” which segued in and out of “Fire on the Bayou” as Krasno delivered a few sensational solos throughout the number.

The first guests arrived for the highlight of the night as Erica Falls and Stanton Moore came on stage to rock out with a high energy “If You Want Me To Stay” as Hartswick and Bloom pushed trumpet flares out into the humid NOLA night. Falls' vocals were over the top with power as she commanded the stage like the soul diva she is.

Krasno dove into “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” with polished soul appeal before Ian Neville joined the crew on guitar, backing Falls on “Ain’t No Use”. The music kept flowing late into the night with the band wrapping up their set with more classic Meters “Look-Ka Py Py” and a full on family encore of “Love Will Keep Us Together”. The song was a perfect summation of the Daze Between Band and the events spanning the actual days between Jazzfest weekends down in New Orleans as the city returns to its musical heights.