Dance

Join us for a free show featuring The James Martin Band!

Led by saxophonist, vocalist, and songwriter James Martin, the James Martin Band delivers a modern New Orleans sound rooted in funk, soul, and contemporary jazz. Blending strong melodic writing with groove-driven arrangements, the band reflects Martin's range as both a performer and composer.

A graduate of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and a longtime collaborator within the city's music community, Martin was an early member of Trombone Shorty's Orleans Avenue alongside Trombone Shorty and Jon Batiste. His career has since taken him to stages around the world, with performances at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival and Copenhagen Jazz Festival, as well as appearances across Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.

His catalog of original music ranges from the Billboard-charting Keep Movin' to the more recent From Here — the work of a band that draws from traditional New Orleans jazz, contemporary funk, and R&B without being defined by any one of them.

Join us for a free show featuring Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots!

Led by Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots deliver a powerful blend of zydeco, blues, gospel, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms rooted deeply in Louisiana tradition. Anchored by Barnes' commanding vocals and multi-instrumental versatility, the band's sound reflects a lifetime of musical and cultural exchange — what he describes as a true "musical gumbo."

A longtime fixture of the New Orleans cultural landscape, Barnes is not only a musician but also a National Park Service ranger and cultural educator, bringing deep knowledge of Afro-Louisiana history and tradition into his performances. A master of accordion and harmonica, he studied with zydeco pioneers including John Delafose, grounding his sound in the living lineage of Louisiana roots music.

His career spans decades of appearances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and international touring across more than 50 countries, including a run as a member of the Paul Simon band on the 58-city arena tour Paul Simon and Sting: On Stage Together.

Join us for a free show featuring Nola vocalist Erica Falls!

Vocalist and songwriter Erica Falls brings a rich, expressive voice rooted in the soul tradition of New Orleans, shaped by influences including Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Whitney Houseton, Stevie Wonder, and Nina Simone.

Raised in the city's 9th Ward, her sound draws from classic soul while remaining firmly grounded in the present. Falls has performed and recorded with Allen Toussaint, No Doubt, Sting, Dr. John, Jennifer Hudson, and John Fogerty, and spent several years as lead vocalist for Galactic. In 2013, she was hand-picked by Lee Daniels to star in the lead singing role of the award-winning film Lee Daniels The Butler.

Her solo work — including the album HomeGrown — highlights her strengths as a vocalist, songwriter, and arranger within the modern soul and R&B landscape. A two-time "Best Female Vocalist" winner from OffBeat Magazine, Falls brings a commanding stage presence and emotional depth to every performance. As she says, “Vintage soul is not about bringing the listener back to a time of authentic music, it’s about reminding them that it never went anywhere.”

Join us for a free show featuring the high energy SOUL Brass Band!

SOUL Brass Band is a modern New Orleans brass ensemble led by drummer, vocalist, and bandleader Derrick Freeman, whose work bridges the city's deep-rooted traditions with a forward-looking sound.

Drawing from the lineage of second line culture, the band blends classic brass band instrumentation with elements of funk, hip-hop, and soul. Their performances move fluidly between tightly arranged horn lines, improvisation, and rhythmic interplay — reflecting the evolving language of New Orleans street music.

Under Freeman's direction, Soul Brass Band has appeared at major international festivals including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and Telluride Jazz Festival. The group features some of the city's most accomplished players, including Billboard-charting saxophonist James Martin and Grammy Award–winning tubist Miles Lyons.