The Original Meters Reunite at Jazz Fest

By I Apr. 24, 2005 In what was probably the last time they will ever play together, the original Meters—Art Neville, George Porter, Leo Nocentelli and Zigaboo Modeliste—reunited at the Jazz Fest yesterday, giving local music fanatics the show they've been hoping for for 20 years or more. Opening with “Fire on the Bayou,” Nocentelli played a more jam-filled set than his live recordings would lead you to expect, leading the group in riffs and loopy trills. As the crowd sprawled out beyond the limits of the Sprint stage and onto the track, the bad blood between band members seemed to fade (the Meters broke up when Neville left the band he'd started and formed the Neville Brothers). The band played a selection of their hits, including “Cissy Strut,” and “Hey Pocky Way,” to a crowd peppered with t-shirts reading “Live at Tip's: the Meters” and “George Matters.” A live recording of the show is available online at www.jazzfestlive.com and at the Fairgrounds.

Earlier in the day, local reed man, Robert Wagner heated up the jazz tent with a set from his trio, which includes bassist, James Singleton and drummer, Ocie Davis. Wagner, who has been playing all over New Orleans for more than a decade, seems to have finally found his ideal lineup in Singleton, whose bowing sometimes caught up to Wagner's melodies and Davis, whose New Orleans street rhythms brought out Wagner's inner funk.

During a light and traditional Ellis Marsalis set in the Jazz Tent, trombonist Delfayo Marsalis, who has spent more time behind the control board than on the stage in recent years, blew the crowd away with fluid solos and percussive harmonies. Other highlights included Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers, the tight of funk of Big Sam's Funky Nation and a memorable set from Louisiana native, Buddy Guy.

Today's hot acts include 007, a local reggae dance band, Irvin Mayfield and the N.O. Jazz Orchestra and other Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Join the 'Fest virtually at www.wwozfm.org, which is broadcasting live from the Fairgrounds every day through next weekend.

A solo concert by saxophonist Joshua Redman will close the first night of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival on Sept. 26.

News

Sep 22, 2026 12:26 PM

Hyde Park Jazz Fest on Chicago’s South Side to Present 20th Edition

The Hyde Park Jazz Festival will take place for the 20th time on the final weekend of September 2026. Beginning half…
“It was just that suddenly … I could hear it,” Ravi Coltrane said of an epiphany he experienced during his late teens regarding his father’s music. “And it was almost like a calling, like something saying, ‘Hey, man, come on. It’s time to get serious.’ And the first time you really tune in and dial in and focus like that, it can be very life-changing.”

Interview, From the Magazine

Sep 22, 2026 1:39 PM

A John Coltrane Centennial

Editor’s Note: Tomorrow, Sept. 23, is the 100th anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth. In honor of the tenor and…
Camille Thurman took to the stage alongside bassist Kenny Davis and drummer Tommy Campbell for a rendition of Johnny Mercer’s “I’m An Old Cowhand” that recalled Rollins’ epochal 1957 trio outing Way Out West.

Live

Oct 6, 2026 1:33 PM

Sonny Rollins Gets an Epic Send-Off in Manhattan

As emcee Mark Ruffin noted at the commencement of an epic tribute to saxophonist Sonny Rollins at the Cathedral of Saint…
Kurt Elling, Katherine Russell and Emmet Cohen (host on the 2027 Jazz Cruise) share a laugh at sea.

News, From the Magazine

Sep 8, 2026 11:52 AM

Jazz Cruises Swing at Sea

It began in 2001. A travel agent named Anita E. Berry had been booking clients on “partial” jazz cruises that took…
News, From the Magazine

Sep 17, 2026 11:00 AM

Check Out the College Guide!

The 2027 DownBeat College Guide is an invaluable resource for music students, especially jazz students, to find a school…