Some musicians have side projects which allow them to stretch out musically from their main gig. Funk Monkey, a band that mines soul jazz territory and groove music with a decidedly New Orleans feel, features Greg Hicks and Bert Cotton from Bonerama.
On Saturday night at Tipitina’s, they will welcome bass legend George Porter, Jr. (pictured below) and sterling up-and-coming drummer, Alvin Ford, Jr. to the stage as special guests.
While Bonerama tends to rock out as the world’s only trombone-fronted ensemble with songs from their own extensive catalog and covers from the likes of Led Zeppelin and the Radiators, Funk Monkey stretches out. The band also features Dave Pomerleau on bass, Eddie Christmas on drums, Jason Mingledorff on sax, and Mike Lemmler on keys.
Pomerleau is best known for his long tenure with Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Christmas with Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Mingledorff with Papa Grows Funk, and Lemmler with George Porter and the Runnin’ Pardners. But all of the musicians have extensive resumes beyond their main gigs.
On Saturday, which is also a belated birthday celebration for Hicks, they will have two drum sets and two bass rigs on stage. Hicks says he expects Porter, Jr. and Ford, Jr. to sit in for a good part of the show. If luck and the musical gods are on our side, perhaps both drummers and both bass players will play at the same time. That will certainly be very funky!
