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Feb. 11, 2024

Episode 127: Talk w/ Eric Gordon (Galactic)

Episode 127: Talk w/ Eric Gordon (Galactic)

In this electrifying episode of Uncle Dad Talks, hear a passionate conversation with special guest and Grammy-nominated trumpet player, Eric Gordon. Journey down Mardi Gras Lane as we explore the vibrant culture of New Orleans jazz, recount the strug...

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UncleDad Talks

In this electrifying episode of Uncle Dad Talks, hear a passionate conversation with special guest and Grammy-nominated trumpet player, Eric Gordon. Journey down Mardi Gras Lane as we explore the vibrant culture of New Orleans jazz, recount the struggles post-Katrina, and discuss the unparalleled power of music in uniting communities. Listen now.

Beyond his notable career as a member of the chart-topping band Galactic and the Grammy award-winning Rebirth Brass Band, Eric shares his deep-rooted love for the city of New Orleans, the importance of remembering one's roots, and how music played a vital role in the city's rebirth after Katrina. This episode offers a fascinating insight into the rich traditions of Mardi Gras Indians, the indomitable resilience of the city's inhabitants, and the engaging world of brass bands.

Experience a mesmerizing journey through the vibrant cultures, deep-rooted musical history, and eclectic lifestyle of New Orleans. Learn about the formation and growth of the celebrated ensemble, Galactic, the invigorating spirit of Mardi Gras, and the power of unity in diversity that characterizes the city's music scene - all unfolding through the eyes of Eric Gordon, a notable figure in this realm.

Delve deep into the culture of Mardi Gras Indian tribes, the artful rhythm of brass bands, the symbolic significance of elaborate costumes, and the sparkling diversity of New Orleans. From growing up in a city awash in vibrant tunes to joining the iconic Rebirth brass band, Eric's personal narrative brings the spirit of New Orleans alive. The episode ends with an intimate glimpse of Eric's off-stage life and his enthusiastic engagement with fans across various social platforms.

For anyone interested in the rich tapestry of New Orleans culture, the power of music, or those simply looking for an engrossing conversation that resonates with resilience, artistry and passion, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in now.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram: @UncleDadTalks // @MikeHamptonArt

Chapters

00:01 - Introducing Skyline Smart Energy for energy savings

02:38 - Eric Gordon’s impressive musical accomplishments

03:10 - Celebrating Birthdays and Shared Dates

03:27 - Playing Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet - A Dream Come True

06:01 - Exploring the Mardi Gras Indian tradition and heritage

11:32 - Returning to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina’s devastation

15:13 - Challenges of Playing in Bands in New Orleans

18:08 - Joining Galactic: A Fortuitous Opportunity

21:07 - Navigating Challenges and Embracing Change with the Guys

22:52 - Favorite Music Venues: Fillmore, 930 Club, Tiff Latinas

33:27 - The Role of a Spy Boy in Mardi Gras Indians

38:16 - The Fearless Wild Man and the Protective Spy Boy

41:42 - The Importance of Matching Attire and Rules of Engagement

46:30 - Chad’s Talent and Mentorship in School

49:32 - Rebirth vs. Big Six vs. Galactic: The Differences Explored

52:58 - The Unique Energy of New Orleans Jazz

58:01 - Connecting with Eric Gordon on Social Media and Music Platforms

59:34 - Wrapping up with Uncle Dad and trademark line

Transcript
1 00:00:00,657 --> 00:00:03,857 This episode is brought to you by Skyline Smart Energy. 2 00:00:04,157 --> 00:00:08,057 It's a new year, which unfortunately means that your electric bill has increased. 3 00:00:08,317 --> 00:00:12,797 PG&E is now California's most expensive power provider, and they're already 4 00:00:12,797 --> 00:00:15,637 looking to increase rates again this year. 5 00:00:15,937 --> 00:00:19,357 If you're looking to save hundreds of dollars each year on your electric bill, 6 00:00:19,477 --> 00:00:21,557 then call Skyline Smart Energy today. 7 00:00:21,937 --> 00:00:26,657 By going solar with Skyline, you can lock in a consistent energy rate that is 8 00:00:26,657 --> 00:00:30,237 lower than what you're paying for now. You'll know exactly how much you'll be 9 00:00:30,237 --> 00:00:34,977 paying for for the next 25 years and you'll no longer have to worry about seasonal rate changes. 10 00:00:35,677 --> 00:00:40,317 Plus, right now Skyline is offering a free year of Brinks Home Security when 11 00:00:40,317 --> 00:00:41,897 you get solar installed today. 12 00:00:42,157 --> 00:00:46,357 Not only will you save each money next month, but you'll also be able to secure 13 00:00:46,357 --> 00:00:47,857 your family and your home. 14 00:00:48,077 --> 00:00:54,337 So do yourself a favor and call or text 209-573-0589. 15 00:00:54,337 --> 00:01:01,517 Again, that number is 209-573-0589 to get a free energy savings consultation 16 00:01:01,517 --> 00:01:04,477 about your path to energy independence today. 17 00:01:04,737 --> 00:01:08,197 Guidelines Smart Energy. Take control over rising energy costs. 18 00:01:08,897 --> 00:01:11,917 Hello and welcome to this week's episode of Uncle Dad Talks. I'm Uncle Dad. 19 00:01:11,937 --> 00:01:15,617 With me as always is the ever so handsome, the Mardi Gras man himself, 20 00:01:16,037 --> 00:01:18,777 Mike Hampton. Mike, what is up? How are you? 21 00:01:19,177 --> 00:01:27,797 Hey, hello, hello, Mardi Gras man himself. So we'll be, I will be in a couple 22 00:01:27,797 --> 00:01:28,957 of weeks. I'll say that. Yes. 23 00:01:31,017 --> 00:01:35,777 Mike, you have a very special show today. We have a very special guest on and I'll let you do some. 24 00:01:35,917 --> 00:01:38,777 We haven't done this in a while where Mike, you take the keys, 25 00:01:38,977 --> 00:01:41,157 you know, I'll let you drive the car. 26 00:01:41,317 --> 00:01:43,757 You know, this car means a lot to me. So don't crash it. 27 00:01:48,197 --> 00:01:52,457 Well, well, I haven't had any drinks yet. So the odds are I will be okay. What? 28 00:01:53,224 --> 00:01:58,044 Well, good, good. I like that. I like that design. Mike, without further ado, 29 00:01:58,184 --> 00:02:00,224 I'm going to hand them over, introduce our guests. 30 00:02:00,424 --> 00:02:03,724 Our audience can see if we, just so everybody knows, we may release this as 31 00:02:03,724 --> 00:02:07,344 a video. And if we do, you will see the lovely man's face of our guests. 32 00:02:07,444 --> 00:02:12,024 And you'll also see Uncle Dad and Mike's face as well. Uh-oh. Yeah, right? 33 00:02:13,924 --> 00:02:19,104 So without further ado, Mike, take over and let's begin this journey down Mardi 34 00:02:19,104 --> 00:02:20,984 Gras lane. Michael Lane. 35 00:02:21,304 --> 00:02:24,504 Yeah. So I'm so stoked to have our guest on. 36 00:02:24,964 --> 00:02:30,904 I've been a fan of New Orleans jazz music, the culture, you know, 37 00:02:30,904 --> 00:02:38,404 for our listeners that don't know, that's my birthplace and have always felt so connected to it. 38 00:02:38,464 --> 00:02:44,344 And our guest today is a Grammy nominated trumpet player. 39 00:02:44,344 --> 00:02:49,944 He's a member of the billboard chart topping band galactic as well as the grammy 40 00:02:49,944 --> 00:02:55,764 award-winning rebirth brass band and who i saw recently at the treme hideaway 41 00:02:55,764 --> 00:02:57,304 with the big six brass band, 42 00:02:58,004 --> 00:03:03,044 eric gordon eric i i don't know how you have time for anything else but am i leaving anything else. 43 00:03:10,304 --> 00:03:15,144 That's right yes and you and you also i saw you have a you have a birthday coming 44 00:03:15,144 --> 00:03:20,384 up on february 4th which is also my mama's birthday so happy happy birthday 45 00:03:20,384 --> 00:03:25,144 to you my man whoa happy birthday Yeah. 46 00:03:27,424 --> 00:03:32,784 What a, what a time. I mean, you know, it's carnival time in, 47 00:03:32,804 --> 00:03:35,704 in, in Louisiana and New Orleans specifically, it's your birthday. 48 00:03:36,164 --> 00:03:41,524 And you know, one thing I wanted to say real quick here is I saw a video this 49 00:03:41,524 --> 00:03:46,604 morning that someone showed me where you got to play Louis Armstrong's trumpet. 50 00:03:48,084 --> 00:03:51,084 Last week. Yes. I was last week. 51 00:03:51,604 --> 00:03:56,284 We went to his house and we went to the archive. We said to the archive about 52 00:03:56,284 --> 00:03:58,524 two albums, the history of the U.S. arms race. 53 00:03:58,904 --> 00:04:03,464 And after we go, he's like, are there any trumpet players in the house? 54 00:04:03,904 --> 00:04:06,444 And they were on TV. Let me blow on the floor. 55 00:04:07,259 --> 00:04:11,459 You know, which is an amazing experience, simply based on the fact that, 56 00:04:11,479 --> 00:04:16,499 you know, you don't really, as a trumpet player, he is like the trumpet player of all trumpeters. 57 00:04:17,059 --> 00:04:21,619 You know, he pioneered so much in the music. Like I said, we spent two hours 58 00:04:21,619 --> 00:04:23,899 just learning about the history of those. 59 00:04:24,499 --> 00:04:28,179 And as a trumpet player, you never expect to play his horns. 60 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,959 Like, that in itself was an experience. 61 00:04:32,599 --> 00:04:36,079 You know, some things you just don't think are possible. 62 00:04:36,079 --> 00:04:39,239 You know like to play those instruments his 63 00:04:39,239 --> 00:04:42,079 instruments the ones he actually played on hello 64 00:04:42,079 --> 00:04:45,159 darling and what a wonderful world it's like 65 00:04:45,159 --> 00:04:49,859 what more of an honor yeah i gotta say that's like that's got to be for you 66 00:04:49,859 --> 00:04:54,439 like a spiritual experience almost right like you know like holding that and 67 00:04:54,439 --> 00:05:00,699 blowing and doing what you do all the time on you know one of like the if not 68 00:05:00,699 --> 00:05:04,519 the greatest trumpet player of all time, you know, right? 69 00:05:04,659 --> 00:05:06,839 So congratulations on that, man. 70 00:05:07,319 --> 00:05:13,699 I imagine the emotions running through you were pretty special. 71 00:05:14,079 --> 00:05:19,819 Yeah, it was definitely a moment because, like I said, I would have never even 72 00:05:19,819 --> 00:05:23,919 thought that was possible in a lifetime, you know, to play on that instrument 73 00:05:23,919 --> 00:05:25,679 that he actually played on, you know. 74 00:05:25,679 --> 00:05:30,039 So I thought it would be behind some glass mural that you can't even touch it. 75 00:05:30,139 --> 00:05:32,239 And here I am playing on the trumpet. 76 00:05:32,579 --> 00:05:37,079 I played, and the crazy part, I played for 10, 20, 30,000 people. 77 00:05:37,439 --> 00:05:40,599 And that was with 20 or 30 people. 78 00:05:40,759 --> 00:05:47,399 That was the most nervous I have ever been just simply that I was playing on that horn. Yeah. 79 00:05:48,264 --> 00:05:51,384 Don't, don't mess up. Don't mess it up. 80 00:05:55,164 --> 00:05:58,944 Right on. Well, that's, man, that's, that's, that's awesome. 81 00:05:59,104 --> 00:06:00,684 And again, congratulations. 82 00:06:01,064 --> 00:06:04,164 And, you know, one of the things, you know, you mentioned, you know, 83 00:06:04,164 --> 00:06:07,084 the golden Comanches and the Mardi Gras Indians. 84 00:06:07,264 --> 00:06:11,744 And this is something that, you know, I've been to Mardi Gras a few times, 85 00:06:11,864 --> 00:06:16,284 more as a kid in Lafayette than in New Orleans as an adult. 86 00:06:16,804 --> 00:06:23,084 And it's one of those things that I know some about, but I feel like I want to know more. 87 00:06:23,184 --> 00:06:27,684 I think I mentioned to you when we talked before, I've got Cherokee in my heritage 88 00:06:27,684 --> 00:06:31,144 and I'm just always feel called to that part of me. 89 00:06:32,044 --> 00:06:37,944 And it's so interesting to me that this tradition still carries on in the way that it does. 90 00:06:38,084 --> 00:06:42,144 And I see you have your suit and hopefully we get to put the video of this out. 91 00:06:42,204 --> 00:06:48,304 But Eric has his suit that he's been working on all year, right behind him. And it's beautiful. 92 00:06:48,864 --> 00:06:53,304 And, you know, one of the things that you told me that you did recently was 93 00:06:53,304 --> 00:06:56,124 you played a tribute in Congo Square. 94 00:06:56,584 --> 00:07:01,964 And for those that don't know, you know, Congo Square is a place in New Orleans 95 00:07:01,964 --> 00:07:06,904 where where the Homa Indians used to live, and it was like a sacred ground. 96 00:07:07,164 --> 00:07:08,804 And correct me if I'm wrong in any of this. 97 00:07:09,104 --> 00:07:13,644 It also was like a marketplace for enslaved Africans, which, 98 00:07:13,744 --> 00:07:18,064 you know, a lot of like the second line and Mardi Gras traditions kind of grew from there. 99 00:07:18,544 --> 00:07:24,684 And there's a statue of the chief, Tutti Montana, right? I'm saying all that. 100 00:07:25,424 --> 00:07:29,764 And so you play a tribute there every year? What does that place mean to you 101 00:07:29,764 --> 00:07:30,564 specifically? specifically? 102 00:07:31,024 --> 00:07:36,404 Oh, Congo Square, like you said, it's in the Tremaine neighborhood, 103 00:07:36,724 --> 00:07:40,624 which is the oldest African-American neighborhood in America. 104 00:07:41,664 --> 00:07:46,784 And Congo Square is where, like you said, the slaves, during slavery and after 105 00:07:46,784 --> 00:07:49,024 slavery, on Sundays we would get to meet. 106 00:07:49,924 --> 00:07:55,164 So during the slavery days, we got to practice the vision of an ancestral history. 107 00:07:55,724 --> 00:07:58,124 So, the Mardi Gras Indian Group came up with the idea. 108 00:07:59,224 --> 00:08:05,664 Later on, it was a marketplace. On Sundays, there was always a tribute of something 109 00:08:05,664 --> 00:08:09,844 going on, because we had our freedom down in New Orleans on Sundays in the New Orleans. 110 00:08:10,844 --> 00:08:15,244 Condo Square pretty much is all of the culture, all the city. 111 00:08:15,824 --> 00:08:18,464 So, no matter what part that you want, the direction you want to go, 112 00:08:18,524 --> 00:08:23,184 or where you want to go, that's going to be your place. because that's where Fruity Montana was. 113 00:08:23,584 --> 00:08:29,224 During the slavery days, we weren't able to, I guess, show our own roots. 114 00:08:29,344 --> 00:08:37,344 So we had to mask to pay respect to those who came before us, our ancestors. 115 00:08:38,389 --> 00:08:43,189 And with that, Tongo Square still has a lot of the history in that location down in New Orleans. 116 00:08:43,749 --> 00:08:47,389 Like I said, and also the brass bands were able to practice all the time. 117 00:08:47,709 --> 00:08:52,649 It was also a market place. Tongo Square is pretty much the center of all history 118 00:08:52,649 --> 00:08:54,729 of African American coming from New Orleans. 119 00:08:55,449 --> 00:09:00,089 Back to the Indians, I want to say, there was a bunch of tribes. 120 00:09:00,709 --> 00:09:04,909 Indians ran away. African, I'm sorry, the slaves, when we ran away, 121 00:09:05,089 --> 00:09:07,209 we were running away to reservations. reservations. 122 00:09:07,629 --> 00:09:11,189 So a lot of different reservations would take in the slaves, 123 00:09:11,409 --> 00:09:14,589 you know, whether it's the Cherokee, the Seminole, the Homer, 124 00:09:14,809 --> 00:09:19,609 the Natchez, the Tonica, the, uh, it's so many of them. 125 00:09:19,649 --> 00:09:23,289 The Seminole, which I have Seminole in my bloodline, you know, 126 00:09:23,289 --> 00:09:28,629 it's a little bit away, but, but yeah, uh, so when they took us in, 127 00:09:28,769 --> 00:09:31,149 it would be a safety net for us. 128 00:09:31,269 --> 00:09:34,489 So that's when we get all these people like the Cajuns and the Creoles, 129 00:09:34,589 --> 00:09:39,129 these mixed bloodlines from those African and Indian roots. 130 00:09:39,809 --> 00:09:43,789 And from there, like I say, we pay homage to those who escaped and, 131 00:09:43,869 --> 00:09:47,029 you know, found a better life and came back to free others. 132 00:09:47,469 --> 00:09:53,269 So even until today, we always sew these hand sewn suits with thousands and 133 00:09:53,269 --> 00:09:56,769 thousands of beads and we always try to tell a story, you know, 134 00:09:56,809 --> 00:10:00,449 about the history because there's so much history in the world. 135 00:10:00,549 --> 00:10:05,469 Like you sit down and you just walk through the, even just Just the front quarter, like the LaRue House. 136 00:10:06,629 --> 00:10:11,229 I've done a story of the Nat Turner Revolt before. I've done a slave ship where 137 00:10:11,229 --> 00:10:14,309 the Indians and the slaves were escaping off the slave ship. 138 00:10:14,389 --> 00:10:18,029 I've done a peace pipe of the slaves and the Africans sitting together, 139 00:10:18,429 --> 00:10:21,869 you know, sitting around a campfire, smoking a peace pipe. 140 00:10:22,189 --> 00:10:25,929 Every year, I try to do a suit to tribute those who came before us. 141 00:10:26,229 --> 00:10:30,029 Even if you're really different, I'll show you on this suit here. 142 00:10:30,029 --> 00:10:35,669 Here, I have this Louisiana, and it's beaded with a, I'll start over here first. 143 00:10:36,049 --> 00:10:41,009 When we were slaves, my count was backwards, but 1718, we were slaves, 144 00:10:41,189 --> 00:10:43,209 and I have the chain across Louisiana. 145 00:10:43,389 --> 00:10:49,249 But on the opposite side of the suit, I have the chain broken in 1865, 146 00:10:49,369 --> 00:10:50,829 you know, and it says free. 147 00:10:51,249 --> 00:10:56,109 You know, that kind of symbolizes freedom. Of course, we all know slavery was 148 00:10:56,109 --> 00:10:59,209 signed to be free a little before 1865. 149 00:10:59,209 --> 00:11:04,009 But, true to Texas, you know, Juneteenth, the guys in Texas never received that 150 00:11:04,009 --> 00:11:08,869 until 1865 So we always include the last of the people But in Louisiana, 151 00:11:08,989 --> 00:11:10,429 we were free a little before that. 152 00:11:11,437 --> 00:11:15,037 And that's, you know, that's like the short, short and out version of the mighty 153 00:11:15,037 --> 00:11:18,057 grail, you know, we could do that for hours. 154 00:11:18,757 --> 00:11:23,657 Oh, yeah. I want to come back to it a little more, too, as we as we go on. 155 00:11:24,297 --> 00:11:32,177 And, you know, and I love that you love the history and you take this and you really own it. 156 00:11:32,197 --> 00:11:35,657 Like, I could tell, you know, we could tell it's really special to you. 157 00:11:35,717 --> 00:11:42,137 Right. Like, and, and I take in new Orleans specifically is, is very special to you. 158 00:11:42,637 --> 00:11:45,597 Am I right? Like that's home, right? Yeah. 159 00:11:45,837 --> 00:11:51,597 And so you, you lost, you lost a lot after Katrina, right? 160 00:11:51,677 --> 00:11:55,997 Like you lost your equipment and you had to move out of state. Am I right? Right. 161 00:11:56,497 --> 00:12:00,917 Right. And so, so, so how important was that for you to, to, 162 00:12:00,977 --> 00:12:05,357 to come back to new Orleans and, and like to get back into the music? 163 00:12:06,117 --> 00:12:08,917 Uh it was it was that that was 164 00:12:08,917 --> 00:12:12,617 pretty much a turning point in my show and bringing back 165 00:12:12,617 --> 00:12:15,517 New Orleans definitely based off of all right Katrina 166 00:12:15,517 --> 00:12:21,177 hit in August of 2005 uh we went to Houston you know we stayed there for actually 167 00:12:21,177 --> 00:12:27,317 I'm left in a year due to there was a loophole not really a good loophole but 168 00:12:27,317 --> 00:12:33,577 our my family's home it flooded we got about five feet or five and a half feet of Ward, 169 00:12:33,697 --> 00:12:36,497 which is my home, and our house in New Orleans East. 170 00:12:36,977 --> 00:12:41,517 So that house was totally ruined, but my grandmother had a house over in the 171 00:12:41,517 --> 00:12:45,237 community neighborhood, which is still there, on a black and blue digital record line. 172 00:12:45,877 --> 00:12:51,697 And that house sat up maybe about five feet off the ground. So we moved back 173 00:12:51,697 --> 00:12:53,657 around the summer of 2006. 174 00:12:54,277 --> 00:12:58,757 And when we moved back, the music really brought the city back to life, 175 00:12:58,777 --> 00:13:01,537 because when we moved back, of course, everybody wanted to get back home, 176 00:13:01,597 --> 00:13:05,797 but if anybody who was here, they can tell New Orleans was a ghost town. 177 00:13:06,594 --> 00:13:09,914 From 2006 to 2000, I want to say nine. 178 00:13:10,814 --> 00:13:15,494 So people literally came for the music. Like, I would be out there in the first 179 00:13:15,494 --> 00:13:20,214 quarters with the brass bands, and every night, you know, we would stay out all the time tonight. 180 00:13:20,334 --> 00:13:23,234 Like, some days we would go out at 8 in the morning and play until 12. 181 00:13:23,434 --> 00:13:26,394 Sometimes it would be 4 p.m. until, you know, 9 p.m. 182 00:13:26,754 --> 00:13:31,054 Some days it was so empty. Some days we would get up at 2 in the morning and say, what y'all doing? 183 00:13:31,634 --> 00:13:34,994 And everybody would go on Bird in the Canal or on Fritzman. 184 00:13:34,994 --> 00:13:37,854 And you know we'll play music like 2am to 185 00:13:37,854 --> 00:13:41,354 like 5am just because everybody who's 186 00:13:41,354 --> 00:13:44,714 in the city was in the city so you know so 187 00:13:44,714 --> 00:13:47,554 uh the music kind of really brought the city back to life 188 00:13:47,554 --> 00:13:51,014 you know you think about the Katrina days and so 189 00:13:51,014 --> 00:13:54,034 many parts didn't have like in power you know 190 00:13:54,034 --> 00:13:57,314 you saw 2006 it's 2024 and 191 00:13:57,314 --> 00:14:00,274 the lower ninth wall and some parts of the east are still devastated 192 00:14:00,274 --> 00:14:04,074 so imagine 2006 like this 193 00:14:04,074 --> 00:14:07,494 part of the city you didn't even want to go to because like the 194 00:14:07,494 --> 00:14:10,354 night war you know because it 195 00:14:10,354 --> 00:14:14,214 was dark you know you don't know who's who they still had the military here 196 00:14:14,214 --> 00:14:20,374 you know trying to you know enforce certain things but the spirit never left 197 00:14:20,374 --> 00:14:25,534 the water and it was something about the music no matter what when people seen 198 00:14:25,534 --> 00:14:27,614 a horn at that point in time in 2006, 199 00:14:28,054 --> 00:14:32,434 2007, 2008, it brought life to people. It made everybody happy, you know. 200 00:14:32,754 --> 00:14:38,034 And you could feel it because outside of that moment of us playing music. 201 00:14:38,614 --> 00:14:41,274 We were pretty much going back to destroyed neighborhoods. 202 00:14:41,834 --> 00:14:44,894 Because no matter where we stayed, the neighborhood was destroyed. 203 00:14:45,554 --> 00:14:49,114 Like I said, it's remaining one at that point in time. And, you know, 204 00:14:49,174 --> 00:14:51,674 the lights were breaking down, you know. 205 00:14:52,496 --> 00:14:55,956 Random power outages, you know, a lot of schools are still closed. 206 00:14:56,556 --> 00:15:01,776 So, like, music in that time, it definitely played a big part in bringing the city back. 207 00:15:02,276 --> 00:15:06,316 Like I said, it was only, at that point in time, it was only about three brass bands in the city. 208 00:15:06,456 --> 00:15:12,016 You know, I want to say the Truth Brass Band, the Free Asian, and 2B Continuum Brass. 209 00:15:13,456 --> 00:15:18,476 Yeah, and you've played with a lot of different, a lot of different, these bands, right? 210 00:15:18,476 --> 00:15:23,896 Right. And, and what's the biggest challenge when you're trying to play with 211 00:15:23,896 --> 00:15:27,576 a, with a group of guys, you know, is it, is it, you know, obviously this is, 212 00:15:27,576 --> 00:15:31,696 and now I'm talking about like way after Katrina, is it hard? 213 00:15:31,816 --> 00:15:35,576 Is it, is there too many distractions in new Orleans to keep a band together? 214 00:15:35,736 --> 00:15:40,036 Like when you're playing with a bunch of guys, you know, especially when you're 215 00:15:40,036 --> 00:15:42,976 out at, you know, the clubs and you're on the streets and, and, 216 00:15:42,976 --> 00:15:46,656 you know, I know you guys got to rehearse too. Like what's the biggest challenge there? 217 00:15:47,836 --> 00:15:53,276 The biggest challenge, I won't, no. Because the music brings us together. 218 00:15:53,936 --> 00:15:59,556 This was probably the hardest part. Because I had to play the gig and make money, you know? 219 00:16:00,336 --> 00:16:05,316 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Every band is always one thing or another. 220 00:16:05,516 --> 00:16:08,656 You know, you always have to deal with everyone's circumstances. 221 00:16:08,676 --> 00:16:12,396 You know, everybody's different. Everybody's coming to enjoy and read. 222 00:16:13,490 --> 00:16:21,090 This guy smokes a lot of weed, this guy drinks a lot of alcohol, that's his problem. 223 00:16:21,190 --> 00:16:26,950 But sometimes problems are this guy has a lot of girlfriends and all his girlfriends 224 00:16:26,950 --> 00:16:30,410 show up to the gig and you know it's always you deal with situations, 225 00:16:30,770 --> 00:16:33,650 all day come you know but the music will 226 00:16:33,650 --> 00:16:36,990 always keep us together you know even guys get 227 00:16:36,990 --> 00:16:40,430 into physical applications you know but if the 228 00:16:40,430 --> 00:16:43,910 music is strong long enough if you are as passionate 229 00:16:43,910 --> 00:16:46,710 as the next person it'll bring you together like you know 230 00:16:46,710 --> 00:16:50,490 something simple is not putting the right notes sometimes when you 231 00:16:50,490 --> 00:16:54,630 want to have something tight and be genuinely good you know you have a certain 232 00:16:54,630 --> 00:16:59,010 passion about it you know what you know that's everything across the board like 233 00:16:59,010 --> 00:17:03,590 you want to have the perfection with it not to be perfect but to get your best 234 00:17:03,590 --> 00:17:09,930 every time so a lot of friends you know they they focus on you know doing their best. 235 00:17:10,370 --> 00:17:13,490 Everything and i can say every band is different you know some bands 236 00:17:13,490 --> 00:17:16,450 have a lot of women come around some bands do 237 00:17:16,450 --> 00:17:19,550 a lot of partying it's just things alone you 238 00:17:19,550 --> 00:17:23,130 know as long as you're passionate about community because i 239 00:17:23,130 --> 00:17:25,930 can't say any group was more 240 00:17:25,930 --> 00:17:29,110 passionate than the other it's just the individuals 241 00:17:29,110 --> 00:17:31,710 change you know it's like what clothes are you going to 242 00:17:31,710 --> 00:17:34,830 wear today you might hang out with a certain set of friends because they wear 243 00:17:34,830 --> 00:17:38,070 joggers or this set of friends who wear suits all all 244 00:17:38,070 --> 00:17:40,790 the time you know it's just about what you like and 245 00:17:40,790 --> 00:17:44,690 what you like so yeah well speaking 246 00:17:44,690 --> 00:17:47,890 of bands let's talk about galactic you know 247 00:17:47,890 --> 00:17:50,530 how does that happen do they do they call you do you 248 00:17:50,530 --> 00:17:56,570 audition like what how do you get with with a band like that manifestation yeah 249 00:17:56,570 --> 00:18:03,570 hey i'm into it i'm into that yes let's hear it yeah i heard about galactic 250 00:18:03,570 --> 00:18:07,930 i want to say maybe around 2007 out in 7th, 8th, 6th, and 7th. 251 00:18:08,350 --> 00:18:11,030 From that point, I was always interested in black. 252 00:18:11,906 --> 00:18:16,906 So, years and years down the road, 2019, 2019, I want to say, 253 00:18:17,586 --> 00:18:20,346 Shamar Allen, which is the trumpet player for the Lakers, you know, 254 00:18:20,406 --> 00:18:24,066 real popular figure in the world of trumpet playing, a good friend of mine, 255 00:18:24,166 --> 00:18:27,506 you know, and he called me up and said, I have a gig for you. 256 00:18:28,066 --> 00:18:32,006 Because he was getting ready to go solo. And at that point in time, 257 00:18:32,186 --> 00:18:33,626 I was the best fit for the band. 258 00:18:34,326 --> 00:18:38,246 Got into the band, you know, started learning the music and realized it was 259 00:18:38,246 --> 00:18:40,146 a tight shift. I had to really learn the music. 260 00:18:43,366 --> 00:18:48,066 But the guys were very embracing, they always embraced me you know, 261 00:18:48,126 --> 00:18:51,366 I'd still get nervous for the first couple of years I would get nervous all 262 00:18:51,366 --> 00:18:56,406 sorts of things, I never was in a touring band, I always you know, did a tour maybe, 263 00:18:56,926 --> 00:19:01,506 a week or so, two weeks but to be in a touring band is a different thing, 264 00:19:01,566 --> 00:19:06,346 you know, to have everything tight, and at that point in time the guy had just got to patina, 265 00:19:06,946 --> 00:19:09,566 so that whole galactic experience has been been amazing. 266 00:19:09,886 --> 00:19:13,926 I was active out with the Galactic when I played on Louis Armstrong's trumpet. 267 00:19:14,226 --> 00:19:18,306 And those guys always embraced me and pushed me to be better. 268 00:19:18,706 --> 00:19:23,126 So the whole Galactic thing is kind of like one of the best experiences with 269 00:19:23,126 --> 00:19:25,466 a band that I've ever dealt with. 270 00:19:25,686 --> 00:19:30,486 And that's it. Outside of just being good guys, I was in great business with. 271 00:19:31,315 --> 00:19:35,515 You know, so I learned a lot from him. You know, just learned how to be better 272 00:19:35,515 --> 00:19:37,195 at doing things that make more sense. 273 00:19:37,895 --> 00:19:41,355 Building my own brand, because up until I got with the Lashley, 274 00:19:41,395 --> 00:19:45,195 I was more of just a good or great brass band musician. 275 00:19:45,315 --> 00:19:48,615 But they kind of taught me, you know, what's going to make you different? 276 00:19:49,315 --> 00:19:52,515 And the great drummer Stan Moore said to me now, he was like, okay. 277 00:19:53,095 --> 00:19:56,755 He named a couple of trumpet players that were like iconic. And he said something, 278 00:19:56,895 --> 00:19:58,255 but these guys are playing here. 279 00:19:59,075 --> 00:20:04,035 What's going to make you different from those guys? to make your brand better 280 00:20:04,035 --> 00:20:08,475 and it's just simple talk like that can make you open your eyes and all of the 281 00:20:08,475 --> 00:20:11,155 guys always embrace me and always try to push me to, 282 00:20:11,795 --> 00:20:16,635 what's going to be the Eric Gordon what is Eric Gordon going to bring so that 283 00:20:16,635 --> 00:20:20,935 translates across everything I do whether it's Indians to Indians to the clan, 284 00:20:21,695 --> 00:20:24,535 because like my first skiing experience you don't have snow 285 00:20:24,535 --> 00:20:27,415 in the water was with the guys they were like hey you should go skiing 286 00:20:27,415 --> 00:20:30,495 and I'm like uh they're like try it and 287 00:20:30,495 --> 00:20:34,295 i'm like i'll try it so yeah just 288 00:20:34,295 --> 00:20:37,635 like dealing with the guys in the life is always push for 289 00:20:37,635 --> 00:20:41,655 something different or push for something new push for something better like 290 00:20:41,655 --> 00:20:46,415 even them with going into tipatina they would have never thought they was going 291 00:20:46,415 --> 00:20:53,655 to be the guys to buy tipatina and when it happened it was great but then the 292 00:20:53,655 --> 00:20:56,335 pandemic happened So I watched those guys, 293 00:20:56,415 --> 00:21:01,395 you know, brainstorm and they brought me to brainstorm and just work on music, 294 00:21:01,395 --> 00:21:06,595 on ideas, different things to get through, you know, because the pandemic was rough. 295 00:21:06,695 --> 00:21:10,275 They had just purchased a club that was in the negative. 296 00:21:11,015 --> 00:21:13,655 They had to close it down for a year. 297 00:21:14,635 --> 00:21:17,235 So just learning how to work through your problems, the guys would be like, 298 00:21:17,315 --> 00:21:18,275 you know, they're amazing. 299 00:21:18,975 --> 00:21:23,835 The great guys. And anytime you're around, these guys embrace you like family. 300 00:21:24,535 --> 00:21:28,815 Yeah. You know, real quick, just to give you a second on that, 301 00:21:28,855 --> 00:21:32,515 man, like, even if it's not something that you may continue to do, 302 00:21:32,555 --> 00:21:34,315 like, you may not go skiing ever again, 303 00:21:34,475 --> 00:21:39,735 or you might, but just trying those new things, I think, help your brain expand 304 00:21:39,735 --> 00:21:43,115 to trying new things within the stuff that you already do, right? 305 00:21:43,215 --> 00:21:49,095 Like, it just helps wire your brain in that way to think, which allows for you 306 00:21:49,095 --> 00:21:51,935 to grow as a musician, especially within a band. 307 00:21:51,935 --> 00:21:58,235 And also, can we please give a shout out to Shamar Allen for Hit the Sean Payton 308 00:21:58,235 --> 00:22:00,475 and why we never hear that. 309 00:22:00,575 --> 00:22:05,195 Hit the Sean Payton is my favorite Saints jam ever. 310 00:22:06,995 --> 00:22:11,795 Why didn't you complain? Hit the Sean Payton. Yeah, anyways. 311 00:22:12,035 --> 00:22:16,475 We're always so behind our strengths, though. Big Father figured out the Sean Payton was back there. 312 00:22:17,695 --> 00:22:23,975 So I'm going to play this song for you guys. Yeah, no kidding, man. Well, yeah. 313 00:22:24,315 --> 00:22:30,215 So like, yeah, Galactic Bot tips in 2018, like you said, and I've seen you guys 314 00:22:30,215 --> 00:22:33,795 play a couple of times there, like a New Year's Eve show. 315 00:22:34,275 --> 00:22:36,935 And they're amazing there. The shows in that place are amazing. 316 00:22:37,275 --> 00:22:40,215 I've seen you guys at the Warfield and SF. 317 00:22:40,375 --> 00:22:46,935 I've seen you play in Berkeley at the Greek. What are your top three favorite 318 00:22:46,935 --> 00:22:48,995 venues that you've played in? 319 00:22:51,735 --> 00:22:54,875 What are three that come to mind when I say that? 320 00:22:56,235 --> 00:23:06,235 I would say the Fillmore in San Francisco, 930 Club in D.C. 321 00:23:08,735 --> 00:23:12,635 And here with the Tiff Latinas. You got to give Tiff Latinas. Yeah, Tiff's got me. 322 00:23:12,855 --> 00:23:19,555 I will say my favorite, though, would have to be the 930 Club. 323 00:23:21,095 --> 00:23:24,675 930 Club? Yeah, it's an illusion. I love it. It's an illusion. 324 00:23:24,855 --> 00:23:27,715 So, with the 930 Club, they have a moving stage. 325 00:23:28,455 --> 00:23:32,175 So, if it's a sold-out crowd, they'll push the stage all the way back. 326 00:23:33,135 --> 00:23:37,595 But, if the crowd is light, and this is for anybody, if the crowd is kind of 327 00:23:37,595 --> 00:23:41,315 light, they'll move the stage up and be a part of the ticket sales. 328 00:23:41,935 --> 00:23:43,555 So it's always a penthouse. 329 00:23:44,695 --> 00:23:49,815 Oh, that's great. That's clever. Yeah. I think more and more venues should adopt 330 00:23:49,815 --> 00:23:54,975 that system because, you know, I mean, as a musician, like, you don't always, 331 00:23:55,095 --> 00:23:57,715 it's not your responsibility to get people in there. 332 00:23:57,815 --> 00:24:00,995 And, you know, if you're in a place and it's half empty, like, 333 00:24:01,015 --> 00:24:02,935 you still got to do what you got to do. 334 00:24:02,975 --> 00:24:06,295 But it's a lot easier to jam when everybody's packed together. 335 00:24:06,655 --> 00:24:11,615 And yeah, yeah. Yeah. You can definitely find more people that. 336 00:24:12,500 --> 00:24:19,520 You know, I love that, you know, we always do two nights over there and it's 337 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,920 like there's something changing here because it's a huge building. 338 00:24:23,140 --> 00:24:29,460 So it's maybe I want to say two to three times the size of Tipitina. 339 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:36,300 So it's a huge building. It's amazing. amazing yeah uh yeah i was i was reading 340 00:24:36,300 --> 00:24:41,080 some of the history of tipitinas and how they uh upstairs used to be apartments 341 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,660 and they would there was a radio station that, 342 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,520 wwz was up there and they would they would put 343 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:50,740 a microphone through a hole in the in the floor and record 344 00:24:50,740 --> 00:24:55,320 live broadcast of the shows while while uh the shows were going on downstairs 345 00:24:55,320 --> 00:25:00,940 stairs it's such a i i love that place and speaking of tips on mardi gras day 346 00:25:00,940 --> 00:25:04,340 which which this year is on february 347 00:25:04,340 --> 00:25:09,500 13th you'll be starting off your day real early coming out of tips, 348 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:15,200 to do as a member of you know as with the golden comanches and and and starting 349 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:21,680 that so so take take us through that that the the hours before and that time 350 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:25,120 when you come out and and start like How does that all work? 351 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:32,620 I'll say this. For the past few years, those two days have been the longest two days of my life. 352 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:39,420 Since that was the last year. I didn't manage 2019, the whole track show. 353 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:45,360 But in 2020 on until last year, as a Mardi Gras Indian, your suits never finish 354 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:47,760 until you absolutely have to go out the door. 355 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,800 So that last 48 356 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,980 hours you're just sewing and hooking up and and making adjustments 357 00:25:53,980 --> 00:25:59,280 and making sure your suit doesn't fall apart well the last few years galactic 358 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:05,400 does a london garage show so literally i will bring my suit to tippertina at 359 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:11,620 11 45 get on stage from 12 a.m to 6 a.m. 360 00:26:12,501 --> 00:26:18,541 Literally get off stage and put my suit on and walk the rest of Mighty Grime Day. 361 00:26:18,701 --> 00:26:21,381 So I literally didn't go to sleep for that whole $40. 362 00:26:22,041 --> 00:26:26,721 How does a guy do that? I would be working on my suit all day, 363 00:26:26,781 --> 00:26:27,861 trying to get it done, trying to get it done. 364 00:26:28,021 --> 00:26:31,801 Literally go to Simplatina, jump around on stage, do a great show, 365 00:26:31,981 --> 00:26:35,721 12 to about 6, and get off stage, tired. 366 00:26:36,301 --> 00:26:40,701 But it's Mighty Grime. And once that sun hits, it's time to go out the door. 367 00:26:40,701 --> 00:26:46,721 So we always out the door you know roughly about seven eight like i said we 368 00:26:46,721 --> 00:26:51,501 stood up around six seven eight o'clock we're all in the street last year started 369 00:26:51,501 --> 00:26:57,381 a new thing where my big chief won part of the early morning show so now he's 370 00:26:57,381 --> 00:27:00,621 doing finally so i think six or six thirty, 371 00:27:01,241 --> 00:27:04,341 so uh this year is going to be the first he's going to be new we're going to, 372 00:27:04,901 --> 00:27:09,401 actually have the whole tribe outside in front ready waiting on him so when 373 00:27:09,401 --> 00:27:14,641 he finishes his set In his last year's suit, he's going to change and put the 374 00:27:14,641 --> 00:27:18,961 new suit on and come outside and sing in his brand new suit. 375 00:27:19,481 --> 00:27:23,481 So we'll be outside waiting on him to get ready. And the whole thing is going 376 00:27:23,481 --> 00:27:27,441 to modify to him, you know? He's going to sing in the old suit. 377 00:27:27,641 --> 00:27:33,621 Just to clarify, he's going to sing in the old suit inside and then come out in the new suit outside. 378 00:27:34,801 --> 00:27:41,001 Yeah, yeah. And then do the... because he as an Indian as a chief he has to 379 00:27:41,001 --> 00:27:47,141 bless all of the suits so until he sings Indian Red which is our traditional Indian song, 380 00:27:47,901 --> 00:27:49,921 you don't really put the new suit on, 381 00:27:50,741 --> 00:27:56,801 not the big chief at least so he's going to wait and sing this whole set in 382 00:27:56,801 --> 00:28:01,441 his old suit because the old suit is elaborate and beautiful and as a part of 383 00:28:01,441 --> 00:28:05,541 the master you have to build a better suit every year so imagine Imagine you 384 00:28:05,541 --> 00:28:10,121 watching him in his amazing big suit on the landing ground, 385 00:28:10,141 --> 00:28:14,681 really mighty ground boiling from 5 to 6 a.m., and then he gets off stage, 386 00:28:14,741 --> 00:28:17,341 and now it's time to see the new suit, 387 00:28:18,298 --> 00:28:23,218 So we'll be outside as a spy boy and a wild man. All of us can be outside early. 388 00:28:23,458 --> 00:28:26,018 We just don't go anywhere until our chief tells us. 389 00:28:26,278 --> 00:28:28,618 So we'll be sitting there waiting on our chief to get ready. 390 00:28:28,798 --> 00:28:33,838 And when the chief says, say Indian Red, which is our traditional prayer, it's showtime. 391 00:28:34,478 --> 00:28:38,018 And in that neighborhood, we come out of Tipitina, from Tipitina, 392 00:28:38,178 --> 00:28:41,158 we're going to go with the wild capuchins, Indian tribe. 393 00:28:41,458 --> 00:28:44,218 There's, you know, the criminal wild west, the golden blade, 394 00:28:44,738 --> 00:28:46,318 you know, the beautiful criminal past. 395 00:28:46,438 --> 00:28:50,358 We're going to start meeting these tribes. But we have to sing Indian Red with 396 00:28:50,358 --> 00:28:54,078 the blessings of the big chief, Almighty God. Wow. 397 00:28:55,458 --> 00:29:01,818 Of the golden command. Right. And so when you guys, okay, so I have a couple of questions. 398 00:29:02,078 --> 00:29:05,378 So what are you guys doing while you're waiting outside? Are you sitting, 399 00:29:05,458 --> 00:29:07,678 are you standing, are you drinking coffee? 400 00:29:08,398 --> 00:29:14,418 Are you just, you know, BS and with each other or like, what are you guys doing out there? 401 00:29:15,338 --> 00:29:18,758 It's almost, It's actually very tribal 402 00:29:18,758 --> 00:29:24,538 It's like we're conjuring up the spirit At that point in time Because we waited 403 00:29:24,538 --> 00:29:29,438 These suits take a year to make And we waited all year to put these suits on 404 00:29:29,438 --> 00:29:35,518 Like all these beads So as we're waiting We're conjuring up spirit We're singing, 405 00:29:35,558 --> 00:29:45,138 chanting Early in the morning On the shallow water And we're And this whole 406 00:29:45,138 --> 00:29:49,758 time we just conjuring up these spirits and that's pretty much what we're doing 407 00:29:49,758 --> 00:29:52,758 you know that whole time because my idea is, 408 00:29:53,878 --> 00:30:00,338 it's kind of hard to explain it's by a massive we are not ourselves like I'm 409 00:30:00,338 --> 00:30:04,598 not the Chuck and Claire or Miley Grimes just like I am a spirit. 410 00:30:06,163 --> 00:30:11,383 So I'm paying respect to those there. So you see me, but I'm a different person. 411 00:30:11,523 --> 00:30:16,443 So that entire time on Miley Grubb, we're masking. We're kindling up these spirits 412 00:30:16,443 --> 00:30:25,803 of these gods and ancestors, like the god Shango of thunder and ocean and all of these Greek gods. 413 00:30:26,063 --> 00:30:28,403 And, you know, we kind of, everything reaches. 414 00:30:29,003 --> 00:30:33,543 So that whole time with all time, it's us, but it's not us. 415 00:30:33,543 --> 00:30:37,843 We have the drums going the tambourines going we're chanting, 416 00:30:38,163 --> 00:30:42,003 we're screaming you know, whatever your spirit feels, 417 00:30:42,083 --> 00:30:47,103 we're running up and down the street so it's definitely something to experience 418 00:30:47,103 --> 00:30:55,183 it's hard to explain but it's something that if you see it you will understand it. 419 00:30:55,783 --> 00:30:59,103 It's almost a kind of spirit almost in a 420 00:30:59,103 --> 00:31:02,623 positive way you got your suit on 421 00:31:02,623 --> 00:31:06,803 i mean this is this is part of like your lineage and you 422 00:31:06,803 --> 00:31:09,563 sort of become that like you you allow yourself to be 423 00:31:09,563 --> 00:31:12,263 primal in that right and and it 424 00:31:12,263 --> 00:31:17,683 and it and it feels good i'm sure it feels good to just just let it be that 425 00:31:17,683 --> 00:31:25,583 and in a in a place where that is not just accepted but it's almost it's expected 426 00:31:25,583 --> 00:31:31,443 right yeah and and and that's amazing that you get to be a part of that and And so when you guys, 427 00:31:31,923 --> 00:31:35,443 when you do your suit, like, do you think of the theme for your suit each year? 428 00:31:35,483 --> 00:31:39,223 Or is it like a tribal, like you guys come up with a theme and then you can 429 00:31:39,223 --> 00:31:41,983 have your own interpretation of it for each individual suit? 430 00:31:42,763 --> 00:31:46,883 No, it's, it's solely based on you. It's solely based on you. 431 00:31:47,403 --> 00:31:51,783 You kind of, you don't have to stick to like the, the, the roots of, of. 432 00:31:52,777 --> 00:31:56,777 The history, you can pretty much sew whatever kind of suit you want. 433 00:31:57,137 --> 00:32:02,797 You know, and most guys sew suits based on history, which is always a good thing. 434 00:32:03,057 --> 00:32:08,117 Like my big team, Juan, did a 300-year suit, the Centennial suit a few years 435 00:32:08,117 --> 00:32:13,297 ago, you know, it's always about telling the history of the past. 436 00:32:13,737 --> 00:32:16,697 You know, so there'll always be a new suit to make. 437 00:32:16,817 --> 00:32:20,457 It's not like you're going to run out of ideas, which is a pet peeve of mine 438 00:32:20,457 --> 00:32:21,817 with dealing with Indians sometimes. 439 00:32:21,997 --> 00:32:29,017 They think it's all Indians and cowboys, but there's so much history that you can sew on a suit. 440 00:32:29,397 --> 00:32:37,277 You can do a civil rights suit because it's still, as long as you're telling history, it's limited. 441 00:32:39,137 --> 00:32:44,617 I've done a police suit. I've done a I've only left about four suits in. 442 00:32:44,857 --> 00:32:45,997 But I've had a lot before. 443 00:32:47,457 --> 00:32:52,417 And what place has... There's just so much history in New Orleans. 444 00:32:52,557 --> 00:32:55,357 Just right there i mean you know like from the from 445 00:32:55,357 --> 00:32:58,177 the from from the friends were there and 446 00:32:58,177 --> 00:33:02,057 from when the spaniards were there and then from you know the when the 447 00:33:02,057 --> 00:33:05,777 graves that are there you know there's just so much crazy history 448 00:33:05,777 --> 00:33:08,637 and and a lot of it's not like something that you can just go read 449 00:33:08,637 --> 00:33:13,137 somewhere it's it's like the history is almost with the people at this point 450 00:33:13,137 --> 00:33:20,417 so you you mentioned something like kind of your role is you is a spy boy and 451 00:33:20,417 --> 00:33:21,677 i and i've seen the photos of 452 00:33:21,677 --> 00:33:26,317 you where you have a sign and it literally says Spy Boy. What is Spy Boy? 453 00:33:26,997 --> 00:33:33,317 Okay, we all have our own positions in the track. Me, I am pretty much the most 454 00:33:33,317 --> 00:33:36,537 important piece outside of the big chief in the track. 455 00:33:36,897 --> 00:33:43,777 The big chief calls all of the shots, but the Spy Boy is the one who puts his life on the line. 456 00:33:44,237 --> 00:33:49,357 So he has to have as much discernment as a chief because. 457 00:33:50,257 --> 00:33:55,737 Masked and Mardi Gras Indians isn't just a show of suit there are altercations 458 00:33:55,737 --> 00:33:58,417 there are situations that get 459 00:33:58,417 --> 00:34:02,797 rough and we've tried to change Mardi Gras Indians with that narrative but, 460 00:34:03,417 --> 00:34:08,657 Mardi Gras Indians still do fight so as a spy boy I have to when I'm meeting 461 00:34:08,657 --> 00:34:10,877 a trier I have to be able to say, 462 00:34:11,477 --> 00:34:15,377 first of all dance and understand where they're coming from dance and you know 463 00:34:15,377 --> 00:34:19,017 greet them with respect which is a big thing in my book 464 00:34:19,357 --> 00:34:27,077 There's tribes that are disrespectful and disrespect is tolerated very well by everybody. 465 00:34:27,957 --> 00:34:32,557 As a spy boy, I am responsible for protecting my whole tribe. 466 00:34:33,747 --> 00:34:37,107 There's other positions like the Wildman, which he's responsible for protecting 467 00:34:37,107 --> 00:34:38,307 the Chief, the Big Chief. 468 00:34:38,687 --> 00:34:43,607 I'm responsible for everybody because if I get into altercations and I start 469 00:34:43,607 --> 00:34:48,207 fighting, now it's possible everybody else starts fighting. 470 00:34:48,507 --> 00:34:53,587 You know, it's possible that everything could go crazy because I personally 471 00:34:53,587 --> 00:34:56,047 believe, even though we're still masking and showing respect, 472 00:34:56,447 --> 00:35:00,627 there are fights, there are knives, there are guns sometimes. I'm telling you. 473 00:35:00,887 --> 00:35:05,847 So I have to be the one as much as the big sheet to say you know what? This guy's drunk. 474 00:35:06,527 --> 00:35:09,687 He's doing it for the wrong reason. You know, because some people put on a suit 475 00:35:09,687 --> 00:35:15,087 and it's not for, you know, the purpose of paying homage and respect to the ancestors. 476 00:35:15,747 --> 00:35:17,587 So I have to be the one to say, you know what? 477 00:35:18,387 --> 00:35:22,627 I don't want to meet this guy because this guy is drunk. He's high and he's 478 00:35:22,627 --> 00:35:27,287 trying to push me or push to go whatever to say, all right, you know what? 479 00:35:27,567 --> 00:35:29,567 We're not going to meet. Have a great day. 480 00:35:30,367 --> 00:35:35,347 And we have something called two-way populate, which is, it's a cold two-way here. 481 00:35:35,747 --> 00:35:38,467 We're going to go around you. You're not going to meet your two-way populate, 482 00:35:38,627 --> 00:35:42,607 which is a, you know, two-way populate, and our two-way just died. 483 00:35:42,767 --> 00:35:45,807 And that, you know, I have to have the discernment of a chief. 484 00:35:46,667 --> 00:35:50,587 Everybody doesn't have that. But you, as a tribal, I have to have that. 485 00:35:50,687 --> 00:35:54,807 I mean, I say, I put my life on it, because I'm first up, because when meeting 486 00:35:54,807 --> 00:35:58,627 tribes, if I told you, back in the day, most tribes fought. 487 00:35:58,627 --> 00:36:01,407 But you have to be the guy to say you know 488 00:36:01,407 --> 00:36:04,767 what you're not gonna fight you're not gonna let it get out of control because 489 00:36:04,767 --> 00:36:12,567 even in the event of it's too respectable pride we still both built these beautifully 490 00:36:12,567 --> 00:36:17,807 created suits which no two suits are alike and sometimes it can become an ego 491 00:36:17,807 --> 00:36:23,367 battle or you know my suit's better than your suit and then that can get out of hand too suit. 492 00:36:23,847 --> 00:36:27,027 So the spy boy has to be the one with the assignment of, you know what? 493 00:36:27,707 --> 00:36:31,347 Your suit's pretty, but I always think I'm the best in the city. 494 00:36:33,427 --> 00:36:37,107 And we can shake hands, and you know, I have to be able to regulate everything. 495 00:36:37,887 --> 00:36:41,247 Like I said, the big chief, he's kind of in the back with the chief scouts who 496 00:36:41,247 --> 00:36:45,027 taught the children, which I'm regulating two of my children this year as chief scouts. 497 00:36:45,607 --> 00:36:49,167 Like I said, the big chief is the overall seer, and the spy boy, 498 00:36:49,267 --> 00:36:50,927 like I said, I protect everybody. 499 00:36:51,207 --> 00:36:55,067 I make sure everything goes good. I'm the the first out the door you know i 500 00:36:55,067 --> 00:36:58,407 have to be friendly because i have to see all the indians. 501 00:36:59,340 --> 00:37:03,440 And like you say, with tribal things, you never know what's going to happen. 502 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:09,760 The next position behind me is the flag boy, which is the first of the prettiest in the tribe. 503 00:37:09,940 --> 00:37:13,520 The flag boy holds the flag of our tribe. 504 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:17,000 And he shows off how beautiful he is in the tribe. 505 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:21,120 So we got the flag boys, and then it will be the wild men. 506 00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:25,100 The wild men, they work hand in hand with the spy boys. 507 00:37:25,100 --> 00:37:28,540 Those are my two favorite positions of all time because they 508 00:37:28,540 --> 00:37:31,280 have to show assertiveness and they 509 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:34,080 have to have a protective nature for the tribe 510 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:41,160 the wild man's job is to control everything going within the tribe i start the 511 00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:44,840 meat off and once i say it's good for the flag and all the rest of the guys 512 00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:48,420 to me then it's up to the wild man to make sure everything doesn't get out of 513 00:37:48,420 --> 00:37:52,660 control and And a wild man's number one job is to protect the chief. 514 00:37:53,100 --> 00:37:59,180 The wild man is the fearless one. Like, don't do anything crazy. 515 00:37:59,860 --> 00:38:02,540 It's like going after the king and queen of England or something. 516 00:38:02,700 --> 00:38:04,380 You know, it's like that level of 517 00:38:04,380 --> 00:38:09,780 respect. You have to have someone who is willing to go the mile for you. 518 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:15,520 So wild men are pretty much one of my favorite positions between a wild man and a spy boy. 519 00:38:16,380 --> 00:38:19,640 I have to say this. hearing you explain all this 520 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:22,340 because I'm basically the audience right now and I have to tell you 521 00:38:22,340 --> 00:38:25,280 man I never thought it ran so deep like 522 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:28,040 that like you're just opening my mind in ways I've 523 00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:32,000 never thought about so thank you for that and if you're a wild man you can't 524 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:37,460 be you can't be messed up and well I guess you could be but you know you also 525 00:38:37,460 --> 00:38:42,140 can't be you also gotta like probably be in shape in case stuff goes down you 526 00:38:42,140 --> 00:38:45,680 gotta you know hold it down for the chief right, 527 00:38:46,300 --> 00:38:49,100 Look at it like this. The Secret Service or the President. 528 00:38:49,620 --> 00:38:55,400 You have to really be ready for anything at any moment and put your life on 529 00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:58,960 the line because the wild man, you know, their suits are getting more elaborate 530 00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:01,100 as we speak but traditionally the wild man, 531 00:39:01,660 --> 00:39:06,620 he kind of had a suit to let you know I don't care to mess this suit up. You know? 532 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:11,140 Like, I don't care. We can go the distance. And like I said, 533 00:39:11,220 --> 00:39:14,060 all of these positions all have real significant rules. 534 00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:18,040 You know, Chief scouts are the children, and you have to be queens, 535 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:19,880 which are more about the beauty. 536 00:39:20,660 --> 00:39:23,920 But when you get to UCS for Mighty Grounds, like I said, we come out early that 537 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:25,960 morning, but the spy boys are always first. 538 00:39:26,420 --> 00:39:29,560 You have to have the sentiment of the spy boys, make sure everything's good. 539 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:31,040 Flag boys are beautiful. 540 00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:36,160 They have a gang flag, which some tribes have, which is the leader of the flag 541 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:40,720 boys, which is the gang flag, which is the prettiest. Then you have the chiefs. 542 00:39:41,300 --> 00:39:44,920 Queens and the chiefs. No, and it was so far apart because... 543 00:39:46,044 --> 00:39:52,204 We have signals. So I might be four or five blocks from my chief. 544 00:39:52,764 --> 00:39:54,524 And I'll shoot a signal like, whoa! 545 00:39:55,144 --> 00:40:01,664 And let him know from five blocks away, sometimes eight blocks away, there's a tribe coming. 546 00:40:02,284 --> 00:40:06,544 And as that tribe approaches, the chief might sit back for eight to ten blocks. 547 00:40:06,744 --> 00:40:10,744 And as we up there, I'm the lonely one. I'm by myself. 548 00:40:12,204 --> 00:40:15,084 You're the canary in the tunnel. You have to be determined now. 549 00:40:15,084 --> 00:40:19,284 Just imagine you're up there by yourself and something goes wrong. 550 00:40:19,404 --> 00:40:20,924 At least everybody else is safe. 551 00:40:22,104 --> 00:40:27,264 So ultimately, I can put my life, not so much my life. We're not killing each 552 00:40:27,264 --> 00:40:29,604 other, but, you know, I can say that all over the place. 553 00:40:31,104 --> 00:40:34,224 I'm in the front and I have to always say, leave me with respect. 554 00:40:35,084 --> 00:40:39,804 A lot of guys out there are being beautiful. And I'm glad we're kind of getting 555 00:40:39,804 --> 00:40:43,604 over the curve of disrespecting each other. And I'm trying to help push that narrative. 556 00:40:44,164 --> 00:40:49,044 You know, I think respect goes a long way with any culture you know, 557 00:40:49,824 --> 00:40:55,164 just me as a spy boy, just imagine if you go into a situation where you're by 558 00:40:55,164 --> 00:40:59,024 yourself and there's a whole group of people, I don't want to go in there with 559 00:40:59,024 --> 00:41:00,364 this monster attitude with, 560 00:41:00,464 --> 00:41:05,364 y'all I'm the best and I'm the prettiest and I'm this and all this arrogance, 561 00:41:05,924 --> 00:41:08,824 so as a spy boy, you know, you have to be smart about it. 562 00:41:09,064 --> 00:41:15,244 For sure great position to run Now what about, okay okay, let me, this is, I'm curious. 563 00:41:15,364 --> 00:41:19,044 So people know, so like people know you, they know you do this. 564 00:41:19,424 --> 00:41:21,924 It, you know, you guys are saying, Hey, we're going to be here. 565 00:41:22,324 --> 00:41:25,624 So people can come in and watch and watch you guys do your thing. 566 00:41:26,164 --> 00:41:29,124 Like what if someone knows you as Eric and they're like, Eric, 567 00:41:29,264 --> 00:41:32,804 yo, I brought you a bottle of water or yo, those guys are messing with you. 568 00:41:32,844 --> 00:41:35,464 I'm going to step in and help you out, but they're not part of the tribe. 569 00:41:35,804 --> 00:41:40,844 Is that, is there like an invisible wall there? Or like, is there interaction or what? 570 00:41:41,744 --> 00:41:46,304 I see everybody who's talking to me, but yes, I'm looking for people who mask. 571 00:41:46,484 --> 00:41:49,544 If you have a suit on, whatever happens, happens. 572 00:41:50,164 --> 00:41:54,444 If you don't have a suit on, you're not allowed to put yourself in it. 573 00:41:54,864 --> 00:41:59,584 Okay. That's kind of where, honestly, a lot of things go wrong. 574 00:41:59,784 --> 00:42:03,024 And we call those guys second liners. Like, you know a second liner? 575 00:42:03,564 --> 00:42:09,264 The second liner at an Indian meet, they have to be in check by the tribe. 576 00:42:09,264 --> 00:42:12,744 You know because you don't want a guy who everybody gets 577 00:42:12,744 --> 00:42:15,644 excited everybody gets excited if i've been walking with 578 00:42:15,644 --> 00:42:18,444 this tribe you know and it could be a girlfriend it 579 00:42:18,444 --> 00:42:21,884 could be a wife a cousin a family member you know of this friend you 580 00:42:21,884 --> 00:42:26,164 have to be like no this is a this is for the people that match because we do 581 00:42:26,164 --> 00:42:30,204 this for you guys we do this for the neighborhood and everybody else but let's 582 00:42:30,204 --> 00:42:34,064 keep it with the guys who are matching because there are rules of engagement 583 00:42:34,064 --> 00:42:40,764 you know there's ways to beat a guy like not physically but. 584 00:42:42,048 --> 00:42:46,348 It's almost like a sport also. So it's not just traveling and meeting. 585 00:42:47,448 --> 00:42:52,228 There's dancing. When I first meet somebody, I'll start dancing for two, 586 00:42:52,328 --> 00:42:54,948 three blocks away. And then we get up close and personal. 587 00:42:55,388 --> 00:42:59,808 We'll do our dance. And it's a competition of the beauty of the suit. 588 00:42:59,888 --> 00:43:03,168 So when I swing back and forth, you see my plumes going back and forth. 589 00:43:03,888 --> 00:43:10,348 And it's like a peacock almost. You're showing off your beauty and your dominance respectfully. 590 00:43:10,708 --> 00:43:16,008 I'm just both beautiful. of them all and and with that you still have to show 591 00:43:16,008 --> 00:43:23,248 this this assertiveness and in the right respectfully peacocking this is what it is right here. 592 00:43:25,168 --> 00:43:30,148 Man new orleans is so great because like what other city in this in the u.s 593 00:43:30,148 --> 00:43:34,408 does anything close to that like there's just nowhere like there's just you 594 00:43:34,408 --> 00:43:40,528 know there's so many festivals and and shows and music and character and one 595 00:43:40,528 --> 00:43:42,688 season just rolls into the next with the next thing. 596 00:43:42,708 --> 00:43:44,968 But there's nothing like this 597 00:43:44,968 --> 00:43:50,088 anywhere, you know, and that's part of what makes New Orleans so great. 598 00:43:50,228 --> 00:43:58,088 And I could talk to you for forever about this, but I do want to get to you and Rebirth. 599 00:43:58,428 --> 00:44:02,928 We talked to Vincent Broussard, the saxophonist, on our last trip, 600 00:44:02,948 --> 00:44:06,428 our last show. So how do you get a spot with Rebirth? 601 00:44:07,168 --> 00:44:13,948 Years and years. You know, just like the horn, Rebirth is the iconic brass band of New Orleans. 602 00:44:14,488 --> 00:44:18,868 They don't admit it, but growing up in New Orleans, everybody loved Rebirth. 603 00:44:19,048 --> 00:44:21,828 You know, they loved Dirty Dozen. They grew up on the Dirty Dozen. 604 00:44:22,388 --> 00:44:25,648 But a certain age bracket, it's really only Rebirth. 605 00:44:25,728 --> 00:44:31,088 Everybody has a Rebirth CD. That was pretty much the first horn CD I had of 606 00:44:31,088 --> 00:44:33,908 just a lot of instrumental horns of New Orleans Brass. 607 00:44:34,008 --> 00:44:37,908 And I had the original Do What You Want Album with Do What You Want, 608 00:44:38,048 --> 00:44:40,208 Leave That Pipe Alone, Mexican Special. 609 00:44:40,728 --> 00:44:42,628 I think that was something. He had a couple of songs on there. 610 00:44:42,928 --> 00:44:48,808 And just having that CD was like an opening to a reverb. 611 00:44:49,348 --> 00:44:52,648 And I was a kid. This was before I even played an instrument. 612 00:44:52,768 --> 00:44:55,948 Before I thought about going brass band. so over the years rebirth 613 00:44:55,948 --> 00:44:59,808 has dropped 17 albums growing 614 00:44:59,808 --> 00:45:05,148 up they've always been the staple of brass band in the community so i just kind 615 00:45:05,148 --> 00:45:08,608 of worked my way up from like the little band like the true brass band and i 616 00:45:08,608 --> 00:45:12,468 got to the new birth which is like cousins of them and i went to the brass band 617 00:45:12,468 --> 00:45:16,988 which is an amazing journey the students brass band taught me how to be a lead trumpet. 618 00:45:17,967 --> 00:45:20,627 They said back, I was like, you're young, but you are the lead. 619 00:45:20,727 --> 00:45:25,907 So at 19 years old, I was leading the Stooges. And that was pretty much my first big thing. 620 00:45:26,527 --> 00:45:31,247 From the Stooges, I got with TBC, and we developed some music from there, 621 00:45:31,267 --> 00:45:32,467 The Truth, and then Big Six. 622 00:45:33,147 --> 00:45:38,627 As I was with Big Six, Cliff, the prover player, and the leader of the Big Six, 623 00:45:38,727 --> 00:45:42,807 started playing with Rebirth after Phil had his stroke, I think his second stroke. 624 00:45:43,107 --> 00:45:46,147 And Phil was like, you know, let's call it Cliff. let's 625 00:45:46,147 --> 00:45:48,967 talk to them and so he made it happen 626 00:45:48,967 --> 00:45:51,807 you know and from then one of my good 627 00:45:51,807 --> 00:45:55,007 good longtime friends the trumpet player of rebert with the 628 00:45:55,007 --> 00:46:02,067 chad allery chad quentin as he goes by his name he went solo uh actually last 629 00:46:02,067 --> 00:46:08,607 year on january 1st he went solo and the guys they called me up and i guess 630 00:46:08,607 --> 00:46:12,747 he's a good friend of mine me and chad has been a long time riding so So we 631 00:46:12,747 --> 00:46:13,667 talked about a lot of stuff, 632 00:46:13,807 --> 00:46:16,767 like, from middle school, like, 12 years old, that's when I met Chad. 633 00:46:16,987 --> 00:46:19,567 And Chad is a great trumpet player. 634 00:46:20,347 --> 00:46:23,707 I don't really tell him in person, and I won't tell him in person. Don't feel bad. 635 00:46:24,987 --> 00:46:26,467 We won't let him do that. 636 00:46:30,447 --> 00:46:35,647 Chad went to school with, like, Trombone Shorty, Chris Roy. You know, 637 00:46:35,647 --> 00:46:37,587 like, he went to school with, like, elementary. a mentor. 638 00:46:38,147 --> 00:46:42,587 When I met him in middle school, he was already so talented. 639 00:46:43,867 --> 00:46:47,807 Just think about how talented Trombone Shorty and a lot of these cats are. 640 00:46:48,267 --> 00:46:52,927 So I took to me with Chad and he's a great guy, a great trumpet player. 641 00:46:53,127 --> 00:46:57,207 Like I said, he left Rebirth last year and I was looking around and they gave 642 00:46:57,207 --> 00:46:58,747 me a call and I'm like, okay, yeah. 643 00:46:59,367 --> 00:47:04,427 Mm-hmm, yeah. So I thought of musicals, I'm pretty much living the dream. 644 00:47:04,427 --> 00:47:10,447 Like so that's just the funk band I've always wanted to be with and Rebirth 645 00:47:10,447 --> 00:47:13,027 is the brand that I've always wanted to be with and it's like, 646 00:47:13,997 --> 00:47:14,557 Mind blown. 647 00:47:16,617 --> 00:47:21,037 It's a journey. It's an unbelievable experience because literally these are 648 00:47:21,037 --> 00:47:26,657 the best two bands out of New Orleans that I can think of because everybody comes from them. 649 00:47:26,717 --> 00:47:35,157 If you want to funk style of the music, the revivalists, Trombone Short, it's a long list of guys. 650 00:47:35,317 --> 00:47:39,897 My name is John Michael, Jada Cosmich, all these guys come from the lake. 651 00:47:39,897 --> 00:47:46,377 And then Soon as High Day Little Rascals Big Six all of these guys come from 652 00:47:46,377 --> 00:47:50,837 the Rebirth so to be playing with both of these bands is definitely an experience 653 00:47:50,837 --> 00:47:57,517 and I love it I love it you know not to be too loud but it's the dream for me because. 654 00:47:58,757 --> 00:48:03,757 It's life so I try to put my best foot forward playing every time I play you 655 00:48:03,757 --> 00:48:08,897 know I feel like I could be better because these are the legendary bands in 656 00:48:08,897 --> 00:48:12,137 the city I mean, yeah, you've got it covered. 657 00:48:12,297 --> 00:48:18,457 And, you know, I feel like you can probably feel that you went into all of this 658 00:48:18,457 --> 00:48:21,217 with the right intention, with respect. 659 00:48:21,737 --> 00:48:25,917 You really care about what you do. You're also really good at what you do. 660 00:48:25,917 --> 00:48:30,157 But even just the way that you talk about, you know, the Mardi Gras, 661 00:48:30,177 --> 00:48:34,977 the Indians and how much space you give of your life for that, 662 00:48:35,057 --> 00:48:37,877 I feel like you've given the same for your music. 663 00:48:38,057 --> 00:48:42,637 And that's why these doors have opened up for you. And you're a nice, genuine person. 664 00:48:43,377 --> 00:48:48,197 And, you know, you deserve everything that you have. 665 00:48:48,197 --> 00:48:51,377 And I hope you feel that too, because, you know, I, 666 00:48:51,477 --> 00:48:56,277 I've, I respect you just from watching you play, from seeing the videos of you 667 00:48:56,277 --> 00:49:01,657 doing, doing the Mardi Gras Indians and just how much you're willing to share 668 00:49:01,657 --> 00:49:04,117 because, you know, I don't live in Louisiana. 669 00:49:04,237 --> 00:49:09,617 I don't live in New Orleans anymore, but you're willing to share your story with everyone. 670 00:49:09,677 --> 00:49:13,357 And I think it inspires other people to feel okay to do that, 671 00:49:13,397 --> 00:49:17,177 that, and, and, and to have that same outlook on life, you know? 672 00:49:17,177 --> 00:49:23,497 If there is a way to win at life, Eric, you're winning at life. 673 00:49:25,717 --> 00:49:26,977 It's been a long road. 674 00:49:31,897 --> 00:49:36,557 What's the big difference? 675 00:49:36,757 --> 00:49:43,237 What's the main difference of playing with Rebirth or with Big Six, which is so swingy? 676 00:49:43,237 --> 00:49:48,037 And like if so I don't know there's probably another word that I'm blanking 677 00:49:48,037 --> 00:49:53,557 on and then with with Galactic it's a little more controlled like is that the 678 00:49:53,557 --> 00:49:57,957 biggest difference of playing with those two bands essentially I, 679 00:49:59,522 --> 00:50:03,542 Outside of the song selection, no, to me personally, it's not really a big difference 680 00:50:03,542 --> 00:50:08,642 because I didn't want to bring my own flavor into all this. That's what they all like. 681 00:50:08,842 --> 00:50:11,082 It's like cooking with rice. 682 00:50:11,502 --> 00:50:14,782 You know, sometimes you have jambalaya, sometimes you have red beans, 683 00:50:14,882 --> 00:50:18,422 sometimes you have dirty rice, creole. 684 00:50:19,422 --> 00:50:24,502 A lot of stuff is being able to make the dish better. 685 00:50:25,002 --> 00:50:27,922 You know, it's short. you know I kind of 686 00:50:27,922 --> 00:50:30,902 try to bring my own flavor every time you know I'm still 687 00:50:30,902 --> 00:50:33,642 the same individual so my style is my style of 688 00:50:33,642 --> 00:50:36,502 playing and I'm pretty much like that Louis 689 00:50:36,502 --> 00:50:41,622 Armstrong New Orleans style of trumpet playing but essentially I try to just 690 00:50:41,622 --> 00:50:45,062 bring it every time you know it's not so much about the music it's just about 691 00:50:45,062 --> 00:50:50,042 the feeling because there's jazz cats that'll play a thousand notes and nobody 692 00:50:50,042 --> 00:50:54,022 felt it but sometimes you'll catch a solo of me playing one note and I'm going. 693 00:50:56,002 --> 00:50:58,882 You know and people will feel that and they'll 694 00:50:58,882 --> 00:51:02,902 be like yeah yeah yeah it's 695 00:51:02,902 --> 00:51:05,902 more about a feeling i try to bring that that feeling that that love 696 00:51:05,902 --> 00:51:10,522 even in all my schools you'll see me having a good time i can't you know it's 697 00:51:10,522 --> 00:51:17,022 a blessing in itself to be able to perform on stage you know oh yeah so yeah 698 00:51:17,022 --> 00:51:21,582 it's a feeling definitely a feeling not not to try to separate the two it's 699 00:51:21,582 --> 00:51:23,342 always a good vibe between, 700 00:51:23,582 --> 00:51:29,162 no matter, because I do gospel sometimes, and it's all about what you're doing. 701 00:51:29,382 --> 00:51:32,602 All you're smiling, all you're happy while doing it, because if you're not happy 702 00:51:32,602 --> 00:51:34,502 while doing it, just don't do it. 703 00:51:35,162 --> 00:51:38,702 Yeah, and people are going to see that, too. It's going to come off as that. 704 00:51:39,602 --> 00:51:42,682 And that's another thing about New Orleans that's so great is. 705 00:51:43,642 --> 00:51:48,042 Is, is the, is the feel right. Of like watching that music, you know, 706 00:51:48,042 --> 00:51:51,562 like I watch, I watch other jazz bands, even when they're covering rebirth, 707 00:51:51,682 --> 00:51:55,302 you know, from Chicago or from North Carolina, where I'm at right now. 708 00:51:55,302 --> 00:51:58,382 And like, there's just the different feel when you're watching, 709 00:51:58,382 --> 00:52:02,282 when you've seen live new Orleans jazz and uncle dad, I mean, 710 00:52:02,302 --> 00:52:09,162 I know you can agree because uncle jazz, uncle jazz, uncle dad's seen you guys play too. 711 00:52:09,322 --> 00:52:13,202 And I, and I've seen, you know, I've seen him light up watching you guys play. 712 00:52:13,762 --> 00:52:16,302 Oh, it's incredible. It's one of the greatest experiences ever. 713 00:52:16,682 --> 00:52:19,562 I think like, you know, I've been to like Jazz Fest in the past. 714 00:52:19,602 --> 00:52:23,942 And whenever I see a NOLA act in town, I'm in the Bay Area. 715 00:52:24,222 --> 00:52:28,822 And so whenever I see a NOLA act, I have to be there because we just don't get 716 00:52:28,822 --> 00:52:31,822 that. You know what I mean? It's such a unique, beautiful experience. 717 00:52:32,042 --> 00:52:33,782 Like I'm a, you know, like Soul Rebels I love. 718 00:52:34,042 --> 00:52:37,662 And so when Soul Rebels are out here, I have to see them, you know, it's just something. 719 00:52:38,602 --> 00:52:42,342 If you could bottle that energy and hand that out, I think the world would be 720 00:52:42,342 --> 00:52:44,342 a better place. Let me tell you. be a better place. 721 00:52:45,522 --> 00:52:48,902 That means coming out to the show at the Fillmore. I hope to see you. 722 00:52:49,522 --> 00:52:52,862 Oh, yeah. That's right. Yeah. I will go. I am going to go. 723 00:52:54,922 --> 00:52:58,242 I'll be waiting for you. I'll be there. I'll be there on the set. 724 00:52:58,502 --> 00:53:00,482 Just look for the short little fat Mexican kid. 725 00:53:02,662 --> 00:53:06,262 I think you were making him hungry with all your rice dish analogies, 726 00:53:06,262 --> 00:53:10,522 too, right? I love me some jambalaya, let me tell you. 727 00:53:12,062 --> 00:53:16,682 All right, Eric. Eric, real quick, I'm going to shoot these at you real quick before we go. 728 00:53:17,968 --> 00:53:22,528 And I just want to, you know, quick answer. Favorite music venue to play at 729 00:53:22,528 --> 00:53:24,488 other than Tipitina's in New Orleans? 730 00:53:26,408 --> 00:53:30,488 Stumped him. Oh, Blue Nile on purpose. 731 00:53:31,228 --> 00:53:33,888 Blue Nile. Blue Nile's a great one. Blue Nile's a great place. 732 00:53:34,788 --> 00:53:36,168 I love the name. Oh, yeah. 733 00:53:37,108 --> 00:53:41,348 Blue Nile's my favorite. Yeah, Blue Nile's amazing. Okay, what's your, 734 00:53:41,428 --> 00:53:44,848 what's just your favorite bar in New Orleans? Oh, well, Hank's. 735 00:53:46,028 --> 00:53:55,488 What's that? Hank's. thank you okay favorite place to get a meal, 736 00:53:57,288 --> 00:54:01,548 these are the tough questions these are tough, 737 00:54:03,948 --> 00:54:12,968 like little disney little disney was amazing um but a lot of the smaller stores like the manchus, 738 00:54:13,768 --> 00:54:19,788 the VNC you know those spots are amazing and uh Prowl Ease is a good spot too 739 00:54:19,788 --> 00:54:23,288 Prowl Ease Prowl Ease okay. 740 00:54:24,488 --> 00:54:28,028 Alright what if you just wanted to go out and go dancing like you're not playing 741 00:54:28,028 --> 00:54:33,008 you just want to be a guy enjoying the music or can you do that like are you 742 00:54:33,008 --> 00:54:37,708 able to go watch a show and just and enjoy the show and not feel like you gotta 743 00:54:37,708 --> 00:54:38,808 get up there and start playing, 744 00:54:39,348 --> 00:54:44,488 yeah I would do Blue Now for that yeah Blue Nine and a lot of Hole in the Wall 745 00:54:44,488 --> 00:54:49,548 once you had Celebration Hall which is the hall not in the ballroom but Celebration 746 00:54:49,548 --> 00:54:53,288 Hall always has you know and the jump ball, 747 00:54:53,808 --> 00:54:58,188 currently the jump ball is like the new hot spot to catch a band and you know just go fly, 748 00:54:58,848 --> 00:55:03,568 jump ball okay alright last one where would you go watch a Saints game Kermit 749 00:55:03,568 --> 00:55:05,568 oh yeah Kermit Russell's Mother-in-law, 750 00:55:06,228 --> 00:55:12,688 okay and Kermit always has a vibe you know Kermit has a band also on Sunday Hammond says like. 751 00:55:13,674 --> 00:55:16,714 It's under Kato's camera, mother-in-law. Just such a vibe. 752 00:55:16,954 --> 00:55:24,374 It's so nostalgic. It has this seventies, eighties vibe with the murals and the paintings. 753 00:55:24,694 --> 00:55:28,794 And it's just old school. You know, sometimes you want to chill where the people 754 00:55:28,794 --> 00:55:30,914 are good. Well, somebody knows your name. 755 00:55:31,854 --> 00:55:37,374 Okay. All right. Yeah. Yeah. That place is always on my list to go. 756 00:55:37,514 --> 00:55:41,274 And I just, I just never ended up making it there because there's a million 757 00:55:41,274 --> 00:55:43,334 other things in the way. Right. 758 00:55:44,254 --> 00:55:47,794 Kermit owns the place he's always 759 00:55:47,794 --> 00:55:50,514 there and that's the thing about Kermit he's 760 00:55:50,514 --> 00:55:53,394 such a great spirit if you walk in Kermit's mother's 761 00:55:53,394 --> 00:55:56,074 house he's liable to be sitting at the 762 00:55:56,074 --> 00:55:59,034 bar drinking a beer drinking a bud like 763 00:55:59,034 --> 00:56:03,954 with his trumpet hanging right behind him and sometimes the band will play he'll 764 00:56:03,954 --> 00:56:08,374 just pick up the trumpet and start playing he genuinely loves that place and 765 00:56:08,374 --> 00:56:12,474 that's the energy that you get you'll see Jelly Ali singing at that that sometimes 766 00:56:12,474 --> 00:56:17,934 you run across like a bunch of the artists that's in there because it's such a chill, 767 00:56:18,594 --> 00:56:20,214 really vibe, second line show. 768 00:56:20,394 --> 00:56:22,814 It's a lot of people just going there just to hang, you know? 769 00:56:23,434 --> 00:56:26,634 Yeah. Sometimes you go, it's about who you are. Hey, hey, hey. 770 00:56:26,634 --> 00:56:28,194 But in time, it's just kind of like, 771 00:56:29,068 --> 00:56:32,628 Everybody's just playing, you know? Yeah. No, I love that. I love that. 772 00:56:33,008 --> 00:56:35,988 Well, Eric, thank you so much. Everyone. 773 00:56:36,848 --> 00:56:40,888 Mardi Gras at Tipitina's. I know you guys are playing there Saturday the 10th 774 00:56:40,888 --> 00:56:45,848 and also is it Mardi Gras night? Well, we're in the 10th. 775 00:56:47,228 --> 00:56:51,448 What's that? Say that again. February 3rd and the 10th. We're playing there. 776 00:56:51,508 --> 00:56:58,688 Third and the 10th. And then you will also be Mardi Gras morning as a golden 777 00:56:58,688 --> 00:57:02,228 Comanche, as the spy boy. Golden Comanche. Spy boy. There you go. 778 00:57:03,128 --> 00:57:05,688 I don't know my name. Hey. 779 00:57:06,948 --> 00:57:14,288 Spy boy. Look at that. Spy boy. And we're going to put this out on our Instagram, 780 00:57:14,628 --> 00:57:16,748 you know, pictures so everyone can see. 781 00:57:16,748 --> 00:57:23,408 Even if this video does come out so people can see what you put together, man, it's beautiful. 782 00:57:23,768 --> 00:57:28,148 It's very beautiful, for sure. I do have one last question, Mike. I got to ask him. 783 00:57:28,788 --> 00:57:32,908 It is very important because when this comes out, it'll be right around that time. 784 00:57:34,068 --> 00:57:39,488 Here we go. Who is going to win the Super Bowl? There's one right answer. 785 00:57:41,008 --> 00:57:46,368 There's one right answer. I'm not giving you. No, you're not going to give me anything? 786 00:57:48,908 --> 00:57:53,748 See hey hey he doesn't care who's gonna win the super bowl is mardi gras time. 787 00:58:01,128 --> 00:58:09,008 Audience i tried who that uh eric where can uh where can our listeners find 788 00:58:09,008 --> 00:58:14,648 you if if on social media or on website or how do they find out where you're gonna be, 789 00:58:15,601 --> 00:58:21,221 I'll go by I Am Eric Gordon. Simple enough. I just spell street. I Am Eric Gordon. 790 00:58:21,801 --> 00:58:25,901 All social platforms, you know, Facebook, Instagram, whatever. 791 00:58:26,601 --> 00:58:30,281 If you want to search some music, I have some songs under I Am Eric Gordon. 792 00:58:30,281 --> 00:58:34,581 I just put out a new one last week called Province Prince for the Zulu, 793 00:58:35,221 --> 00:58:37,661 which, you know, the Zulu Parade is coming up on Mighty Drive Day. 794 00:58:37,701 --> 00:58:40,041 So the Province Prince, they are a crew in the Zulu. 795 00:58:40,541 --> 00:58:43,861 We dropped one for them. I have a song called Down in New Orleans, 796 00:58:43,921 --> 00:58:45,381 which is one of my favorite songs. 797 00:58:45,841 --> 00:58:49,261 Definitely suggest checking out. I am Eric Gordon, Down in New Orleans. 798 00:58:49,341 --> 00:58:52,361 I'm featuring Lou and all these and Angelica Jolie-Joseph. 799 00:58:52,541 --> 00:58:55,981 But I am Eric Gordon across the music platforms, across everything. 800 00:58:56,441 --> 00:59:00,241 You know, and out there you'll be able to be birthday singers. I like to be so. 801 00:59:01,001 --> 00:59:04,281 All right. I am Eric Gordon. 802 00:59:04,581 --> 00:59:08,301 And Eric, I am Mike Hampton. 803 00:59:08,361 --> 00:59:13,321 And this is Uncle Dad. And thank you so much for coming on here and sharing 804 00:59:13,321 --> 00:59:15,821 all that you share with us, man. It's really special. 805 00:59:15,901 --> 00:59:18,081 And I can't wait to see you down there. 806 00:59:18,701 --> 00:59:21,861 Yeah, it's going to be a special day. I'll see y'all there with the tambourine. 807 00:59:22,441 --> 00:59:24,261 Everybody come and bring your tambourines. 808 00:59:25,181 --> 00:59:26,201 I'll get a tambourine. 809 00:59:27,561 --> 00:59:30,361 You need a tambourine. I'll get you a tambourine. 810 00:59:33,981 --> 00:59:37,001 Right on. okay and and i 811 00:59:37,001 --> 00:59:39,801 guess that's going to be it for for uh for now right uncle 812 00:59:39,801 --> 00:59:44,081 dad uh that is but mike it's you're running the show so you got to say the trademark 813 00:59:44,081 --> 00:59:48,821 line before we wrap up oh that's right oh yeah eric and for everyone listening 814 00:59:48,821 --> 00:59:52,681 we're not uncles we're not dads we're just someone you can talk to and we will 815 00:59:52,681 --> 00:59:58,401 see you all next week well done mike yeah all right.