If there’s one artist whose music you’re guaranteed to hear in New Orleans during Jazz Fest, it’s the late Dr. John, a.k.a. the Night Tripper, but there’s really only one living artist fully “Qualified” to pay tribute to NOLA’s native son, and that’s John “Papa” Gros.
With his laid-back piano playing style and his gruff yet tender and soulful voice, Gros is particularly well-suited to honor the spirit of the incomparable Dr. John (born Mac Rebennack Jr.), to whom he refers as a “hero and mentor. This year, he marked the “Daze Between” Jazz Fest weekends with a down-home Louisiana get-down at Toulouse Theatre billed as Papa Plays the Nite Tripper: A John “Papa” Gros Tribute to Dr. John.
On Wednesday night before the first day of Jazz Fest’s second weekend, in the historic French Quarter, Gros was joined by an outsanding ensemble comprised of Alexander Mallet (guitar), Matt Booth (bass), Russ Broussard (drums), Michael Christie (trumpet), Ian Bowman (saxophone), Nick Ellman (saxophone), Kiki Chapman (vocals), and Yolanda Robinson (vocals) for a two-hour show complete with all the hits, deep cuts, Gris Gris, and funk left behind by Dr. John. With a very reasonable start time of 9 p.m., the NOLA-centric tribute celebration was a festive way to honor the Nite Tripper’s legacy and kick off an eventful second weekend of Jazz Fest.
Of note, a few days later, Gros offered up his proven Dr. John tribute bonafides once again during a guest appearance as part of Crescent City Classics: A Celebration of New Orleans Funk at The Joy Theater. In addition to leading the Dumpstaphunk/Lettuce hybrid house band through a pair of Rebennack favorites, he offered up a rendition of Papa Grows Funk staple “Soul Second Line” in honor of drummer Russell Batiste Jr., the recently departed member of the NOLA funk family who played on the original track. For more on Crescent City Classics, head here.
Click below to view a gallery of photos from Papa Plays the Nite Tripper: A John “Papa” Gros Tribute to Dr. John at Toulouse Theatre courtesy of James Cook.
