TD JazzFest: Funk 'n Soul in the township (Sunday) will feature artists The Rumble ft. Big Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr and James Vickers Band.
New Orleans' GRAMMY-nominated supergroup The Rumble is more than just a band, it is an immersion into a wholly unique facet of New Orleans culture. Featuring Second Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. of the Golden Eagles alongside Aurélien Barnes on trumpet, José Maize Jr. on trombone, TJ Norris on bass, Ari Teitel on guitar, Andriu Yanovski on keyboards, and Trenton O'Neal on drums, the group fuses the deep funk traditions of The Meters and The Neville Brothers with electrifying brass and the striking visual splendor of the Black Masking carnival tradition. Their GRAMMY-nominated album Stories from the Battlefield earned a nomination for Best Regional Roots Album 2025, and their live show is a vibrant explosion of colour, rhythm, and classic Mardi Gras Native-American-style call-and-response chanting.
Opening the show is the James Vickers Band, an up-and-coming blues-rock collective from Nanaimo formed in July 2023. Led by 15-year-old Gitxaala, Heiltsuk, Haida Nations, and UK rising star James Vickers on vocals, guitar, and songwriting, the band also features Carson Maertz on guitar, Sara Varro on drums, and Rick Becker on bass. Since making his public stage debut at age eleven, Vickers has gone on to perform at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January 2024 and has opened for legendary artists including Jim Byrnes, Crystal Shawanda, and Wide Mouth Mason. After an outdoor performance at Harbour Blues 'n Roots Festival 2025 that floored audiences, James Vickers now returns to Bullen Park to open for The Rumble.
For tickets, visit https://jazzvictoria.ca/tickets/