Papa Lebas (aka, Jeff Muller)

Papa Lebas & Gumbo Ya Ya

Led by songwriter, producer, guitarist, and bassist Papa Lebas (aka Jeff Muller), this mystickal band is a New Orleans-inspired earthy gumbo of funk, R&B, jazz, blues, zydeco, Cajun, brass band, and more. Launched from the 2-year process of recording the album Naptown to NOLA, Papa Lebas & Gumbo Ya Ya exists to affirm community, celebrate life, and provide a majickal connection to the musickal thread that runs through the universe. Carrying forward the expansive mujickal mantle of Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, The Meters, the Neville Brothers, and other Culture Bearers from the Bayous, the band plays a mix of Crescent City classics and instantly familiar originals.

The album that launched this unit features 63 performers from Louisiana and Maryland, including a number of Icons of Sound such as Ivan Neville, Ian Neville, George Porter Jr., Bill Summers, Chubby Carrier, Tommy Malone, Ron Holloway, Tommy Lepson, Deacon John, Leroy Jones, Louis Michot, and more. 

The band's first performance at the Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD features a special expanded line-up, including two special guests making the trip from New Orleans to be here: 

	Papa Lebas (aka, Jeff Muller): host, guitar, bass, banjo, vocals Papa Lebas is a musician, songwriter, and producer living in Silver Spring, MD who has an abiding love of roots music, especially the Louisiana variety. His musical career has taken him from Annapolis to New Orleans and back, having played guitar and/or bass around the US and in Europe with 100 different acts over 30+ years. In that time, he has backed up legendary artists including Eva Cassidy, Allen Toussaint, and Cyril Neville, released a critically-acclaimed debut album (Jes Grew), wrote and recorded music for the play Tipton, and performed on numerous albums for other artists. Now, he brings you Naptown to NOLA, his latest and biggest project, a celebration of community involving 64 musicians at the top of their game.
	Joe Krown: piano A multi award-winning master of both the piano and Hammond B3 organ, Joe is one of New Orleans’ top keyboardists. In addition to his own band, he has co-led two supergroups: one with Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington and Russell Batiste, and the other with Johnny Sansone and John Fohl. As a sideman, he holds down the piano/organ chair with the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band and previously spent more than a decade as the keyboardist for legendary bluesman Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown. Discover more on Joe's website.
	Kirk Joseph: sousaphone A New Orleans native and world-renowned sousaphone virtuoso, Kirk is perhaps the greatest innovator of his instrument. He played a central role in creating the modern New Orleans brass band sound, which combines marching band and Dixieland traditions with strong jazz and funk influences. He helped found and still performs with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, leads his own band, and has played with diverse artists including Anders Osborne, Elvis Costello, Dr. John, R.E.M., The Neville Brothers, and more. Discover more on Kirk's website.
	Corey Arceneaux: vocals, accordion Hailing from Carencro, Louisiana, Corey is an International Creole Zydeco Ambassador and a fourth-generation Creole accordionist from one of Zydeco’s first families. For thirty years he has led his band, Corey Arceneaux and the Zydeco Hot Peppers, and has performed both internationally and domestically. He got his start touring with his late great-uncle, Fernest Arceneaux, who was known as the “New Prince of the Accordion.”  Discover more on Corey's website.
	Burnsie: vocals Burnsie is the solo project of Annapolis-born/Nashville-informed, independent songwriter and vocalist, Callie Burns. Deriving lyrical inspiration from real emotions and events in her life, Burnsie affectionately describes her genre as ‘lovesick indie.’ She calls upon her influences from her years in the Nashville, TN underground scene, her classical vocal training, and folk-inspired instrumentation to bring forth a vulnerable yet unwavering performance.
	Natalia Carrasco: vocals Natalia is a Peruvian-born singer, performer, and cultural arts educator based in Annapolis. Known for her warm voice, magnetic stage presence, and deep connection to Latin and Afro-Peruvian rhythms, Natalia has become a beloved figure in the DMV arts community. She performs at festivals, cultural celebrations, private events, and community showcases, blending Latin pop, folkloric roots, and soulful ballads. Whether singing at Día de los Muertos festivals, opening art exhibitions, or leading community workshops, Natalia's mission is always the same: to uplift, inspire, and connect people through the power of music.
	Pete Daniels: fiddle Pete is a popular blues-and-beyond fiddle player from Hyattsville who co-founded The Roustabouts, DC’s Finest Blues-Fiddle Band. One of the band’s primary songwriters, Pete helped define the group’s genre-bending, fiddle-infused sound, which weaves traditional and contemporary blues together with rock, funk, and classic R&B. Over the years, Pete has performed on stage or in studio with noted blues acts including Roosevelt Dean, Los Blancos, Mark Wenner, and Tommy Lepson. Discover more on The Roustabouts website.
	Rahsaan “Wordslave” Eldridge: vocals, tambourine Rahsaan “Wordslave” Eldridge is a singer-songwriter, poet, emcee, educator, five-time author, three-time Maryland Music Award winner, and world traveled performer. “Word”, as he’s affectionately known, is a contributing writer for the arts and culture focused up.St.Art Magazine and a former member of the Baltimore-based Kelly Bell Band. He co-founded popular local funk and soul band Honest Lee Soul, with which he’s recorded three projects, and has recently started to release some solo projects, as well. Discover more on Word's website.
	Tom Fridrich: percussion, stage manager A veteran musician, Tom plays drums, percussion, guitar, and mandolin with a variety of acts in the DMV. He is a regular member of DC’s WAMA award-winning Americana & country act Ruthie & The Wranglers as well as Annapolis veteran blues and roots musician Dean Rosenthal’s Racket bands. He was a founding member of both The Remnants and Johnny Monet & The Impressionists, and has performed with Peterbuilt, Angie Miller, Bandhouse Gigs, and many others. Discover more on Tom's website.
	Dan Haas: vocals Annapolis-based, Dan is a perennial favorite who has been performing in and around the DMV for more than three decades, as a soloist or with his three bands: The Dan Haas Band, Ben’s Bones, and, most recently, the Crowded House tribute act The House of Finn. A prolific songwriter, he has released five albums, one EP, and 17 singles. Dan has also taught songwriting at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts and worked with artists around Annapolis to create and release the double-disc collection “Annapolis Songwriting Collective.” Discover more on Dan's website.
	Seth Kibel: tenor saxophone, clarinet One of the Mid-Atlantic’s premier woodwind specialists, Seth plays tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute, harmonica, and more. He is a 28-time Wammie-winner; a noted band leader; a featured performer with The Kleztet, Bay Jazz Project, Music Pilgrim Trio, and The Natty Beaux; and has appeared with such notables as Daryl Davis, Sam Moore (Sam & Dave), Percy Sledge, The Coasters, and Johnnie Johnson. Discover more on Seth's website.
	Michael K: vocals Michael is a popular Annapolis-area singer, guitarist, and award-winning songwriter whose original songs have been placed in TV shows and movies. He leads the rock-n-roll-with-a-splash-of-oomph band Pretty Big Deal, which includes some of the finest musicians in and around Annapolis. When he’s not rockin’ with the band, he also performs solo gigs and as a duo with regular collaborator Todd Kreuzburg. Discover more on Michael's website.
	Tommy Lepson: vocals, Hammond B3 organ A true DC legend and well-traveled performer, Tommy has made a name for himself as a soulful singer and Hammond B3 organ wizard. He is both a multi award-winning bandleader and an in-demand sideman who has toured and/or recorded with an ever-expanding roster of notable talent, including Root Boy Slim, the Assassins (with Jimmy Thackery), Nils Lofgren, the Night Hawks, Danny Gatton, Tom Principato, Bonnie Bramblet, Duke Robillard and Kim Wilson, and Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers Band).  Discover more on Tommy's website.
	Michael McHenry: vocals, guitar One of the legends of the Annapolis music scene, Michael McHenry has been a regular fixture for several decades. An accomplished songwriter, performer, and recording artist with a soulful voice and killer guitar chops, he has released 14 full length albums which he wrote and performed himself, much like one of his favorite artists, Prince. Before forming his own band, the Michael McHenry Tribe, he has performed in numerous bands, both local and national, including notable acts like The Jackson 5, Sheena Easton, and George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic.
	Larry Melton: upright bass Founding member of both jazz fusion group Permanent Vacation and Latin-jazz group Anansi Trio, Larry is an in-demand acoustic and electric bass player from the DMV. He has recorded with world renowned vocalist Eva Cassidy, including on her critically acclaimed “Songbird” CD.  Larry also performs in England with Eva’s brother, Dan, in the Dan Cassidy Swing Quartet. In addition, he plays regularly with the groups Sin Miedo, Mambo Combo, The Geckos, Dan Haas, The Jarflys, and many others. Discover more on Larry's website.
	Timmie Metz: vocals Timmie Metz is a rock & soul singer, guitar player, and band leader hailing from the DC/Baltimore/Annapolis area. With a soulful, slightly gravelly, voice that rings of Chris Stapleton, Marvin Gaye, Van Morrison, and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, Timmie loves to entertain. “My main goal is to get family & friends on their feet with their children, dancing. There is nothing better.” Discover more on Timmie's website.
	Meg Murray: vocals A popular singer-songwriter from the Annapolis music scene known for her strong voice, Meg has worked with Grammy winning producers, performed with friend and mentor Eva Cassidy, released six albums on her Girl Island Productions label, and has performed up and down the East Coast. She is a founding member of Songbird Collective, Songbird Festival, and the nonprofit AMFM (Annapolis Musicians Funding Musicians).  In addition to Eva, Meg has performed with Todd Rundgren, America, Aaron Neville, Julian Lennon, Jonatha Brook, and more. Discover more on Meg's website.
	Naptown Brass Band The Naptown Brass Band is a New Orleans style street band that is taking the DMV by storm with their infectious energy, improvisational prowess, and engaging stage presence that creates a second line vibe that brings people together in celebration. They blast out high energy grooves for dancing in the street or wherever they are, earning them the reputation as one of the hottest and hardest hitting brass bands in Maryland. Tonight's show features the following talented members: Lakin Ducker (alto sax), Todd Kamens & Bob Wunderlick (trumpets), Andy Fegley & Steve Trzcinski (trombones), Dave Bontempo (sousaphone), and Rob Bontempo (frottoir). Discover more on their website.
	Noah Pierre: guitar, vocals Based in Baltimore, singer and guitarist Noah Pierre is turning heads as a one of the area's finest performers across a variety of genres including neo-soul, jazz, R&B, rock, and pop. He has been performing and teaching since 2014, appearing in original bands around the DMV, including two of his own bands: the Noah Pierre Band and MUNK. Other artists he has worked with include Jarrod Lawson, Ron Holloway, Kentavius Jones, Rachel Ann Morgan, and MLLN, with which he did a tour opening for the popular national act Lawrence. Discover more on Noah's website.
	Shari Puorto: vocals A recent transplant to Annapolis from the L.A. music scene, Shari is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and performer who has shared the stage with icons like Tommy Castro, Slash, Robben Ford, Ruthie Foster, and Walter Trout. With seven releases to her name, Shari captivates audiences with her powerhouse vocals and raw, high-energy performances. Her album, Live at Bogie’s, won Best Live Release at the L.A. Music Critic Awards, and her music has charted internationally. Discover more on Shari's website.
	Bart Reese: frottoir During his early years, Bart ‘Bama’ Reese played washboard throughout the Southland with Mobile, AL blues band Slow Moses and Birmingham-based “renegade bluegrass” group Rollin’ In the Hay. For the last 20 years, he has played guitar and mandolin with DMV alt- country artists Peterbuilt, Danny Kaye and the Nightlifers, and August West, as well as with the Cyphers Band, the solo project from former Blue Miracle front man Steve Cyphers.
	Dean Rosenthal: vocals Often called the dean of the Annapolis blues scene, Dean has been entertaining audiences in the Mid-Atlantic for nearly 40 years. Whether singing, blowing harp, or playing his distinctive slide style on one of his classic guitars, Dean has appeared on radio and television broadcasts and has shared the stage with such notable musicians as Leon Russell, Nils Lofgren, Deanna Bogart, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Arlo Guthrie, Carey Bell, John Hammond, Roomful of Blues, Robert Jr. Lockwood, and many others.
	Matt Tebo: drums An in-demand drummer in the DMV, Matt has performed with an ever-growing list of top acts in rock, blues, jazz, pop, and more,  including Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Shari Puorto, the Karl Straub Combo, The Magmatics, Meg Murray, and the Cyphers Band. From jazz to blues, rock to funk, Matt has performed on big festivals and notable rooms, including the 9:30 Club and the Birchmere. In addition, he has been logging time in the studio as a drummer, engineer, and, on this project, assistant producer.
	Gillian Thompson: vocals Influenced by icons such as Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, and Dinah Washington, Gillian is an experienced singer best known for her band, the Gillian Thompson Project. She has also performed with other Annapolis area bands, including Zambezi and the Michael McHenry Tribe; recorded with members of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, with which she toured Russia;  and toured Latin America with the musical Peace Child.
	Chris Watling: baritone saxophone Known for his command of both the baritone and tenor saxophones, Chris is an award-winning instrumentalist and founding member of popular DC-area roots rock band The Grandsons. He is also an in-demand sideman with top regional artists including King Soul, Last Train Home, Bill Kirchen, Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88s, and others. Chris has toured nationally and internationally, and has performed with numerous R&B legends, including Dr. John, Lloyd Price, Ben E. King, the Spinners, and The Four Tops.  Discover more on Chris' website.
	Leah Weiss: fiddle, vocals Half of the popular duo Gary & Leah, Weiss is a veteran performer who plays fiddle, guitar, bass, and sings. Leah has a rhythmic fiddle style that is rooted in old-time Appalachian music but also brings in elements of Cajun playing as well as Balkan and Eastern European traditional styles, all of which she has performed. For nearly 15 years, in addition to playing for square- and contra-dances, she performed with The Poodles, a Boston-based band whose second recording, Unleashed, won an honorable mention in the "best string" category at the 1994 NAIRD Indie awards.  Discover more on Gary & Leah's website.
	Rob White: congas, percussion Baltimore-based percussionist Rob White is known for his command of Afro-Cuban musical styles along with R&B, rock, and jazz. For the past 35 years he has been making audiences dance as a member of Mambo Combo. More recently, he has brought his Latin stylings to the Santana tribute band, Milagro Azul. Discover more on the Mambo Combo website.
	Andrew Wiley: vocals Andrew is the singer, frontman, and co-founder of The Roustabouts, DC’s Finest Blues-Fiddle Band. A product of the Syracuse, NY blues scene,  Andrew is one of the band’s songwriters, helping to create a genre-bending, fiddle-infused sound that weaves traditional and contemporary blues together with healthy doses of rock, funk, and classic R&B. Over the years, he has performed on stage or in studio with noted blues acts including Los Blancos, Mark Wenner, and Tommy Lepson. Discover more on The Roustabouts website.
	Doug Woolverton: trumpet An in-demand, versatile, award-winning, and Grammy nominated trumpeter, Doug has recorded and toured nationally and internationally with some of the biggest names in blues music, including Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Bobby Rush, Victor Wainwright, and Roomful of Blues. In 2021, he was featured in a PBS Postcards episode that was nominated for an Emmy Award. Doug also produces a retrospective show focused on the music of Miles Davis that has been a perennial hit. Discover more on Doug's website.
	Gary Wright: acoustic guitar, vocals The “other half” of popular Annapolis act Gary & Leah, Wright is a multi-instrumentalist who sings and plays guitar, piano, banjo, and more. He grew up playing electric guitar in rock and country bands and started delving into traditional music—including old-time fiddle music and West African guitar styles—in the early 1980s. He was a member of Philadelphia-based alt-old time band The Hix, performed as lead guitarist with Lejeune Jones Band and Jennie Stearns Band, and toured with James Leva and Memory Theatre. Discover more on Gary & Leah's website.

For bookings or more information, contact Papa Lebas.