Naughty Professor with ISAIAH SHARKEY - 11pm $15

https://naughtyprofessormusic.com/

Iconoclastic New Orleans based jazz-funk sextet, Naughty Professor, returns for two nights at NOLA staple venue The Maple Leaf for two nights this November, featuring musical guests Isaiah Sharkey and Skerik.  The two night run will feature tracks from their upcoming upcoming EP Everyday Shredder due out November 8th, “3 Wise Men”, as well as new collaborations and tracks from their entire catalog. The new EP brings Naughty Professor back to its 6-piece instrumental roots, highlighting the full-circle maturation the band has experienced over the last few years. Since the release of their first full length collaborative effort, Identity, Naughty Professor has naturally progressed into many different musical directions, both in the studio and on stage, showcasing their raw ability to perform in a variety of roles. Within days of its release in June 2017, Identity shot up the iTunes Jazz charts to #6. The album’s first single, ““Stray,” featuring David Shaw of The Revivalists, has received over 1 Million streams on Spotify.  The album saw further integration of musical talents like Eric “Benny” Bloom (Lettuce), Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), and Mike Dillon. 

The band has since served as the touring band for diverse acts such as legendary emcee Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) and New Orleans bounce queen Big Freedia, lent their horn section to prominent acts including GRiZ, The Revivalists, TAUK, and Tank and the Bangas, and have collaborated on stage with talented individuals like Marcus King, Shaun Martin (Snarky Puppy), and Paul Meany (MUTEMATH). The whirlwind two-year stretch has landed them on prominent music festivals such as Jam Cruise, Summer Camp, and most recently the Canadian jazz fest circuit, capstoning their summer touring endeavors. 

Now Naughty Professor brings these new-found influences and lessons into their latest EP, 4 years removed from their last full instrumental release. The difference both as musicians and songwriters is noticeable, and the band feels their best foot is forward with this EP, which developed as a totally organic creation out of guitar player Bill Daniel’s Wild Child Studios in New Orleans. The EP serves as a reminder to core fans of Naughty Professor’s innate abilities as a forward thinking funk powerhouse, but leaves the door open for continued development and expansion into new musical spaces. 

http://www.isaiahsharkey.com

A NATIVE CHICAGOAN, 29 YEAR OLD ISAIAH SHARKEY SPENT HIS EARLY YEARS LIVING IN CABRINI GREEN.  PERHAPS AS A PRECURSOR TO HIS FUTURE CAREER, HE LIVED WITH HIS PARENTS IN A ROW HOUSE ON A STREET THAT IS NOW NAMED FOR CURTIS MAYFIELD. 

COMING FROM A MUSICAL HOUSEHOLD, ISAIAH WAS INTRODUCED TO MUSIC AT THE AGE OF FOUR.  HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO BE A GUITARIST AND ASKED HIS PARENTS TO PURCHASE ONE.  SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ISAIAH STARTED LEARNING MUSIC UNDER THE CLOSE INTRODUCTION OF HIS FATHER, MICHAEL SHARKEY. HE WOULD LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT MUSICAL GENRES/STYLES FROM GOSPEL MUSIC, WHICH CAME FROM GROWING UP IN THE CHURCH, TO JAZZ, R&B, BLUES, ROCK AND FUNK MUSIC.  IT WASN'T LONG AFTER THAT ISAIAH WOULD BECOME NOTICED BY OTHER MUSICIANS IN THE CHICAGO AREA FOR BEING A YOUNG, NEW TALENT.  SOON AFTER, HE STARTED DOING CONCERTS IN THE CHURCH AS WELL AS SITTING IN LOCAL JAZZ CLUB JAMS. 

AT THE AGE OF 14, ISAIAH, ALONG WITH HIS FATHER AND BROTHERS, RELEASED THEIR FIRST ALBUM ENTITLED, "SKYLINER." THIS ALBUM DISPLAYED ISAIAH'S ABILITY TO PLAY COVERS AND SOME TRANSCRIPTIONS FROM GREATS LIKE WES MONTGOMERY AND GEORGE BENSON. 

SUBSEQUENTLY, HE STARTED HIS RECORDING CAREER AND SERVED AS A SIDEMAN FOR GOSPEL ARTISTS SUCH AS SMOKIE NORFUL, DONALD LAWRENCE AND VANESSA BELL ARMSTRONG.  HE ALSO TOURED AS LEAD GUITARIST WITH RONALD ISLEY AND RECORDED TWO ALBUMS WITH HIM.  

IN 2009, ISAIAH STARTED WORKING WITH ARTIST D'ANGELO ON HIS THIRD ALBUM, BLACK MESSIAH, WHICH WON THE 2015 GRAMMY AWARD FOR BEST R&B ALBUM.  BASED ON HIS WORK AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROJECT, ISAIAH RECEIVED HIS FIRST GRAMMY.

ISAIAH ALSO HAS WORKED, RECORDED, AND TOURED WITH SEVERAL WORLD-RENOWN AND GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ARTISTS INCLUDING JOHN MAYER, PATTI LABELLE, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN OF COLDPLAY, PAUL SIMON, CORRINE BAILEY RAE, MIKE POSNER, KEITH URBAN, BRIAN MCKNIGHT, BOYZ II MEN, LALAH HATHAWAY, RAPHAEL SAADIQ, CHRIS DAVE AND THE DRUMHEDZ, REGINA BELL, RUBEN STUDDARD, LUPE FIASCO, KELLY PRICE, FAITH EVANS, RANCE ALLEN, THE WINANS, THE CLARK SISTERS AND MANY OTHERS. 

ISAIAH SHARKEY IS POISED TO TAKE CENTER STAGE AS HE FUSES TOGETHER HIS BACKGROUND IN ROCK, GOSPEL, JAZZ, R&B, BLUES, AND FUNK TO CREATE AN ORIGINAL SOUND WITH AN UNMISTAKABLE DOSE OF SOUL.  HIS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM LOVE.LIFE.LIVE. WAS RELEASED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2017 AND EARNED HIM THE IHEART RADIO ARTIST OF THE MONTH AWARD IN NOVEMBER FOR HIS SINGLE “IT’S A SHAME” FEATURING  DJ JAZZY JEFF.   

YOU CAN SEE ISAIAH ON CORY HENRY’S REVIVAL TRIO TOUR THIS YEAR, ALONG WITH JOHN MAYER AND HIS ALL-STAR BAND.  ISAIAH WILL ALSO BE HITTING THE ROAD WITH HIS OWN BAND THIS SUMMER SO LOOK OUT FOR DATES NEAR YOU.