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. 

Eric Walton, better known by the stage name Skerik, is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics. 

SKERIK https://www.skerikmusic.com