![]() After graduating John was commissioned as officer in the U. John, Allen Toussaint and James Booker.Īfter high school, John studied at Xavier University, a black Catholic institution known in New Orleans and indeed the entire Deep South. John's sister, Lillian Boutte, introduces the young stylist to local legends like Dr. During these years traditional jazzmen like Paul Babarin, Louis "Big Eye" Nelson and Danny Barker became both John's friends and mentors. School also gave John the chance to sing, first at talent shows and then with street a capella groups, groups named - listen - "Spirit" and then "Remnant." Linger for a moment on those names, and then let them resonate an instant longer, street bands singing on the bricks of a town where "street singer" is still a respectable job title.Take another moment and stir in the spices of the music that was on the turntables of his older brothers and sisters, the music that ruled the street and raised the spirits: Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5 and Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. But the Meters’ music and their heritage of funk lives on in George Porter and his bandmates – past, present and future.īorn and raised in the Crescent City, Porter, now in his 70s, calls New Orleans home to this day.ĭuring his school days John played coronet and trumpet, those clarions of life in New Orleans, in his junior high and high school marching bands he was a section leader, no less, in a town where marching bands duel like decked-out demons in the street. Art “Poppa Funk” Neville retired from performing in 2018 and passed away the following year. The group sporadically performed as The Original Meters to elated crowds between 20. In 2000, the original Meters lineup reunited for a one-night stand at the Warfield in San Francisco, and again in 2006 to headline Jazzfest in the wake of Katrina. The current lineup features drummer Terrence “Groove Guardian” Houston, Michael Lemmler on keyboards and guitarist Chris Adkins. The group’s studio releases include Funk This (2000) and Can’t Beat the Funk (2011), as well as live albums along the way. Porter started his own long-term project, the Runnin’ Pardners, in 1990. He notched studio sessions with David Byrne, Jimmy Buffet, Tori Amos and Taj Mahal and live performances with John Scofield, Warren Haynes, members of the Grateful Dead and countless others. ![]() Porter went on to become a highly coveted session bassist. The band broke up in 1977, after Toussaint claimed rights to the name, but reformed in the 1980s as the Funky Meters following an informal jam during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. and Queen Latifah, all of whom sampled The Meters. Porter’s rhythmic work with drummer Modeliste became the building block behind scores from hip-hop artists A Tribe Called Quest, Run DMC, N.W.A. They toured with the Rolling Stones and influenced everyone from Led Zeppelin and Bob Marley to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Beastie Boys. John, Paul McCartney, Lee Dorsey, Earl King, Robert Palmer and Patty Labelle’s No. The Meters became the house band for Allen Toussaint’s recording label and studio in New Orleans, backing records for Dr. ![]() ![]() Porter’s heavy pockets and fat notes created the rubbery bass lines behind anthems like “Cissy Strut” off the group’s self-titled 1969 debut - The Meters’ greatest commercial single that reached No. ![]() Known as one of the progenitors of funk with Sly & The Family Stone and Parliament Funkadelic, The Meters carved their own place in history with syncopated polyrhythms and grooves inherited from New Orleans’ deep African musical roots. founded The Meters in 1965 alongside Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli and Joseph Zigaboo Modeliste. New Orleans music royalty and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient ![]()
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