The Stooges Brass Band has earned their rank as one of the elite brass bands in New Orleans. The band consistently provides a welcome blast of true New Orleans spirit engaging audiences with their innovative blend of traditional New Orleans brass sounds, contemporary jazz and hip-hop beats.Emerging onto the scene in 1996, the Stooges Brass Band has gained notoriety as a full-blown musical party immersing the crowd in a cut-loose vibe that is contemporary yet deeply rooted in the culturally rich musical legacy of New Orleans. The band has shared the stage with: Ozomatli, Black Star (Mos Def & Talib Kweli), Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Shemekia Copeland, Pedrito Martinez Group, Galactic, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave, Big Sam's Funky Nation, The Funky Meters, and Jessica Simpson, among others.The band is undeniably one of the hardest working bands out of New Orleans, and their dedication to their craft has made an impact. The Stooges Brass Band victoriously battled for the title of "Red Bull Street Kings: Best Brass Band" (the subject of the documentary Brass Bands of New Orleans: Red Bull Street Kings). The Stooges Brass Band continues to tour performing at venues and appearing at famed festivals throughout the country such as New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Bonnaroo, South by Southwest, Utah Arts Festival, Discover Jazz, American Folk Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, , Great American Brass Band Festival, and more. The Stooges Brass Band has also answered the call to serve as cultural ambassadors and were employed by the US Embassy to tour Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Other international appearances include the Edinburgh Jazz Festival, the Durham Brass Festival in the UK and Nuits D’Afrique and Tremblant Blues Festival in Canada. Whether they're second-lining in the back streets of the Crescent City, or performing their spirited stage show, the Stooges Brass Band delivers an authentic New Orleans celebration.

Pocket Chocolate is a 7-piece funk, blues, and soul collective. With a combination of original songwriting and samples from musical influences across genres, Pocket Chocolate aims to captivate audiences with their vibrant, modern take on the styles of music that founded New Orleans’ musical culture. The band members—Gabe France [lead vocals, bass] Tucker France [guitar, vocals], Connor Zaeringer [drums], Dalton Stieffel [keys, percussion], Jake Lodato [trombone], Sal Gaither [trumpet], and Garret Hickman [alto sax]—are born and raised New Orleans musicians that have established themselves as a staple in the New Orleans music scene. Since 2021, the band has played all throughout Louisiana as well as the Gulfcoast, sharing stages with Marc Broussard, The New Orleans Suspects, Billy Iuso, George Porter Jr., and John “Papa” Gros. As of May 2025, Pocket Chocolate has released 3 singles from their eventual album (summer 2025) that was recorded with, mixed, and mastered by Jake Eckert [Dirty Dozen and New Orleans Suspects].