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255:, the grandfather and father (respectively) of J'wan and Joseph Boudreaux Jr., Cha Wa's future frontmen. Monk Boudreaux is also known as Big Chief of the Golden Eagles and one of the most widely known Mardi Gras Indian singers. Gelini's practices alongside Monk Boudreaux quickly turned into performances with him.
358:
On
September 26, 2019, the band released "Wildman" as a single, written by former guitarist/musical director Ari Teitel and former lead vocalist J'Wan Boudreaux. It was described as "an old-school, funk-driven tribute to the most hot-blooded Mardi Gras Indian Tribal member, who intimidates and 'opens
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In 2019, Joseph
Boudreaux Jr., Monk's son and Second Chief of the Golden Eagles tribe, replaced his nephew J'wan as the band's lead vocalist and frontman for a short period, before leaving Cha Wa along with Aurelien Barnes, Joseph Maize, Ari Teitel, Andriu Yanovski, TJ Norris and Stephen J. Gladney.
258:
Gelini met Monk's grandson J'Wan
Boudreaux while Boudreaux was still attending high school. Soon after, J'wan joined Cha Wa's lineup as the lead vocalist and frontman. Boudreaux is the Spyboy of his Mardi Gras Indian tribe, a respected position that entails warning the Chief of approaching rival
320:, is deeply influenced by New Orleans street culture. The band aimed to give traditional New Orleans music a modern twist. In Gelini's words, "We wanted to take the roots of what we love about New Orleans brass band music and Mardi Gras Indian music and then voice it in our own way".
190:, Louisiana. The name Cha Wa is a slang phrase used by Mardi Gras Indian tribes, meaning "we're comin' for ya" or "here we come." Frontman Honey Bannister is known for dressing in traditional Mardi Gras Indian clothing during performances, including intricately designed headdresses.
248:, a New Orleans-born jazz drummer. Muhammed was performing in traditional Mardi Gras style, which piqued Gelini's interest. Muhammed later gave Gelini a lesson in Mardi Gras style which pushed Gelini to move to New Orleans after graduation.
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The track "Chapters" was written by J'wan
Boudreaux and explores the struggles he faced being raised in a single parent household. "J'Wans Story" gives Boudreaux a chance to explain how and why Mardi Gras Indian culture developed.
227:
Best of the Beat Awards, and in 2021, the band took home an awardfor Best Music Video at
Offbeat's Best of the Beat Awards for Visible Means of Support (No Justice, No Peace Remix), filmed by Jonathan Isaac Jackson.
305:
Cha Wa's first album Funk 'n' Feathers was released worldwide in April 2016 on the band's own UPT Music label. The 10 song record combines a mix of original tunes with several covers of New
Orleans funk classics.
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On
September 3, 2020, Cha Wa released a remixed version of their previously released "Visible Means of Support" "along with a video chronicling the ongoing struggle of the Black community and the rise of
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Gelini and Monk
Boudreaux teamed up to write "Visible Means of Support". The song chronicles Monk Boudreaux's experience with "vagrancy" laws in the city that primarily affected African-American men.
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up a hole' in the crowd of people for the Big Chief to emerge on Mardi Gras
Morning. This song evokes the infectious energy of the Wildman which you can feel on the streets on Mardi Gras Day."
251:
Gelini quickly became involved with the Mardi Gras Indian community in New
Orleans. He began attending practice rehearsals for Mardi Gras marches. It was at these practices that he met
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On the collaborative nature of the record, former frontman J'wan Boudreaux said "Everyone put their minds together to make this music. Everyone had input on at least one song".
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394:. Andrew Block engineered and co-produced the record with Teitel. The band has garnered significant press surrounding the release, including an appearance on
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Family Reunion at the Historic Scoot Inn. A few weeks later, the group was featured at a celebration of 50 years of New Orleans music and culture by
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Cha Wa was formed in 2014 by bandleader and drummer, Joe Gelini. Gelini first heard of Mardi Gras Indians while he was attending the
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featured a unique Cha Wa performance of an unreleased song at the Hotel Peter and Paul for their "Chart Your Course" Campaign with
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282:. Later that year, the band's song Ooh Na Nay was featured in the New Orleans-focused feature film "Causeway" starring
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471:, featured them on their official pregame show with a live performance of Cha Wa's original song "Saints Go Get 'Em".
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explained Cha Wa's performance as "a portable Mardi Gras dance party". That spring, the band played several shows at
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The departed members formed The Rumble ft. Chief Joseph Boudreaux, earning their own GRAMMY nomination in 2023.
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received a nomination in the same category in 2021. Cha Wa was nominated in several categories at the 2019
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theme and one of Cha Wa's own songs. A few months later (September 13, 2020), Cha Wa's hometown team, the
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1019:"BBC Radio 6 Music - the Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show, Mardi Gras with Cha Wa in New Orleans"
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801:"Bluegrass Underground PBS TV Taping Returns to the Caverns for Jam-Packed Subterranean Weekend"
372:". The video won an Offbeat Magazine Best of the Beat Award for 2020's Music Video of the Year.
330:'s Ben Ellman and features special guests Big Chief Monk Boudreaux (The Wild Magnolias, HBO's
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926:"Cha Wa, the New Orleans Brass Band/Mardi Gras Indian Collective, Shares "Wildman""
406:. The album was again nominated for a Grammy in the Regional Roots Album category.
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940:"Video Premiere: Cha Wa "Visible Means of Support (No Justice, No Peace Remix)""
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689:"Westport drummer's band combines New Orleans sounds and Mardi Gras traditions"
608:"Who are the 2019 Grammy nominees from New Orleans? PJ Morton, Cha Wa and more"
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featured Cha Wa on their national broadcast on December 16, 2019 playing the
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tribes during parade processions. The band aptly named their second album
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703:"Interview: Cha Wa's Joe Gelini on the band's new Mardi Gras Indian funk"
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1110:"Jazz fest picks, July 1: Cha Wa brings New Orleans party to Montreal"
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717:"Mardi Gras Indians History and Tradition - Mardi Gras New Orleans"
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Dome @ Home LIVE: Saints Pregame Report vs. Buccaneers Week 1 2020
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776:"Jon Batiste, The Rumble and more earn 2024 Grammy nominations"
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244:. During his time in Boston, he went to see a performance by
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1124:"58th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival Announces Lineup!"
1096:"High Sierra Music Festival Announces Initial 2019 Lineup"
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843:"Cha Wa: Funk 'n' Feathers album review @ All About Jazz"
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654:"The Best Music of the Year: The 50 best albums of 2018"
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The band appeared for a performance and interview on
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The band's follow up album to their Grammy-nominated
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Visible Means of Support (No Justice, No Peace Remix)
209:received critical acclaim and was nominated for a
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735:"Cha Wa clears its path on new album 'My People'"
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286:. A month later, the band recorded a live EP at
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290:in New York, which was released in mid 2023.
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982:"How New Orleans is celebrating Mardi Gras"
572:"Globalfest: Music from All over the World"
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140:Second Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. (vocals)
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1034:"Globalfest 2019: 5 Best Things We Saw"
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390:and was released on April 2, 2021 on
85:Tajh Derosier (saxophone and vocals)
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448:Montreal International Jazz Festival
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134:Andrew "Andriu" Yanovski (keyboard)
815:"Soundtracks of Cinema: 'Causeway'"
774:Stanton, John (November 10, 2023).
675:"Offbeat's Best of the Beat Awards"
414:In early 2019, Cha Wa performed at
278:featured a Cha Wa performance from
124:Edward "Juicey" Jackson (trombone)
13:
1255:Musical groups established in 2014
829:"Roots Music Report: Album Review"
193:Cha Wa has released three albums,
144:Stephen Gladney (tenor saxophone)
110:Thaddeus "Peanut" Ramsey (vocals)
14:
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606:Spera, Keith (December 7, 2018).
316:Cha Wa's Grammy-nominated album,
1270:2014 establishments in Louisiana
1032:Hermes, Will (January 9, 2019).
883:"Cha Wa: They're Comin' For Ya!"
138:Spyboy J’Wan Boudreaux (vocals)
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418:. In a review of the festival,
340:, Nth Power, and Danica Hart).
215:Best Regional Roots Music Album
132:Joseph "José" Maize (trombone)
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629:"Cha Wa | Artist | GRAMMY.com"
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122:Eric "Bogey" Gordon (trumpet)
114:Spyboy Kevin Wallace (vocals)
1:
748:CLAPP, JAKE (February 2022).
557:
486:the week of Mardi Gras 2021.
1265:American funk musical groups
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126:Clifton "Spug" Smith (tuba)
7:
721:www.mardigrasneworleans.com
293:
10:
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995:@jazzfm (March 24, 2021).
452:Philadelphia Folk Festival
444:High Sierra Music Festival
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136:Aurélien Barnes (trumpet)
120:Haruka Kikuchi (trombone)
1054:"Events Featuring Cha Wa"
954:"My People Album Credits"
901:"My People Album Credits"
544:Best Regional Roots Album
523:Best Regional Roots Album
309:
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148:Seizo Shibayama (guitar)
128:Isaac Eady (bass guitar)
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95:Syrajh Hamilton (vocals)
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410:Touring and performances
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142:TJ Norris (bass guitar)
93:Marlon Jordan (trumpet)
91:Wes Anderson (trombone)
83:Honey Banister (vocals)
440:New Orleans Jazz Museum
238:Berklee School of Music
186:funk band based out of
150:Desmond Provost (tuba)
146:Chris Cotton (trumpet)
89:Trevor Nathan (guitar)
490:Awards and nominations
81:Joe Gelini (drum kit)
928:. September 26, 2019.
276:Bluegrass Underground
118:Raja Kassis (guitar)
1098:. December 30, 2018.
942:. September 3, 2020.
660:. December 27, 2018.
484:Good Morning America
396:Good Morning America
130:Ari Teitel (guitar)
116:Sam Dickey (guitar)
112:Devon Taylor (tuba)
87:Rik Fletcher (keys)
817:. November 5, 2022.
578:. January 15, 2019.
454:among many others.
392:Single Lock Records
370:Black Lives Matter
336:) and Nigel Hall (
280:Cumberland Caverns
205:in 2021. In 2018,
16:American funk band
845:. August 7, 2016.
737:. March 29, 2021.
691:. August 3, 2019.
677:. March 12, 2021.
576:pastemagazine.com
555:
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300:Funk 'n' Feathers
284:Jennifer Lawrence
184:Mardi Gras Indian
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1126:. April 30, 2019
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211:Grammy Award
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106:Past members
69:2014–present
65:Years active
18:
188:New Orleans
182:-nominated
54:Second Line
35:New Orleans
1249:Categories
633:grammy.com
558:References
551:Nominated
530:Nominated
450:, and the
416:GlobalFest
963:March 10,
910:March 10,
759:August 8,
539:My People
503:Category
477:Cas Haley
388:My People
377:My People
219:My People
203:My People
197:in 2016,
165:chawaband
39:Louisiana
1226:AllMusic
1159:and the
1130:July 30,
1080:July 30,
1059:July 30,
785:July 10,
780:NOLA.com
754:NOLA.com
638:June 10,
612:NOLA.com
328:Galactic
294:Releases
58:Jam Band
1235:Discogs
1195:YouTube
1189:YouTube
1173:YouTube
1005:Twitter
509:Result
473:Lincoln
438:at the
354:Wildman
338:Lettuce
224:OffBeat
213:in the
160:Website
78:Members
1231:Cha Wa
1222:Cha Wa
958:Cha Wa
905:Cha Wa
866:Cha Wa
518:Spyboy
506:Award
469:Saints
402:, and
384:Spyboy
324:Spyboy
318:Spyboy
311:Spyboy
261:Spyboy
242:Boston
207:Spyboy
199:Spyboy
180:Grammy
176:Cha Wa
46:Genres
41:, U.S.
31:Origin
25:Cha Wa
1001:Tweet
862:"Bio"
535:2021
514:2018
497:Year
404:BBC 6
333:Treme
274:show
232:About
178:is a
1132:2019
1082:2019
1061:2019
965:2023
912:2023
787:2024
761:2022
640:2024
462:ESPN
458:ESPN
426:SXSW
167:.com
50:Funk
1224:at
465:MNF
272:PBS
240:in
1251::
1192:.
1170:.
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