New Orleans staples Papa Grows Funk New Years Eve with recent New Groove of the Month, and Mid-Atlantic heroes, The Bridge at The Baltimore Museum of Industry. Adding to the evenings festivities, the two groups collaborated a number of times in the hours surrounding midnight. Early in the night, Bridge guitarist Cris Jacobs took the stage with Papa Grows Funk for ‘Walk Down the Road,’ shortly before the Bridges Kenny Liner jumped up and beatboxed on a cover of the Beatles Come Together. The entire Bridge then took the stage with Papa Grows Funk for ‘Let the Music Take Your Mind, ‘Hey Pocky Way’ and a midnight package of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and ‘I Got Loaded.’

After midnight, The Bridge kept playing as Papa Grows Funk left the stage. Later, PGF keyboardist John Gros and saxophonist Jason Mingledorf returned to the stage to jam with The Bridge on the local anthem ‘Bury My Bones Back in Baltimore.’ All of Papa Grows Funk later rejoined The Bridge and both bands played together on ‘Express Yourself,’ ‘Feelin’ Good,’ and ‘Junco Partner.’ At the end of the night, The Bridge closed things out with Gros on a cover of the Allman Brothers Bands ‘Whipping Post.’

The Bridge will perform on Jam Cruise week as the winners of Relix/Jambands.coms Vote to the Boat competition. In addition, Bridge bassist Dave Markowitz will perform with Matt Butler, Jon Fishman, Steve Kimock and Jeff Coffin as part of the Everyone Orchestras most recent lineup.