Photos by Rob Chapman

Down on the Bayou III: took place at New Orleans’ Howlin’ Wolf on May 5. Organized with the help of Widespread Panic’s JoJo Hermann, the eight-hour show benefited the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic and the New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation. Hermann dedicated the performance to New Orleans drummer Herman ‘Roscoe’ Ernest and pledged the first $10,000 raised at the event to the NOMAF Herman Ernest Memorial Interfaith Health Screening Initiative. Hermann first became involved with the organization through Dr. John, one of the keyboardist’s heroes.

New Orleans-based musicians and many of the city’s JazzFest guests shared the stage throughout the night in a number of different configurations. JoJo’s Mardi Gras Band anchored the performance and invited out such guests as Sherman Ewing, Christine Ohlman, John “Papa” Gros, Reggie Scanlon, Matt Jones, Dave Easley and Alfred “Uganda” Roberts at various points throughout the marathon. Mardi Gras Band’s Kevin Mabin and funky Meters’ Russell Batiste alternated drum duties throughout the night. Numerous other guests took the stage at various points throughout the show, including American Idol star Taylor Hicks—who played with the Mardi Gras Band during Jazz Cruise—Panic collaborator Col. Bruce Hampton, DJ Logic and Particle’s Steve Molitz. New Orleans royalty like The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Horns, Ivan Neville, Anders Osborne, Bonerama, Tony Hall 101 Runners w/Monk Boudreaux, Bo Dollis and Wild Magnolias, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball and Walter “Wolfman” Washington also sat in, as did rising stars such as Big Sam Williams, Billy Iuso and the Restless Natives and Pimps of Joytime.

7 Walkers—a band featuring Papa Mali, Bill Kreutzmann, Matt Hubbard and George Porter—straddled the New Orleans funk/jamband divide with a short performance of its own. New Orleans pedal steel guitarist Dave Easley accompanied the super group during its set. In addition to the show’s numerous announced guests, San Francisco guitarist Eric McFadden (Stockholm Syndrome) and guitarist Jamey Johnson also made surprise appearances.

A photo gallery from the night is now live at our sister site Relix.com.