Jake Eckert didn’t grow up in New Orleans, but he has spent the last 20 years making the sharing of its music and history his mission. And, as the guitarist for the New Orleans Suspects, he is bringing that mission, in the form of a unique blend of funk and roots, to Howelsen Hill on Aug. 9.
He is also bringing a deep respect and admiration for the city that helped shape the sound of the New Orleans Suspects.
The foundation of the group lies within the rhythms, culture and spirit of the city that they now call home. For Eckert, who has lived in New Orleans for the past two decades, every note that he and The New Orleans Suspects play carries the power of the Big Easy’s rich musical tradition, as well as the city’s love for celebrating with music.
“It’s music for the people,” Eckert said. “It came up from the streets, and I think it still holds those elements of parade music. We call it second line music.”
Eckert’s own musical story began far from New Orleans, however. He grew up in Georgia, where he was immersed in music by a family full of musicians, and a garage that he said was always ready for a jam session. His mother played, his grandmother played and his great-grandmother was a professional Vaudeville musician.
“I started playing music before I could remember at age three or four,” he said. “My parents were supportive of it, which was great. They allowed us to have the band in the garage.”
Eckert would go on to study music formally and would eventually find a place with the renowned Dirty Dozen Brass Band. With them, he began to tour internationally. It was also with them that his obsession with the soul of the New Orleans’ music scene began to really take hold.
“New Orleans in general is a mashed-up culture,” he said. “It has Caribbean roots, African roots and European music that’s all mashed into one. Brass bands, funk bands, R&B and Cuban music — you hear all of that sprinkled in too. That kind of music makes you want to move.”
The Suspects formed in 2009 as a side project with members who hailed from other major New Orleans bands including the Radiators and the Neville Brothers. For several years, Eckert played with both the Dirty Dozen and the Suspects before shifting full time to the Suspects in 2013.
“We play what you would call New Orleans funk,” he said.
That genre-blending of “funk and roots rock stuff” is fused with other, more subtle subcategories of music, which Eckert said aren’t easily noticeable to someone who is unfamiliar with the foundations of the New Orleans music scene. He noted that the resulting familiar New Orleans sound is often recognizable to listeners, whether or not they realize where it comes from.
“Whether you are a fan of New Orleans music or not, that New Orleans sound is a familiar sound,” he said. “It’s happy music.”
Adding even more musical complexity to the upcoming Steamboat performance will be vocalist and trumpet player Jennifer Hartswick, who is known for her work with the Trey Anastasio Band. Hartswick has been collaborating with the Suspects for nearly a decade and has often joined them for Jazz Fest and other special festivals and shows.
“She is one of the coolest people and one of the finest musicians I’ve ever gotten to work with,” Eckert said. “She resembles Aretha Franklin, but in her own unique way.”
The full band coming to Steamboat includes Brad Walker on saxophone, C.R. Gruver on the keyboard, Rodney Webber on drums, Chris Cenac on bass, and Eckert on guitar and vocals. Hartswick will lead most of the vocals and, like the rest of the band, contribute plenty of solos and improvisation.
“It will be upbeat, danceable party music,” Eckert said. “We’ll definitely be throwing in a couple familiar old funky tunes mixed with some New Orleans stuff.”
He encouraged attendees who are headed to Howelsen Hill to “bring their dancing shoes.”
Eckert noted that bringing New Orleans music to high-altitude mountain towns can, at times, present some challenges, especially for horn players and vocalists adjusting from sea level. Despite that fact, Eckert said the reception for the music always makes the challenges worth it.
“Colorado has a big contingent of New Orleans music lovers and roots music lovers in general,” he said. “And Steamboat, from the time we started, has always been great.”
That connection between musician and audience is ultimately what drives Eckert, whose musical philosophy has remained a constant over his last 30 years of performing.
“At this point in time, it’s definitely a connection with the audience that drives me and the band,” he said. “To make the people listening forget about the daily grind and their troubles for a hundred minutes, and let the music lift them up.”
For Eckert, playing live is about more than entertainment — it’s about sharing culture and carrying forward a distinctly New Orleans spirit.
“It’s something that happens in real time with real energy and real people,” he said. “In this era of social media and AI, to keep real music with real musicians, and to keep that exchange between audience and performer — that’s where the truth is.”
The New Orleans Suspects featuring Jennifer Hartswick will perform Saturday, Aug. 9, at Howelsen Hill at 7:30 p.m. The show is free, with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. and openers Eric Delany’s Taste Test taking the stage at 6 p.m.
For more information on the Steamboat Free Summer Concerts, visit KeepInItFree.com.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.steamboatpilot.com ’
