Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes

New Orleans has long been known for its sassy, greasy, badass funk. With their back-alley hipster lyrics, punchy brass and low-bottom-ized rhythm section, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes come straight from that school -- the one where the Meters, the Neville Brothers and Dr. John the Night Tripper profess. These six dirty white boys have steeped themselves in the New Orleans funk tradition so well, they won Offbeat magazine's "Best of the Beat" award as the best emerging funk band on the 2005 Crescent City scene.

The band consists of some rather unlikely funkstas. All have degrees in music, mostly from Loyola. They are also all involved in a stunning array of musical side projects that range from classical to Irish traditional. The Dirty Notes were recently the surprise highlight of the annual French Quarter Festival, where they debuted their latest release, Pain, Pleasure, Fear, and Opera. With a show that combines a Dr. John-ish flair for bizarre fashion and absurd stage presence, the Notes are simply one of the hottest party bands in the country at the moment. They tend to leave exhausted dancers, hungover revelers and a flaming club in their wake as they head out of town to the next party location.