Oh, hello there! I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you – I was too busy dancing.

What, you may ask, is the spontaneous cause of these wild movements I dare to call dancing? I’m glad you asked! It’s Big Easy band Yojimbo and their first album, We Are Dogs, that’s got me in a groove. After seeing them perfom live for the first time in early December, I learned that I had been missing out on one of the funkiest bands to regularly grace Frenchmen St. The three-piece band – Doc Sharp on the keyboard, drummer Radam G and wild child Carly Meyers on the trombone – is a growing local favorite for good reason. I dare you to listen to their funky beats and watch Carly shake it onstage and not fall in love.

As I listen to their new album I start to notice a few things: my toes tap the floor and my head sways from side to side. My body suddenly can’t control itself and I’m unwillingly forced to move to the music as the songs dictate the movement of my arms and legs. I get weird looks when this happens in public, but I don’t care because I have the music as my companion.

We Are Dogs is a toe-tapping, head-banging funk fest. From the reggae beats of “Mr. Happy Bunny (Goes Bounce Bounce Down Da Boom Boom Path of Righteousness)” to the downright futuristic sounding “We Are Evil Dogs”, the album’s tracks are an eclectic variety, yet every song manages to stay true to the funk they seek to create.

The Deets:

Track List

  1. My Martians Brain

  2. Zig’s Zag

  3. Yo Mama (Is A Man)

  4. Farther (Closer)

  5. Mr. Happy Bunny (Goes Bounce Bounce Down Da Boom Boom Path of Righteousness)

  6. Little Tiger

  7. The Pussycat Bourgeoisie

  8. We Are Evil Dogs

  9. Pug With A Mean Mug

  10. Soup Loop

  11. Mbira

  12. Crest Factor

Run Time

Approx. 40 minutes

Yojimbo plays regularly around NOLA. They are about to go on a cross-country tour but you can catch them again in NOLA soon and buy their CD!

We Are Dogs  is also available on iTunes and CD Baby.

Happy listening!

Brooke Larsen is a performer, photographer, and writer from New Orleans, LA. She has a Bachelors degree in History from the University of New Orleans where she now works full-time. Brooke loves comedy – she is in an improv troupe – and fashion – she has a fashion blog and attempts to dress well daily. Her goals are to excel as an artist and to one day work in historic preservation. For more intrigue, visit hellobrookelarsen.com or her blog.

Photo credit: Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee