It is a loaded statement to name your album after the ancient symbol depicting a serpent eating its own tail, but many of these legendary suspects were there at the birth of funk, so the symbolism fits. Led by veteran New Orleans drummer “Mean” Willie Green, the band includes fellow Crescent City stalwarts Reggie Scanlan (The Radiators), Jeff Watkins (James Brown), Jake Eckert (Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dr. John) and CR Gruver (Leo Nocentelli)—all master musicians who bring deep feeling and relentless swing to the album’s 10 tracks. Scanlan’s icy lead guitar and Gruver’s churchy organ dominate the supernatural funk of “Cigarette Smile.” Green’s Mardi Gras beat gets “Carnivale” off to a riotous start, then Watkins and Scanlan send it into orbit with their uncontained solos. Green and guest percussionist Michael Skinkus lay down some bedrock syncopations to support Gruver’s free-flowing Hammond B3 excursions on the all instrumental workout “Pocketful Of Grits.”