Dragon Smoke
The Mint
Los Angeles
November 29

Dragon Smoke began 14 years ago, when Ivan Neville, Eric Lindell, Stanton Moore and Robert Mercurio came together for a one-time Jazz Fest gig at the Dragon’s Den in New Orleans. It went so well that the quartet reforms Dragon Smoke every year, taking their name from that NOLA club for a brief tour of the West Coast.

The band members seem to relish the freedom of the short-lived reformation, as they cherry-pick each other’s songs and classic covers that they reshape as their own. Highlights from the Mint show included “Let a Woman Be a Woman,” the hit by ‘60s funk band Dyke & The Blazers, sung by Neville, who leads Dumpstaphunk, as well as “Hercules,” originally recorded by his father, Aaron Neville.

Lindell showcased his pleasing voice and electrifying axe work on “Two Bit Town,” “Take Me Back,” a reworked version of the John Denver classic “Country Roads” and The Meters’ “Out in the Country.”

The Galactic duo of Moore and Mercurio share an indispensable role in this lineup. Their playing laid the foundation for each song, while both chose their moments to shine. Moore unloaded some machine-gun-like flourishes while remaining perfectly in rhythm. Mercurio’s heavy bass lines filled the room and his facial interplay with the other musicians provided cues for the song transitions.

The latter part of the set included notable version of Earl King’s “Big Chief,” Bobby Womack’s “Nobody Wants You When You’re Down and Out” and Eric Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally.” For the encore, Neville and Lindell sang a slower, funkier version of Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer.”

The four exceptional musicians in Dragon Smoke have busy careers touring and recording—their jam-packed schedules allow them to get together just a few times a year. They are so in sync when they do play together that it is hard to believe how rarely it occurs. The fans in attendance at The Mint were able to share one such magical moment and it was a rare, early gift to kick off the holiday season.