Since their first gig in 2016, the New Orleans Wildlife Band has kept busy in the vibrant music community of New Orleans. They released their self-titled EP under Nicholas Payton’s label Paytone Records in 2017. A year later they independently released their LP entitled “A Dream or a Nightmare.” The album features the incredible singer Bailey Hinton, who performed with the band until moving to Colorado in 2018. The band performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in the Spring of 2019. They also continue to enjoy playing every Wednesday at the Marigny Brasserie on Frenchmen Street.

The Wildlife Band caters to a broad audience with a repertoire that includes standards from the American Songbook as well as original music that pulls from many genres. With Gabrielle Cavassa as the lead singer and Gracie Jessop backing her up, the music puts heavy emphasis on the powerful expression of the human voice. Saxophonist Ricardo Pascal and bassist Grayson Brockamp fill out the choir that often uses nuanced 4-part harmonies. New Orleans native Peter Varnado drives the band from the drum chair with his sensitive but equally sophisticated approach.

Whether playing a sultry pop ballad or swinging out on an up-tempo burner, these top-notch musicians are comfortable taking risks in a variety of musical environments. The band’s chemistry combined with the positive energy of their lyrical material makes every performance fresh, alive, and raw.

Most recently, the band has signed with Ropeadope Records and they will re-release their album “A Dream Or A Nightmare” on April 3, 2020. They are also busy working on new music for a second release in the Fall of 2020.