Jazz Fest: The Milky Way with The Iceman Special

The Iceman Special

The New Orleans’ psychedelic rock band shares the songs that define their musical universe.

The Iceman Special won’t open Jazz Fest 2024, but it’s close. There are four door-crasher specials at 11:15 a.m. including The Tin Men and The Revelers, but five minutes later the band will start the day on the Festival Stage on a bill that will include Colombian band Agrupación Changó, Papa Mali Trio, Cimafunk from Cuba, and Widespread Panic.

At a time when guitars have diminishing currency in the music marketplace, The Iceman Special has gone all in on them with a two-guitar attack, and on last year’s Zycordia, they luxuriate in the sounds of notes, chords and riffs, letting them boldly take over or hang in midair. The band’s presentation suggests psychedelia, and it treats its sound like a sensual pleasure rather than a means to an end. The songs aren’t driven by an urgent need to get somewhere, so even though no song stretches out for more than five and a half minutes, they all feel like they could.

We asked The Iceman Special to give us their musical Milky Way—eight songs that give us a sense of the band’s musical universe. They’d get nine if Pluto hadn’t been de-planetized in 2006.

“Future Days” - Can

Can and the entire Krautrock genre has been a major influence throughout our career.

“U.S.S. Zydecoldsmobile” - Sonny Landreth

Sonny's name speaks for itself.  Also... zydeco drums.

“Let it Happen” -  Tame Impala

The man behind this music is Kevin Parker, who some would call a musical genius.

“Synthetic World” - Swamp Dogg

Swamp Dogg is one of the greatest songwriters of our time, who unfortunately has little recognition.

“Sabine Turnaround” - Lost Bayou Ramblers

Lost Bayou Ramblers are pioneers of Cajun music, and we resonate heavily with the impact they've had on Louisiana music.

“Cosmik Debris” - Frank Zappa

[Band guitarist] Stephen Staples not only introduced us to Zappa but explained to us the great things that Zappa did for the revolution of self-expression through music.

“Into The Void” - Black Sabbath

"Freedom fighters sent out to the sun

Escape from brainwashed minds and pollution

Leave the earth to all its sin and hate

Find another world where freedom waits, yeah"

“Harvest Feast” - All Them Witches

ATW is a band that goes from heavy/brutal riffs to melodic and ethereal songscapes. This song is the epitome of that sound.

The Iceman Special will play a number of times during the Jazz Fest season. You can see its full schedule of gigs at TheIcemanSpecial.com.