The New Orleans Swamp Donkeys Traditional Jass Band is a wild, high-energy crew that has been keeping the rowdy spirit of early 1900s traditional jazz alive since bursting onto the scene in late 2012. Fronted by the incredible James Williams—whose powerhouse trumpet playing and gravelly, Louis Armstrong-style vocals command the room—this New Orleans outfit serves up a gritty, soulful mix of authentic early "jass," gut-bucket blues, and old-school vaudeville. They respect the city's legendary roots but strictly skip the stuffy museum treatment, bringing a party-first, dance-ready vibe to every single stage they stomp on.

They completely broke the internet back in 2014 when their ridiculously catchy, brass-heavy cover of the Game of Thrones theme song went mega-viral. That viral spark launched them out of local French Quarter clubs and onto massive global stages, sending them on a whirlwind tour of legendary rooms and festivals like Ronnie Scott's in London, the North Sea Jazz Festival, and the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival. Whether they are tearing through a century-old blues standard, dropping an original track, or flip-turning a modern pop-culture anthem on its head, the Swamp Donkeys always deliver pure, unadulterated New Orleans joy.