Opera House: Nth Power & Ghost-Note with MonoNeon

01 Sep Opera House: Nth Power & Ghost-Note with MonoNeon

The Sheridan Opera House gets funky on Friday, September 8, with The Nth Power & Ghost-Note with MonoNeon playing live in concert. The show starts at 9 p.m.; doors and SHOW Bar open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 GA on the floor; $25 reserved seats in the balcony. (A $4 ticketing fee is charged at all ticket outlets.) Tickets and additional event information are available at sheridanoperahouse.com or 970.728.6363 x5.

Scroll down for a taste of the evening.

Proving that soul music can be exponentially greater than the sum of its parts, The Nth Power is on a mission to share the light. Formed during an impromptu late-night jam at Jazz Fest 2012 in New Orleans, the relentlessly funky and soulful band believes in music as a higher power – tapping into an energy that is simultaneously sexy and spiritual, with songs that will inspire audiences to dance, groove, make love or just stand there with goose bumps.

The quartet hails from diverse musical backgrounds, races and creeds.

Female powerhouse Nikki Glaspie was Beyonce’s world-touring drummer for five years before she joined Ivan Neville’s New Orleans outfit, Dumpstaphunk.

Bassist Nate Edgar of Groovechild and John Brown’s Body perfectly compliments Singer and Guitarist Nick Cassarino who came from the Jennifer Hartswick Band and toured with Big Daddy Kane.

Finally rounding off the ensemble is the newest and youngest member, Courtney J’Mell Smith who brings his soulful vocals and keyboard abilities to the table.


“It’s my dream team,” says Glaspie. “Each one of us is a songwriter, so when we get together, everything becomes much stronger.” Beyond raw skill, however, Glapsie cites a deep spiritual connection as the glue that binds them together. “Music is what brought us together, but it’s the spiritual bond that makes us play so in touch with each other.”

At the core of their vibe is a deviously simple concept – the healing power of Love.

Multi-Grammy Award-winning artists Robert Sput Searight and Nate Werth take percussion out of the shadows and into the spotlight with their new project, Ghost-Note.

World-renowned for their ongoing catalog with international sensation Snarky Puppy, this dynamic duo expands their rhythmical voice into a celebration of music in all its forms. This is music that takes listeners on a mind-blowing journey, inspired by the influences of James Brown, J Dilla, and the Beastie Boys, all the way to folkloric West African, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian samba grooves.

Ghost-Note’s impressive rotating roster of heavy hitters combine their decades of experience to create a night of unforgettable musical madness. Band members include Sylvester Onyejiaka (Prince, Quantic) on flute, tenor, and baritone sax; Jonathan Mones (Funky Knuckles, RC and the Gritz) on flute, alto, and tenor saxophone;  A.J. Brown (Fred Hammond) on bass; Internet star Dywane “MonoNeon” Thomas (Prince) on bass and guitar; Justin Stanton (Snarky Puppy) on keyboards; Daniel Jones (Jay-Z, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake) on keyboards; Nick Werth (Galaxe, Yak Attack) on xylosynth; Mike Jelani Brooks (Kirk Franklin, RC & the Gritz) on tenor saxophone; and Alvin Ford Jr. (Pretty Lights, Dumpstaphunk) on drums.

Ghost-Note’s first record, Fortified, which debuted at #1 on the iTunes Jazz charts in 2015, not only showcases Searight and Werth’s unique duo approach to rhythm, but also highlights a phenomenal community of Dallas musicians.

Fortified includes features by Shaun Martin, N’Dambi, Mark Lettieri, Caleb McCampbell, Jason “JT” Thomas, RSVP, and Nick Werth, and guest appearances by Cleon Edwards, Taron Lockett, Marcelo Woloski, Wes Stephenson, Bob Lanzetti, A.J. Brown, and Sylvester Onyejiaka.

In addition to touring across the United States, the band is working on their second album to be released in Fall 2017.

Ghost-Note is an instrumental explosion like you’ve never heard before. Prepare yourselves for a neck-breaking, booty-shaking show that will keep you on your feet all night long.

Ghost-Note will be joined by MonoNeon, Dywane Thomas, Jr., an American bassist and experimental musician.

MonoNeon is known for his presence on YouTube playing bass guitar and for being one of the last people to work with Prince. Thomas also played with Grammy Award-winning R&B artist, Ne-Yo, on his fourth studio album. He is a native of Memphis, Tennessee.

While Thomas is right-handed, he plays left-handed upside down on a right-handed bass guitar, which allows him to use heavy string bending on the upper strings. Thomas’ slapping style/technique is unique because he is executing everything upside-down, but he still uses the thumb for slaps and fingers for pops. He also uses fingers and palm muting to create a warm, muffled timbre and have a little more control over the length of notes.