Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen Cha Wa on Feb 26, 2026 | UCSB Arts & Lectures

“He’s the eighth wonder of the world.” – Bonnie Raitt on Jon Cleary

“A portable Mardi Gras dance party.” Rolling Stone on Cha Wa

“This prodigiously accomplished outfit… combines Crescent City R&B, gospel, blues, harmony-rich vocals, a hefty helping of funk and a whole lot of rousing high spirits.” JazzTimes on The Absolute Monster Gentlemen

Grammy-winning pianist and bandleader Jon Cleary, the reigning king of New Orleans funk, channels a musical lineage that stretches from Professor Longhair and the Meters to Dr. John and the Neville Brothers. With his powerhouse band, the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Cleary lays down deep grooves and second-line swagger steeped in that unmistakable Big Easy magic. Joining the party is Cha Wa, the electrifying Mardi Gras Indian band carrying forward the carnival traditions of Monk Boudreaux and the Wild Magnolias. With their funk-infused rhythms, blazing horns and Afro-Caribbean street chants, Cha Wa brings the spirit of the Mardi Gras parade straight to the stage.