The Subdudes

Led by singer/guitarist Tommy Malone and accordionist John Magnie, the Subdudes draw primary creative fuel from the musical heritage of their hometown, New Orleans. The group fuses blues, gospel, funk, and R&B while adding its distinctive vocal harmonies, and it stands out for replacing a conventional drummer with a tambourine player. After serving as backing musicians for artists including Joni Mitchell and Roseanne Cash, the band issued its self-titled debut album in 1989. Subsequent releases such as 1991’s Lucky, 1996’s Primitive Streak, and 1997’s Live at Last followed the same pattern of mixing covers with original material. Following an eight-year hiatus, the Subdudes enlisted Bob Dylan guitarist Freddy Koella to produce Miracle Mule, which appeared in spring 2004. Keb’ Mo’ handled production duties on the 2006 album Behind the Levee, and Street Symphony arrived the following year.