Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes formed in New Orleans in 2001, when original members Marc Paradis, Dave Pomerleau, and André Bohren decided on a whim to enter Loyola University's Battle of the Bands. They needed a name fast, and Paradis — inspired by acts like Bill Haley and the Comets — settled on a "Johnny Something and the Something Somethings" formula. The band, and its collection of stage aliases, was born that night: Paradis became Johnny Sketch (guitar, electric cello, lead vocals), Pomerleau became Gator Dave or Busta Gnutt (bass), and Bohren became Dirty Johnny (drums).
Comprised of classically and jazzically trained musicians who cut their teeth on New Orleans' live music scene, the band built a sound defying easy categorization: irreverent funk cut with rock riffs, a Gypsy/klezmer flair, and a Latin tinge courtesy of a hard-hitting horn section featuring trumpet, flugelhorn, and saxophone. Rolling Stone's David Fricke praised the band, comparing their sound to what Phish might have become had they formed on a New Orleans levee and studied under George Clinton and Frank Zappa. Their third album, Pain, Pleasure, Fear and Opera, released on Noiselab, further cemented their reputation as one of the city's most inventive live acts.
Over more than two decades, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes have played major festivals across the country and built a loyal following through relentless touring, with a rotating cast of collaborators sitting in on saxophone, keys, and horns over the years, including notable guest turns from Camile Baudoin and Greg Hicks. The band continues to perform regularly at venues including Tipitina's and the Maple Leaf Bar, and is preparing to celebrate its 25th anniversary as a band in the fall of 2026.
