Colorado guitarist and songwriter Jon Ridnell joined Joanne Cole for KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative to discuss Freak the Funk, the first Black Dog album in more than two decades. Recorded in New Orleans with legendary musicians including George Porter Jr., John Vidacovich, Luciano Leães, and vocalist Whitney Alouicious, the album blends deep funk, jazz, and New Orleans groove traditions with Ridnell’s longtime Colorado roots.
During the conversation, Ridnell reflected on splitting his time between Eldora and New Orleans, the city’s endless musical education and culture, and the inspiration behind songs like “Leaving the Country and Going to New Orleans.” The interview also touches on Jazz Fest, the New Orleans music community, and Ridnell’s ongoing performances around Colorado with Black Dog. (Air Date 5/26/26).
Listen to the interview here:
Transcript:
Joanne Cole: Okay, wait. You are on yellow mic. Say hi to the folks there, Jon.
Jon Ridnell: Hi to the folks.
Joanne Cole: Okay. I think that’s good once I get these CDs out of the way. We’re going to talk about Jon’s new release, but first let me tell you what we heard in that last set of music.
We heard Yaya Bey doing “Blue” from her CD Fidelity. Really cool band, BCUC, with “The Road is Never Easy.” We heard “Higher Vibes,” with a heavy focus on the bass, and that goes out to my good friend Sam Fuqua, who is driving to Minnesota, or maybe he’s already there. Safe travels, Sam.
We heard Kate Olsen’s newest release, So It Goes, and a song called “Bumbling Thumbs Blues.” That was Kate Olsen on soprano and tenor saxophone. After that, Adrian Younge with “Clockwise” from Adrian Younge Presents Young. Then Angelique Kidjo from her newest release Hope with something called “Banda.” And finally, Lucille Bogan.
Well, welcome back to KGNU, Jon.
Jon Ridnell: Great to be back.
Joanne Cole: So you’ve been spending some time in New Orleans.
Jon Ridnell: Yes.
Joanne Cole: What possessed you to go to New Orleans?
Jon Ridnell: I’ve always loved the music there. I’ve played in that style for decades.
I started going down during COVID in the winters. There were no gigs here, nothing going on. I have a cabin in Eldora and it’s freezing in the winter, so I started getting out of there. Now I’m doing six months in Eldora and six months in New Orleans.
Joanne Cole: Living the dream.
Jon Ridnell: I do love it — the music, the food, everything. It’s amazing.
Joanne Cole: And the people.
Jon Ridnell: Yeah.
Joanne Cole: The people really are beyond belief.
So this is Jon Ridnell of Black Dog fame and Black Dog family fame. People probably know you primarily for your jazz guitar, which is how I know you.
Jon Ridnell: I play a little bit of everything.
Joanne Cole: And you’ve been here a long time.
Jon Ridnell: I moved here in ’95.
Joanne Cole: People can find you on Facebook, right?
Jon Ridnell: Yeah. I currently don’t have a website. I’m terrible at all this stuff. But I’m on Facebook — Black Dog on Facebook is the best way to check dates and everything else. I’m also on Instagram under Jon Ridnell.
Joanne Cole: The last time you were in here, you were here with your son and a wonderful vocalist.
Jon Ridnell: Yeah.
Joanne Cole: That was barely a year ago. But now you have a new release.
Jon Ridnell: Yeah. This is the first Black Dog album in 23 years.
I did a couple of Jon Ridnell records and then spent the last 13 or 14 years doing New Family Dog with Miles. This is the first one under the Black Dog name in a long time, and I figured I’d go big and hire some of the best New Orleans musicians I could get.
Joanne Cole: You definitely went big. Tell us about the record and some of the players on it.
Jon Ridnell: The record is Black Dog: Freak the Funk.
I was at Jazz Fest last year — actually my first Jazz Fest ever — and I saw George Porter Jr. and John Vidacovich doing a gig together with Eric Krasno. I immediately started scheming about how I could hire them both because they’re heroes of mine.
Joanne Cole: Two huge names in New Orleans music.
Jon Ridnell: Absolutely. I’ve loved Johnny Vidacovich forever. I first knew about him from hearing him with Scofield in the ’80s. I see him every Thursday when I’m in New Orleans because I live right up the street from the Maple Leaf.
I’d also like to thank Jake Eckert from Rhythm Shack Studios. He helped connect me with those musicians and make the record happen.
Joanne Cole: That’s River Eckert’s father, right?
Jon Ridnell: Correct.
Joanne Cole: River Eckert is a young piano phenom. I first saw him when he was 12 or 13, and now he’s around 16 and already playing places like Tipitina’s and Jazz Fest.
Jon Ridnell: He’s gotten so much better. He’s really doing it.
Joanne Cole: So besides George Porter Jr. and John Vidacovich, who else is on the album?
Jon Ridnell: Luciano Leães on keyboards.
Joanne Cole: From Brazil.
Jon Ridnell: Yeah, my Brazilian friend. He’s kind of a Brazilian-New Orleans piano virtuoso.
Whitney Alouicious sings the vocals.
Joanne Cole: I wanted to ask about her because I listened to this record before the show and thought, “Dang, who is that singing?”
Jon Ridnell: She sings with Colin Davis and the Night People and does other projects around town. I’ve seen her around Frenchmen Street for years and always liked her style, so I hired her for the record.
Joanne Cole: We’re going to hear one now. I love this title: “Leaving the Country and Going to New Orleans.”
You’ve probably heard me say on air that I want out of this current regime, but honestly, going to New Orleans really does feel like leaving the country.
Jon Ridnell: I wrote it right after the 2024 election.
Joanne Cole: That tracks. Here we go — Jon Ridnell with Black Dog from the new release Freak the Funk.
[Music: “Leaving the Country and Going to New Orleans”]
Joanne Cole: My guest is Jon Ridnell from Eldora.
Jon Ridnell: Eldora, actually.
Joanne Cole: Right — don’t want to misassociate you with Nederland.
We’re talking about his new release Freak the Funk, recorded in New Orleans. Jon, like me, really enjoys New Orleans, and off mic you said it’s a tremendous education. That’s one of the things I love most about it.
When I first started going, my mind was blown. I wanted to learn everything I could about jazz.
Jon Ridnell: If you like music, it’s hard not to feel that way.
Joanne Cole: It’s such a deep scene.
Jon Ridnell: It really is. I’ve spent the past two winters there, almost half the year, and I still keep discovering new players. It feels endless.
Joanne Cole: It truly is endless. And the people are the nicest you’ll ever meet.
If you’ve never been to New Orleans, I urge you to go while you’re still young enough to walk around and really experience it. It’s a walking city.
So, Jon Ridnell with Black Dog. The album is Freak the Funk.
You said you’re not playing out a ton, but where can people catch you?
Jon Ridnell: I’m still playing quite a bit in the mountains and around Denver.
I’m doing Mountain Sun with Mark Diamond in Boulder in July. I also do a weekly jazz gig every Sunday at Knotted Root Brewery in Nederland. We’ve been doing that for years.
I’m playing Gold Hill on September 5th, and this Friday I’ll be in Salida at The Vic, which is a cool old mountain honky-tonk place.
Joanne Cole: Sounds great. We’re going to play one more track from Freak the Funk before we let you go.
Thanks for coming in, Jon.
Jon Ridnell: Great to be here. Thanks so much.
Joanne Cole: You can find Jon online through Black Dog on Facebook.
And now we’re going to hear “It All Comes Back.”
