Ravens/Saints Funky Pre-Game Throwdown

The Ravens take on the Saints at M&T Bank Stadium this Sunday and getting you battle ready, though with a decidedly more cooperative vibe than on the gridiron, are some of Baltimore and New Orleans finest bands who'll rock the 8x10 stage Saturday night for a pre-game throwdown

Papa Grows Funk and the Honey Island Swamp Band represent the Crescent City while members of The Bridge and Old Man Brown have Charm City's back.

Don't expect tackling or sideline tripping, just lots of Baltimore and bayou roots rock from musicians who have jammed together before and embody the serendipitous spirit of a traditionally music-rich city and one that's becoming one.

We'll get you ready this Friday at 920am on Morning Sessions as we encore a smokin' set from last year by the Honey Island boys! .

Anders Osborne on Morning Sessions

When you first hear the name Anders Osborne, it probably doesn't conjure images of the New Orleans music scene. But when you tune in at 9 a.m. Friday for Osborne's searing live set on Morning Sessions, it becomes clear that the Grammy award-winning songwriter and blues guitarist has become an ambassador of his adopted city. In fact, he's recently joined other Crescent City artists like Dr. John and Trombone Shorty on David Simon's HBO series, Treme, portraying the Dutch busker "Sonny."

Osborne moved from Sweden to New Orleans as a teen, embracing an artist's life and surviving the hardships of modern life in Louisiana. Years of alcohol and drug abuse led him to a crossroads that he’s mapped out in detail on the scorching new single, "On the Road to Charlie Parker." It hints of a man and a city being put back together again--and the promise of a new life waiting at home.

"Charlie Parker" is a standout track is off his new album, American Patchwork, a love letter to America and its music. "I think it's a patching together of my life, New Orleans after Katrina, my personal problems and working to become a better person," he says. "Even though I was born somewhere else, it means a lot to me to be a part of this nation . . . . It's a beautiful feeling to feel genuinely at home somewhere."

Don't miss Anders' interview and performance Friday morning!

Anders Osborne, Honey Island Swamp Band and The Bridge's Cris Jacobs perform at The 8 x 10 on Friday night.

Honey Island Swamp Band's Mix Tape

Although environmental disasters may pummel the Gulf Coast, they can never eclipse the joyous music of New Orleans.

Honey Island Swamp Band formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina when veteran New Orleans musicians Chris Mule and Aaron Wilkinson found themselves displaced in San Francisco.

Now based back in the Crescent City, the band is touring in support of its new album Good To You. Mule and Wilkinson stopped by the studio to showcase some of their favorite songs and celebrate the resilient spirit of their hometown.

The mixtape incorporates many aspects of New Orleans' musical fabric, featuring songs from Dr. John, Lee Dorsey, and Taj Mahal. They also play Earl King's "Let The Good Times Roll," which Mule says, "sums up what New Orleans music is all about."

The New Orleans sprit even extends across the pond. Mule and Wilkinson wrap things up with a block of classic British rock n' roll, with songs from George Harrison, The Faces and the Rolling Stones.

"You can't have a show about rock n' roll without the Rolling Stones," Mule says before previewing “All Down the Line,” a track from the recently re-released Exile on Main Street. "If you are in a car while this is on, try not to speed."

Check out The Honey Island Swamp Band's mix tape tonight at 8 p.m.

Honey Island Swamp Band performs at the Federal Hill Jazz and Blues Festival on Sunday, June 6.