The Congo Square Stage was just as overflowing as its Festival schedule square for the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Glass House Reunion with the Rebirth Brass Band.

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Glass House Reunion with Rebirth Brass Band and Trombone Shorty (in red)

The Dirty Dozen played an excellent set during the first half, including a superfunked version of Dave Bartholomew's "The Monkey". Once Rebirth took the stage, we had a beautiful mess of brass with dazzling dueling soloists — and as if it all weren't enough, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews sat in not on trombone but on trumpet! (He's equally — and amazingly — proficient on both.)

Over at the WWOZ Jazz tent, John Boutté might not have been able to generate as much noise as the mighty brass bands, but you'd be hard-pressed to find somebody that rivals his energy, which comes from the same place — the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans. I caught a beautiful cover of "A Change is Gonna Come" that put a smile on everybody's face. Leroy Jones' sensitive, soulful trumpet playing added just the right flavor to the show.

Leroy Jones (left) and John Boutté