By David Vitrano
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – If the streets of LaPlace have seemed a little “funkier” recently, there’s good reason — Leo Nocentelli, one of the founding members of the iconic New Orleans band the Meters, has been staying in town with friend and bandmate Pastor Steven Perrilloux of Riverlands Christian Center in Reserve.
Nocentelli, whose mother is from LaPlace, has lived in California for more than 30 years but said he returns to the New Orleans area four to five times a year, and it always feels like coming home.
“I love this place,” he said. “I tell people I live in New Orleans, but I sleep in Burbank. The roots are always here. I’m proud to say I’m from New Orleans.”
Although Nocentelli’s love for the city never waned, in the ‘80s local musicians were not getting the respect they deserved, so he found himself in Los Angeles at the end of a tour and just decided to stay, he said.
Nocentelli met Perrilloux in a Chicago airport a few years ago, and the two found out they had a cousin in common.
“That’s basically, in a nutshell, how we got together,” said Nocentelli.
Since then, a musical fellowship has blossomed, with Perrilloux accompanying Nocentelli and the rest of his band to play in places as far flung as Japan. Nocentelli added he also sometimes attends Perrilloux’s church when he is in town.
For his part, Perrilloux seems delighted to be playing with the legendary funk guitarist.
“I came up on his music,” said Perrilloux.
He’s not the only one.
Everyone who grew up or spent any length of time in the New Orleans area has bobbed his or her head to the music of the Meters, whether they know it or not. Besides being perennial anthems, especially around Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, songs such as “Cissy Strut,” “Hey Pocky Way” and “People Say” are often sprinkled liberally in the sets of younger New Orleans musicians like Trombone Shorty or any of the myriad of brass bands around today. And for those not into the live music scene, countless Meters samples have made their way into modern recordings.
“When I look at all the songs we did and how popular they got, it’s kind of a no-brainer that they play our songs,” said Nocentelli. “But still it’s special.”
“Sampling has helped not only from a financial standpoint but with recognition as well,” he added.
But younger artists are not the only ones keeping the Meter tradition alive. Nocentelli, along with bandmates George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste and Art Neville, regularly perform in bands dedicated to the music of the Meters. In fact, one of those bands, the Meter Men, featuring three of the original four members, is playing in New Orleans tonight at the Republic and will be onstage at the Jazz Fest Sunday.
Nocentelli usually plays with his band the Meters Experience but said he truly enjoys playing with the guys he came up with.
“It’s less pressure on me because I’ve got two other guys to take the weight off me,” he said. “I can play a certain role and contribute what I want to contribute.”
In between sets, Nocentelli will probably be spending time with the city he still calls home.
“Every corner, every block, I could think of where I was 30-something years ago,” he said. “That’s the kind of feeling I get when I come back here.”
The nostalgia factor will be high when he hits Jazz Fest tomorrow, too. Although the festival has changed dramatically over the years, the Meters were part of the first Jazz Fest. In fact, Nocentelli was there when it was just an idea in Quint Davis’ head.
“Quint, Zig and I used to hang out,” he said. “I can remember sitting in Quint’s house, and Quint told me and Zig, ‘Hey man, I’m thinking about organizing a festival here.’ That was the beginning.”