Hopetoun

Biography

Hopetoun is a New Orleans-based musical collective that describes itself as "a brotherhood built on deep respect, deep listening, and deep love." The ensemble grew out of the city's rich musical ecosystem, drawing deeply from its jazz, funk, soul, and second-line traditions while weaving in influences from reggae, pop, and world music. The group coalesced around saxophonist and veteran musician Phil Lawson — a Santa Barbara, California native with over 40 years of performance experience who relocated to the southeastern United States in 2005 — alongside vocalist and lyricist David Einzig, and a rotating cast of instrumentalists including trumpeters David Noble and J.P. Furnas, drummer Kevin O'Day, percussionist Chad Toups, keyboardist Lenny Pettinelli, and bassist Kelly Smith.

The collective first appeared under the Hopetoun name with a 2011 seven-track album recorded at Leap Studios in Lafayette, Louisiana, an eclectic work that drew its lyrical inspiration from Robert Browning's Victorian dramatic monologue "My Last Duchess." Engineered by "Broadway" Jake Chamley and Paul Broussard, the album spans pop-punk energy, roots jazz, soul, and jazz-funk. Their follow-up, the full-ensemble debut "From the Big Easy to the Cesspool of Sin" (2014), doubled down on the New Orleans sound — soulful, funky, and jazzy with undertones of reggae and pop — with tracks like "Strung Out On Your Love," "Jubilation," "Tipsy," and "Outer Space Funk." Phil Lawson's wide-ranging travels across Europe, Asia, and Mexico inform the group's multicultural sonic palette.

Hopetoun has performed at New Orleans staple venues including Hi Ho Lounge and Banks Street Bar and Grill, and have extended their reach to Asheville, North Carolina's The Millroom. Their music resists easy categorization — built on horns, full percussion, guitar, keys, and bass — and is described as having a "dance-like punch" and "vibrant, refreshing sound." As of this writing, the group maintains a low public profile, with limited documentation beyond their own recordings, consistent with the grassroots, community-driven ethos of the New Orleans underground music scene.

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Fun Facts

• Their 2011 debut album's lyrics were inspired by Robert Browning's Victorian dramatic monologue 'My Last Duchess' — an unusual literary source for a New Orleans funk-soul collective.
• Phil Lawson, the group's saxophonist and one of its driving forces, has over 40 years of performance experience and has traveled Europe, Asia, and Mexico gathering musical influences.
• The group describes itself as 'a brotherhood built on deep respect, deep listening, and deep love' — a philosophy rooted in New Orleans' culture of collaborative, communal music-making.
• Their 2014 album title 'From the Big Easy to the Cesspool of Sin' is a tongue-in-cheek nod to New Orleans' dual reputation as both a world-class cultural capital and a city of legendary decadence.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• New Orleans Music Tradition - The collective's sound is deeply rooted in the New Orleans musical heritage — jazz, funk, second-line brass, and soul — which shaped the group's identity and instrumentation.

Key Collaborators

• Phil Lawson - Saxophonist and founding member; released the 2011 album 'Hopetoun' as a Phil Lawson project featuring the full collective, recorded at Leap Studios in Lafayette, LA. [2011–2014]
• David Einzig - Vocalist, guitarist, and primary lyricist for the group. [2011–2014]
• David Noble - Trumpeter and core ensemble member. [2011–2014]
• Chad Toups - Percussionist and ensemble member. [2011–2014]
• Lenny Pettinelli - Keyboardist (piano, B3, Rhodes) and ensemble member. [2011–2014]

External Links

• Spotify