River Eckert Band - Fri, May 22, 2026 @ 7PM
Bay Saint Louis, MS – River Eckert returns to the historical 100 Men Hall stage with his band on Friday, May 22, 2026 at 7PM. The young phenom, who channels New Orleans piano greats through his own sound, first played the Hall for Booker Fest in 2025. His love of everything Booker mirrored our own! Since then, River has debuted his new album.
River Eckert Band - River Eckert (b. Oct. 9, 2009) is a 16-year-old piano player born and raised in New Orleans, LA. From a very young age, River has been surrounded by music. Immersed in the styles of legends such as Professor Longhair, James Booker, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, Art Neville among others, he is passionate and dedicated to “carrying the torch” of the New Orleans piano tradition.
Coming from a musical family, River began playing piano at the age of 3. Initially studying classical music, his teachers eventually encouraged him to explore blues and jazz, recognizing his natural ability to quickly grasp those styles. Now, River sings and plays in both a solo piano and full band setting. He is rapidly gaining local, national, and international popularity. River recently completed his debut studio album which is to be released in April 2026. Collaborators on this project include George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Terence Higgins, Cornell Williams, Raymond Weber, John Fohl, and others. His debut single, Pass That Torch (feat. Ivan Neville), was released in October 2024, followed by his second single, Hey Hey Hey (Fi Nah Nay), in February 2025 and third, Painting Pictures, in April 2025. He was also featured in several Playing for Change video recordings, and has been involved in helping score a documentary film about New Orleans. Recently, River and Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews performed together as a duo for the inauguration of New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno. River’s live performance schedule continues to stay busy and he just confirmed his first performances in Europe for summer 2026.
Food for purchase tbd.
The historical 100 Men Hall, a famed stop on the Chitlin' Circuit, a Must See Venue by Rolling Stone Magazine, winner of the 2024 MS Governor’s Award for Excellence for Arts in the Community, a rare site on the MS Blues Trail, is maintained and preserved under a 501c3 nonprofit organization (Hundred Members Debating Benevolent Association, est. 1894). The Hall is supported by its membership organization 100 WOMEN DBA, as well as from the generosity of sponsors and donors. The 100 Men Hall is the only endowed African American landmark in Mississippi. Additional information about the venue’s history and other activities can be found on https://100menhall.com or by emailing 100menhall@gmail.com.
photo by Ann Madden