The word around town is that this Friday, February 7 at 11:00 a.m. tickets will go on sale to see jam band supergroup the Word perform at New Orleans’ Joy Theater on Sunday, April 27. This late night, Jazz Fest concert will mark the third show of the year for the hallowed, sacred steel ensemble which features pedal steel virtuoso Robert Randolph; Medeski, Martin and Wood keyboardist John Medeski; and brothers Luther (guitar) and Cody (drums) Dickinson from the North Mississippi Allstars. The Word’s other two, 2014 dates are set for next Tuesday (February 11) and Wednesday (February 12) in New York at the Brooklyn Bowl and the Capitol Theatre, respectively, and will feature Soulive’s Eric Krasno on bass. Previously, the band included North Mississippi Allstars bassist Chris Chew. No announcement has been made regarding who will fill the role at the Joy in April.

Forged in Medeski and the NMA’s shared admiration of the sacred steel tradition, the Word’s eponymous 2001 debut heralded the coming of Robert Randolph, whose playing at the time had yet to reach ears outside of the church. Produced by Medeski and comprised of instrumental renditions of traditional gospel music, upon The Word’s release, it caught fire, and in 2002, the Word took its message on the road. Since, apart from a string of dates in ’07 and ’08, the group has only performed a handful shows, most notably at Bonnaroo in ’05 and ’12. General admission tickets for the Word’s April 27, Joy Theater concert will go on sale for $40.00. $75.00 V.I.P. tickets — which include reserved, balcony seats, a redeemable drink ticket and a free poster — will also be available.

Since breaking through with the Word, Randolph’s shepherded his own Family Band. Currently on tour in support of its latest effort Lickety Split, Robert Randolph and the Family Band is slated to take the stage at Tipitina’s on Saturday, February 22. The previous night, the band will be at Baton Rouge’s Varsity Theatre. In September 2013, delta blues stalwarts the North Mississippi Allstars released the resounding World Boogie Is Coming. On Friday, March 28, the North Mississippi Allstars will boogie on down to New Orleans’ City Park where it will headline Hogs for the Cause — a fest that Randolph and family headlined last year. A month later, the NMAs will return to the Crescent City for a Jazz Fest gig on April 27 — the same day as the Word’s Joy Theatre date — and this summer, the band will trek through Europe in support of Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters. One-third of the avant-groove triumvirate Medeski, Martin and Wood, pianist John Medeski released his solo debut A Different Time in 2013, as well as Beauty Is Ugly, a duet with avant-garde jazz guitarist Tisziji Muñoz. This year, Medeski, Martin and Wood plans to drop two albums — one that reunites the trio with guitarist John Scofield for the third time and another that pairs MMW with Wilco guitarist Nels Cline.

The Word’s April 27 performance at the Joy Theater is present by Winter Circle Productions. Doors for the show will open at 9:00 p.m., and the concert will start at 10:00. Attendees must be 18-years-old to enter. The Joy Theater is located at 1200 Canal Street (map). Tickets to the show go on sale Friday, February 7 at 11:00 a.m and can be purchased online at www.thejoytheater.com. More information is available at wintercircleproductions.com.