New Orleans Brass Bands S/D

Thanks everyone. Didn't know John Boutté was playing Saturday (and I am indeed into craft beers), and that second line sounds great. Would love to see the Treme Brass Band, but I couldn't find them playing anywhere.

you'll probably see uncle lionel pop in and sing a few songs at vaughan's (and whatever other jazz show you go to)

I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like King James and the Special Men still play R&B every Monday night at BJ's Lounge, near Vaughn's. I haven't been, but next time I'm in NOLA it's at the top of my list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYqnukBWwbo

Wow, they sound great. That's an Archibald tune they're playing. I'll check to see if they're going to be there.

Still in NOLA. Waiting for Hot 8 to go on at Howlin Wolf. Kermit wasn't at Vaughan's Thursday but his band played an amazing set. (Fantastic take on "If I Only Had a Brain.") Saw John Boutte kill the crowd at dba last night. Probably the best "gig" however was at the corner of Canal and Bourbon when an all-star brass band played a long set for donations. Very special. I'll post videos when I get back.

Cool. Sounds like a great time.

Yeah, hearing brass bands busking at Canal/Bourbon is an incredible, only-in-New-Orleans thing. Glad you got to see Boutte, too.

OK, here we go. The band in the first two called themselves the "Bourbon Street All Stars," and the homemade CD we bought didn't provide any more info. Anyone have a clue who these guys are? Their "Sexual Healing" sounds exactly like the Hot 8's arrangement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_RJkP2-Hkg

Love this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCYDX6Bx7KM

Proof that Vaughan's is one of the darkest nightclubs ever. Kermit wasn't there this Thursday; this is Corey Henry on trombone and leading the band. Just a taste.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGB5DvsTv6I

Little "touristy" second line we caught outside our hotel. There was a real second line parade Sunday deep in the Treme, but we couldn't make it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGyFlzxKDSA

Off topic perhaps, but we loved this band (Tuba Skinny) we found busking in front of Rouse's market on Royal Street. Bought their CD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1cWFH8b_8o

Check out the humorous surprise near the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEMKVegDYjk

If anyone wants to see a couple clips of John Boutte, just say the word.

it's a throw-together band, but the trombone players are from tbc, and some of them used to be in a band called da truth brass band, i've played with them a few times. all the bands play each other's arrangements.

what's on the cd, live stuff?

xp

I like that Tuba Skinny stuff -- thanks for the tip.

Jordan we've only taken a quick listen to it so far, but the CD sounds like it's in the studio (or at least a very well-done homemade recording).

they're doing their thing but i can think of a lot of trad bands i'd much rather listen to

xp

maybe when you get back you could send me a track from it? curious if it's something i've heard or not.

I know it's not brass band, but i wouldn't mind seeing a bit of the John Boutte footage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z5MD--JQDs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJg8zo0xiTw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_SSpPf91Jg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN0YbYIdEo4

@Jordan — Sure thing.

they're doing their thing but i can think of a lot of trad bands i'd much rather listen to

Jordan, I think we've had a similar conversation about the young, white, sort-of-hipster, carpetbagger bands like Loose Marbles. I know stuff that veers toward Squirrel Nut Zipper-dom is more up my alley than yours. Is there anyone you like/would recommend? (Like, these guys covered a Pee Wee King song, which is completely UNtraditional but I loved it -- or is your trad preference all strictly traditional?)

Sorry, I know this is not brass band related at all...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpfXVmFVAjY

i'm not at all revivalist/preservationist about it - i like musicians who play new orleans jazz as a living and evolving tradition, with chops and style (and free of irony/self-consciousness, i guess). favorites: leroy jones, mark braud, kid chocolate, shannon powell, bob french, herlin riley, wendell brunious, etc.

the record that derrick shezbie (kabuki) made when he was a teenager, "spodie's back", is really a touchstone for me in terms of combining new orleans tradition w/modern jazz. i wish there was more music like it.

Yeah, Spodie's Back is beautiful. I spin that on the regular.

nice.

here's a little clip of my new orleans jazz band, we do a lot of spodie's back and leroy arrangements: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gboNA2l7Wfk

(or did, haven't played since our main spot shut down)

vaughan's is dark b/c bright lighting would disturb the roaches

when i worked there i was always amazed that people would get like dressed up and go there. it's filthy. i certainly never cleaned anything.

corey plays circles around kermit these days and he actually shows up every now and then.

ha

Yeah, we got to the door at Vaughan's Thursday and they said "Kermit is out of town." (This, after I checked the listings multiple times.) We were really disappointed at first but decided to stay. I liked the vibe and was pleasantly surprised to find that the tourists (i.e. me) hadn't taken it over completely. Looked like a 50/50 mix between locals and out-of-towners. The band was great, too. Corey is amazing indeed — he clearly has better chops than Kermit. I guess Kermit's got the personality, though.
Jordan, thanks for the recommendations. There seems to be a million of these trad jazz bands around, but I never know who to listen to.
On a side note, I was amazed by how great the street bands with horns SOUNDED. If they had buildings in front and in back of them, the sonics were crystal clear.
Shit, New Orleans has ruined me for near everything else.

Wow Jordan, your band sounds great. Which one are you?

drums. thanks!

Here are a few songs from that "Bourbon Street All-Stars" CD (the disc was unfortunately damaged, so this is all I could download). Don't know any of the names. They make a reference to TBC in the first track, which is a short intro.

http://www.mediafire.com/?y1ocy1mpw5uu339
http://www.mediafire.com/?jh63g0ay5ozj880
http://www.mediafire.com/?moiivv7kr9t9kdx
http://www.mediafire.com/?2nz088bz9zqui5j

Shit, I just learned that one of those songs is "What's My Name" by the Hot 8. Did they just make a comp of several different brass bands?

haha, yup. two are from tbc's record, the other two are from hot 8's record. that's new orleans.

Anyone see this doc?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trewtfZYV04

i have it, it's not bad. i wish there was more playing, and also i heard that they might have gotten back together post-katrina sooner if it wasn't for the doc being made, but whatever. also tbc sound way better now than when it was made. still glad it exists.

opening for rebirth on wednesday, i'm hoping madison represents with a decent crowd.

Good luck Jordan! Wish I could go to that gig.
Never mentioned that the Hot 8 gig I mentioned earlier turned out to be a bust. We waited around forever before the band showed (Howlin’ Wolf listed them going on at 9:30, which did sound suspiciously early to me). My wife was exhausted and they were still setting up at 11:30, so we took off.
I was very disappointed, but I just learned that they’re playing a new club in Providence, RI in early December. We’re there.

that sucks. when i was last there they started reasonably on time, but their snare drummer couldn't make it for family reasons and i ended up playing tambourine for the set: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQKzFCg8R9Q

Ha, awesome.

Providence-based What Cheer Brigade helps a bandmate go out in style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvjjYlVYlhc

These guys are coming to Providence next month. Not technically a brass band, I guess. Worth seeing? Looks like a crazy show. How the hell do they pay everyone?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m9xN4Z7gUc

How about a brass band from Romania? Just learned about these guys after buying a 2-CD Rhino world music comp. Fanfare Ciocarlia does Duke Ellington's "Caravan."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-7W4-DLFEA

That Romanian group has been around a bit. Someone sent me a cd of theirs a long while back. Not bad.

From the Offbeat Magazine email:

On All Saints Day, there will be a ceremony in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to unveil a new historical marker and the repaired iron cross on the Musicians Tomb. There will be live music, followed a second line from St. Louis No. 1 to St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 with the Ernie K-Doe Baby Dolls to Heather Twitchell's tomb, where plaques will be unveiled for Earl King and Antoinette K-Doe. The event starts at 10 a.m. and ends at noon. For more information, call 583-7309.

i hate those funny hat brass bands (mostly when they try to play new orleans stuff). don't let me ruin your fun though, i'm a notorious brass band hater.

from Offbeat:

The Louisiana State Museum and the National Park Service have collaborated to renovate the third floor of the Old U.S. Mint into a proper performance space complete with improved acoustics and recording equipment to capture oral histories and performances. The grand opening of this new jazz performance hall takes place on Saturday with an afternoon of live music. It starts at 1 p.m. outside the U.S. Mint with Treme Brass Band and then proceeds into the new hall on the third floor at 3 p.m. with trumpeter Wendell Brunious and trombonist Wendell Eugene who may be joined by surprise guest artists.