My love for brass bands is no mystery, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band in particular is one of my favorite bands ever. A couple of years back, I started exploring other New Orleans bands, focusing particularly on Rebirth Brass Band which has a meaner sound a steers more towards hip hop. Last week in London I went for a quick visit to the amazing Ray's Jazz and Blues and stumbled on a second-hand record of the Youngblood Brass Band called center : level : roar. I had only vaguely heard about them, but since it was second hand, I decided to go for it.
It's a very cool record. It's definetely more hip-hop than New Orleans jazz, and that's fine with me (I can enjoy both) and the hip hop part is definetely not an excuse to sound modern, it's at the core of the concept. That being said, there's no electronics, no sampling, no nothing, just a bradd band laying funk beats and soloing around hip hop lyrics. It's well worth a listen and I'll most likely be getting hold of the other two albums they have release. Have a try for yourself with this live video of the Youngblood Brass Band's Nuclear Summer from their latest release:
All true. And I am of course obliged to point out the fine crossover work by the dirty dozen on elvis costellos' spike. Yes it's always the early nineties on my record shelf.
There is of course proper brass band. He who hath not heard black dyke mills' version of macarthur park know not the meaning of uplifting.
Posted by: quito del mar | October 31, 2007 at 09:58 AM