Song:Feel Like Funkin' It Up
Album:Feel Like Funkin' It Up
The rise of New Orleans brass bands began in the 80s and they continue to be popular today. The Rebirth Brass Band is one of the more popular bands recording and performing this kind of music. And they got a big boost when they were featured in the HBO series Treme. People always ask me if this music is jazz. Well, it has jazz elements. But it also has elements of New Orleans street music and high school marching bands. In particular, the street music is unique to New Orleans. You don't see it anywhere else. The Rebirth Brass Band was formed in 1983 by tuba player Phil Frazier, his brother bass drummer Keith Frazier and trumpeter Kermit Ruffins. They started out playing New Orleans clubs and music festivals and this led to the 1985 album Here To Stay on Arhoolie Records. This led to a deal with the much larger Rounder Records and the album Feel Like Funkin' It Up was released in 1989. This was their breakthrough album mainly because of wider distribution and Rebirth started touring internationally. After several albums for Rounder, Ruffins left to go solo in 1994. The band continued recording on labels like Mardi Gras and Basin Street. In recent years, they have had success on the jazz charts because of the HBO series Treme which featured a lot of New Orleans musicians. As a music expert, I loved that show. Their latest CD Move Your Body was released June 2014 and features a guest appearance by Trombone Shorty. So if the Rebirth Brass Band is coming your way, they are a party waiting to happen. So be sure to check them out. Here's the Rebirth Brass Band performing Feel Like Funkin' It Up in Jam In A Van at the 2013 Telluride Blues and Brews Festival in Telluride, CO.
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