Monday, July 6, 2015

Youngblood Brass Band - Pax Volumi

My first experience with New Orleans brass band music came in 2003 when Raman and I took a road trip from Alabama to New Orleans. We stayed with a friend of his who, after hearing we were keen to hear some live local music, suggested we check out "Rebirth". I had no idea who she was talking about (and I'm fairly certain Raman didn't either) so in our naivety we headed into a club so I could catch my first Genuine New Orleans Music Gig.

The night opened with Kermit Ruffins, a jazz trumpeter and singer and staple of the New Orleans jazz scene. You may have caught his appearance in a few episodes of David Simon's Treme. After an hour of fairly laid back jazz standards the Rebirth Brass Band filed onto the stage. Trumpet, trumpet, tenor sax, bass drum, sousaphone...what the...?

Standing as close to the stage as we could get, Raman and I were bombarded and blasted by a brassy wall of sound. Funky, ballsy, big. This was my first encounter with a brass band (lucky me to have my cherry popped by Rebirth!) and it's fair to say that moment marked the beginning of my affinity for brass bands.

I discovered Youngblood Brass Band recently while I was exploring the genre on Google Music and I was immediately drawn to the group's high energy music and fusion of brass band, hip hop, and jazz improvisation. I've listened to all four alums and Pax Volumi is my favourite, though I admit I haven't given the other albums any more than one listen.





Pax Volumi opens with #1 20 Questions, a track that's a bit "in jokey" but it sets the tone for the album musically. I like the social commentary in #3 Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (yeah, they really do mean "WTF") and the trombone/vocal unison in the chorus. I like the energy of #7 Overtime, and annoyingly the chorus from #10 Ain't Nobody is always stuck in my head. I'm not sure what #11 Rugged Cross is doing in there, it's a neat take on the classic but it doesn't fit with the style of the album.

I find Pax Volumi just about the right length, any longer and my head grows weary of the aural assault. It's also the perfect length for my weekly drive to big band rehearsal and it's the pump up I want before pulling out my horn.

A solid 4.5 for me.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1047122/Pax%20Volumi%20-%20Youngblood%20Brass%20Band.zip
Posted by Ben at 9:17 AM

4 comments:

  1. WenJuly 16, 2015 at 10:59 PM

    The first few tracks/the rap had me wanting to stab my finger at my iPad to hit the skip button. "We got more hot shit than you can shake a dick at. So ill, at the door you get a stamp and a sick bag". Really? From 'E La E' onwards though, I was completely hooked :-)

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    Replies
    1. UnknownJuly 29, 2015 at 5:15 PM

      Me too Wendy, although I didn't make it all the way through. I like me some hip hop, but I struggled with the aural assault. I imagine these guys would be awesome live, they have a big sound. But it was a bit too much in my little fiesta!

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  2. ramanAugust 20, 2015 at 10:51 AM

    i'm with the other Aussies. bc of Ben, i actually have a great appreciation of "big band" / brass music, and the underlying tunes are solid, puncuating the tone of the message. and i also appreciate good rap/hip hop (dope rhymes...Grey album anyone?), and these lyrics are pretty dope. but combining the 2? not a fan.

    i almost wish i could have the brass music alone (or simply with less angry/Eminem-esque vocals), or have the dope lyrics set to something simpler/sampler.

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  3. ramanAugust 20, 2015 at 10:51 AM

    whiskey. tango. foxtrot!

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