What's so good about the Soul Rebels Brass Band?

The Soul Rebels Brass Band is the real deal. When they talk about carrying on the marching band and New Orleans Brass Band traditions, they mean it - each of the eight members was born in New Orleans, and each spent years training in high school, university and professional marching and brass bands. So when they get on stage, they bring the choreography, calibre and energy of the best brass bands around. Check out this teaser:

This video reinforces a couple of things about the Soul Rebels. First - whether they're playing for thousands at an outdoor festival or a more intimate crowd indoors, they bring their full energy to the show. Second - every aspect of their show is of the highest calibre: their playing, their dancing, their singing. If they're going to do something, they're going to do it right. Third - the variety of their repertoire: they're just as likely to play a traditional New Orleans tune as they are to play a hit by Jay-Z. Here's a cover of "Sweet Dreams are Made of This" (originally recorded by The Eurythmics):

The melding of pop, R&B, soul, funk and hip-hop with the brass band tradition was an intentional decision on the part of the band, and reflected each member's musical influences. In fact, the band was formed while two of the original members were playing in other brass bands, but, according to Lumar LeBlanc (the band's snare drummer), "We wanted to make our own sound without disrespecting the brass tradition, so we knew we had to break away." The result is an authentic mix of traditional and contemporary styles.

Of course, what matters most is how the band sounds live. We've already checked out one clip from the Jools Holland show. Here's a clip now from the 2011 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival:

I can't make any guarantees about what your booty might do during a live Soul Rebels Brass Band show. But I will suggest that if it can get mine moving (and I'm not exactly a big dancer), it will likely get yours moving too.

The Soul Rebels Brass Band descend upon the Opera House on Tuesday, June 26. Doors open at 9 pm. For complete information visit the Soul Rebels concert page.

Josh