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Although I've only been there once, I'm of the strongest feeling that
New Orleans is paradise for any music lover and, reading up on this band I've boogied hard to every time, affirms that. Born of one of the most music intensive parishes in the Crescent, Rebirth Brass
Band has changed their lineup over the years but is still anchored by the original force of Philip "Tuba Phil" Frazier who bears the weight of his sousaphone as if it was a pillow, jivin' up and down behind a firing squad of brass with a hopskotching snare between him and his brother Keith on the shoulder strapped bass drum. During the set break I focused on that large horn, following the tight turns as if it was a David Cronenberg prop soon to be manhandled by Jeremy Irons. Glisteningly bright and large, it rested there while Phil & the boys were off doing their extended thing(s) and then jumped right back on his shoulders, soon to ride as high as Bar Mitzvah boy on the chair when the second set took us into the beginning hours of the next day.
Rebirth follows the long and proud tradition of funeral brass, known to play slow dirges on the way to the cemetery and livelier stuff on the way to the wake. Since noone (but the Mets) died, it was more of a general celebration for their visit to our pre-occupied city last week. They always bring it hard, using the front line of three trombones, two trumpets and a saxophone to range from peppering the audience to an all out ear ringing, ankle twisting wall of sound that balances nicely with the strong but not dominating sounds of the tuba and percussion behind them. It starts with Phil, laying down the boomp boomp boomp, easing us into lively expressions on snare and bass drums that lend a structure to their tunes that's so infectuous you might find yourself turning toward
the door to romp down the street. And they mix it up, obviously the
creators of some hot and sticky funk, pierced by the trumpets and
saxophone and mixed generously will allusions to Stevie Wonder, P-funk,
and many other contributors to the world of soul, funk, R&B, and jazz (jambalaya is good food). When they bring it on out with their own
stuff such as Feel like Funkin' it Up you just know there's
nothing you can do but groove from which their epic romps give little
rest.
It was a surprisingly packed house at the Wetlands Preserve for a Tuesday night and even the guy taking the cash at the
door had his rally cap on in the glowing light of a mini-TV. The room
was filled with everyone from down home travellers to the transplanted
to hometown appreciators who chose to focus the highly charged energy of
our fair burg into something a little healthier than pushing people out
of the way. But one of the nice things about Rebirth's performance was
how inclusive it was of the audience. When we weren't moving and
contorting to the music, we were responding to the hijinx of sax player
James Durant whose wild playing obviously didn't get out enough of his
fire as he had more than enough left over to "talk feces," as he put it,
before every song. Apparently, James will be running for president in
2004 which gives us a few years to build up the grass roots support
he'll need to overcome the soft money juggernauts of elephant and mule.
His very simple platforms include; free gas, no taxes and everything
legalized which I'm sure will be accompanied by weekly parades up and
and down Pennsylvania Avenue. Somewhere out there, I hope Al and Tipper
take time away from crossing out the lascivious lyrics in their old
Grateful Dead albums to swing through NOLA and recapture a bit of the
taste of fun that our entire society could use in this time of taking
ourselves way too seriously.
Rebirth Brass Band will be playing a few gigs back home for
the next few days, participating in what should be an amazing Halloween
with other acts such as Widespread Panic, Karl
Denson's Tiny Universe, Michael Ray, Moore
& More and just a ton more to fill out the voracious hunger for
music that permeates that city. Following that, Rebirth has a couple of
dates coming up in Atlanta but I'm sure the stompin' feet that follow
them will soon arrive in your town so keep an eye out and browse through
the mp3s on their website to tide you over.
Howie Greenberg
JamBase NYC Correspondent
Go See Live Brass!!!
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