Eric’s on Mathew Street is about to get hot and brassy as the Hot 8 Brass Band fly in with their spiced up gumbo funk and hip hop spiced up with authentic New Orleans street band flavours on Sunday 3rd March. .
The Hot 8 Brass Band is the world-renowned New Orleans based brass band that blends hip-hop, jazz and funk styles with traditional New Orleans brass sounds with stunning results. Playing New Orleans clubs and traditional jazz funerals and street marches, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Hot 8 Brass Band was propelled into the international spotlight by an appearance in Spike Lee’s film When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts. Since then the band has toured the world with their authentic and totally unique New Orleans street sound.
Famous for their blistering, high energy performances – expect them to tear the roof off of the venue at this much-anticipated Liverpool visit.
New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass Band was founded in 1995 by tuba player Bennie Pete, Jerome “Bay Bay” Jones (trombone) and Harry “Swamp Thang” Cook (bass drum) to play brass band music professionally. Although many of the current members began playing together in high school, over time the line-up has inevitably shifted and changed, and continues to do so. However, any incarnation of Hot 8 Brass Band will boast eight or nine players of the highest rate, bringing the passion and noise through a bevy of trombones, saxophones, trumpets, snare and bass drums, all buoyed up by the immense tuba basslines of band leader Bennie Pete. These musicians over the years have been inspired by artists such as Tuba Fats, Leroy Jones, Louis Armstrong, J.J. Johnson, Stevie Wonder and Jackie McLean, and have variously recorded and performed with some of those mentioned and more.
With a second album in the pipeline and new material at the ready, Hot 8 Brass Band have just completed another comprehensive U.K. and European tour, this time upping the stakes to include a set at Glastonbury festival (where they were interviewed by the Guardian, appearing in the paper on the following Monday; and filmed for B.B.C.2’s prime time coverage of the event.) Other major dates on this tour included the immense Roskilde festival and a roof-raising show at London’s Scala. Hot 8 Brass Band has always believed in contributing to its culture by playing in traditional Second Line parades, expressions of freedom and community through music and interaction. It has earned a great reputation on the streets, with seemingly boundless work ethic and energy, The Hot 8 Brass Band has been known to pack in nine shows in a single day.
Members of Hot 8 Brass Band have toured in Japan, Europe and the U.K. They regularly play at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (“Jazz Fest”) and have performed at the San Antonio Zulu Association Festival and it is with great pleasure to welcome them to Liverpool for this special show.
Tickets for Hot 8 Brass Band are available from Ticketmaster or Eric’s Box office on 0151 2369994. Tickets are priced at £17.50.
Ian D. Hall