Brass bands: Mardi Gras tunes for your soul
Editor’s Note: The exuberant excess of Mardi Gras in New Orleans is all about the parades, picnics, floats and—always—the music. Aarthi has put together a carnival soundtrack that captures the spirit of this celebration—including classics as well as new tracks you must add to your playlist—from Louis Armstrong essentials to Grammy-winning jazz funk.
Written by: Aarthi Ramnath, Assistant News Editor
February was the month of Mardi Gras—which means ‘Fat Tuesday’—so it’s only apt to wrap the month with the foot-stomping marching beats of the New Orleans brass bands. You can hear the tracks listed below on this playlist on Splainer’s account.
First, a short history.
The Mardi Gras in New Orleans—the birthplace of Jazz—is a reflection of its colonial past. European trumpets and trombones melded with folk and Afro-Caribbean beats— accompanied by drums and march music—and created the unique New Orleans brass sound. The early development of jazz in the late nineteenth century is associated with bandleader Charles "Buddy" Bolden—who then went on to influence some of the all time legends such as Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, Hot 8, Rebirth, Trombone Shorty and more. Both the old and the new are on display during the wild Mardi Gras carnival parades—expressing its exultant celebratory spirit.
‘Hey Pokey A-Way’ by The Meters: We are starting off strong with one of the biggest funk jazz acts of New Orleans that ruled the Mardi Gras scene from 1965 to 1979. This song has a marching band-style drum intro which instantly puts me in the carnival mood.
‘Exactly Like You’ by Rebirth Brass Band: This band is one of my favourites. They were internationally recognized for winning a Grammy in 2019 in the ‘Best Regional Roots Music Album’ category. They have many Mardi Gras grooves in their discography including the one mentioned above which will make you want to dance with your partner. My personal fave is ‘Do Whatcha Wanna’ which gives me an instant rush of the feel-good energy.
‘We Got the Music’ by The Original Pinettes Brass Band: These gals formed their band in 1999—and are the only female Brass Band in the male dominated ensembles. The best part: they are active to this day! This song is from their 2013 album and makes me wanna ‘rock and roll’ just like the lyrics say.
‘Sugar Foot Stomp’ by Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra: This is fairly an old jam—recorded in 1925 by Fletcher Henderson featuring an orchestra with Louis Armstrong. You can hear the early Blues influences in this peppy number.
‘Heebee Jeebees’ by Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five: Speaking of Armstrong, you really shouldn’t miss this classic from 1926, as it is a guaranteed mood maker. Wait for the 1:25-minute mark when Armstrong colours the track with his voice.
‘Shake Your Body’ by Hot 8 Brass Band: Here is another Grammy-winning brass band which has some of the most fun tracks on the playlist. This is from their Grammy winning album from 2019. Another song from them that hits it out of the park is ‘New Orleans (After The City)’.
‘Everybody in the World’ by Trombone Shorty and New Breed Brass Band: Troy Andrews—better known by his stage alias Trombone Shorty—is a staple at any Mardi Gras celebration. Fun fact: He made history at just four years old when he performed at Jazz Fest and then led his own brass band when he was six. Yup, he is just that good. Also check out another one of his hits with Rebirth Brass Band called ‘Backjump’.
‘That’s It’ by Preservation Hall Jazz Brand: Counted as legends, this band has been around since 1961 and is one of the most loved brass ensembles. ‘That’s It’ is one of their original materials that was released in 2013 with a bit of Latin influence. You may also listen to their older hit ‘Go To The Mardi Gras’ while you’re at it.
‘Voodoo’ by The Dirty Dozen Brass Brand: Here is one more funky brass band that creates some of the most addictive music. In fact, they won a Grammy this year. They also have a more danceable number called ‘My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now’ and I bet you’ll be singing this for the rest of day.
‘New Funk’ by Stooges Brass Brand: Saving the funkiest for the last, Stooges is another well-loved band which was formed in 1996. They are known for their inventive high-energy mix of contemporary jazz and hip-hop.
PS: Don’t forget to check out our previous playlists—including K-pop bangers, drummer beats, rock songs through the ages, a heavy metal playlist and a cappella tracks.
