Hot 8 Brass Band
On the Spot
Tru Thoughts Recordings
Every time I hear one of the Brass Bands from New Orleans, I get a little jealous. I played trombone in band, but we were only taught to play the notes on the page. We weren’t really taught to play music. Of course, it’s more than just what they’re teaching in schools, music is part of the cultural fabric of the city. The Hot 8 Brass Band got their start playing second line parades for the Social Aide and Pleasure clubs and jazz funerals. Music is a living part of everyday life. It’s out in the street and down on the corner, not just holed up in concert halls and clubs. When I hear these bands, I wish I’d had a chance to play music like this myself. Â
You can hear the Hot 8 Brass Band in concert halls and bars too. In the 20 years they’ve been playing together, they have grown from a parade band to a touring band taking the spirit of New Orleans to the rest of the world. The sound though belongs in the street. It’s just too big, too lively to be contained by four walls. The sound demands that you move your body! Â
When you take a brass band into the studio, you risk losing some of the spirit of the performance. On the Spot gets the balance between a clean recording and frenetic performance. The drums and sousaphone keep the ass-shaking grooves going while the horn players throw down hot jazz solos. The program includes traditional favorites like “St. James Infirmary”, original tunes like the opening track “8 Kickin’ It Live” and pop tunes like “Sweetest Taboo”. Get On the Spot and let the neighbors think you’ve lost your mind while you throw a living room second line. Â
