Howie Kaplan
Rebirth, one of New Orleans' best-known brass bands, won a Grammy last year for their album "Rebirth of New Orleans".
The song, "The Dilemma", is heard in the end credits of "The Whole Gritty City" and in the preview trailer. New Orleans' brass bands have deep connections with the city's school marching bands.
The Whole Gritty City
Rebirth's snare drummer, Derrick Tabb, founded The Roots of Music program and marching band to do for a new generation of kids what his own middle school band did for him. He credits The Bell Marching Band for transforming and saving his life.
The Whole Gritty City
The brass bands play at clubs, funerals, parties and at "second line parades". These Sunday afternoon parades are sponsored by "social aid and pleasure clubs," whose members create costumes and dance in front of the band in the "first line."
The "second line" consists of everyone who wants to listen, joining in the celebration as it travels through the neighborhoods.
The Whole Gritty City
The brass bands are direct descendants of the very first jazz bands of a century ago. The style has evolved to incorporate R&B, funk and hip hop. But the music retains a core that's unmistakably New Orleans.
Andre Lambertson
Most brass band players started their musical education in a school marching band. Some players, like Derrick Tabb, also continue the tradition as band teachers. Virgil Tiller, sax player in The Stooges Brass Band, is a band director.
Here, The Stooges rehearse in a living room as an aspiring young snare drummer takes it all in.
The Whole Gritty City
The Original Pinettes is New Orleans' only all-female brass band. Jazz Henry, who appears in "The Whole Gritty City" at age 12-13, is now a trumpet player in The Pinettes.
Braden Piper
The TBC Brass Band is made up of former band students of Wilbert and Lawrence Rawlins. Here Wilbert Rawlins joins the band at his birthday celebration.
The Whole Gritty City
The Rebirth Brass Band plays at gigs outside of New Orleans as well, with tour dates throughout the U.S. and all over the world.
Other New Orleans brass bands include The Stooges, TBC, The Soul Rebels, The Hot 8, The Treme Brass Band, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Baby Boyz, The Original Pinettes ... and the list goes on.
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