Colossus Brass Band
Sing On
**** out of *****
The debut release, titled Sing On, from the newly formed Colossus Brass Band is a hefty slice of traditional hymns and original music steeped in the vibrant history of New Orleans Brass Band's and the city's unique Second Line culture. The album mixes older classics and new originals that fit right into the brass band tradition. Released on the Old Saw Music label, the album is chockful of musical veterans and is a must own for any fans of New Orleans traditional sound.
While this may be the Colossus Brass Band's debut record, these players are all veterans of the New Orleans scene. The group's large lineup plays like a who's who of the city's musical families and GRAMMY nominees.
The group is led by trumpeter Mark Braud (Harry Connick, Jr., Preservation Hall Jazz Band) with added instrumentation from Wendell Brunious – trumpet (Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lionel Hampton), Kevin Louis – trumpet (Palm Court Jazz Band, Duke Ellington Orchestra), Gregg Stafford – trumpet, bass drum (Young Tuxedo Brass Band, Original Liberty Jazz Band) Bruce Brackman – clarinet (Palmetto Bug Stompers, Storyville Stompers) Roderick Paulin – tenor saxophone (Delfeayo Marsalis’ Uptown Jazz Orchestra, Rebirth Brass Band) Freddie Lonzo – trombone (Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra) Craig Klein – trombone (New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Storyville Stompers) Kirk Joseph – sousaphone (Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dr. John) Gerald French – snare drum (Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, The Dixie Cups) Cayetano “Tanio” Hingle – bass drum (New Orleans Nightcrawlers, New Birth Brass Band).
The album opens with an original composition from Braud as "Royal Street Parade" starts the marching, but in a touch of subdued manor. Another original "When I Awaken" (written by Braud's partner Meghan Swartz) follows and it is the first of many dirges, before the title track brings back the celebration. This combination of dirge before celebratory tune happens often on the album and mimics the jazz funeral processions common in the city over the years, mourning the dead, before celebrating their life.
On an album chock full of great playing, "Dirty Rice" stands out as highlight offering. The popping brass work is exuberant on this original from Braud, the drums bring it all together and the band just cooks with fluid lines all over. The Colossus Brass Band's spin on the classic "Tiger Rag" is also an excellent showcase of their skills with Brackman's clarinet work being especially noticeable while the drummers are the MVP's during "Creole Cradle Song" which has that Latin tinge to the percussion that works so well behind New Orleans brass.
The easy strolling "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" brings the church to the streets before the dirge/celebration combo of "Just A Closer Walk With Thee". Trumpet, sax and clarinet solo's highlight the incredibly fun original "Sunday Struttin'" which adds extra pep to the step before the album closes out with the final dirge/celebration combo, "When The Burden Is Lifted" and a flourished-up version of "When The Saints Go Marching In".
On Sing On, the only real negative is that it is a lot to take in during one listen, colossus indeed. Perhaps breaking up the nineteen tracks for a part one and part two release may have been more effective, but as it stands it is hard to fault the production or the playing on the album. While other brass bands in town bring in splashes of hip-hop, R&B and more modernity to move a crowd, that is not in Colossus' play book, they are capturing these songs for history while adding more exciting tunes to the brass band tradition.
Extra special notice should be given to the fantastically extensive linear notes written by Ricky Riccardi that go into detail about the history of the players, the songs themselves and more. For fans of New Orleans Brass Band music this is a must own, and for those on the fence, give a few of the songs by Colossus Brass Band a spin. You just might fall in love and be moved by the passion contained within Sing On.
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