One of New Orleans musical gems, The Stooges Brass Band, headlines KSUT and Music in the Mountains annual Party in the Park this Saturday (7/16) in Durango's Buckley Park. As a warm-up, KSUT will feature their new CD 'Thursday Night House Party' this Friday at noon.
Whether they're second-lining in New Orleans, or performing across the country, the Stooges Brass Band immerse crowds in a high-energy, cut loose vibe that's contemporary yet deeply rooted in the culturally rich musical legacy of the Crescent City.
Known for their mix of traditional New Orleans brass sounds, contemporary jazz, and hip-hop, The Stooges' sound has evolved since they formed in 1996. They won the "Red Bull Street Kings: Best Brass Band" competition and "Best Contemporary Brass Band 2011" at the Big Easy Music Awards. They started working with ESPN's music department in 2007, reworking their theme songs for College Game Day, Sports Center, and more. In 2012, they served as national cultural ambassadors and were employed by the US Embassy to tour Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
There's a New Orleans legacy here, as the band's founder Walter "Whoadie" Ramsey told the Gambit in 2010, " “My grandfather was one of key people with Dirty Dozen. He was a fly percussionist. And my dad was the president of social aid and pleasure club called the ‘Scene Boosters’, one of the most popular clubs back in the day.” The foundation was there but the real spark was lit for him while watching Rebirth as a young student. “Seeing [Rebirth] in elementary school blew me out the water. That's when I said ‘I want to do that!’ From that day forward, I tried to put a brass band together. It didn’t happen until I got to high school. I used to trade instruments until I got every one of them. I just didn’t have the musicians to play them."
Thursday Night House Party is the latest hot album from one of the top NOLA brass bands.
