After reclaiming its mojo as a raucous, horns-heavy traditional street band on 2011’s inspired and inspiring Rebirth of New Orleans, which won the group its first Grammy, one of the Crescent City’s most acclaimed marching brass outfit continues in a similar vein with the aptly titled Move Your Body.
This particular version of the octet’s long-running party, officially started in 1983 by tuba player Phillip Frazier, his brother Keith on bass drum and no-longer-involved trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, begins on an appropriately rootsy note: The rollicking traditional song, “Lord, Lord, Lord, You’ve Sure Been Good to Me” opens up for saxophone, trombone and trumpet solos before guest Glen David Andrews injects his gruff vocals into the call-and-response proceedings.
Erica Falls’ soulful declarations top the waterfalling, criss-crossing horns and background vocals of “Rebirth Makes You Dance” and perform a similar function, with singer Quinten “Q” Spears, on the randy “HBNS,” which hints at old-school R&B. The title track, sort of a mission statement for the band, achieves its goal with a funkified tuba line, a catchy repetitive brass riff and infectious group vocals, while Trombone Shorty joins the party with a punchy, extended ‘bone solo on the pulsing, Caribbean-tinted “On My Way.”
Rebirth’s brand of joyous swagger is put to great use on the disc’s other tracks, too, including the rising and falling “Take ‘Em to the Moon,” the strolling “Rebirth Groove,” the percussion-heavy “Who’s Rockin’, Who’s Rollin’?” and the infectious closer, “What Are We Gonna Do?/Banner Man.”
Rebirth Brass Band: Move Your Body
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