They’ve won over national audiences with their dynamic, New Orleans-flavored sound and their lively performance style, but NO BS! Brass Band never really leaves its hometown behind.
“The way the city moves and the people of the city influence every single note that I write,” remarks trombonist/percussionist Reggie Pace, who with drummer/vocalist Lance Koehler founded the ensemble some seven years ago.
The band’s members have been busy joining musical forces with the likes of Gladys Knight, Bon Iver, Megafaun, and the Wailers (to name but a few). Still, they remain a reliable and beloved local presence.
Playing their part in Greater Richmond’s emergence as a contender in the regional music scene, NO BS! Brass Band has named one of the two new albums they’ll debut this summer in honor of our fair city.
RVA All Day, to be released on June 14, promises to deliver more of the high-energy covers and jazz-infused originals that have roused far-flung crowds to their feet time and time again.
“It’s more like a cheerleading thing,” says Pace, who adds he wants to see Richmond ranked among cities such as Brooklyn and Austin when it comes to cultivating great performers. “You don’t have to be from New York or New Orleans.”
Of Greater Richmond’s role in the band’s vibrant life, he notes, “The people that I hang with in this city are very comfortable in their own skin. No matter how weird, alternative, fashion-forward, fashion-less, aggressive, passive, conservative, liberal, clean, dirty … whatever … and I love that. It allows me to be comfortable writing and playing whatever I want.”
A second project Fight Song: A Tribute to Charles Mingus is a nine-song compilation coming out on July 5 that not only honors the late jazz giant but also showcases the band’s artistic brilliance. The album is inspired by Mingus’ musical legacy, their shared admiration for the genre, and the efforts of the Mingus Awareness Project (MAP) to raise money for research of ALS (the illness, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which claimed Mingus’ life).
When NO BS! Brass Band played one of MAP’s annual concerts, they composed some original songs for the occasion.
“They just came out so good that we decided to write a few more and make it a record,” Pace recalls, adding, “I love Charles Mingus—all of us do—and it’s the type of music that fits really well with our vibe.”
NO BS! Brass Band will take the stage at this summer’s Floyd Fest, in addition to venues in D.C., Charlottesville, and New York. But not long scarce around these parts, they’ll perform locally at Friday Cheers on May 24 and at such familiar spots as the Camel and Balliceaux, both of which will host release parties for RVA All Day in late May.
RVA All Day, to be released on June 14, promises to deliver more of the high-energy covers and jazz-infused originals that have roused far-flung crowds to their feet time and time again.