Butcher Brown and No BS! Brass Band, both hailing from Richmond, Va., lit up The Southern with an electric energy last week. With different yet complementary styles, the two groups provided a show full of fantastic jazz music.
Opening act Butcher Brown started the show, laying down deep grooves and atmospheric vibes across an hour-long set. In stark contrast to the aggressive, in-your-face tracks of the act to come, Brown’s sound took a much more deliberate approach.
“The Healer,” one highlight of the set, began with a slow, driving groove and a repetitive synthesizer motif. After the build, the song erupted into a monstrous climax — full of blazing drums and piercing guitar — before winding down to a gentle conclusion. Closing with a fast-paced track, “Tunnel Vision,” Brown set the scene nicely for the explosive brass to come.
With an array of shining golden brass spanning the length of the stage, the mere sight of No BS! Brass was imposing, until their sound hit the audience like a fantastic brick in the face. Consisting of 14 members, the vast majority of whom have conservatory training and various degrees in music, the talent of the group was never in question. The incredible quality of the individual improvised solos throughout the set was a testament to the many parts making up the whole.
Their sound was capable of incredible volume, with earth-shaking pedal tones from the low brass and stratospheric screams from the trumpets. What truly sets No BS! Brass apart from the hundreds of other brass bands out there, however, is their musicality. In the rare softer moments of the set, the group’s sound transformed from chaotic and abrasive, although never out of control, to warm and lush. These changes of pace were some of the best parts of the show, as they usually led to an even more intense climax of sound and brass-fueled fury.
The group proved almost flawless throughout the entirety of the show, with rarely a note or phrase out of place across the two-hour set. Stylistically, No BS! Brass breaks new ground from their past New Orleans-esque sound, and their wailing sounds and aggressive rhythms only enforce the fact. Many tracks, particularly those off of their November 2015 release, “Brass Knuckles,” opt for aggression and organized chaos over the traditional second line brass sound with great effect. Even through the end of the show, which saw a hugely entertaining cover of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” the crowd never let up, responding to No BS! Brass Band’s infectious energy and sound.
A full night of jazz left the crowd with buzzing enthusiasm and ringing ears, but the unmistakable style and relentless sound of No BS! Brass Band was undoubtedly the show’s most lasting impact.
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