“Ghost Town” (PDF) from the Hot 8 Brass Band album, The Life & Times Of…

In the early 1980’s, the 2 Tone ska band The Specials recorded “Ghost Town” as an examination of the economic strife throughout the United Kingdom.  A generation later, the Hot 8 Brass Band adopted the #1 hit song to rebuild the cultural voice of New Orleans, a city washed away by Hurricane Katrina.  In addition to the natural disaster, Matt Sakakeeny discusses in his book, Roll With It, the social and political violence that the Hot 8 Brass Band has endured for over twenty years, making “Ghost Town” an apt and tragic anthem that longs for the “good old days.”

According to the album liner notes, trombonists Dwaynne Finny and Jerreau Fournett are featured on this recording, however it is unclear as to who is actually playing the trombone solo.  A good guess would be that the two musicians trade the solo passages along with the sax and trumpet.

Here’s the YouTube music video of Hot 8’s version of “Ghost Town”

Recommended reading: Roll With It: Brass Bands in the Streets of New Orleans by Matt Sakakeeny.  Published by Duke University Press.