“Leave That Pipe Alone” (PDF) from the Rebirth Brass Band album, Feel Like Funkin’ It Up

In his book Roll With It, musicologist Matt Sakakeeny identifies New Orleans brass band musicians as “agents in the public sphere who utilize voices and instruments as technologies for producing subjectivity, identity, and culture.” He argues that the act of parading and occupying public space brings together the collective voice of a community, expressed through music, song, and practiced traditions. Utilizing resources from Rounder Records, Rebirth Brass Band’s second album features original culture that addresses the Regean-era “war on drugs” within Black communities. While the “Just Say No” platitude reduced the social crisis down to a simple black-and-white issue through the denial of pleasure, Rebirth’s “Leave That Pipe Alone” campaign directly acknowledges the introduction of, the cohabitation with, and the addiction to harmful substances within the community. Furthermore, Sakakeeny documents the effects of drug abuse in regard to the stunted social mobility of brass band musicians.

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