"Make Way For The Rebirth" - Rebirth Brass Band

“Make Way For The Rebirth” (PDF) from the Kermit Ruffins with Rebirth Brass Band album, Throwback.

After Kermit Ruffins parted ways with Rebirth Brass Band in 1993, the band was forced to evolve with the musical landscape; the influence of hip hop had reached mainstream culture while the Soul Rebels were redefining brass band traditions. With the addition of new members, Rebirth spent the following decade modernizing its repertoire for younger audiences and Ca$h Money soldiers. But what always sets New Orleans musicians apart from the mainstream is their connection to traditional music, with Throwback capturing the 21st-Century sound of Rebirth Brass Band, pre-Katrina, under the helm of Kermit Ruffins once again. All aboard!

My best guess is that trombonist Stafford Agee plays this solo, based on its dexterity and range, but it could also be the work of Corey Henry (and I haven’t studied enough to know definitively - any guidance is appreciated!). The rhythm section provides plenty of room to gradually build up the solo, and Agee uses syncopated phrases to rub against the Fraizer groove, but the machine-like rhythms are quickly unleashed over the parade. Agee also relies on non-chord tones to separate himself from the background shouts.

Here is a YouTube video featuring Stafford Agee’s horn repair services, among his many other talents for music preservation:

Recommended viewing: Never A Dull Moment: 20 Years of Rebirth Brass Band, music documentary.