As a musician, I have been aware of vibrant music scenes across the country including Seattle, Asheville, Knoxville, Burlington, Boston, Atlanta, and of course our very own Charlottesville, VA. In recent years I have become more and more intrigued with Richmond’s scene.
“RVA All Day“ is what the serious musicians in Richmond, VA, say when referring to the music of their city. The saying gives a sense of pride to their own musicianship, their camaraderie amongst fellow Richmond musicians, and simply the love they have for the city itself. I first learned of the term after hearing my friend Devonne (aka DJ Harrison) use it after releasing some of his music last year. After playing music with him for a while I have also learned a lot more about other Richmond musicians including Butcher Brown, DJ Williams Projekt, RVA Big Band, Abinnet Berhanu Trio, NO BS! Brass, among many others.
Even though I’m primarily a guitarist, I have been fascinated with brass bands since I was in middle school. I can remember buying my first Tower of Power CD, then discovering an album called “Brass Hop” by Coolbone (a funk/hip hop horn driven group), and of course all the amazing New Orleans staples like Rebirth, Dirty Dozen, and Treme brass bands. NO BS! Brass is no exception. The first time I saw them I was hooked. Their sound is familiar yet fresh, pushing their own boundaries and definitely making their mark on the music scene in Richmond and well beyond.
NO BS! Brass plays outside at the Josie Robertson Plaza (at Lincoln Center) in NYC, NY this Thursday, August 8th.
If you like what you see and hear, please visit the official Pun Picks website: www.punpicks.com
Here’s a live session of their tune “RVA All Day” from their performance at the Ntelos Wireless Pavilion a few weeks ago.
From their bio:
“NO BS! Brass takes the New Orleans brass band into uncharted territory, fearlessly combining elements of James Brown, John Coltrane, Michael Jackson, and Led Zeppelin into their fiercely original sound.”
Reggie Pace: trombone
Bryan Hooten: trombone
John Hulley: trombone
Dillard Watt: bass trombone
Sam Koff: trumpet
Marcus Tenney: trumpet
Taylor Barnett: trumpet
Ben Court: trumpet
David Hood: alto saxophone
Stefan Demetriadis: tuba
Lance Koehler: drums
