Dirty Dozen Brass Band: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Bob Boilen | February 28, 2017 — They're simply an abundance of euphoria. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band blasted the Tiny Desk with a Sousaphone, trumpets, saxophones, guitar and drums, at stunning volume, for a joyful celebration.

This band has been mixing be-bop and funk for 40 years. Around this time of year, when Mardi Gras revelry is fueled by New Orleans jazz, it was so good to feel their sounds in the office. Since today is Fat Tuesday — just before Lent and its fasts begin for some — we are sharing the party we hosted, filled with brass and sass from this fixture of great American music. Enjoy.

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Set List
"Use Your Brain"
"Best Of All"
"Tomorrow"
"My Feet Can't Fail Me Now"

Musicians
Roger Lewis (baritone sax); Gregory Davis (trumpet, vocals); Kevin Harris (tenor sax, vocals); Efrem Towns (trumpet, vocals); Kirk Joseph (sousaphone); Julian Addison (drums); Takeshi Shimmura (guitar)

Credits
Producers: Bob Boilen, Niki Walker; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Niki Walker, Morgan Noelle Smith, Bronson Arcuri; Production Assistant: Maia Stern; Photo: Claire Harbage/NPR.

[susancain]

New Orleans should be preserved as an historical site in the history of American music. It is part of the backbone in American music and its historical importance can not be overstated.

[mundanemusic]

The way the tuba player is rockin that bass line like a jazz bass guitar is just amazing!! Brilliant band! 👍😀

[Chinchu]

The real MVP of this band is the guy in the back playing the sousaphon, those basslines are AMAZING...

[stevesalke]

The Sousaphone is the most important and hardest working instrument in the brass bands. This guy rocks!

[cpresleyphotos]

You know that feeling of being consumed by debt and all of the stress life throws at you. I just turned this on and danced by myself and all of my troubles don't seem as suffocating as they did before. This music is magical guys!

[thomasarmstrong]

The bari sax player is the man. Guys that play like him are rare... give that man a raise

[bbyqngel]

these tiny desk concerts are life changing

[KFCJones]

hats off to the soundman, this sounds great on my phone. that can't have been easy...

[whales]

the way the guitar peeks through from the bottom of the sound is so satisfying

[Josh-dxkj]

Holy smokes! The guy on the sousaphone plays those base lines with some ferocious speed. What a great band!

[sereroserera]

Impossible not to feel the deep groove during the drummer's solo at 6:25 and the chords that come right after man

[initialdluvr]

I freaking love brass bands. One of America's greatest fine art treasures.

[panpolypuff]

Some of the greats here, folks! Had the privilege to see Dirty Dozen live in Seattle a couple years ago, and got to hang out and chat with their incredible tuba player, Kirk Joseph, afterwards. Amazing lineage here, and some of the purest musicianship you'll ever find.

[ingridpinzon]

Quarantine with the Tiny Desk Concert series is like heaven. Thank you!

[rodneyjones]

Amazingly clean, nobody stepped on nobody's toes-lots of space even the rhythm guitarist had his own groove going on in between everybody. Just goes to you don't have to be loud or a show-off if you play within the music-although there are times when you have to fire up a dead audience. This wasn't that time. These guys are good, they are pros. I love it.

[vividius]

look at the feller on drums "I'm gunna wear this big sweater because I don't plan on breaking a sweat"

[joshua]

Most underrated bass factory of all time...That tuba, mic'd right, sounds really phenomenal.

[chrisharper]

This one never gets old no matter how many time I watch it.

[atsushiriver]

As a Japanese, I'm proud that Ken Niimura is participating in such a wonderful band with a guitar.

[cedriclasry]

face-melting drum solo from the guy who looks like he's strolling in the park