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Description
Founded by a bunch of trombone players that was fed up with sitting in the back of orchestras and jazz bands, the Po’Boys Brass Band is a 7-piece power house of funk/jazz/blues and rock. The four-trombone front line produces a sonic explosion of sound that breaks all preconceived notions of what the trombone is capable of. Supporting the trombone powerhouse is a chops-to-spare backline of guitar, drums, and sousaphone…that’s right, a funky old sousaphone. The band plays original charts as well as some tasty covers, conjuring up anything from Stevie Wonder and Tower of Power to Led Zeppelin and Edgar Winter. The band’s close ties to the great city of New Orleans guides the group spiritually, owing a lot of their sound concepts to the Rebirth Brass Band, Bonerama, the Dirty Dozen, Professor Longhair, The Meters, Dr. John, and many more.
The band’s current lineup of musicians consists of an all-star cast of characters that are all either alumni or current students at the Eastman School of Music, including a radio announcer, country singer, doctoral candidate, and even a dean. Their different backgrounds are what make the Po’Boys such a unique listening experience. Whether tearing into some vintage N’Awlins funk or shredding through an original rock-anthem, the ‘Boys never leave anyone disappointed.
Since October of 2007, the Po’Boys Brass Band has been tearing up the stages of Western New York. The band’s debut album release is scheduled to drop early Fall 2008 on the BDMG Record Label.
So kick back and relax. Open a beer and light the BBQ, because it may have started in New Orleans, but the Po’Boys are bringing it to your back yard.
Trombone? In the BACK of the band?
Not anymore.
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Roster
Trombones:
Nick Finzer
Evan Dobbins
Erik Jacobs, Vocals
Chris Van Hof
Tuba/Bass/Vocals: TJ Ricer
Guitar: Mike Frederick
Drums: Chris Teal |
Influences
| Professor Longhair, The Meters, Led Zeppelin, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Bonerama, Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power, Storyville Stompers, Rebirth, New Birth, Nightcrawlers, Edgar Winter, Black Sabbath, Lynrd Skynrd, Many more |
History
The Po'Boys was originally the vision of Erik Jacobs. As a young Marine and musician stationed in New Orleans, Erik was forever changed by the sights, smells, and sounds of the Crescent City and always dreamt of creating a New Orleans brass/funk/rock project.
Several years passed and Erik's dreams of an all-trombone brass/funk/rock band was left unfulfilled. Erik left the Marines in 2005 and moved with his wife back to his home state of Florida, too busy with other projects to think about his idea.
It wasn't until Erik met Chris Van Hof while attending the Eastman School of Music that the possibility of putting such a group together actually became a possibility.
Creating a formula, Chris and Erik began lobbying some of the best musicians Eastman had to offer to see if any of them would be interested in a New Orleans brass/funk/rock project. They were surprised that everyone they asked to be involved not only said yes, but were very enthuisiastic about it!
Charlie Halloran was next to sign on the line, followed shortly after TJ Ricer on tuba. Charlie is one of the rising stars in the world of New Orleans-style playing and has his own dixieland band to show it. TJ is the first Doctoral candidate on tuba at Eastman in over 10 years and one helluva country singer. His band, CASH Back, pays tribute to "the man in black." With the addition of Nick Finzer on trombone, the brass section was complete. Nick is one of the top-call jazz/funk players in the Rochester area and his band, Dubble Stuff, has been featured at festivals and on local radio stations. After lots of deliberation on who to ask to join us on drums a guitar, the answer fell right in our lap when Chris Teal and the very talented Mike Frederick agreed to the project, both from the group Localized Tenderness.
After just a few short rehearsals (and a lot of deliberation on the name of the project), the Po'Boys were born. It wasn't long after their first rehearsal that they started getting performance opportunities. The band is fast becoming one of the hottest new acts in the Rochester area! |
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