Hot 8 Brass Band’s Big Tuba blends jazz, funk, and bounce in a vibrant tribute to their late co-founder Bennie Pete and New Orleans’ enduring musical spirit.
The streets of New Orleans have always moved to the rhythms of brass bands, but few groups embody the city’s spirit like the Hot 8 Brass Band. With Big Tuba, their first album since 2019, the Grammy-winning ensemble returns with a wonderful tribute to both their musical roots and the legacy of their late co-founder, Bennie Pete. Featuring nine tracks, plus a digital bonus cover of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” the album fuses traditional jazz with funk, hip hop, and bounce, continuing Hot 8’s mission to bridge past and present.
The album’s title track, “Big Tuba,” sets the tone with a groove-driven celebration of the sousaphone, the heartbeat of any brass band and Pete’s instrument of choice. His influence is palpable throughout the record, with his bandmates describing him as a “leader, teacher, and mentor” whose greatest wish was for New Orleans culture to thrive for future generations. The Hot 8’s signature street-parade swagger with modern flair shines on tracks like their reimagining of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” and the defiant “Fight Song.”
Furthermore, Big Tuba is about the power of persistence and tenacity. Since their formation, Hot 8 has weathered personal losses, street violence, and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Through it all, they’ve become global ambassadors of New Orleans’ brass band tradition, performing alongside icons like Jon Batiste, Mos Def, and Lauryn Hill.
On the streets of the Crescent City, brass bands provide a soundtrack for life’s highs and lows. Whether leading a Sunday second-line parade or honoring the departed with a jazz funeral, the music is a communal expression of both grief and joy. With Big Tuba, Hot 8 Brass Band channel that spirit into an album that’s both a tribute to Bennie Pete and a reminder that the music - and the city - will always endure.