[Dixielandjazz] Rebirth Brass Band

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/9/05 4:52:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
robert at ringwald.com writes:

> 
> I am at the Pensacola Jazz Fest with The Boondockers.  Just heard the 
> Rebirth Brass Band from New Orleans.  All I can say is WOW!  I have never 
> heard anything like it before.
> 
> It is a New Orleans Street Band but playing really hot tunes to a rock beat. 
> 
> The tpt &tuba players must have iron chops.  The band had the crowd on 
> their feet, dancing, waving handkerchiefs &umbrellas.
> 
> It is kinda sorta like Rock music, so, a few tunes are about as much as I 
> can take.  But of course, it is all done with traditional brass band 
> instruments, not amplified, guitars with distortion  boxes so it is more 
> enjoyable for me.
> 
> 

Dear Bob & All:

Rebirth is not a New Orleans Street Band anymore for the most part.  They 
tour the country playing Festivals and mostly night clubs for younger crowds.  An 
excellent band and as you said very exciting.   But a long way from a 
Traditional Brass Band sound and yes they do have iron chops because they play like 
we did in the olden days 6 to 10 hours a day on many tour days.

If you had come out to hear Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band when we 
played in Sacramento in January or the San Francisco Easter Parade in March,  you 
would have heard the same energy and similar music except for the fact that we 
also play the Traditional style.

There are many folks around the world who think we are even better than 
Rebirth because we are more commercially minded and event adaptable in repertoire.  
 The other really hot New Orleans Brass band is "The Dirty Dozen Brass Band".

Saint Gabriel's repertoire spans selections from Louis Armstrong to Sly & The 
Family Stone.   'Tis a pity we have been ignored by the Sacramento Jazz 
Jubilee since 1990 when the band was first formed, as well as all the other 
Traditional Jazz festivals presenting the same old Dixieland shows over and over 
again.   

Now that you have seen the new world order of Traditional Jazz being 
presented perhaps  you can use your influence to enlighten others on the Traditional 
Jazz Festival circuit, I also hope you took the time to see Bonearama, while 
you were in New Orleans or the Jazz Vipers, these are excellent groups with new 
modern ideas and interpretations of  Traditional Jazz that is being embraced 
by today's generation of music lovers over the hill from Rap and Hip Hop but 
not old enough to be into early 2 beat with banjo bands.

If you get a chance while down there to catch the Dirty Dozen, by all means 
do so, and see an even different approach from their musical offerings.

Cheers and I hope you continue to have a great time and enhance your musical 
experiences and broaden your field of OKOM.  :))

And I hope the Boondockers get as good a reception as Rebirth.
Break a leg mate.  Put a bit of Hot sauce in Gunter's undies and watch him 
Hip Hop to a new group of youngsters.

Tom Wiggins
Saint Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band