WILD IRIS BRASS BAND

WAY UP

Ear Up Records

Brass bands have a reputation and tradition.  The Wild Iris Brass Band is continuing that tradition in a grand way.  Three-time Grammy-winner, Jeff Coffin, has joined talents with sought-after trombonist Ray Mason.  Together, they have put together this joyful expression of the New Orleans brass band tradition.  What makes the music even more fun and full of wild abandon is the way they weave in the vocals, the Afrobeats, and Brazilian carnival character. All this is mixed with jazz, funk and their own Tennessee country roots.  Somehow, they manage to make the music sound both streetwise and sophisticated in the same breath.  The addition of special guests, master musicians who bring their own outstanding talents to the celebration, just make this musical get-together more like a house party.

Coffin has composed most of the infectious party music, starting with their opening tune called “We’re the Wild Iris” that he co-wrote with trombone master, Ray Mason.  Steven Bernstein is featured as their special guest on electric slide trumpet. Now, the party has begun.

“We’re the Wild Iris. Calling out our name. Funky, funky wild Iris, seeking out our fame, “their voices sing and swing.

The horns blare, harmonize and the rhythms encourage me to get up and dance around my listening room. The brass band follows this with the familiar Dolly Parton tune, “9 to 5.”

Justin Amaral uses his brilliant drum skills to lock the rhythm into place.  On track #3, he is joined by special guest percussionist, Weedie Braimah.  The song is “Eye of the Cyclops” soaked in funk, with Braimah’s congas perpetuating the rhythm. Bob Lanzetti joins the celebration on guitar.

A tune called “Bramble Ramble” continues to lift the spirits of band members and their audience. The sousaphone of Neil Konouchi holds the arrangement in place like a bass player would.  Each excellent horn player takes several bars to explore their individual improvised solos.

A song called “The Slow Express” features the legendary Bela Fleck on banjo.  This quickly becomes another favorite of mine, with their sliding horn lines and Bela plucking the banjo strings over the brass band arrangement.  The Wild Iris Brass Band creates music that pleasures the senses as they wave the brass band tradition into the air like a bright, colorful, musical flag.

WILD IRIS BRASS BAND MEMBERS: Jeff Coffin, soprano, tenor & baritone saxophone/ electro-sax/clarinet/bass clarinet/vocals/ composer; Ray Mason, trombone/vocals; Emmanuel Echem, trumpet/vocals; Jovan Quallo, alto saxophone/vocals; Neil Konouchi, sousaphone/ vocals; Justin Amaral, drums/percussion/vocals; Ryoko Suzuki, tambourine/vocals; GUESTS: Bela Fleck, banjo; Steven Bernstein, electric slide trumpet; Bernardo Aguiar, Brazilian percussion; Bob Lanzetti, guitar; Weedie Braimah, djembe/congas; Yuko Bannai, additional vocals.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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