New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass Band’s fifth LP, On the Spot, will be released worldwide on the Tru Thoughts Records label on March 31.
On the Spot will feature the single “Working Together,” released by the band in December, alongside a mixture of original tracks and interpretations of famous tunes, including “St. James’ Infirmary” and “Annie Mae.” The latter song is a tribute to vocalist Natalie Cole.
The title of the album refers to those moments during which big band parades when the music has officially stopped but the musicians keep improvising anyway.
A press release states that On the Spot also honors “fallen friends and the city of New Orleans.” In fact, it addresses the difficult times experienced by the Hot 8 Brass Band through the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the separate deaths of five band members and trumpeter Terell “Burger” Batiste losing his legs in a car crash. “We still break down a lot,” says bandleader and tuba player Bennie Pete. “But now it’s tears of joy. We keep everything in our hearts, but we keep on.”
In addition to releasing On the Spot, the Hot 8 Brass Band will be embarking on a mammoth 53-date world tour. For more information, go to http://www.hot8brassband.com/
