The Dirty Dozen Brass Band with Elvis Costello and Widespread Panic

While originally I was only going to write about brass bands and rap artists, it only felt natural to expand into the realm of brass bands with vocal accompaniment, as they often go hand in hand. One brass band that is doing it uniquely is the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Many groups have dedicated beatboxers, rappers, or vocalists, and yes, The Dirty Dozen do have members of their group that sing or provide vocals from time to time; they often collaborate with existing artists and serve as not just a band's hornline, but as a collaborator on stage with numerous bands. 


Above is an example of just that! This is the Dirty Dozen with Elvis Costello. Costello is an English singer, songwriter, producer, author, and TV host who has run the musical gauntlet and performed in groups that perform a wide array of genres. This piece above highlights not just his versatility as a performer but also how wonderful brass blends with voice, in "That's How You Got Killed Before" off of their New Orleans album.




Switching styles, this is the Dirty Dozen performing with Widespread Panic as they perform some popular rock covers as well as some originals. In this video, see how the band weaves in and out of the texture. Sometimes they play the prominent role and are front and center, occasionally they are playing hits, and sometimes they're taking solos; they are just as important as the rhythm section and vocalist.

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