The Po'Boys Brass Band

Po’Boys Brass Band Bio Founded by a bunch of trombone players that were fed up with sitting in the back of orchestras and jazz bands, the Po’Boys Brass Band is a 7-piece power house of funk/jazz/blues and rock. The four-trombone front line produces a sonic-explosion of sound that breaks all preconceived notions of what the trombone is capable of. Supporting the trombone powerhouse is a drummer, guitarist, and tuba player. That’s right, a tuba player. The band plays original charts as well as some tasty covers, conjuring up anything from Stevie Wonder and Tower of Power to Led Zeppelin and Edgar Winter. The band’s close ties to the great city of New Orleans guides the group spiritually, owing a lot of their sound concepts to the Rebirth Brass Band, Bonerama, the Dirty Dozen, Professor Longhair, The Meters, Dr. John, and many more.

The idea to create such an experiment of sound came when Erik Jacobs met Chris Van Hof at the Eastman School of Music. Chris is a native of Michigan and the band’s main songwriter/arranger. Chris and Erik would become the duo responsible for putting together the four-headed trombone monster that would become the Po’Boys Brass Band. The first to sign up was Charlie Halloran. Charlie is a rising star in the world of New Orleans-style jazz. Growing up in St. Louis, Charlie’s trombone sound lends a bluesy soul to the horn line. Next was Nick Finzer. Nick is a Rochester local and already the most successful working-trombonist in the city at the age of 21. His funk band, Dubble Stuff, enjoys unparalleled success in Western New York as the best original funk band. TJ Ricer, the band’s tuba player, calls Ohio home. This country boy is the first Doctoral Candidate on Tuba in over 10 years at the Eastman School of Music. His band, Cash Back, is a Johnny Cash tribute band showcasing TJ’s other two talents, singing bass and playing the bass. Mike Frederick rounded up the lineup on guitar and his long-time friend, Chris Teal plays the drums for the group. Both grew up in Spokane, Washington and have a very successful project of their own, Localized Tenderness. Both are grad-students at Eastman and brilliant in the field of funk and jazz.

Since October of 2007, the Po’Boys Brass Band has been tearing up the stages of Western New York. The band’s debut album release is scheduled to drop in early summer 2008 in anticipation of a busy festival season.

…so kick back and relax. Open a beer and light the BBQ, because it may have started in New Orleans, but the Po’Boys are bringing it to your back yard.

Trombone? In the BACK of the band?

…not anymore.