'… a continuation
of the enduring spirit of jazz and its capacity for continuous reinvention.
[It is] a reflection of the timeless allure of jazz, and a beacon of
its ever-evolving nature.’
– Ferrell Aubre – the jazzword.com 22/11/23
'There is certainly
a nice mix of styles – lilting jazz rhythms one minute, a more military
– Elmer Bernstein – feel the next…. I enjoyed the variety and the skill
of the playing.’ - John Adcock – jazzjournal.co.uk 14/12/23
‘… [an]
eclectic jewel box of an album … something of a treasure trove of music
for the listener – whether that be one who is intrigued by improvised
music or seeks comfort and tradition….’ - Sammy
Stein – Freejazzblog 4/8/23
A brass band unlike any you have heard before The Brass Monkeys are
an eclectic improvising wild bunch influenced by jazz, blues, reggae,
country, free improvisation, soul, folk …… Performing an exciting mix
of original material and unusual classics The Brass Monkeys offer a reverent
but iconoclastic take on the history of musical improvisation.
'Really enjoyable show from @8brassmonkeys as part of #camofest last
night. I loved the contrast between ensemble polyphony and the sparse
drums and tuba backing for featured soloist/duet/trio on material encompassing
originals, Monk, Frisell, Nichols folk, klezmer and more.' John Sharpe
@JazzSnipe 25/07/21
We have put together a great line-up that embraces an exciting mix of
youth and experience.
Live at Cafe Oto 28/8/22, photo Monika S Jakubowska
The Brass Monkeys are:
Trumpets/flugels - Chris Dowding (Natural Causes, Rude 2.0) Charlotte Keeffe (Space Painters, The Anthropology Band)
French horn - Jim Rattigan (Pavillon, Haden/Bley Liberation Music Orchestra)
"Me and my dad absolutely loved seeing The Brass Monkeys
last night!" Hannah
R (on Tripadvisor) 19/01/20
The repertoire is half original and a range of material from all kinds
of sources including tunes by Herbie Nicols, Bill Frisell, Lillian Hardin-Armstrong,
Archie Shepp, Jonas Gwangwa, Lester Bowie, Taj Mahal, Thelonious Monk,
Dudu Pukwana……… The key element in all our music is the opportunity for
interplay between the musicians which is at the organic heart of this
band. This is achieved in part by a combination of improvising contexts;
solos, duos, trios and full ensemble interactions stimulate the essential
spontaneity. Basically, we are all ears.
Over the years ensemble members have worked with (to name a few) Joan
Armatrading, Lianne Carroll, Elvis Costello, Julia Doyle, Joe Gallivan,
Joe Jackson, Chris MacGregor's Brotherhood of Breath, Louis Moholo Moholo,
Laura Mvula, Maggie Nicols, Natural Causes, Courtney Pine, Dudu Pukwana,
The People Band, John Russell, Paul Rutherford, John Stevens, The Style
Council, Keith Tippett, Jah Wobble, Robert Wyatt….
A shout out to Dave Amis whose beautiful trombone tones and lines were
part of The Brass Monkeys until he retired from touring in 2019.
Monika S Jakubowska-5285.jpg)
