Rebirth Brass Band is a New Orleans brass band founded in 1982 by tuba/ sousaphone player Philip Frazier, his brother, bass drummer, Keith Frazier, trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, and other school marching band members from Joseph S. Clark Senior High School in New Orleans’ Treme neighborhood. The band was discovered at the 1982 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and recorded its first studio album in 1984. Known for combining traditional New Orleans brass band music, including the New Orleans tradition of second line with funk, jazz, soul and hip hop, the band is a staple in the New Orleans music scene. In 1992, Ruffins and Rebirth split amicably. In the wake of the sometimes-stringent competition amongst brass bands, Rebirth is the undisputed leader of the pack, and they show no signs of slowing down. In 2011, Basin Street Records released the CD Rebirth of New Orleans, which reached number 1 on the CMJ Jazz charts. The band is currently nominated for a Grammy for Best Regional Roots Music Album, and regularly tours North America and Europe.
