Grammy Winning Hot 8 Brass Band

About Grammy Winning Hot 8 Brass Band

The New Orleans-based Hot 8 Brass Band draw on the traditional jazz heritage of their hometown, alongside more modern styles, including elements of funk, hip hop, rap, and its local variation, “bounce.” The collective earned a win in the 64th Annual Grammy Awards 2022 for their feature on John Batiste’s ‘Album of The Year', following the nomination of ‘The Life & Times Of…’ for ‘Best Regional Roots Album’ in 2013.

Transcending genres and trends, Hot 8 have performed and collaborated with the likes of Jon Batiste, Blind Boys of Alabama, Basement Jaxx and Alice Russell, and provided live support for Mos Def, Lauryn Hill and Mary J Blige. Since forming they have established a decade-long affiliation with actor/BBC 6Music DJ Craig Charles, among other tastemakers, DJs and journalists worldwide. After a festive appearance Live at Maida Vale for Lauren Laverne (BBC 6 Music), the Hot 8 Brass Band performed for Jools Holland's annual Hootenanny on BBC Two to welcome in 2019. Later that year, after taking to the stage at the BRIT awards in February, Hot 8 Brass Band were invited on the European leg of George Ezra’s tour.

With multiple sell-out shows at London’s Roundhouse and Brighton’s Dome, Hot 8 continues to share their acclaimed releases. Albums such as 'Vicennial...', 'On The Spot' and 'Take Cover', are brought to the stage, honoring their city’s musical traditions, while forging their own powerful legacy. Mixing an old-school street brass approach with funkier currents and hip hop vocals, Hot 8’s magnificent originals are juxtaposed with fresh versions of Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, The Specials and of course their anthemic take on Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing”.

The recent passing of Bennie Pete, the beloved co-founder and sousaphone player for the outfit, was honoured in true New Orleans fashion with ‘The Bossman Tour 2023’, paying tribute to his “galvanizing force” as a “leader, teacher and mentor”. Fellow bandmates add that “Bennie was an inspiration to [the] band and to many other musicians, and the entire musical and cultural community.”. The dates celebrated the late Bennie’s “greatest wish.. that New Orleans culture lives on for future generations”. This parade followed the success of the Mardi Gras 2020 and 'Take Cover' 2019 tours.

HISTORY OF HOT 8 BRASS BAND

Inspired early by the music of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Rebirth Brass Band, original bandleader Bennie Pete worked to bring together members of two existing bands at Fortier High School - the Looney Tunes Brass Band and the High Steppers Brass Band – to form Hot 8 Brass Band in 1995. They gained local recognition playing on the streets of their hometown, in Second Line Parades and at traditional Jazz funerals. Cutting their teeth by playing mainly pop/soul cover versions and traditional pieces, they also developed a repertoire of original material.

The release of their first album ‘Rock With The Hot 8’ was impeded by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as the lives of all band members were heavily impacted and the band’s career progression was put on hold. During this time, Bennie Pete and his bandmembers used their music to support and rally the displaced community, via various charity and community initiatives.

In 2007, multi-instrumentalist and producer Quantic picked up on Hot 8 Brass Band’s cover of “Sexual Healing”. Playing it live at a DJ set in New York, the track gained an unprecedented round of applause and Quantic sent it to Paul Jonas and Robert Luis at Tru Thoughts Records in Brighton, UK. The pair travelled to New Orleans with the intention of meeting and signing the band, beginning a long and ongoing partnership between band and label that started with a reissue of ‘Rock With The Hot 8’.

The success of ‘Rock With The Hot 8’ – including the band’s renowned cover of “Sexual Healing”, as well as the Snoop Dogg cover “What’s My Name (Rock With The Hot 8)” – paved the way for the band’s second album ‘The Life & Times Of.. The Hot 8 Brass Band’. Released in late 2012, the LP was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album. The first in a two-part set of albums, it was closely followed by sister release ‘Tombstone’ in 2013. Hot 8 Brass Band celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2015 with the release of ‘Vicennial’, featuring raucous cover versions and original numbers. This milestone release gained positive coverage from high-profile publications including The Sunday Times, Independent On Sunday, Songlines and Metro.