The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
The Pocket130 West 46th Street, New York 10036
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band brings its New Orleans brass-band sound to The Pocket for a late set. The band draws on the traditional brass-band foundation while folding in bebop jazz, funk, and R&B/soul: a mix it calls “musical gumbo.” The listed lineup is Roger Lewis on baritone sax and vocals, Gregory Davis on trumpet and vocals, Kirk Joseph on sousaphone, Trevarri Huff-Boone on tenor sax and vocals, Stephen Walker on trombone and vocals, Julian Addison on drums, and Takeshi Shimmura on guitar.
Founded in New Orleans in 1977, the GRAMMY Award-winning group has spent more than 45 years stretching brass-band tradition across genres. Their 1984 debut, My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now, is credited by the band with sparking a brass-band revolution and heralding a renaissance for New Orleans music and culture. They have toured five continents and more than 30 countries, recorded 12 studio albums, and collaborated with Modest Mouse, Widespread Panic, and Norah Jones. The New York Times has called them “a national treasure steeped in both the past and the present,” while SFJAZZ describes the band as “impossible to categorize, and mighty funky.”
The Pocket offers a close-up encounter with world-class jazz musicians in a small, focused setting where every note feels immediate and unfiltered. The room is designed to bring listeners near the performers, creating a direct connection that makes the music feel personal and vivid. Seating is limited and arranged to emphasize attentive listening rather than casual socializing, with a bar available to complement the experience. Shows are ticketed, encouraging an audience that is there to fully engage with the performance. The venue’s location in Manhattan places it within easy reach of the city’s vibrant cultural pulse, making it a perfect spot for an evening dedicated to serious jazz appreciation without distractions.