The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
The Pocket130 West 46th Street, New York 10036
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band brings its seven-piece New Orleans brass-band lineup to The Pocket: 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. Expect the group’s brass-band foundation stretched into the blend it calls a “musical gumbo,” incorporating bebop jazz, funk, and R&B/soul.
Founded in New Orleans in 1977, the GRAMMY Award-winning band has spent more than 45 years helping revive the brass-band tradition while taking it in expansive directions. Their work has carried them across five continents and more than 30 countries, with 12 studio albums and collaborations including Modest Mouse, Widespread Panic, and Norah Jones. The Pocket calls their concerts “genre-bending romps” and “high-octane performances.” Writing about the band’s sound, Tinnitist hears “bumptious beats,” “low-rolling sousaphone bass lines” and “rollicking party anthems”; the Lexington Herald-Leader called their album Twenty Dozen “ultra-fun,” praising its mix of styles and “street parade smarts.”
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.