You're at a town festival, on the street - a crowd of people are coming towards you laughing and dancing. You can already hear the music from far away, led by a big bass drum:
Boom
Boom Boomboom Boom
During this moment you may be experiencing for the first time in your life, something you've only heard about from others - a New Orleans marching band.
What you feel now is more groovy than anything you've ever heard before. You want to and yes you will begin to move to the music. Join in and become a part of the band. This is the spirit, the soul of New Orleans. The marching band walks amongst the audience and includes them as the 2nd half of the band - the second line!
The rhythm section with bass drum, snare drum and percussion,
frees the band not only from the chains of stage, but it
also guarantees an explosive beat mixed with funk,
african and south-american rhythms in the New Orleans Jazz
style. The most spectacular instrument of the band is
the sousaphone. It gives a harmonical fundament to the rhythm
section and chases the 'frontline', consisting of trumpet,
trombone, baritone sax, and alto sax.
The relatively small group is different from other marching music formations in that it gives the musicians opportunities to sing and improvise, which is far from strict arrangements and stiff rhythm.
The Bayou street beat & brass band walks towards and amongst the audience, and doesn't just pass them by.
Welcome to the second line!
