---

advertisement

bringing it home

Artist:
Bonerama

Title:
Bringing It Home

Billing themselves as “The Masters of New Orleans Brass Funk Rock,” Bonerama starts off their album, Bringing It Home, the way a funk album should start, with a live introduction ala James Brown. In fact, the entire album was recorded live at Tipitina’s Uptown in New Orleans, but it doesn’t have any of the pitfalls of a live recording. By the tone and texture of the recording, you’d think it was recorded in a studio if it weren’t for the muted applause between songs and the palpable live energy of this rock-ass band.

Bonerama was formed in the late 80s by Mark Mullins and Craig Klein, who were in the horn section that backed up crooner Harry Connick Jr. Although there are five trombones in this ballsy brass section, they also have a sousaphone player, keyboards, a funked up drummer and even a guitarist.

Bringing It Home is brassy, bawdy, and overflowing with funk, but it doesn’t leave the rock out. They cover Led Zeppelin’s ‘Ocean’ better than any rock band ever has. Not only does guitarist Bert Cotton hold up the Zep licks, but the incorporation of some funky brass really kicks this number up a hot degree. Although ‘Oceans’ and the other first three tracks are instrumental, the band does get up on the mic in that casual, secondary way that jazz groups sometimes toss in a vocal.

This album is a fun listen from the calloused hands of serious players that know their instruments. It rocks, it rolls, and it slides. Catch them live at MoJos Kitchen on Beach Blvd on August 3rd.