At Work: Brass Queens
The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Brass Queens are on a mission to bring a female voice to New Orleans brass music, a style that has, historically, involved mostly male players. In 2019, Alex Harris and Ally Chapel recruited six other talented musicians who shared their vision, and they’ve been making waves ever since—expanding their lineup to 10 instrumentalists along the way.
“We take our musical inspiration from the New Orleans second-line tradition,” trumpeter Stephanie King says. “Then we infuse that foundation with the energy of New York to create something truly special.” The result is equal parts Big Easy and Big Apple—a distinctly modern, energetic take on traditional numbers. Initially gaining popularity through their inspired street performances and pop ups during the COVID necessitated live-music shutdown, the band has gone from busking in Prospect Park to bringing their thrilling live performances to audiences across North America—whether at New York venues such as the Blue Note and Brooklyn Bowl or multi-band events like the Northlands Music & Arts Festival and the Ottawa Jazz Festival. In one surreal booking, they even appeared at The Met Gala. Their sets, always a nonstop dance party, run the gamut from classic New Orleans brass to pop and reggaeton. (They’ve also arranged Phish’s “Cars Trucks Buses.”)
The band named their new album, Hot Tub Sessions Vol. I, after a meaningful late-night hot tub hang while touring on their f irst LP, Black & Gold, in 2023. “On that rare night off while on tour, we were relaxing together in a hotel hot tub,” King notes. “The conversation covered everything from favorite performances to the joys of collaboration and the challenges of being women in the industry.” When the soak alleviated a painful clogged milk duct that had been plaguing Harris, a breastfeeding mother at the time, the band knew they had found the right name for their next release, which incorporates elements of Balkan music, mambo, film scores, Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade, pop and classic rock.
The Brass Queens are telling a story, both through their music and also through the tradition of tarot, which they’ve woven into the album’s visuals and liner notes.
“We are extremely grateful for the people of Brooklyn who supported us in our early days, especially during lockdown,” King explains. “We would not be where we are today without them. Since then, our growth has been spurred by our core values— to play for as many audiences as possible and to increase the visibility of female bands in the brass-band scene.”
