BRASS RIOT
The trio consisting of Constantin von Estorff (Sax), Simon Sasse (Drums), and Carl Weiß (Sax) formed during their school years in Lüneburg. What initially started as street music there evolved through a connection to political initiatives, foremost the Fridays for Future movement, and performances at countless demonstrations into a solid and sought-after formation. The band name is somewhat misleading, as "Brass" in music refers to brass instruments like the trumpet or tuba, even though you can always find a saxophone in most brass bands. Moreover, the word "Brass" in the German language means something that perfectly fits this young, energetic trio: anger.
After their debut album "Matschsafari" from 2018, their second studio album "The Never Acting Story" is now released on the Staatsakt sub-label Fun In The Church. The album title critically alludes to the world-famous fantasy book by Michael Ende and neatly summarizes what BRASS RIOT’s music is fundamentally about: The possibility of giving a loud vent to the misplaced politics of the past decades and the associated frustrations and fears, and freeing oneself from it for a moment. The fact that the wildest live music on this crisis-ridden planet has emerged along this path is an irony of history – and certainly not the first time this has happened. That a disagreement with society develops such enormous power in music is no different in the jazz of Charlie Parker than in the songs of Patti Smith, the raps of Little Simz, or the Afro-beat of Fela Kuti.
Musically, BRASS RIOT operates more within the tension field of the melodic ska-pop of Madness, the fake jazz of Lounge Lizards, and contemporary rave-brass ensembles like MEUTE, bridging house music and electro beats. The fact that they have managed to politicize their sound so strongly over the years, despite all party suitability, and entirely without song lyrics, is truly phenomenal. The new album, produced by Tilman Hopf in the legendary Chez-Cherie Studios on Sonnenallee in Berlin-Neukölln, has nearly become a live album, as we hear the band actually play their repertoire completely live here, aside from a few studio overdubs. They can indeed perform just like this – without electricity and amplifiers – on any street corner. Except for the frequently used EWI saxophone, a so-called electronic wind instrument that allows triggering synthesizer sounds.
This instrument was invented by a certain Nyle Steiner in the 1970s, but it couldn’t establish itself in either pop or jazz. However, BRASS RIOT loves their Electronic Wind Instrument!
Entry: 7 PM / Standing room
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
