When Bonerama struts onstage with its four-trombone frontline, you can guess it's not quite like any rock 'n' roll band you've seen. When they tear into some vintage New Orleans funk, there's no questioning from which city these guys hail. And when those 'bones start ripping into Hendrix and Led Zeppelin licks, all stylistic bets are off.
Bonerama carries the brass-band concept to places unknown. Hailed by Rolling Stone's David Fricke as "The ultimate in brass balls" last Fall, the band served as the House Band for the live all-star comedy event COMIC RELIEF. The 2006 event, which featured a long list of A-talent including hosts Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams, was recorded live from Ceasar's Palace last November. Recently, Bonerama snagged the coveted "Best Rock Band" honor from the 2007 Big Easy Awards.
Since live performance is what Bonerama is all about, it's no coincidence that their third album, Bringing It Home, is also their third consecutive live disc. It also testifies to the amount of tightening-up the band's done in recent years. Joining another stack of Bonerama originals are covers ranging from the Meters and George Porter Jr. to the Beatles (two from the White Album, no less) to Thelonious Monk. And when they take on Led Zeppelin's "The Ocean" - with trombones doing the familiar backing vocals along with the big guitar riff - you can practically hear the audience's jaws dropping.
The current list of confirmed Bonerama tour dates is as follows:
November 08 Berlin Jazz Festival Berlin Germany
November 15 The Melting Point Athens GA
November 20 Palats and Pate Lafayette LA
November 21 Pearl At Commerce Dallas TX
November 22 The Parish Austin TX
December 05 Tipitina's Uptown New Orleans LA
December 16 The Fox Theatre Boulder CO
December 17 The Eldo Crested Butte CO
December 18 Samana Vail CO
December 19 The Aggie Fort Collins CO
December 20 Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom Denver CO
December 27 Miracle on Fulton Street New Orleans LA
December 31 City Limits Delray Beach FL
January 02 Mojo Kitchen Jacksonville Beach FL
January 03 Aces Lounge Bradenton FL
January 04 Jam Cruise 7 Ft. Lauderdale FL
April 18 Rummel High School Fundraiser New Orleans LA
May 15 Tulane Wave Goodbye 2009 New Orleans LA
May 30 Western Maryland Blues Festival Hagerstown MD
More dates will be announced.
Even in a city that doesn't play by the rules, New Orleans' Bonerama is something different. They're not a traditional brass band, but they've got brass to spare-even with no trumpets or saxes in sight. Bonerama features a dizzying display of trombone talent; four trombones, to be exact. Band leaders Mark Mullins and Craig Klein (of Harry Connick's band) shelf any jazz subtlety for Bonerama, opting instead for heavy funk, rock 'n' roll, and pure horn muscle. Mullins and Klein are joined by fellow boners Steve Suter and Rick Trolsen, imaginative and dynamic sousaphone player Matt Perrine and edgy experimental guitarist Bert Cotton. The band also features a rotating cast of New Orleans' finest drummers, including Russell Batiste, Stanton Moore, Eric Bolivar, and Terence Higgins.
