Formed in Richmond, Virginia, the No BS! Brass Band has long been one of America's most successful traditional jazz formations. This group boasting an entire chorus of trumpets and trombones complemented by a saxophone, tuba and drums is – in keeping with the name of our 12-year-old festival – a product of the authentic New Orleans sound. No BS! is a true brass band in the best sense of the word, a successor to the tradition of marching bands that emerged in the 1890s. This African-American tradition associated with weddings, funerals, carnivals and street parties was kept going in the 20th century by artists like King Oliver, Henry “Red” Allen and the most popular jazz musician of all time, Louis Armstrong. This repertoire – minus the characteristic 6/8 tempo and with more and more improvisation thrown in – later became integrally absorbed into the heart of jazz.
The No BS! Brass Band boldly combines this heritage with elements taken from the free jazz of the 1960s (John Coltrane), progressive rock (Led Zeppelin), various fusion trends and even funk and rhythm and blues (James Brown and Michael Jackson). Their ferociously energetic shows had even the audiences at the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center on their feet and dancing. The band also embraces its sense of social responsibility, which includes holding a charity festival in Richmond each year to benefit a Virginia food bank. The 11-member group only rarely plays in Europe, making their Müpa Budapest appearance a true novelty.

Presented by: Müpa Budapest