New Orleans jazz is never a bad thing and Kermit Ruffins seems to be good at it. This Louisiana trumpeter, and BBQ master, has made a name for himself when he was cast to be on HBO’s new series,Treme.
Mr. Ruffins has had music in his blood since he was born. Growing up, Kermit used to skip lunch and perform second line music for his classmates before the principal would shut him and his friends down. In 1982, Kermit founded The Rebirth Brass Band with his high school classmate and tuba player Philip Frazier in Tremé, LA. The band took off after their legendary first performance at Jazz Fest and quickly became one of the most beloved brass bands in New Orleans and the United States. In 1992, Kermit founded the Barbecue Swingers, his traditional jazz quintet. Their weekly performances at Vaughan’s Lounge for 17 years and Bullet’s Sports Bar since Katrina became staple New Orleans events, with Kermit tailgating his shows by serving up that legendary barbecue!
What makes Kermit’s music so pleasing to listen to is that he melds his ridiculous trumpet skills with big band flare. This fusions has set him on a path to release his debut album, Happy Talk, which will be out on October 26th.
Make sure to check out the first single from the album, ” I Got A Treme Woman,” below. If you find yourself in New Orleans, you can catch Kermit and his band Tuesdays at Bullet’s Sports Bar and Thursdays at Vaughan’s Lounge!
enjoY!
Kermit Ruffins – I Got A Treme Woman
Oh yeah, there ya go! Kermit is my man. Saw him with Harry Connick’s big band years ago, and then once down at SXSW with the Barbecue Swingers. Great show, great times, great tunes. Kermit is a NOLA classic! Thanks for the heads up on his new material.