Hot 8 Brass Band - Fight Song (Single)
Grammy-winning Hot 8 Brass Band kick off the new year with Fight Song, a powerful anthem about standing up and speaking out, "We stand up for you, we speak up for you," says the band. The track is featured on their upcoming album Big Tuba (out Friday, February 28th), which pays tribute to the late Bennie Pete, co-founder and sousaphone player. Hot 8 Brass Band also recently released a live version of Fight Song, recorded at their second-line parade at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival in 2023.
The song began with a bass line from trombonist Larry, which he was experimenting with in the studio. As the band jammed, the track evolved into an anthem for speaking out. "It's always important to stand up for the right thing and keep pushing forward," they add.
The album will feature previous singles, Big Tuba, and their cover of the Bill Withers’ classic Ain’t No Sunshine, marking the band’s first new music since 2019 and paying tribute to the late Bennie Pete, co-founder and sousaphone player. The singles have already garnered significant attention, earning a spot onCraig Charles' "Funkiest Releases of 2024" with a BBC 6 Music interview, recognition as KCRW's "Top Tune of the Day," Jazz FM's 'A' List playlist and high praise from Asim Chaudhry (aka Chabuddy G) inThe Guardian, where he described their track as "the song that gets me up in the morning."
The album includes nine tracks on vinyl, with an additional track, Let’s Stay Together, available digitally. The release comes on 3-Colour A-Side/B-Side vinyl, along with a 12” poster insert and an exclusive 7” featuring covers of Marvin Gaye’s Sexual Healing” (Bossman Edit) and Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together, both making their vinyl debut.
The band will be touring the East Coast, Europe, the UK, and Ireland this year as part of the Big Tuba Tour, following a series of dates along the US West Coast. This tour builds on the success of their previous sold-out tours, including the Bossman Tour (2023), Mardi Gras (2020), and Take Cover (2019), which featured sold-out shows at venues like London’s Roundhouse and Brighton Dome.
Hot 8 Brass Band are renowned for including elements of funk, hip hop, rap and its local variation, “bounce”, in their music. The collective earned a win in the 64th Annual Grammy Awards 2022 for their feature on John Batiste’s ‘Album of The Year', following the nomination of their ‘The Life & Times Of…’ LP for ‘Best Regional Roots Album’ in 2013.
Transcending genres and trends, Hot 8 have performed and collaborated with the likes of Jon Batiste,The Blind Boys of Alabama, Basement Jaxx and Alice Russell, and provided live support for Mos Def, Lauryn Hill and Mary J Blige. Since forming they have seen significant support from tastemakers and journalists around the world, including BBC 6 Music DJ Craig Charles, a long-time fan. After a festive appearance Live at Maida Vale for Lauren Laverne (BBC 6 Music), the Hot 8 Brass Band performed forJools Holland's annual Hootenanny on BBC Two to welcome in 2019. Later that year, after taking to the stage at the BRIT awards in February, Hot 8 Brass Band were invited on the European leg of George Ezra’s tour. In 2023, the Hot 8 Brass Band also performed with Jon Batiste at the Gates Foundation Goalkeepers Festival and played dates in South America at Festival Petronio Álvarez and inAustralia at both Perth International and Melbourne Jazz Festival, where they filmed Fight Song.