Who says saxophonists can’t be frontmen of a band? Washington high schoolers Kick Brass proved the music scene wrong with their phenomenal school talent show performance, resurrecting an exciting medley of 20th-century funk hits in a viral video like no other!
Music Man loves a hilarious and wholesome moment, and Kick Brass is no exception. The freshmen quintet take to the stage with two saxophonists, a tubaist, a trumpeter, and a drummer, and after a shameless bit of self-promo from the main saxophonist announcing the band’s upcoming gigs, it’s clear these kids aren’t messing around. They’re already nearing a pro level!
He warns, “We’re gonna take you all down to a place we like to call Funkytown,” but no member of the audience was prepared for the absolute moves this frontman was about to bust unceasingly throughout the entire performance! From his first note, his feet start shuffling maniacally like he’s being spotlighted in a music video, while the three brass players beside him keep traditionalism alive. The result is just amazing.
But it’s not just the frontman’s amazing dance moves or his crazy ability to play a riff one-handedly while rallying the crowd with the other; it’s the band’s near-perfect take on the tracks at hand, first Lipps Inc.’s irritatingly epic 1980 hit, “Funkytown” with all its electronic parts layered in the plush sound of brass, and its sung melodies translated to saxophone.
However, the high school quintet doesn’t stop there; they danced through a greatest hits of funk music, including a legendary, ornamented rendition of “I Got You (I Feel Good)” by James Brown which sees the audience hoot and holler. Each saxophone solo resounds as stunningly as the two sax’s harmonies, while the trumpeter nails some crazy high notes.
At the end of their set, thrown roses litter the stage as the other talent show contestants file out for a final bow.
Kick Brass is formed of trumpeter Jake Bailey, baritone sax and trombone player Ethan Tang, sousaphonist Colton Gehring, tenor saxophonist Oliver Abercrombie, and drummer Mya Grymes, all freshmen or younger at the time of this gig. The kids went viral, amassing over 1M YouTube views on this talent show video to date!
After becoming internet legends in 2022, Kick Brass performed at their local Oak Harbour Music Festival in 2023 and also provided the live soundtrack to Orlando’s Southern Barbeque that same year, playing high-energy red hot riffs to match the chilled-out, ice-cold brews and get attendees “dancing the night away!”
If you would like to hear more from this talented band, you can subscribe to their YouTube Channel for more incredible music.