PRE-ORDER: This item will be shipped with the aim to deliver on release day.
Release Date: 10 October 2025
Label: Ear Up Records / A-Train
Packaging Type: Slip Sleeve (CD or Vinyl)
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 669185469998
Description
The Wild Iris Brass Band brings infectious joy to the brass band tradition with a sound that's both deeply rooted and boundary-pushing. This Nashville-based collaboration between three-time GRAMMY winner Jeff Coffin (Dave Mathews Band, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones) and sought-after trombonist Ray Mason (Lauren Daigle, Elvis Costello, Antibalas, Bruno Mars) was born from pure spontaneity - a surprise birthday performance that evolved into something magical.
Their debut album Way UP captures the band's irrepressible spirit, blending Now Orleans brass tradition with global influences spanning Afrobeat, Brazilian carnival, jazz, funk, and their Tennessee roots. The music feels both sophisticated and scrappy, timeless yet current; the Wild Iris Brass Band creates music that extends the brass band canon into thrilling fresh territory while never losing sight of the pure, breathtaking joy that started it all.
"Contrary to the wildness in their name, this totally professional, polished-sounding band plays meticulous arrangements of tunes of all genres. Notably, Dolly Parton's '9 to 5' is given a novel treatment, but you hear it and think, well, why not? The horn parts are simple but strong, with multi-instrumentalist Coffin leading on various saxophones, and a particularly solid trombone sound from Ray Mason. There's a sousaphone too, and the whole album offers an element of irresistible, fun." - **** Victoria Ingham, Jazzwise
Jeff Coffin: soprano, tenor, baritone, electro-sax, clarinets, vocals
Ray Mason: trombone, vocals
Emmanuel Echgem: trumpet, vocals
Jovan Quallo: alto sax, vocals
Neil Konouchi: sousaphone, vocals
Justin Amaral: drums
Ryoko Suzuki: tambourine, vocals
Plus guest: Bela Fleck, Bob Lanzetti, and Steven Bernstein
Tracklisting
Wild Iris Brass Band
Tommy Guerrero
Tommy Guerrero
Ray Barbee
Los Days (Tommy Guerrero & Josh Lippi)
The 3 Cohens & WDR Big Band
Al Stewart & The Empty Pockets
Rick Braun
Nils Landgren; Goteborg Jazz Orchestra; Ralph Soovik
Wild Iris Brass Band
The 3 Cohens & WDR Big Band
Brad Goode Polytonal Big Band
Carla Bley
Frank Dupree; Jakob Krupp; Meinhard 'Obi' Jenne; SWR Big Band; SWR Symphonieorchester; Dominik Beyk
SWR Big Band; Marc Godfroid
Fats Waller
