SOUL Brass Band is the brainchild of percussionist, vocalist, and cultural torchbearer Derrick "Smoker" Freeman, aided by Billboard-charting saxophonist and vocalist James Martin, celebrated for his fiery improvisation and soulful tone across performances spanning Jazz Fest. The band brings together an all-star lineup of New Orleans musicians, including Terrance Taplin, Leon "Kid Chocolate" Brown, and Michael Watson, delivering a dynamic, fresh interpretation of the brass band canon that blends deep street rhythms with soul sounds and jazz stylings.
The band's touring lineup has also featured Grammy Award-winning trombonist Miles Lyons, one of the most in-demand brass players of his generation, known for his work with New Orleans Nightcrawlers and the California Honeydrops. SOUL Brass Band has performed at venues and festivals including Tipitina's, Telluride, and the North Sea Jazz Festival, and was named Best Emerging Artist, reflecting the group's rapid rise within New Orleans' crowded brass band scene.
In January 2026, SOUL Brass Band launched its first-ever Northern California tour, "Mardi Gras Rolls West," running January 22 through 30 and bringing the band's high-energy blend of brass, funk, hip-hop, and second-line soul to cities from Santa Cruz to Sacramento. The touring lineup for that run included guitarist Sasha Brown, formerly of Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds, drummer and vocalist Kyle Sharmitaro, trumpeter and vocalist Mark Levron, and trombonist Wes Anderson, son of jazz legend Wes Anderson III and a mentee of Delfeayo Marsalis. The band continues to book weddings, private events, festivals, and corporate entertainment, moving seamlessly between elegant cocktail sets and full second line parades wherever they perform.
