The KNKX studios were shaking to the sounds of The Rumble, the seven-piece Grammy-nominated Mardi Gras Indian band that blends New Orleans brass bands, funk, jazz, and hip-hop.
The Rumble just released their new album, Ain't No Dying. Fronted by Big Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr., The Rumble carries forward the legacy of Mardi Gras Indian funk; a genre pioneered in the 1970s by Joseph’s father Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Wild Magnolias.
The Rumble come from the Black Masking Indian tradition, which has been a part of New Orleans culture since the 1800s. At that time, Black people were not allowed to be part of official Mardi Gras celebrations. So, they created their own traditions that paid homage to the Native Americans who helped escaped slaves to freedom.
During the visit to KNKX, Boudreaux also celebrated the garb of this Black Masking tradition, wearing a magnificent, handmade suit of beads and feathers.
The band takes their name from the sound of the Mardi Gras parade as it gets closer: the distant rumble of drums, tambourines and chants of parade marchers.
New Orleans funk music is frequently referred to as “second line” music. Boudreaux explained that second line is part of the city's tradition of musical funeral parades, which escort the body of the deceased from church to cemetery.
The first line of the parade is people from the family and close friends, accompanied by slow hymns and dirges. The second line represents the rest of the community, who are invited to come out and dance. The deceased is not just mourned; they also are celebrated.
Celebrate the evolution of New Orleans music with The Rumble and Chief Joseph Boudreaux, Jr., and feel the energy of this long, beautiful tradition.
Musicians:
- Big Chief Joseph Boudreaux, Jr. - vocals and percussion
- Aurélien Barnes - trumpet
- José Maize Jr. - trombone
- Ari Teitel - guitar
- Andriu Yanovski - keyboards
- T.J. Norris - bass
- Trenton O'Neal - drums
Songs:
- What They Say
- No Dying
- Second Line for Me
