Welcome to RedEye’s “Song of the Day,” an ongoing feature where music reporter Josh Terry or another RedEye staff member highlights something they’re listening to. Some days the track will be new, and some days it will be old. No matter what, each offering is something you should check out. Check back every weekday for a new song and subscribe to the Spotify playlist below.
Because of both my job and my completely all-over-the-place tastes, I’ve found that some music from certain cities always ends up feeling like home. Chicago, for obvious reasons, is a big example of this— its incredible rap scene and raucous house show community rivals and basically tops everyone else’s in my opinion. But New Orleans is one place I’ve never been to that no matter what I hear from it, will almost always end up making my playlists. There’s just something about its history, its massive musical cocktail of so many American music traditions and the astounding timeless quality of its songs that keeps me coming back.
Fortunately, this year’s North Coast Music Festival, this weekend’s three-day event taking the hottest acts from hip-hop, EDM, jam and indie also has some Louisiana flair in Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Kicking off the festivities with a 3:30 p.m. Friday afternoon slot at the 312 stage, the long-running brass band is sure to be a surprisingly successful opening set for the young, dance-music loving crowd. These musicians are all exceptionally skilled veterans and, being from New Orleans, they know how to start a party.
In 2006, after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the New Orleans coastline and left thousands homeless and 1,833 dead, Dirty Dozen decided to reimagine Marvin Gaye’s classic “What’s Going On” album to place that historic and justice-seeking album in the context of the storm—it turned out to the be best record of the band’s long career. Listen to the title track below, which is anchored by Public Enemy frontman Chuck D’s still-righteous verses.
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