Brass Queens is a female-led New York-based brass band w/an all-female horn section that has been dominating the scene since 2019. Finding they shared similar frustrations about the emerging brass band scene in New York City, co-founders Alex Harris & Ally Chapel came together to form a group dedicated to showcasing the talents of female musicians in a landscape that was dominated by male musicians & bandleaders. After debuting in March 2019, Brass Queens grew to be a fixture in the local music scene and was dubbed “the hardest working band in town” by their peers. They gained a dedicated following thru outdoor performances on the streets of Brooklyn and playing pop-up events in their community through the pandemic. A core value of the band is to play for as many audiences as possible to increase the visibility of female bands in the brass band scene. Brass Queens regularly tour across the country & internationally, performing on festival stages including the Ottawa Jazz Festival, Northlands Music Festival, MusikFest, Duck Jazz Festival, and multiple appearances at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival. They have played major events like The Met Gala and for many notable clients including New Balance, Chanel, Tiffany & Co., Bombas, Perrier, Instagram, & Pinterest. They have also performed on national T.V. (Good Morning America) and at iconic venues like The Capitol Theater with multiple shows at the historic Blue Note Jazz Club & Brooklyn Bowl. They are also the 2023 winners of We Love NYC’s Rider’s Choice Award, after the people of New York voted them as their favorite of the MTA’s Music Under New York’s roster of subway performers. The band has developed a signature style that sits right at the intersection of the Big Apple and the Big Easy. Their sound is deeply inspired by and pays homage to the New Orleans brass band tradition while injecting the upbeat, multifaceted energy of their New York home into each performance. The result is a nonstop party: a Brass Queens show will have you singing along to classic pop hits, dancing your heart out to reggaeton, and feeling like you’ve been transported to Frenchman Street. In February 2021, Brass Queens released their debut EP ‘Royal Street’, which takes listeners on a six-song journey beginning in the heart of New York City with a cover of Cameo’s Candy, down to Royal St. with their take on a New Orleans traditional, Little Liza Jane. In 2023, the band released their first full-length album titled ‘Black & Gold’, which is an ode to the Brass Queen’s incredible early fan base who supported the band from the virtual performances & socially-distanced street corners during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the crowded clubs & packed venues of today. On October 18, 2024 they will release their second full-length album titled ‘Hot Tub Sessions Vol. I’.
I had the pleasure of spending a little time with Ally Chapel ahead of the Brass Queens making a stop through Madison on October 11th at the High Noon Saloon. They will be sharing the stage with Madison’s own, Mama Digdown’s Brass Band and the story of the bands relationship is touched on (and you can hear the excitement in Ally’s voice) as soon as we start talking about this event. We get into what this show will feel and sound like, but it is this relationship between the two bands that is going to set this particular night ablaze. We dive brass first into the soon to be released album, ‘Hot Tub Sessions Vol. I’ and even dissect one of Ally’s tracks. It is unfortunate but, being an incredible all female band, is still a thing of surprise for some people, so we definitely touch on that experience and how that drives this group. We find time to have Ally build a quick setlist – not a lot of surprises, but you can tell where the party would be at if she was in charge of the music. Don’t miss out on this band.
