Ray Anderson Pocket Brass Band

The Pocket Brass Band is a miniature brass band. Its interaction is reminiscent of the archaic magic of a marching bands in New Orleans, occult incantation rituals and the vague memory of prehistoric minstrel shows. There are no words for the desire to engage in the challenges of the spontaneous musical moment and accept whatever happens in any place in the world. The mutual trust within the band encourages the members to take big risks without compromising their communication or the roots of their sound. Three horns and a drum are so reduced, Anderson said, that after some gigs of the band he has to pick up his lips from the floor.

The members of the Pocket Brass Band are not only outstanding musicians, but also represent their music in their personality. “Trumpeter Steven Bernstein is the perfect partner for me,” the bandleader said with enthusiasm. “We think musically in the same way, and we make the same decisions synchronously. It’s actually magical. Together, we can play anything. Things that are far more complex than Pierre Boulez ever dreamed of, and then a reggae piece in the next moment. Slide trumpet and trombone simply form a cosmos in themselves. Tuba player José Davila's playing is absolutely unpredictable. I never know what he'll do next. He is a super virtuoso, but he has also retained a wildness that I consider important. I've been playing with drummer Tommy Campbell since 1976. He is also unpredictable, but whatever he plays swings.”

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