Riot Jazz Brass Band

Riot Jazz Brass Band

Riot Jazz Brass Band is a Manchester-based group active since 2008. It performs as a brass band with elements of funk, jazz and soul, and it is associated with the Riot Jazz club nights in Manchester.

Formation and line-up

The band is led by Nick Walters, who is described as its captain and as working towards a Master’s in jazz trumpet. It is fronted by MC CHUNKY. The group’s core line-up includes trumpets, trombones, drums and sousaphones, and it appears in different configurations, from a 10-piece core to a larger 28-piece version.

Style and repertoire

Riot Jazz Brass Band plays original material alongside reworked versions of hip-hop samples, funk pieces, dubstep, drum and bass and other dancefloor tracks. Its sound is linked with the New Orleans brass-band tradition, with Hot 8 Brass Band named among its reference points.

Live work and collaborations

The band tours in the UK and Europe and builds a following through live performance. It has appeared at events including Big Chill, Camp Bestival, Liverpool MTV Awards, Kendal Calling, Soundwave Croatia and Eurocultured in Dublin. It also performs alongside Manchester acts such as Broke N’£nglish and Jenna G, and it has worked with or supported artists including Dizzee Rascal, The Wailers and The Streets.